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Author: Christabell Ndive

The journey to publishing a book is no easy feat. For many first-time authors, it can feel both exciting and a little overwhelming. But when you know what to expect, that first step can seem a lot less daunting.

In our three-part podcast series, . We speak to book authors about their personal experiences of publishing a book. Our authors share everything from publishing for the first time, deciding on the right format for your book, and even how to promote your book.

In the first episode, we speak with Rosalynd Southern, Senior Lecturer in Political Communication at the University of Liverpool and author of . Her work focuses on how digital and social media are used for political communication by politicians, parties, and citizens. It has also been published in Electoral Studies, Political Communication, and the Social Science Computer Review.

Rosalynd reflects on her path to becoming a book author, why she chose to write a book, and shares practical advice for early career researchers considering their first publication. We summarise some of the key insights from the conversation. You can also listen to the full podcast linked:

From research to book ��� Rosalynd's journey

Books rarely begin as fully formed ideas. For many researchers, they emerge gradually from a collection of projects, papers, or developing interests.

For Rosalynd, the idea for her first book developed as her research into digital media and political communication expanded. Exploring topics such as online political humour, meme events, and UK political discourse opened up broader conversations that extended beyond the scope of a traditional journal article. Rosalynd explains:
 

"As I got into a lot of these topics, they kind of went beyond the standard length of a journal article, essentially, and I felt that they needed a lot more space to explore them."

"I was kind of planning these outputs, and I was like, actually, this would make a really, really coherent book."

Bringing these ideas together into a book format gave Rosalynd the space to explore the topic in greater depth and present a broader perspective on political communication in the UK, beyond what individual articles alone could offer.

Sometimes a book isn't where your research starts, but where it naturally leads. As your work develops, you may find that it needs more space for depth, context, and synthesis, so a book could be the right format to bring those ideas together.

Finding the right home for your research

Once you have your book idea, the next step is to choose where you would like to publish it. Rosalynd discusses already having series in mind, which she was familiar with and felt was a natural fit for her research.
 

"My book was published in the Palgrave series on Political Communication and Campaigning. I absolutely love this series."

"It lends itself so well to my research and the things that I focus on."

There are several benefits of publishing in a book series. It can help position your work alongside related titles and connect it with readers who are already engaged with your topic. In Rosalynd���s case, publishing in a book series gave her book a trusted home for her research and a good fit for the target audience she hoped to reach. When choosing where to publish, look for similar titles in your discipline to identify where your book will sit within your wider research community.

Reaching a wider audience

Publishing a book can help bring your research to the attention of readers beyond your immediate academic network. As Rosalynd shares, since publishing in the series, "I���ve had so many people reach out to me who aren���t in my usual academic network."

Her book has received interest from professionals in different scholarly communities for potential collaboration opportunities. This has also opened conversations about possibly developing ideas from chapters in her book for future research.
 

"I do think having a book in a well-known series does get you visibility, and it does put you on the page for people probably outside of your usual academic networks."

Rosalynd also highlights the wider opportunities publishing a book can create: "Books do get a lot of attention. You can go on things like podcasts, or you can do seminars around them, and you can promote them."

After publication, you can promote your book through networking and sharing. Whether it's by using your academic and professional networks or taking part in podcasts, seminars, and speaking engagements. These are just some ways that can boost your book's visibility and reach a wider audience.

Listen to the full episode 

Publishing your first book can feel like a big step. But as Rosalynd Southern���s experience shows, it���s also a massive career milestone and presents opportunities to build your academic profile, expand your network and get noticed.

. You can also explore the rest of the Publishing Pathways series for more perspectives from authors at different stages of their journey.
 

In the next post in this series, we take a deep dive into another author's publishing experience and find out their perspective on how different types of research align with different book formats, and how to select the option that best supports your work and career goals.

Are you considering turning your research into a book? Visit our book publishing pages and explore our Author Services and Resources Hub. You���ll find guidance, tools, and expert support to help you take the next step in your publishing journey.
 

Related content

• Prepare and submit your book proposal: What you need to know
• Publishing a Book: Understanding the Options
• How to Promote Your Book Through Networking and Sharing

About the Author 

Rosalynd Southern is a Senior Lecturer in Political Communication at the University of Liverpool, UK. Her work focuses on how digital and social media are used for political communication by politicians, parties and citizens. Her work has been published in Electoral Studies, Political Communication, and Social Science Computer Review.