The world of scientific publishing encompasses everything from scientific books to journals to textbooks to newsletters. In fact, scientific journals have been the fastest growing media sub-sector of the past 15 years.
Here are some helpful tips on science publishing and choosing the correct scientific publisher for you:
Do Your Research. Find out who the scientific publishers are, where they are, and how to contact them. It helps to attend science or scholarly conferences or seminars, learn the hot topics and trends specific to this industry--understanding these will help you present your manuscript in a more appealing light by tying it to a popular trend. It should go without saying that in scientific publishing--almost more than in any other publishing segment--you must be an expert on your subject matter.
Choose the Right Publisher for You. The list of scientific publishers is not very long, but you need to understand what each publisher's specialties, strengths, and preferences are, so you can narrow down the publisher list and match up your material with their needs correctly. Be thorough and picky. The scientific industry does not rely on literary agents--go directly to the publishers.
Approach the Publisher Properly. Some scientific publishers want a call first, some want an email, some want a query letter, some just want your manuscript in the mail. You must show respect and approach them how they want to be approached--take the publisher's advice; otherwise, they will not listen to you or consider your material.
Learn to Shrug Off Rejection. On the average, a high percentage of submissions to scientific publishers get rejected, especially if you've never been published before. That's just the way it is. It will help if you can learn from rejection. Be open-minded. You may need to revise and try again. If you have talent and perseverance, you will succeed in getting published.
Some resources that may offer help in getting published in the science industry:
An association called the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), website www.arl.org/sparc/, is an alliance of academic and research libraries and organizations. Their website offers resources, news, and publications involving the scholarly and scientific fields.
Also, there is an association designed to facilitate scientific or scholarly publishing. It is the Society of Scholarly Publishing, website www.sspnet.org. It strives to advance scholarly publishing, communication, and the professional development of its members through education, collaboration, and networking among individuals in this field.
Finally, two of the most extensive directories of scientific and academic publishers can be found on the Internet.
- Google's directory: Academic and Technical
- Yahoo's directory: Academic
