How to Turn your PhD into a Book: A Pocket Guide

Thinking about turning your PhD into a book?

Using a series of activities, examples and explanations, this step-by-step guide accompanies you through the process, enabling you to plot your own bespoke path to publication.

There are 30 steps, beginning with motivations for writing and ending with publication, recognising that turning your PhD into a book is about more than just writing. It takes a holistic approach, recognising the factors that impact on an early career academic in turning their PhD into a book. This book places you at the centre of the process to engender a sense of authorial agency that will help propel you from postgraduate to author. The book also reflects on the author’s and others’ own experiences, placing the writing process in a wider context.

This is your friendly and indispensable guide to what can feel like an overwhelming task. It is an activity book you can engage with and use as you see fit to help you turn your PhD into your book.

‘This book is practical, friendly in tone, and well attuned to the intellectual, personal and professional challenges of turning a thesis into a monograph – a perfect companion to anyone who is embarking on what is often a daunting next step in their career.’

– Matthew Treherne, Pro-Dean for Research and Innovation, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, University of Leeds

‘Transforming a PhD thesis into a compelling monograph can feel overwhelming, but this book is an indispensable guide. It provides useful activities to break down the process with clarity, offering practical advice whilst also encouraging you to refine your voice as a scholar. A must-read for anyone navigating the transition from PhD to publication!’

– Louise Earnshaw, PhD Candidate in German History, Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Humanities, University of Leeds

Hilary Potter is currently based at the University of Leeds having previously worked at Cardiff, Newcastle, Royal Holloway and York. She has a background in German Cultural Studies. In 2018 she published her first book, Remembering Rosenstrasse: History, Memory, Identity in Contemporary Germany.