“Writing Local History Today,” A Guidebook

Writing Local History Today guides local historians through the process of researching, writing, and publishing their work. Mason & Calder present step-by-step advice to guide aspiring authors to a successful publication and focus not only on how to write well but also how to market and sell their work. Highlights include:

• Discussion of how to identify an audience for your writing project
• Tips for effective research and planning
• Sample documents, such as contracts and requests for proposals
• Discussion of how to use social media to leverage your publication
• Discussion of the benefits and drawbacks to self-publishing
• An essay by Gregory Britton, the editorial director of John Hopkins University Press, about financial pitfalls in publishing

This guide is useful for first-time authors who need help with this sometimes daunting process, or for previously published historians who need a quick reference or timely tip.