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Best Dissertation Writing Books

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Published: June 18, 2023 | Updated: June 6, 2024

Dissertation writing books are the topic of our blog post today!

Embarking on a dissertation is a pivotal moment in any scholar’s academic journey, marking the culmination of years of study and research. It’s a daunting task, often filled with challenges that test even the most diligent of students. Recognizing the complexity and significance of this endeavor, I’ve compiled a list of essential books to aid you in your dissertation journey.

These dissertation writing books, carefully selected based on their practicality and insightful guidance, are invaluable resources for any PhD candidate. Whether you’re struggling with formulating your research question, navigating the intricacies of your methodology, or simply seeking to refine your writing skills, these books offer a wealth of knowledge and tips from seasoned academics.

In this post, we will delve into each of these books, exploring how they can ease the burden of dissertation writing and guide you towards successful completion of your academic milestone.

Related: Best Grant Writing Books

Dissertation Writing Books

Here are our top picks for dissertation writing books:

1. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , by Kate L. Turabian et al.

Turabian’s guide is a thorough exploration of the research and writing process, tackling each step with precision. The book expertly navigates Chicago’s two source citation styles and covers various facets of editorial style, including quotations and visual material.

Additionally, the manual offers practical solutions to overcoming the common fear of embarking on significant writing projects. An essential resource for anyone engaged in academic writing.

2. How to Write a Thesis , by Umberto Eco 

Eco presents an invigorating approach to crafting a thesis. Divided into six integral sections, the book covers all facets of the thesis-writing process. It delves into defining and understanding the purpose of a thesis, selecting a compelling topic, conducting detailed research, crafting a work plan, the actual process of writing, and finally, refining the final draft. Eco’s lucid style and practical advice make this book a valuable guide for any student.

3. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day , by Joan Bolker

Joan Bolker’s insightful book offers a much-needed support system for dissertation writers. A co-founder of the Harvard Writing Center, Bolker presents valuable tips and encouragement for graduate students to keep them focused and productive. She emphasizes the joy of devoting oneself to a truly engaging project and teaches strategies to overcome fear and improve writing style.

Related: Books on How to Write a Literature Review

4. How to Finish Your Dissertation in Six Months , by Scott Rank

Rank’s guide provides practical strategies to write a dissertation within a relatively short timeframe. The book shares an effective daily habit, tips on making consistent writing inevitable, managing incomplete research, leveraging advisor meetings, and seeking active help from friends. A game-changer for those struggling with time constraints in their doctoral journey.

5. The Dissertation Warrior , by Guy E. White 

White’s book aims to inspire and guide doctoral students on their transformative journey. He addresses various aspects of dissertation writing and personal growth, focusing on efficient time management, aligning research and writing efforts, drafting an impactful introduction, and constructing a comprehensive literature review. A valuable guide that connects academic perseverance with personal development.

6. Authoring a PhD Thesis , by Patrick Dunleavy 

Dunleavy’s comprehensive guidebook offers practical advice on formulating creative ideas, structuring them logically, drafting and revising text, and successfully completing a dissertation. It covers important aspects of the doctoral journey, such as facing examinations and getting work published. An essential resource for PhD candidates looking to effectively manage their work and intellectual challenges.

7. Getting the Best of Your Dissertation , by Dave Harris

Harris draws from multiple disciplines to provide a series of perspectives aimed at making your dissertation process more efficient and satisfying. The book delves into integrating dissertation work into your life, developing a productive writing practice, managing relationships with professors, designing research, and more. A comprehensive guide for achieving greater value from your doctoral journey.

8. Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation , by Randy L. Joyner, William A. Rouse, Allan A. Glatthorn 

This book is a well-rounded resource for scholars seeking guidance in every phase of their research journey. The book provides insights on utilizing new technologies, effective planning, engaging writing style, defense preparation, and more. The updated fourth edition includes current case studies, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the teachings contained within.

9. How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing , by Paul J. Silvia

Silvia provides strategies to dismantle common excuses and bad habits that hinder writing. His approach encompasses various academic disciplines and offers practical steps to motivate academics to be more prolific writers. The book discusses how to write, submit, and revise academic work, promoting a balanced work-life while achieving writing goals. The second edition includes an additional chapter on writing grant and fellowship proposals.

10. Writing for Social Scientists , by Howard S. Becker 

Becker’s guide is a refreshing take on academic writing, emphasizing the importance of simply starting to write and then revise. It uncovers the eccentricities of academic writing, such as unnecessary wordiness and the passive voice, and provides practical solutions to overcome them. This is a must-read for writers aiming to improve their style and efficiency in academic writing.

11. The Elements of an Effective Dissertation and Thesis , by Raymond L. Calabrese

Calabrese offers a systematic guide to writing an impressive doctoral dissertation or a master’s thesis. The book breaks down the elements of the dissertation, providing detailed descriptions, definitions, and examples. The approach accommodates both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, helping students understand what content to include and where it fits best.

12. Dissertation Without Tears , by Natalya Androsova

In this empowering guide, Androsova tackles the pressure and guilt associated with dissertation writing. The book offers tips to find joy and fulfillment in the writing process, stressing the importance of self-compassion. It debunks 58 myths about dissertation writing and replaces them with a healthy mindset that facilitates a smooth journey to the finish line.

13. Demystifying Dissertation Writing , by Peg Boyle Single 

Single’s guide offers a straightforward and systematic process to dissertation writing. The book aims to enhance writing fluency and productivity, offering guidance on topic selection, planning, scheduling, and actual writing. It is especially beneficial for those who feel they aren’t receiving enough guidance and for those seeking to increase their writing productivity.

14. How to tame your PhD , by Inger Mewburn 

Dr. Mewburn, founder of The Thesis Whisperer blog, shares practical strategies for efficient research and writing based on her own doctoral journey. The book consists of re-edited and expanded blog posts offering a wealth of advice on completing a PhD effectively. It is a companion guide that demystifies the PhD process and guides readers towards successful completion.

15. The Dissertation Journey , by Carol Roberts, Laura Hyatt

This guide is a comprehensive resource for developing and writing a quality dissertation. It provides updated coverage of conducting a literature review, harnessing technology for research, and using progress tracking tools. The guide is filled with sample forms, resource lists, and other user-friendly elements, making the dissertation journey smoother and more manageable.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, the PhD journey is an arduous yet transformative path that demands not only intellectual rigor but also emotional resilience. The experience, as I have personally navigated through its trials, offers profound personal growth and a deeper understanding of one’s field of study.

Facing the adversity of my mother’s illness amidst my PhD was a defining challenge, but it underscored the importance of a strong support system and the resilience needed to persevere. The selection of books I have shared in this post, each offering unique insights and practical advice on dissertation writing, represents a valuable resource for anyone embarking on or currently navigating this demanding academic endeavor.

These dissertation writing books, covering a wide range of topics from research methodology to time management and writing skills, can serve as essential tools to guide, inspire, and support PhD candidates through their journey, making the daunting task of dissertation writing more manageable and ultimately leading to successful completion and personal fulfillment.

Related Posts

Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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How to... Convert your thesis into a book

This how to guide takes you through everything you need to know to convert your thesis into a book.

You can read all the information you need below, or watch this video from Books Commissioning Editor, Katy Mathers.

On this page

Consider the level of conversion.

• What are book publishers looking for

Consider the audience

• Tips for converting your thesis

What happens next?

Your first consideration when thinking about book publishing options for your thesis should be the level of conversion. You could consider the following options.

A full conversion – from thesis to book

This is a good option should your thesis be on a topic that would have wide appeal to an academic audience. A key consideration here is that the structure of a thesis is massively different to a book. Rather than starting with a hypothesis, a book should showcase a considered argument and its narrative should communicate that argument to peers in the field – demonstrating how the research has evolved into this viewpoint, and what impact it can have.

Partial conversion – using parts of your thesis in a book

Using parts of your thesis in a book usually means that you are conducting further research that might be ongoing, and might involve colleagues that might be a co-author on the project.

Partial conversion – a chapter in an edited collection

Perhaps your thesis doesn’t quite have the broad appeal for a full book conversion. In this case you might consider a chapter in an edited collection under a broader theme – this means you’re broadening the scope of your PhD research to a wider audience by collaborating with a team of contributors on an edited book. Look out for calls for chapters on relevant themes.

What are publishers looking for?

Broad (global) scholarly appeal.

• Remember your thesis is written for a handful of examiners and experts in your field and is partly there to demonstrate the expertise you have gained from your research. A book should have a much wider audience than that, and should be engaging and interesting enough to appeal to a broad section of researchers across your field (and potentially other disciplines as appropriate), and should particularly be accessible enough to engage any researcher interested in your topic of study.
• Single-country case studies won’t always translate well into a book given their focused scope, however, they would work as part of an edited collection with a broader global scope.
• A good book manuscript should focus on a coherent argument/narrative, rather than a step-by-step checklist of things you need to demonstrate in a thesis.
• You don’t need to include big sections or whole chapters on literature review or methodology, these can be weaved into the book as and when appropriate.

Development potential

• An original thesis should be regarded as the basis for an entirely new work, written with a new audience in mind.

Talking about your research and the process of working it into a book is one of the best ways to ensuring success.

Try reaching out to your immediate colleagues, and co-authors on published papers, your PhD supervisor, peers you might meet at conferences, with a publishing contact, or even online. Try asking for advice on twitter, or any professional network sites.

It is advisable to start a conversation with supervisors and other colleagues shortly after the completion of a PhD.

Once you’ve started to get a good idea of what you want to do, it’s also a great time to reach out to a commissioning editor at a publisher. They can advise on further considerations for turning your thesis into a book with a broad scholarly appeal, as well as how to fill in a book proposal form.

Following this, the next natural step is to submit a book proposal which will be considered by the publisher, often involving a peer review process.

The single most important thing to remember when converting your thesis is the audience. Your thesis is written for a select amount of examiners with specific expertise in your field and showcases your nuanced and rich expertise, which you have gleaned from your research in your particular area.

In contrast, a book should have a much wider audience and should be engaging and interesting enough to appeal to a broad section of researchers across your field, and potentially even other disciplines as appropriate.

As a book, your research should be accessible enough to engage any researcher interested in your topic of study.

• Realise which parts of your thesis are useful only to examiners. Any sections such as literature review, or extended methodology discussion should be cut or heavily amended/digested. These sections can weave in and out of your overall narrative rather than be structured separately.
• Writing style is less important for examiners, but essential for book readers. PhD examiners will read your thesis regardless of the writing style, but the writing style for book readers is essential for ensuring your research is accessible and engaging. You must be prepared to extensively re-write your thesis to retain and engage readers. This should be seen as essential rather than optional.
• Keep the big picture in mind. It’s important to take a step back while putting together a proposal, or during the manuscript writing process. Set reminders at intervals to focus on the overall narrative of the book. Is there a logical development of an argument? Does it make sense to a reader’s point of view? If not , be prepared to rethink the structure – it can be freeing to step away from a traditional thesis structure.
• Write concisely. It’s important to bear in mind the importance of the reader’s time. At all stages of the writing process you should focus on streamlining where possible and keep in mind the agreed length of the book. Books are often much shorter than theses, which by their nature contain much repetition. If you’re finding it hard to meet the agreed word limit, your writing style is likely not quite right yet for a book audience.
• Emphasise context. If your research is specialist and nuanced, with a narrow scope, try boosting its contextual implications by adding an international or inter-disciplinary context. It’s particularly useful to do this within the introductory and concluding chapters. Rounding off your book with opening and closing contextual chapters can really emphasise the place of the research within the field and showcase how it’s adding to the literature or breaking fresh ground.
• Get a third party proof-reader. Consider getting someone within your field, perhaps without the specialist knowledge relating to your PhD knowledge, and see what they think of your writing style. If they can follow your argument and find value in the work you’re presenting for the wider field, then the book has good potential. If they’re struggling, you might need to re-think the project.

Top tips for converting your thesis

• The main title of the book should position it clearly without reference to other bibliographic information, and should be as short as possible.
• Chapter titles are something people often forget, and chapter titles can sometimes be a real giveaway in a proposal that a book is based on a thesis and maybe hasn’t been revised appropriately. It’s often a comment reviewers make, and a clear sign to them that the proposal is a thesis conversion. Chapter titles can be way more dynamic in a book than in a thesis, and there’s no need to have chapters called 'methodology' or 'results'. Freeing yourself from these structured ways of thinking can be liberating, and is a good way of diverting yourself from writing in a thesis style.
• Remember that readers of the book are most interested in what your findings/argument are. Think about leading your book with the 'end' of your thesis, i.e. the results/answer to the question you were researching, rather than starting by explaining how you got there.
• You don’t need to include big sections or whole chapters on literature review or methodology, these can be weaved in to the book as and when appropriate (particularly if your research employed an innovative methodology, for example).
• A book manuscript should typically be shorter than your thesis. If you’re struggling to bring the word count down, you might need to get help with your writing style, or evaluate if you’ve cut enough “thesis-heavy” content from your work.
• Use introductory and concluding chapters to contextualise your research. This is super helpful for placing your work within the field.

To summarise

Be prepared to re-write: Having sketched out a new structure and focus, you now have to start writing all over again to create a completely new work. You should accept this as a must for success, and enjoy the creative process that comes with it.

Remove academic structuring: Ordinary readers want you to get straight to the point, Anything that sounds like "In this chapter I will argue . . ." or "In this chapter I have shown . . ." should be deleted immediately.

Audience is the most important consideration. Re-organise your writing around your new audience – remember that concise, narrative-led writing is essential.

Re-focus on the storytelling. Any background material (such as surveys of previous literature, historical background, discussions of earlier and current theories, arguments, methodology, etc.) if retained at all, should be moved from the beginning to the end of the book, or incorporated in a condensed form into the relevant sections of the main text. From start to finish, you should begin with an answer rather than a question, and your argument should be maintained throughout.

Once you’ve formed an idea for your book project, it’s a good time to talk to a commissioning editor at a publisher about submitting a proposal.

Get ready to publish a book

See a list of our book commissioning editors, along with their subject areas and contact information.

Submit your book proposal

Find out how submit a book or series proposal and what the next steps in the publishing process are.

The book peer review process

A helpful guide to our book peer review process.

The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook

Exercises for developing and revising your book manuscript.

Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer

240 pages | 1 halftone, 176 tables | 8 1/2 x 11 | © 2023

Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing

Reference and Bibliography

• Table of contents
• Author Events

Related Titles

“ The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook not only succeeds but excels in guiding scholars through this process of revision. This pragmatic workbook walks an author through clear steps to identify the organizing principle of the book, write and revise the book’s central claims, and then ensure that the chapters actually function well together before the author sends the book to a press. Since scholars often only have one opportunity to convince a press to publish their book, working through this process before sending to editors is crucial—and this is an essential guide.”

Rebecca K. Marchiel, University of Mississippi

“Based on their years of helping academics revise their dissertations into books, Knox and Van Deventer have distilled their incredible depth of knowledge into a beautifully thought-out book that takes you step by step through the process of revising your dissertation. Too many writing books give vague advice without any practical guidance. This is not that book. From advice on crafting your book’s arc and organizing principle to drafting your book questions and producing chapter answers, this book takes all the guessing out of one of the most stressful tasks academics face. This is the best book I have seen on the topic.”

Wendy Belcher, author of Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks

Table of Contents

On Revision

William Germano

Behind the Book

Chris Mackenzie Jones

The Business of Being a Writer

Jane Friedman

Getting It Published, Third Edition

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From Dissertation to Book

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After many years of hard work, a dissertation is a monumental accomplishment. With so much time and effort coupled with the desire to add to scholarly discourse, many people hope to transform their dissertations into a book. Graduate writing has equipped scholars with extensive information about their discipline-specific genres, but the genre of book - and certainly a book hoping to appeal to audience outside of their field - requires new ways of writing. This page provides information and considerations aiding one’s efforts in a “publish or perish” world

Before you Begin

Many people feel the pressure of publication, especially of a book valued by scholars in your field, as they add that “Dr.” to their email signature. The truth is, book publication is still considered the standard even though many entities like the Modern Language Association (MLA) suggest moving away from a book as being the standard for tenure, instead giving articles and chapters more weight. Despite this pressure, it is highly recommended that you take some time (ideally at least a year) away from your dissertation. After dedicating so much time to such a specific topic over the past years, it can be difficult to look at your dissertation with the fresh eyes necessary to reshape it into a book without taking time away. 

Once you have taken this break and are able to greet your research anew, critically think about whether this should be a book. Trying to be objective, ask yourself if you really need a book-number of pages to convey your argument or if it would perhaps be better suited for an article or series of articles. Consider that the dissertation may actually have potential for both articles and a book. Another consideration for this choice is timeliness - articles come out much quicker whereas books can take a few years until they hit the shelves. If you think something might be old news in a few years, an article is the way to go. 

You may also consider researching subsidies. As a new author, you are a risk to your editor. Coming with funding to offset printing costs will make you less of a risk and ideally have your editor look at your proposal a little more deeply. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember to resource yourself. With workshops, grants, editors, senior scholars, and presses, you are not alone on this journey. While you may consider avoiding your committee so that your feedback is coming from fresh eyes, colleagues often have words of wisdom regarding the book-publishing process. Throughout the process, you’ll also get feedback from your editor and anonymous peer reviews. While it’s easy to get defensive, it’s important to acknowledge and value their opinions and explain your reasoning if you decide not to incorporate a suggestion. You and your editor are on a team, so you both may make compromises throughout the process. Remember - they are on your so team, so go in with a growth mindset and you’re next academic accomplishment will be more in reach. 

During the Process

Once you’ve decided that you are, in fact, going to make a book out of your dissertation, it’s time to prepare for the practicalities of this process. First, you need to figure out how you are going to make it possible for you to accomplish such a feat. Writing a book takes intense discipline, so it’s important to create clear goals and plans by considering all the steps it will take you to get to that finish line. Simple actions like scheduling protected writing time can make a huge difference in success. Perhaps you set a goal of writing one page every day. Remember that writing constructs knowledge and the act will get you closer to your final product, even if it isn’t writing that actually ends up in your book,

The process of transforming your dissertation into a book is centered around audience, so you’ll want to keep that audience at the forefront of your mind throughout the writing process. Consider very carefully who your ideal reader(s) are. There may be multiple, and that’s great. Is it scholars in your field? An “intelligent layperson” (Luey, 2004) outside of your field? Whatever group of ideal readers you end up with, review your writing from each individual perspective. People often dream of a broad audience of people outside of academia without actually seeking feedback from anyone outside of the academy. If you’re telling your editor that you believe this will appeal to a history buff outside of the academy, get feedback from someone in that group and have them note places where your writing is not clear. This generalist perspective will help you see what items like jargon are confusing or what information feels boring, increasing the chances of success for this book. 

When considering your new audience, remember that you no long need to share everything you know about your topic in this document. While you did have to prove yourself to your committee, this audience automatically assumes you are an expert, so sections that were proving you’re reliable can be ditched or significantly parsed down. This means your literature review will be significantly cut, if not deleted altogether. This is also true of methodologies unless your methodology is exceptionally groundbreaking and interesting. 

Your old audience had to listen to you - it’s part of their job description. This new audience will need to be actively reached. Even if your main goal is people in your field, to make a book broad enough to sell - which your editor is going to look for - you’ll need to write for a wider audience which may require you to let go of any anxiety about being “taken seriously in your field.” 

A book will require broadening the appeal of your topic. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways such as: 

• Humanizing your subject - this may take additional research (such as interviewing the people who make up your statistics) or be as simple as adding personal elements about your topic (such as adding personal life information that was outside of the scope of your dissertation focused on a person’s political career).
• Adding narrative elements - plot, characters, setting, your own voice, and a beginning, middle, and end that pushes the reader forward are all key to marketability.
• Finding a new angle - an angle that directly impacts your reader such as financial or navigation of a life event is going to reach a larger audience.
• Expanding the topic culturally and temporally - take a broad topic related to your subject and see the impacts and/or comparisons of contexts such as religions, race, communities, geographical region, politics, time period, etc. perhaps referencing other studies in your field.
• Justifying your topic’s value - you may hope to create a guide showing your topic’s influence in hopes of affecting mindsets, policy, and funding of stakeholders and those in power. 

While your presses’ and editors’ feedback trumps all, there are some general considerations all editors are looking for. As you walk the line between theory and narrative, you’ll want to consider items such as: 

• Transitions - does the book flow in a way that keeps the reader interested? 
• Chapter length - are the chapters similar in length? If not, what can be combined or split up? 
• Repetition - do you find places where facts, stories, or claims are being repeated? Where do those best fit? 
• Hyperquotation - do you have too many or too long of quotes? How can you reframe that information with a focus on your work? 
• Bibliography/End Notes - is this information necessary? Does your editor/press have limitations on these sections? 
• Hagiography - are you ever writing about a subject without criticism? How can you make sure your argument is balanced? 
• Tables and Graphs - Does the chart fit without having to turn the book sideways? Does it repeat what’s in the prose making it not worth the cost? Can charts be combined? 

Now That You Have a Book

While some people may not have a completed book when they submit a proposal, many have at least a large chunk written and certainly a general outline and thesis. If you do have a whole book complete, you may consider the following advice in the “before you begin” part of the process. 

With the reality of budget cuts, editors are accepting fewer and fewer book proposals, making it more imperative than ever that your proposal sticks out. If you are an emerging scholar in your field, you probably won’t have the benefit of being actively sought out by publishers. This means you’ll need to do your research to find the right press and editor for you. Editors tend to have niche areas of topics they like to publish. Check out who published resources you used or check out the list of latest book releases in your field to see who is publishing work in your subject area. These are the publishers that you should propose to. 

First, make sure that you follow proposal formatting and content requirements. If you don’t, an editor may disregard your proposal due to the inability to fit within their genre guidelines. Furthermore, if you write more than they ask for, they may assume you cannot write in a concise and clear way and choose to put it in the “no” pile. Beyond this, to make your proposal attention-grabbing, you’ll want to draw them in with a title, table of contents, and abstract or first chapter that are clear, concise, and interesting to someone who may not share your natural enthusiasm for your topic. Typically, the more concisely you can get your points across, the more faith they’ll have in you as a writer. 

This also ties in with something academics may feel uncomfortable facing - this book needs to make money. Editors often look to see if their writers are able to get their point across concisely because fewer pages means less printing cost. Similarly, having low numbers of pictures, graphs, and charts, which cost more to print, can make your book feel less risky to an editor. Being upfront about what costs you anticipate and which you can avoid will help your editor calculate if this book is worth taking the risk of taking on a new voice to the field. 

Final Thoughts

The transformation from dissertation to book can be very exciting. Oftentimes, creating a broader appeal brings out engaging, compelling writing that will be more readily available to the masses. With this book, you have something to say instead of something to prove. Enjoy your new status as an expert as you get to share your unique findings with the world, moving your discipline forward. There will most likely be obstacles and frustrations along the way, but remember that you have already completed the monumental task of writing a dissertation and you are also capable of this. Best of luck on this journey!

LUEY, B. (Ed.). (2008). Revising Your Dissertation: Advice from Leading Editors (2nd ed.). University of California Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt13x1g8x

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How to Turn Your Dissertation Into a Book: A Step-By-Step Guide for New Authors

Whether you are just starting graduate school, writing your dissertation, or the proud recipient of a recent Ph.D., you may be thinking about turning your dissertation into a published book. There are many reasons why this might be a good idea. In some fields, a published scholarly book is a preferred method for presenting a comprehensive view of pivotal research. A book gives you the space to discuss details, complications, connections, and ramifications in a way that is not possible in a journal article. In these fields, a well-reviewed book gives you instant credibility when applying for faculty positions, tenure, and related positions. A published book also has a much longer shelf life than an unpublished dissertation, and will occupy a respected place on your CV or resume for years to come.

In other fields, good dissertations are expected to produce one or more published journal articles, and many tenured faculty at top research institutions never publish a book. In these fields, publishing a book may still be an asset for those pursuing a traditional academic career, and can be a great way to transition into other careers such as science communication, education, or public policy. So if turning your dissertation into a book is something you are considering, here are some steps to get started.

Step 1: Identify your audience

Publishers are businesses that make money by selling books. This is true of "trade" publishers that sell books for the general public, and "academic" publishers that sell books primarily for students and scholars. Therefore, in order for a publisher to consider publishing your book, there must be a sufficiently large audience to buy your book. This audience will strongly influence how you organize and write your book, and may cause your book to be massively different from your dissertation. After all, the purpose of a dissertation is to show that you are knowledgeable about your field of study, and have made a significant contribution to it. In contrast, the purpose of a book is to serve a need for the reader.

Some dissertation topics may work well as required reading for college and university courses. In that case, you need to identify the types of courses that would be appropriate (e.g. courses in sociology that cover gender identity), and develop an understanding of how many students take such courses. For example, you might find that almost all colleges in the California State system have a sociology department. At California State AnyTown, there are 20,000 undergraduate students, and 400 students a year take a sociology course that focuses on gender identity. Other dissertation topics might appeal to people in specific professions (e.g. people who work with children who suffer concussions), and you might look at the number of people in relevant professional organizations (e.g. associations for coaches or pediatric nurses). At the other end of the spectrum, you might imagine a book that appeals to a fairly wide audience (e.g. a book that addresses recent events linked to gender identity, or a broader discussion of concussion in youth sports). For these books, the intended audience may be harder to define, so you can estimate its size in the next step.

Step 2: Identify competing books

Once you have identified a potential audience, you need to familiarize yourself with the books they are reading. Your book will be competing with these books, so you need to determine how your book will fill a gap for this audience. Here you have the opportunity—and the obligation—to read widely in your intended niche. If this opportunity doesn't excite you, do not try to write a book for this niche. The process of writing a good book is laborious and time consuming, so if you are not interested in exploring similar books for what works and what doesn't, you will not enjoy writing your own book for this category.

As you identify and read competing books, you should pay attention to the topics that they cover, and how the author writes about these topics. Consider whether the text is instructive or narrative, what details are included, how the text is organized, and whether visual aids such as photographs, diagrams, or tables are included. Also find out when the book was published, how long it is, how much it sells for, and how many copies have been sold (or at least what its Amazon sales rank is).

You may find books that are very similar to your book, or that are different in significant ways (such as the specific topic) but that have characteristics you want to emulate (e.g. a good strategy for presenting technically challenging research to a broad audience). As you gain a good understanding of related books, you'll need to develop a list of 3-10 books that will compete with your book. You will use this list to support two points:

• Books similar to your book have been successful with your intended audiences; and
• Your book fills an unmet need for this audience, so they will buy it.

That unmet need might be a more recent book that incorporates new knowledge, or a book that takes a different approach to a question that has already been addressed.

This survey of related books will also help you plan your book. If you find that multiple books already exist for your intended topic, you may need to shift your emphasis so that your book offers something new. If you find that there are few successful competing books, it may be that your intended audience is too small, and that you need to shift your emphasis to fit into a more productive niche.

Step 3: Create an outline for your book

Once you have an intended audience, an excellent understanding of successful books in the same category, and an idea for how you can fill a need in that category, you can start planning your book in detail. Put together an outline, starting with the major topic for each chapter, and thinking about how the overall theme will progress through the entire book. Even for a purely academic book, there must be an overall arch to your story.

While it may be tempting to slip into the same mindset that you used for planning and writing your dissertation, remember that the purpose of your book is to serve a need for the reader. So rather than focusing on your specific research contributions (which is essential for a dissertation), focus on what the reader needs to know. To facilitate this mindset, it may be useful to put away your dissertation for a bit (assuming that it is already complete) and focus on other projects. Then revisit your dissertation topic when you have fresh eyes and a better understanding of what would be useful for your intended audience.

As you flesh out the details for each chapter, set a target word count and think about any images or tables that should be included. Keep in mind that book publishers must pay for every page, image, and footnote to be edited, prepared, and printed. Books that are only available electronically still have most of these per-page expenses. Therefore, use successful books in your category as a guide for how long your book should be, and how many images should be included. Color images also add significantly to the production costs .

As you are preparing your outline, you will likely reach a point where you are unsure if the details of your plan will work. Then it is time to write.

Step 4: Write a sample chapter

If you want a publisher or agent to consider your book, you will typically need to submit a sample chapter or two. You may be asked to submit your first chapter or your "best" chapter, so I recommend starting with your first chapter and making it excellent.

While there are many different approaches to successful writing, one common theme is that the first draft is usually terrible. So write the first draft of your first chapter and let it be terrible. Then read and revise, and repeat. As you are writing and revising, I recommend regularly taking time to read some of your competing titles. How do they deal with some of the challenges you are facing? Are their approaches successful or can you envision a better way?

As you write your first chapter or two, you may find that you need to revise your outline. Pay attention to what you can effectively cover for your audience in the space available.

Step 5: Identify appropriate publishers or agents

Once you have a strong plan and a sample chapter or two, you need to identify potential publishers. Start by looking at your list of competing titles, and learn about those publishers. Also talk to colleagues who have published books, and ask if they would be willing to put you in contact with their publisher or agent. The process can be quite complicated, and for a comprehensive guide I recommend The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry. Many publishers also post guidelines for potential authors on their websites. For most publishers, you will need to show that you understand your audience and competing books, and provide a detailed book outline and convincing sample chapter.

Here is an infographic that breaks down all of these major points:

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The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending Your Dissertation 4th Edition, Kindle Edition

Reach the summit of the dissertation mountain.

In many ways, the journey of completing a dissertation is like climbing a mountain. It requires planning, research, teamwork, and perseverance. In this fourth edition of their best-selling book, authors Laura Hyatt and Carol Roberts address the challenges that students will face as they journey to the peak of their academic career and complete their dissertation.

Completing a dissertation is a transformative and fulfilling life experience. It requires knowledge, tenacity, and preparation for the inevitable uncertainties that will arise along the way. It also necessitates strategies and techniques for dealing with the unanticipated events that many dissertation writers face, such as procrastination, writer’s block, and the uncertainty of how to conduct a literature review or approach a methods section. This newly revised edition addresses those elements and also includes:

• Indispensable information for organizing and writing a dissertation
• Recommendations for identifying and writing research methods
• Expanded coverage of research ethics
• Insightful reflections from students who have effectively written and defended their dissertations

From preparing for the climb to enjoying the view from the summit, this book will assist you to successfully complete The Dissertation Journey .

• ISBN-13 978-1071891285
• Edition 4th
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publisher Corwin
• Publication date August 17, 2023
• Language English
• File size 8953 KB
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About the author, product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C3RSMJSL
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Corwin; 4th edition (August 17, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 17, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 8953 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
• #12 in Education Theory Research
• #18 in College & University Education
• #50 in Education Research (Books)

About the author

Carol m. roberts.

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Customers find the book's content excellent, uplifting, and practical with a step-by-step approach. They also describe the reading experience as wonderful and the contextual clues allow for ease of reading.

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Customers find the book an excellent resource for starting a dissertation, with many useful tips. They also say it provides a no-nonsense, clearly stated approach to the dissertation. Readers say it's a road map from beginning to end, hitting the highlights from an initial perspective. They find it encouraging to read and easy to follow along.

"...Glad I got it it offers insight into the thesis process and great encouragement" Read more

"...processes that finish dissertations, but provides clear information about each section and how to go about each step of the process as well...." Read more

"This book at the right time in my dissertation journey! It encouraging and uplifting with practical tips and helps as well." Read more

"...It's a road map from beginning to end on what is required, what is needed and how to accomplish it. Great help and insightful." Read more

Customers find the book wonderful and appreciate the good customer service.

" Excellent book for those people that get to the dissertation phase with many wonderings because it offers a brief explanation of each component and..." Read more

"This is a great book to read prior to starting your dissertation." Read more

" Decent , not great. Large print, hits the highlights from an initial perspective. I like Creswell's stuff a lot better." Read more

" Great read .. and easy to follow along," Read more

Customers find the book easy to read and provides a clear, stated approach to dissertation writing.

"...First, it provides a no-nonsense, clearly stated approach to the dissertation writing process...." Read more

"...All have checklists and plain language explanations --they help overcome the overwhelm...." Read more

"...It makes writing manageable and helps break up your writing into manageable chunks." Read more

" Easy read ...valuable insight" Read more

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