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Interview: ALA Editions Acquisitions Editor Tarshel Beards
ICT: What's the first step for someone interested in publishing with ALA Editions?
TB: There are two main ways we find authors. First, we generally seek out authors -- part of an editor's job is to find new authors by scanning the field, keeping up with what is going on at conferences and by reading journals. We then approach a potential author and see if they are interested in writing a book for us.
The second way is if we receive a proposal we like. We get very few unsolicited proposals, and out of ten or so in a year we usually accept two or three. Actually, publishers generally look down on publishing houses that take a lot of unsolicited manuscripts, because they see that as a sign that editors aren't doing their job. Part of what we're paid for is to find new authors, and there's a certain stigma to being a publisher that can't find its own authors.
ICT: When you talk to potential authors or receive proposals, how do you determine what topics are appropriate for you to publish?
TB: The first thing we do is see if the topic is on our wish list. Each editor has a different area of specialty -- mine, for example, is technology and academic reference. The editors meet periodically and discuss our "wish list" of hot topics. When I go to a conference, for example, I scan what's going on at the whole conference but look specifically for these "hot" topics and at what kind of information will be needed. It's really building up a knowledge of market needs and trends.
Also keep in mind that ALA Editions is a very practical, professional publisher. We don't do a lot of theory books, so we need to be sure topics fit within that practical format. We look at whether a potential book solves a problem, taking the author's knowledge and expertise and creating a practical book out of that.
ICT: You mention "trends" or "hot topics" in the library market. Could you list a couple of the current trends?
TB: This really varies from time to time. We're always open to technology topics, and right now I'm interested in teachers and library instruction -- taking teaching theories that you might learn in an education program and applying that to library instruction. I'm also interested in crisis communication.
ICT: Could you give a short outline of what's involved with the publishing process?
TB: After an potential author is prospected or sends in a proposal, their editor makes a formal proposal to the entire group to get approval. (Even if authors are solicited, we do require them to submit a formal proposal.) We do a market analysis, look at the financials, and look at whether this will be an appropriate topic for ALA Editions.
Once a topic is approved, our contract is sent to the author to be signed. The author then has a set period of time to write the book -- usually about one year, although we do receive some manuscripts as early as six months after contract signing. The production process itself then takes about 9 months. So it's usually around a two-year process from idea to finished book.
ICT: You mention that ALA Editions works with a lot of actively solicited authors. Are you also open to working with newer authors with less writing experience?
TB: A lot of our authors actually haven't had a lot of writing experience. Conferences and articles are just two of the ways that we find prospective authors. I do a lot of less formal networking at conferences, meeting people and talking about their research interests. A lot of it is just being out and about, being seen and being active in the field. The "big names" who present at conferences and so on don't always have time to write.
So yes, we are always open to working with younger and less experienced people. Sometimes I will contact a prospective author, for example, because I'm intrigued by an interesting post they made on a library listserv. Also, I recently did a program about publishing for ALA's Black Caucus, and found two authors with book ideas there who hadn't previously been published.
ICT: Besides being "out there," what other suggestions would you have for information professionals interested in being published?
TB: If you're interested in journal publishing, just query. A lot of authors prefer to start with journal articles, since they're shorter and many people are more comfortable beginning there. Have something to say -- just hone in on what you want to write about.
If you are submitting to a publishing house such as ours, it helps a lot to tailor your proposal to a specific editor. You can sometimes find out about editors and their interests on a web site, or go to conferences and meet editors. In library publishing, you can also pick up the phone and call an editor with your idea (although you can never do this with a trade publisher, library publishers are generally smaller and much more personal). Personally, I never sign an author I haven't talked to -- and preferably I like to meet all of my authors in person, since we will have such a close working relationship.
ICT: What advantages do you see with publishing with ALA Editions over other library publishers?
TB: The advantage is really having the ALA imprint as compared with some others. Having the authority of the association says a lot -- and people do say that they choose to work with us because they see the value of being associated with the association. When you publish with ALA Editions, you're part of a legacy, and the other smaller associations really don't compare. Since no one goes into library publishing to get rich, authors need self-motivation and to be able to say that they have helped others, and ALA Editions helps them do so. We have a larger staff than many other library houses, and so our authors get a little bit more attention. Their work is scrutinized, edited, and copyedited more closely.
ICT: How does ALA Editions market its books?
TB: Our market is really libraries, librarians, and library vendors. We do a lot of direct marketing to ALA members through catalogs and mailings, as well as at the ALA bookstore at conferences -- our books aren't generally something you'll find in the local Barnes & Noble. We also have distribution rights with the UK's Library Association and the Canadian Library Association, which gives our books a wider market outside of the United States.
ICT: What do you find most exciting about being an editor for ALA Editions?
TB: The most exciting thing is having an idea and seeing it come to fruition. You're able to find other people who also have your ideas, who are thinking in the same way -- really, you develop a book in your mind and then find someone else to write it. Your ideas are validated because someone else believes in them. For example, for a long time I thought that there should be a book explaining to librarians how to do presentations -- and then I received an unsolicited proposal on exactly that topic. Others see the same market needs.
Also, there are advantages to the job itself. There's a lot of travel, a lot of talking to people -- this isn't just an office job; you get to have a lot of interaction with others. It's a very autonomous job, and you get a lot of control. Personally, at ALA Editions, I'm also excited about having had the chance to start diversifying the publishing program -- both by bringing in more Black and Latino authors and by supporting more diverse topics.
Tarshel Beards is an acquisitions editor at ALA Editions.