Why To Publish Your Book through a University Press?

Why To Publish Your Book through a University Press?
A good deal has been written in recent years about the gradual decline of university presses, but the fact is that many university presses are not only still producing excellent publications on a regular basis, but also working to conquer the challenges presented by the publishing environment of the twenty-first century and to redefine their roles within that environment. If you are working on or have recently completed a scholarly manuscript of book length, there are many reasons to consider a university press as a serious contender for publishing your work.

For one, university presses have traditionally existed for the primary purpose of disseminating knowledge produced by the advanced research conducted at institutions of higher education, and they have tended to do this largely apart from the marketplace. Although virtually all publishing activities are now linked to marketplace trends, many university presses still tend to retain the ideal of spreading knowledge beyond the university without tipping their caps too far to profits and marketability. This places them on the same page as the many scholars whose primary goal remains the communication of research in order to advance knowledge in their fields and disciplines.

The books produced by university presses certainly appeal to many different kinds of readers, but such presses focus especially on the publication of highly specialised advanced scholarship for readers who are themselves high-level specialised researchers. They tend to choose their projects based on the quality of the research and argument and the importance of the topic, so they are often willing to invest in unconventional books that commercial publishers may not consider popular or profitable enough to warrant the risk. It is therefore no surprise that university presses have been responsible for many innovative, occasionally even earth-shaking publications that have influenced politics and social policy.

Perhaps partially because they cater to successful advanced scholars, university presses seem to understand the importance of a unique and interesting author. Their publications therefore range widely in format, approach and content, and each book tends to communicate the personal style and concerns of its author or editor, which is extremely refreshing when compared with the kind of homogenised, almost non-style of many books, scholarly or otherwise, intended to be best sellers. A university press may well be more likely to appreciate the unique qualities of your research, your manuscript and your voice as an author, and some university presses will be delighted to consider doctoral theses for publication.

If you work in the humanities, arts or social sciences, you are probably already aware of the fact that the monograph in which a long argument is gradually woven together with evidence of various kinds remains central to research and its dissemination, as well as to promotion, funding and tenure. In this way, university presses still function as nurturers of scholars and scholarship, enabling the wider communication of the most interesting, innovative and controversial work achieved in universities and other research institutions.