Publishing Advice From Rob Tempio at Princeton University Press
Rob is an academic acquisitions editor and publisher at Princeton UP. Here he talks about what attracts an editor’s attention, when to send your proposal, and the joy of book titles.
ROB TEMPIO
Academic Acquisitions Editor & Publisher at Princeton University Press
Acquisitions areas: Philosophy, Political Theory, and the Ancient World
Select books he’s ushered into the world: Adrienne Mayor’s The Amazons and Peter Singer’s Ethics in the Real World
(image courtesy of Princeton UP)
Q&A
What kind of writer do you like to work with?
This feels like a loaded question, but I’d say the writers I most like to work with are ones who can get out of their own heads—or really, out of their academic specialties. I look for writers who know how to make what excites them accessible to a broad audience, and who are passionate about taking the work of their field beyond the academy to general readers hungry to read the writing, well-told, of a genuine expert on the topic.
What makes a book stand out to you?
The cliché in real estate is “location, location, location.” For me, it’s “topic, topic, topic.” What raises my antennae first is a strong topic: not too narrow, original in its approach, and with a clear sense of why it matters—or why it’s just plain interesting. Before I think about the author or even the writing, I’m looking for a subject with broad appeal.
What can writers do to make your job easier?
It may seem like a small thing, but one of the most useful and underrated skills an author can have is being able to describe their book compellingly, in a clear and succinct way, in 300 words or less. Too often, proposals take pages to get to what the book is actually about, or the description is scattered across several pages. Our editors and marketers will refine that description later, but it all starts with the author. Spend time on it.
In terms of the writing itself, be clear, don’t assume too much, and for goodness sake, write an introduction that draws readers in.
What's the best time of year to send a book proposal?
I'm not sure one particular time is especially better than others. August is probably less than ideal as that's when out-of-office responses pile up, and when many academics think they'd better get their proposal off before the descent into the maelstrom of the semester. December feels to me like the shortest month of the year and brings a mad dash for editors to finish work before the holidays. But honestly, these are the rhythms of academic life, and natural times to submit too. We work year-round, are always receptive, and are accustomed to these rhythms. One exception worth planning around: conference season. You may want to send a proposal in advance of a conference where you might meet the editor in person.
Bottom line: send when you're ready, be patient, and remember as you wait, it's not you, it's the editor's enormous workload.
Bonus: What do you wish we had asked you?
“What’s my favorite part of the job?” Easy answer: Titles! I think in titles (and subtitles). I can’t fully grasp a book until I have a good working title. It helps me understand what the book is trying to do and how to frame it. A strong title is also the first step in drawing readers in, and it can make all the difference.
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