Writing for a General Audience: A Community Approach

Many University of Chicago faculty write books that reach beyond academic audiences and engage the general public.

In Spring 2024, the Academic Communicators Network hosted a panel of faculty authors who shared insights into writing trade books rooted in their scholarly expertise and reflected on how this experience impacted their careers.

Writing is rewarding, but often challenging. 

Attendees at the event discussed the potential impact of peer discussion and connection in the writing process. Writing can feel isolating, but finding a community to share experiences, advice, and drafts can be helpful. Additionally, the trade publishing industry follows different processes and norms from academic publishing, requiring new approaches.

Join a community of faculty authors. 

This inaugural initiative aims to connect faculty authors with peers and mentors to facilitate the writing process. If you’re considering or currently working on writing a book for a general audience based on your scholarly work, we invite you to sign up to engage with fellow authors.

Your input will help us shape this community. Additional details will be shared after registration, as we gather feedback to tailor program offerings based on the interests of participants.

Register now.