how to write a book chapter academic

7 Steps of Writing an Excellent Academic Book Chapter

Writing is an inextricable part of an academic’s career; maintaining lab reports, writing personal statements, drafting cover letters, research proposals, the dissertation—this list goes on. However, while these are considered as essentials during any research program, writing an academic book is a milestone every writer aims to achieve. It could either be your urge of authoring a book or you may have received an invite from a publisher to write a book chapter . In both cases, most researchers find it difficult to write an academic book chapter.

The questions that may arise when you plan on writing a book chapter are:

• Where do I start from?
• How do I even do this?
• What should be the length of book chapters?
• How should I link one chapter to the following chapter?

These questions are quite common when starting with your first book chapter. In this article, we’ll discuss the steps on how to write an excellent academic book chapter.

Table of Contents

What is an Academic Book Chapter?

An academic book chapter is defined as a section, or division, of a book. These are usually separated with a chapter number or title. A chapter divides the overall book topic into topic-specific sections. Furthermore, each chapter in a book is related to the overall theme of the book.

A book chapter allows the author to divide their work in parts for readers to understand and remember it easily. Additionally, chapters help create structure in your writing for a better flow of ideas.

How Long Should a Book Chapter be?

Typically, a non-fiction book chapter should be small and must only include information related to one major idea. However, since a non-fiction /academic book is around 50,000 to 70,000 words, and each book would comprise 10-20 chapters, each book chapter’s word limit should range between 3500 and 7000 words.

While there aren’t any standard rules to follow with respect to the length of a book chapter, it may vary depending on the genre of your writing. However, it is better to refer your publisher’s guidelines and write your chapters accordingly.

Difference between a Book Chapter and Thesis Chapter

What makes a book excellent are the book chapters that it comprises. Thus, the key to writing an excellent book is mastering the art of writing a book chapter . You’d think you could write a book easily because you’ve already written your dissertation. However, writing a book chapter is not the same as writing your thesis.

The image below shares 5 major differences between a book chapter and a thesis chapter:

How to Write a Book Chapter?

As writing a book chapter is the first milestone in your writing journey, it can be overwhelming and difficult to garner your thoughts and put them down on a sheet at once. It takes time and effort to gain momentum for accomplishing this mammoth task. However, proper planning followed by dedicated effort will make you realize that you were worrying over something trivial.

So let us make the process of writing a book chapter easier with these 7 steps.

Step 1: Collate Relevant Information

How would you even start writing a chapter if you do not have the necessary information or data? The first step even before you start writing is to review and collate all the relevant data that is necessary to formulate an informative chapter.

Since a chapter focuses on one major idea it should not include any gaps that perplexes the reader. Creating mind-maps help in linking different sources of information and compiling them to formulate a completely new chapter. As a result, you can structure your ideas to help with your analysis and see it visually. This process improves your understanding of the book’s theme.  More importantly, sort the ideas into a logical order of how you should present them in your chapter. This makes it easier to write the chapter without convoluting it.

Step 2: Design the Chapter Structure

After spending hours in brainstorming ideas and understanding the fundamentals that the chapter should cover, you must create a structured outline. Furthermore, following a standard format helps you stay on track and structure your chapter fluently.

Ideally, a well-structured chapter includes the following elements:

• A title or heading
• An interesting introduction
• Main body informative paragraphs
• A summary of the chapter
• Smooth transition to the next chapter

Even so, you may not restrict yourself to following only one structure; rather, add more or less to each of your chapters depending on your genre, writing style, and requirement of the chapter to maintain the book’s overall theme. Keep only relevant content in your chapter. Avoid content that causes the reader to go off on a tangent.

Step 3: Write an Appealing Chapter Title/Heading

How often have you put a book back on the book store’s shelf right after reading its title? Didn’t even bother to read the synopsis, did you? Likewise, you may have written the most impactful chapter, but what sense would it make if its title is not interesting enough. An impactful chapter title captures the reader’s attention. It’s basically the “first sight” rule!

Your chapter’s title/heading must trigger curiosity in the reader and make them want to read and learn more. Although this is the first element of a chapter, most writers find it easier to create a title/heading after completing the chapter.

Step 4: Build an Engaging Introduction

Now that you have captured the reader’s attention with your title/heading, it has obviously increased the readers’ expectations from the content. To keep them interested in your chapter, write an introduction that keeps them hooked on. You may use a narrative approach or build a fictional plot to grab the attention of the reader. However, ensure that you do not deviate from the main context of your chapter. Finally, writing an effective introduction will help you in presenting an overview of your chapter.

Some of the tricks to follow when writing an exceptional introduction are:

• Share an anecdote
• Create a dialogue or conversation
• Include quotations
• Create a fictional plot

Step 5: Elaborate on Main Points of the Chapter

Impactful title? Checked!

Interesting introduction? Checked!

Now is the time to dive in to the details imparting section of the chapter. Expand your opening statement and begin to explain your points in detail. More importantly, leave no space for speculation in the reader’s mind.

This section should answer the following questions of the reader:

• Why has the reader chosen to read your book?
• What do they need to know?
• Are their questions and doubts being resolved with the content of your chapter?

Ensure that you build each point coherently and follow a cohesive flow. Furthermore, provide statistical data, evidence-based information, experimental data, graphical presentations, etc. You could formulate these points into 4-5 paragraphs based on the details of your chapter. To ensure you structure these details coherently across the right number of paragraphs, calculate the number of paragraphs in your text here .

Step 6: Summarize the Chapter

As impactful was the entry, so should be the exit, right? The summary is the part where you are almost done. This section is a key takeaway for your readers. So, revisit your chapter’s main content and summarize it. Since your chapter has given a lot of information, you’d want the reader to remember the gist of it as they reach the end of your chapter. Hence, writing a concise summary that constitutes the crux of your chapter is imperative.

Step 7: Add a Call-to-Action & Transition to Next Chapter

This section comes at the extreme end of the book chapter, when you ask the reader to implement the learnings from the chapter. It is a way of applying their newly acquired knowledge. In this section, you can also add a transition from your chapter to the succeeding chapter.

So would you still have jitters while writing your book chapter? Are there any other strategies or steps that you follow to write one? Let us know in the comments section below on how these steps helped you in writing a book chapter .

Thank you I have got a full lecture for sure

Thank for the encouraging words

You have demystified the act of writing a book chapter. Thank you for your efforts.

Very informative

It has really helpful for beginners like me.

Very impactful and informative. Thank you 😊

Very informative and helpful to beginners like us. Thank you.

Thanks for this very informative article

You have made writing a book chapter seem very simple. I appreciate all of your hard work.

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How to write a book chapter

I was asked by Dr. Joanna Brown for guidance on how to write a book chapter. I wouldn’t say I’m the ideal person for this task, but since I have published many of these for several edited collections , I think I can offer some advice.

I’ve got a few single-authored chapters on the go for three books at the moment (one on bottled water in the context of a human right to water, one on ethnography as a research method in comparative policy analysis, and one in press on national policy styles ), and thus I wanted to share my experience writing these.

My relationship with writing chapters for someone else’s edited volume is simultaneously love-and-hate, as people who read my blog regularly may remember .

@raulpacheco any advice for writing an academic book chapter? I'm struggling with some imposter syndrome. — Dr. Joanna (@joannawbrownphd) July 3, 2018

The value that different institutions place on book chapters varies widely. My own institution prefers journal articles, but as I’ve said before, I have participated in edited collections because I believe in the project, and also because these are usually collective projects I’m interested in undertaking. I’ve published book chapters in both Spanish and English, and I’ve also edited books as well, so I’m fond of the model. You should, nonetheless, consider the pros and cons of writing a book chapter.

First of all, book chapters are different from journal articles as many of these aren’t peer reviewed and therefore aren’t subject to as many changes and corrections as you could expect from articles. I will fully admit having published peer-reviewed book chapters that these are as much of a nightmare as journal article manuscripts. I have one particularly awful experience (which isn’t over yet!) in mind.

But the most important element that an author needs to keep thinking about when writing a book chapter, in my view, is how your chapter contributes to the overall Throughline of the book (I’ve mentioned The Throughline previously – or as Scandinavian authors call it, The Red Thread ). I’ve also emphasized the importance of demonstrating cohesiveness and coherence throughout an edited collection, as the editors of Untapped did in their edited volume on the sociology of beer .

With Untapped, Chapman and coauthors explore the question of "what is sociological about beer?" pic.twitter.com/tVcf069LRm — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) April 14, 2018

This sample chapter on how to write books actually provides a great example of how to write a book chapter . Normally, I would create an outline of the paper ( this blog post of mine will tell you two methods to create outlines ), then follow a sequential process to create the full paper ( my post on 8 sequential steps may be helpful here ).

More than anything, I do try really hard to use headings to guide the global argument of the chapter. The outline/sequence looks something like this:

• Introduction. – outline of questions or topics to tackle throughout the chapter, and description of how the chapter will deal with them.
• Topic 1 – answer to question 1.
• Topic 2 – answer to question 2.
• Topic N – answer to question N.
• Discussion/synthesis. – how it all integrates and relates to the overall book.
• Conclusions, limitations and future work.
• References.

As I write my chapter, I make sure to link its content with other chapters in the edited volume . This may be a bit tricky because of how editors have timed contributions. Sometimes they don’t have all the chapters readily available to be shared across authors. But I’ve found that normally they do, and so they’re willing to share across all authors.

This guideline to writing chapters may also be helpful. It’s also quite important that you follow both the press and the editors’ guide (style, punctuation, citation formatting, etc.). But more than anything, I strongly believe that the best approach to writing a book chapter is to think of it as a way to present a series of thoughts in a cohesive manner that doesn’t necessarily equal a journal article. Yes, there may be empirical claims presented, and yes, there should probably some theoretical advancement in there, but again, it’s NOT a journal article.

Hope this post helps those of you writing a book chapter. If you want to read some of mine, you can download some of them here or here (Academia.Edu) or here (ResearchGate).

You can share this blog post on the following social networks by clicking on their icon.

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Tagged with AcWri , book chapters , writing .

12 comments

By Raul Pacheco-Vega – July 11, 2018

12 Responses

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Can I reuse my own published papers in writing book chapters?

Reuse per se, perhaps not, republish maybe, with caveats, but you can use some text, yes.

In the book chapters, do we have to give results or only survey of others works will do ?

That depends on you and what the book editor expects!

Thank you, Sir. That was helpful.

As a research scholar I want to write a book chapter instead of writing a review paper. Can I do that? Do I need any special permission to write a book chapter?

This reminds me of the quote… “Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.” Thanks for posting this.

No special permission!

This is very useful. Thanks Raul.

will the book chapters will have references in the same manner as in manuscripts of journal

In book chapters, we have to do new research like (journal article ) or illustrate our ideas with already published work?

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Publishing Research: Book Chapters and Books

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Sometimes researchers decide to publish their work in a book chapter in an edited volume, or they may decide to write a monograph or another type of book. There are advantages and disadvantages in choosing to publish in book form. This section discusses the merits of publishing book chapters and books with a section on writing monographs based on PhD theses.

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Woodrow, L. (2014). Publishing Research: Book Chapters and Books. In: Writing about Quantitative Research in Applied Linguistics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230369955_14

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How to write an Excellent Academic Book Chapter?

What is an Academic Book Chapter?

A book chapter is a portion or division of a book that focuses on a research topic. It is an expert collection that offers a balanced view and viewpoint on research that is often dispersed throughout journals and other publications. A book chapter is more widely focussed than a journal article and generally has a higher educational value since book chapters are frequently included in undergraduate and postgraduate students’ reading lists.

Calls for chapter proposals can be found online. In many circumstances, though, a researcher is commissioned by an editor or a publisher. This is why attending conferences and networking with research organizations in your profession are crucial ways to expand your network. Depending on the publisher’s or funding criteria, the commissioned book chapter might have open or paid access.

A chapter is typically commissioned with a due date of six, nine, or twelve months. Once the text has been agreed upon, it is ideal to continue working on it on a regular basis since writing abilities improve with practice. It is also critical to continue reading publications in the subject, in order to stay up to speed on new discoveries and to refresh your reference list with new contributions.

It is critical to write in simple language, eliminate jargon, and explain topics properly so that your work is understandable, particularly if the book is intended at students. Seek advice and input from senior academics if at all feasible. They may advise you on how to present your ideas and point out any gaps or references you should include.

Benefits of Publishing a Book Chapter in an Academic Journal

Publishing a book chapter might help you establish your credibility as an author and expert in your industry. There are further benefits:

• Academics frequently read chapter books to stay current and for educational purposes, thus your work may be mentioned in essays and dissertations.
• A chapter in a well-edited collection shows an employment panel or a publisher that your work has been sought after by leading academics and that you have the potential to write a book.
• A book chapter can be used to elaborate on a topic presented in a journal article, but you must obtain permission from the journal’s editor to cite parts from the article if it is behind a paywall.
• You do not need to persuade readers of the significance of your work. The editors will address this in the book’s foreword. This will empower you to write with greater confidence and creativity.

A book chapter allows you to focus on interested readers from a diverse range of backgrounds, rather than merely reviewers and academic colleagues. It assists you in developing strong writing abilities that may lead to the completion of a whole book as you gain confidence and improve in your academic career.

Steps to write a Book Chapter

Step 1: Gather Important Data

• Even before you begin writing, go through and collect all of the key facts that will be needed to create an informative chapter. Because a chapter concentrates on one important concept, there should be no gaps that confuse the reader. 
• Making mind maps aids in connecting disparate sources of knowledge and assembling them to produce an entirely new chapter. As a consequence, you may organize your ideas to aid in your analysis and visualize them. This procedure increases your comprehension of the book’s concept. 
• More crucially, arrange the concepts in a logical manner for presentation in your chapter. This makes it easy to compose the chapter without making it too complicated.

Step 2: Create the chapter structure .

After hours of brainstorming ideas and comprehending the principles that the chapter should include, you must build an organized framework. Furthermore, sticking to a regular format allows you to stay on track and arrange your chapter fluently.

Here are the elements of a chapter structure: 

• A title or headline
• An introduction that hooks
• Body paragraphs that provide further details
• A recap, or summary, of the chapter
• A transition to the next chapter

While you can include more or less to each chapter based on your genre, writing style, and requirements, it is critical that all of your chapter contents have comparable points or bits of information connected to your main topic. Remove any contents that do not suit the concept of your chapter.

Step 3: Create a catchy chapter title or headline.

An impactful chapter title captures the reader’s attention. It’s basically the “first sight” rule!. Your chapter’s title/heading must trigger curiosity in the reader and make them want to read and learn more. Although this is the first element of a chapter, most writers find it easier to create a title/heading after completing the chapter.

Here are three types of headlines you can write: 

• Use the “How to…” approach
• Use a phrase or belief statement
• Present it as a question

Step 4: Build an Engaging Introduction

Now that you’ve aroused the reader’s interest with your title/heading, the reader’s expectations for the content have plainly risen. To keep people engaged in your chapter, develop an interesting introduction. To capture the reader’s interest, you might employ a narrative method or create a fictitious scenario. However, avoid deviating from the main context of your chapter. Finally, crafting a strong opening will assist you in providing a summary of your chapter.

Some tips to remember while creating an outstanding introduction include:

• Share a personal story
• Show a conversation or dialogue
• Add powerful quotes
• Add shocking statistics

Step 5: Expand your story with main points

Now is the time to go into the chapter’s detail-instruction portion. Extend your introductory statement and start explaining your views in depth. More crucial, leave no room for the reader’s imagination.

This section should answer the following reader questions:

• Why did the reader decide to read your book?
• What do they need to know?
• Is the content of your chapter resolving their issues and doubts?

Make careful you establish each argument logically and in a logical order. Also, include statistical data, evidence-based material, experimental data, graphical displays, and so on. Based on the specifics of your chapter, you might compress these points into 4-5 paragraphs.

Step 6: Write a summary of the book chapter

The departure should be as powerful as the entering, right? The summary is the section when you are nearly finished. This part is essential for your viewers to understand. So, go back and summarize the important points of your chapter. Because your chapter has a lot of information, you’d like the reader to remember the gist of it by the time they get to the finish. As a result, it is critical to write a brief summary that summarizes the main point of your chapter.

Here’s how to create a book chapter summary:

• Read through the chapter and make a list of any main points or key takeaways.
• Make a note of each essential point or takeaway.
• Write a summary of each point.
• Narrow it down to one or two phrases for each point.
• Consolidate all of your summary arguments into a single paragraph.
• For each new point, use transition words such as “first,” “next,” or “then.”

Step 7: Add a Call-to-Action & Transition to Next Chapter

A call-to-action (CTA) is when you invite the reader to take action by implementing and applying what they have learnt in some way.  In a short, ask the reader to take action.

What action do you want the reader to do next? At the end of your chapter, tell them what you want them to think, act, or do. It might be as simple as providing a few open-ended questions for the readers to consider.

Here are some ideas for including a call to action for your reader:

• Include reflection questions such as “So, what’s one AHA! moment you had while reading this chapter?”
• Include action steps: “What is one little action you can do today as a result of reading this chapter?”
• Signup to my email list: “Are you still having trouble with this (chapter problem)?” Sign up for my email list to get additional insights and techniques.”
• Contact us: “If this (chapter difficulty) is a recurring issue for you, please do not hesitate to contact us.” (Include your email address or other contact information)
• Purchase: “If you want to learn more about (chapter topic), try purchasing these other books that focus on X.”

After you’ve placed your call to action, you may prepare your reader for the following chapter with a short transition. Transitioning your reader to the next chapter tickles their interest and completely closes the loop on the information they just read. You may easily add some transition words and write a 1-2 sentence that summarizes the following chapter. Then you may finish the chapter and begin the chapter writing process all over again!

Are you ready to begin writing your fantastic chapter RIGHT NOW? By following these techniques, you will be able to write effective chapters with ease.

We can assist you if you are ready to begin (or finish) and publish your book!

https://sciendo.com/news/writing-an-academic-book-chapter

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Preparing your manuscript

As you write, please follow the guidelines below to create a well-structured, discoverable, and engaging publication.

Structure 

A clear structure enhances readability in both print and digital formats. In digital publications, the text structure affects how well it displays. The key is consistency in the organizational logic, at every level, from overarching sections through to granular headings. 

Parts and/or sections  

• When grouping chapters into parts or sections, be consistent. Do not create any ‘orphans’ which sit outside of a part or section. If you envision any free-standing chapters, such as an introduction, please discuss the idea with your OUP editorial contact.
• Use descriptive titles, rather than generic names, to identify all parts or sections (e.g. a book on Miguel de Cervantes would include ‘Part 1: Don Quixote and ‘Part 2: Novelas ejemplares’, rather than ‘Part 1’ or ‘Part 2’).  
• Do not use blank part-opener pages, which appear as blank screens on digital devices and are confusing to readers. Adding a useful element, such as a brief table of contents, can avoid the problem.

Chapters 

• If you split any chapters into ‘sub-chapters’, please do it for all chapters. If some chapters are broken into parts, then all the chapters in a multi-chapter book must be.
• Be consistent with features. If you open a chapter with a mini table of contents, use it in every chapter.  
• Write chapters to similar lengths. 
• Use headings consistently within and across chapters. For example, if you open and close with ‘Overview’ and ‘Conclusion’, follow this structure in all chapters.  
• Chapter titles should be unambiguous and informative. ‘Chapter One: The archives of La Mancha’ is better than ‘Chapter One: Introduction’. 
• Avoid extensive passages of unbroken text, long headings, and large, complex tables. Your work will be read on hand-held devices. Lengthy formats, which can be difficult to read on smaller screens, will lose your reader’s attention. 

Appendices 

• Number appendices separately.  Name them with descriptive headings that inform and engage readers.

Headings 

Headings are an essential element for making your work readable and accessible. Note the following when composing headings: 

• Use headings consistently across your work. If ‘Overview’ is a level 1 heading in chapter 1, it should be a level 1 heading in all chapters.
• Headings should divide text into digestible chunks. 
• Open every chapter with a heading, so that no text is left sitting outside the heading structure. 
• ‘Nest’ one heading inside another logically. A level 1 heading is always followed by level 2 (don’t jump to a level 3 heading). 
• Keep headings concise, so they can work in print and digital format (in the latter, long headings are cumbersome). 
• Avoid the inclusion of references, footnotes, or ‘call-outs’ to figures, tables, or boxes in headings. 

Cross references 

The impact of cross-referencing within your work will have a greater value for your readers if you: 

• Point to a specific target in the text, such as a heading, figure, table, box, or paragraph number (for practitioner law authors). In digital formats, cross-referencing links precisely to the target point in the text.  
• Avoid using ‘see above’, ‘see below’, or using a page number to identify text that has a cross reference. Pagination may vary in responsive design formats (for hand-held devices) and some digital products.
• Always include a call-out, such as ‘see Figure 1.1’ when cross-referencing non-textual material. In digital formats, use linking to direct readers to the referenced material. 
• Do not use specific references to any one format. Any references to material elsewhere in your work should make sense to readers, whatever device or format they are using to access the information. 

References 

References to the works of other authors are important to acknowledge their contributions to the development of your work and advance scholarly discourse. To give proper credit, make sure that all references are complete and follow a consistent reference style. Avoid print specific terms and conventions (e.g. ‘op. cit.’) that don’t work for reference linking in digital versions. 

House style  

Authors should follow OUP’s ‘ House style ’ for spelling, punctuation, text formatting, abbreviations, acceptable language, numbers, dates, and units of measure. Please compare your manuscript carefully against the style guide before you submit it.  This will save time and effort during the production process. 

Your OUP editorial contact will provide you with any additional subject- or series-specific guidelines that you need to follow. 

Non-textual material 

Non-textual material refers to artwork (e.g. line drawings, illustrations, halftones, or photographs), tables, boxes, or equations. Distinguishing between them is important in digital formatting. The following groups non-textual material feature-types with similar requirements:  

• Figures : line drawings, photographs, diagrams, graphs
• Boxes : extracts, case studies, lists, vignettes, material without columns
• Tables : material with columns

There are other factors to consider when including non-textual material:

• Copyright : Any third-party material that you wish to reproduce must be cleared for copyright permissions. See more on this in ‘ Copyright of third-party material ’.  
• Call-outs : Each item of non-textual material must be labeled (e.g. ‘See Figure 1.1’) to serve as anchor text for hyperlinks.  
• Placement indicators : These are needed (in addition to call-outs) for figures and complex tables that are supplied in separate documents. The placement indicator is an instruction (placed in angle brackets) for the typesetter that indicates where to set the feature (e.g. <Insert Figure 3.2 near here>). It should always appear after the call-out. Please note that the figure may not appear exactly where you request. 
• Numbers and captions : Include a figure number and caption beneath the placement indicator (or list all captions) for each chapter in a separate document. Use a naming scheme identifying the chapter and its sequence of figures (e.g. ‘Figure 1.4 is the fourth figure in Chapter 1’), followed by the caption (e.g. ‘Figure 1.1 A Chihuahua (left) and a Great Dane (right). Dogs have the widest range of body sizes among mammals’).  
• Boxes : Don’t add design formatting to the boxes features in your manuscript. Please supply as text only, clearly labelled to indicate placement (e.g. <start of box>, <end of box>). 
• for photographs , 300 dpi at 4 × 6 inches / 10mm × 15mm 
• for line art , 600–1200 dpi at 4 × 6 inches / 10mm × 15mm.

Copyright of third-party material 

Your publishing agreement will state whether you or OUP are responsible for obtaining permission to reuse copyright material in your work (including epigraphs). Regardless of who is responsible, it is a good idea to follow these best practices: 

• Start early : Failure to obtain permission to use copyrighted material may significantly affect your title’s content and publication schedule. 
• Licences : When you submit your manuscript, please include any licences already obtained, to assist your OUP editorial contact in determining which permissions are needed or granted. 
• Open Access : If your final product will be Open Access, highlight this when requesting permissions—it may impact a copyright holder’s decision.  
• Formats : Print and electronic  
• Distribution : Worldwide 
• English 
• up to five languages 
• all language rights worldwide 
• Duration : Life of the edition 
• Final note : Formal permission is needed to reproduce any material that is under copyright. Your OUP editorial contact cannot begin the production process until all copyright permissions are in place and documented. 

Find out more with our Permissions Guidelines .

Abstracts and keywords 

Abstracts and keywords are used to describe your work and ensure that it is fully searchable and discoverable online. For these reasons, it is very important for you to include abstracts and keywords when you submit your manuscript.  

Abstracts 

Abstracts provide potential readers with a quick description of the work so they can decide whether a book or chapter is relevant to their needs – they are the online equivalent of the blurb on the back of a book.  

• The first sentence is the most important. Somebody looking for information quickly may not read beyond the first sentence, so it must clearly and concisely represent the key topics of the book or chapter it is describing.
• The abstract should start with the title of the work in question (whether a chapter or whole book). The remaining text should give an overview of the content in more detail.
• Use short, clear sentences and specific terminology. 
• The information and words in the abstract are used by search engines to optimize discovery.
• If a term is known by an abbreviation or acronym, include both the long- and short-form names. For example, ‘cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)’, or ‘deep vein thrombosis (DVT)’. 
• Abstracts are needed for the whole book, as well as one for each chapter. 
• Abstracts should be between 100 and 250 words.  

Keywords 

Keywords should reflect the content of the work in individual words or short, recognizable phrases (fewer than three words). These will be used alongside the abstract to facilitate searching and indexing.  

• book – five to ten keywords
• chapter – five to ten keywords
• The basic form of the keyword should be used (e.g. singular nouns, infinitive verbs).
• If an abbreviation is more familiar to the readership, it is acceptable to not include the long-form name in the keywords (e.g. ‘DNA’, rather than ‘deoxyribonucleic acid’). However, in most cases it is advisable to use both short- and long-form terms as separate keywords.
• Use of keywords needs to be consistent between chapters, including the use of synonyms, commercial or generic drug names, Latin, medical, or common terms. For edited works (i.e. those with multiple contributors), enforcing consistency is the responsibility of the volume editor. 
• Keywords should also appear in the respective abstracts. 

Ready for the next step? 

To put your manuscript in final form, you must adhere to OUP’s preparation guidelines. To avoid unnecessary steps, please review it carefully before submitting a manuscript to your OUP editorial contact. OUP considers the submitted manuscript to be final; you will not be able to make changes during the production process other than fixing typos and factual and grammatical errors.

Your OUP editorial contact will review your manuscript to make sure it is in final form before moving it along the pipeline. Find out what’s involved in the production workflow in the section on ‘ Submitting your manuscript .’

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Journals, books & databases

Prepare & submit a manuscript.

Guidelines for book editors, book authors and chapter authors

The following information gives advice and instructions on preparing a chapter or book and submitting it to us.

It is important that you adhere to the information on this page to ensure your manuscript is prepared and submitted to us correctly so that we are able to process and publish the book efficiently and on time.

Please ensure that you also read the specific instructions for your book type in addition to the general instructions below.

On this page

Format & layout Templates & sample layouts Submitting a manuscript

Guidelines for specific book types

Edited books Authored books Specialist periodical reports Conference proceedings

Format & layout

• The manuscript should be prepared in Microsoft Word. If you want to use a different application, please contact us to discuss this first.
• Text should use 2.0pt line-spacing.
• Punctuation and spelling must follow standard English practice. The use of either British or American English is acceptable, but must be used consistently.
• Standard IUPAC nomenclature must be used.
• SI units and symbols must be used.
• Abbreviations must be defined at first mention in the chapter and abbreviated thereafter. A list of abbreviations may be provided at the end of the chapter if necessary.

Numbers with five or more digits should have spaces every three digits (eg 10 000, 2 000 000 – commas, eg 10,000, should not be used). 

Units should be presented in inverse style (eg m s -1 and not m/s).

Chapter abstract

Each chapter will need a chapter abstract. The abstract is very important in promoting the book content. The abstract:

• should be a single paragraph of 50–200 words, briefly summarising the chapter
• will be present only in the eBook version of the book, and not the print book (with the exception of the Issues in Environment Science and Technology series and some specialist periodical reports)
• must not contain any reference citations, figures or footnotes
• The chapter text should be divided into sections with headings, as appropriate.
• All main words within a heading should be capitalised.
• No full point is needed at the end of a heading.
• Acknowledgement and reference sections should be at the end of the chapter, and these headings are not numbered.
• Headings should be numbered as follows (where X is the chapter number)*.
• X Chapter Title
• X.1 Main Section Heading
• X.1.1 Sub Section Heading
• X.1.1.1 Lower Sub Section Heading
• Figures should be supplied as TIFF or EPS files, with a resolution of 600 dpi or greater and at a final size of 20 x 12 cm.
• Photographs should be provided at the best resolution available (minimum 600 dpi) as TIFF, PDF or JPEG files.
• Figures should be supplied ready for printing, without further retouching or redrawing.
• Figures should be adequately labelled, and this must remain legible after reduction.
• Information not necessary to the discussion – for example, solvents or temperatures – should be omitted from legends.
• Avoid using long, complicated schemes or large figures as these may end up some distance from the textual discussion.
• Over-large schemes or blocks of structures will be reduced to fit the page so you will need to ensure that detail is not lost in reduction – for example, make sure that lines are thick enough to be visible after reduction, and only label significant atoms in ORTEP-style diagrams.
• Figures must be cited in the text. The recommended location of a figure to appear should be indicated as follows:  [Figure X.1 near here]
• Figures taken from internet sites are not usually of reproducible quality, and may also be copyright protected; the original authors should be contacted for a suitable file and permission.
• Figures should all be submitted as separate files and not embedded in the typescript (with the exception of ChemDraw files).

Chemical structures & schemes

• Structures should be supplied as ChemDraw files.
• Structural formulae and reaction schemes should be named Scheme X.1, X.2, etc, and must be cited in the text*.
• The approximate positions in the text should be clearly indicated as follows: [Scheme X.2 near here]
• Recommended guidelines for drawing structures as as follows.
• Chain bond angle = 120°
• Fixed bond angle = 15°
• Bond length = 0.43 cm or 12.2 pt
• Bond width = 0.016 cm or 0.5 pt
• Bold bond width = 0.056 cm or 1.6 pt
• Double bond space = 20% of bond length
• Stereo bond width = 0.056 cm or 1.6 pt
• Hash spacing = 0.062 cm or 1.8 pt
• Captions/atom labels = Arial, 7 pt

Colour figures

Your contract will state whether the use of colour is allowed in the printed book or not. The use of colour figures will be considered only where scientifically necessary.

In the eBook version, any figures supplied in colour will appear in colour, regardless of whether the printed book is in colour or black and white. However, the same figure captions will be used in both the print and electronic version so refrain from mentioning colour in the caption.

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• Footnotes in tables should be self-contained, labelled with superior lower-case letters, and listed as a block of text beneath the table.
• The table must be cited in the text.
• The approximate location of a table to appear should be indicated as follows: [Table X.5 near here]
• All figures and tables should have a caption.
• Items should be numbered as X.1, X.2, etc consecutively throughout the chapter*.
• Items should be referred to by their number in the text. Do not use phrases such as 'in the figure above' as the final placement of items may change during typesetting.
• If a figure has been previously published, the correct copyright information must be included in the caption as stipulated by the copyright holder.
• When writing the caption for a figure, please bear in mind that a figure may be black and white in the print book but appear in the electronic book in colour, so the caption must make sense for both situations. Your contract will state if the use of colour is allowed in the printed book or not.
• A separate list of all figure and table captions should appear at the end of the main text document.
• These should be set in Mathtype (or Word Equation Editor, where Mathtype is unavailable).
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• They should be numbered consecutively throughout each chapter ((X.1), (X.2) etc) in parentheses at the right-hand side of the page*.
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• References should be superscripted in the text (for example, one day. 36 The next…).
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• For authors using EndNote, an EndNote style file is available in Templates & sample documents .
• A list of references in numerical order (following the Vancouver system) should appear at the end of the chapter. References should only appear once in the list. If the same source is cited more than once the reference number should be repeated.
• Books in the Issues in Toxicology series must also include the full article title and the full page range in the reference lists.
• References supplied in the Harvard (author/date) system will not be accepted. Please note that the Advances in Chemistry Education series is an exception to this rule.

Journal articles

A. Name, B. Name and C. Name, Journal Title , year, volume , first page.

When page numbers are not yet known, articles should be cited by DOI (Digital Object Identifier) – for example, T. J. Hebden, R. R. Schrock, M. K. Takase and P. Müller,  Chem. Commun ., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC17634C.

For books in the Issues in Toxicology series, you must also include the full article title and the complete page range.

A. Name, B. Name and C. Name,  Book Title , Publisher, Publisher's Location, edition, year. For example, S. T. Beckett,  Science of Chocolate , Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2000. 

If you are referencing published conference proceedings, these should be cited as for a book.

Book chapters

A. Name, in  Book Title , ed. Editor Name(s), Publisher, Publisher Location, edition, year, chapter, pages. 

The ‘ed.’ in the example above stands for ‘edited by’. If the book has no editors this should be left out.

A. Name, PhD thesis, University Name, year.

Lectures, meetings & conferences

A. Name, presented in part at Conference Title, Place, Month, year.

Reference to unpublished material

You should not reference unpublished work without the permission of those who completed the work.

For material accepted for publication, but not yet published: A. Name,  Journal Title , in press. 

For material submitted for publication, but not yet accepted: A. Name,  Journal Title , submitted. For material that has yet to be submitted for publication: A. Name, unpublished work.

Online resources (including databases, websites & wikis)

Name of resource, URL, (accessed date). 

Please note the most important information to include is the URL and the date accessed. For example, The Merck Index Online, http://www.rsc.org/Merck-Index/monograph/mono1500000841, (accessed January 2016).

Preprint servers (for example, arXiv)

For example: V. Krstic and M. Glerup, 2006, arXiv:cond-mat/0601513.

The name of the patentee must be given. For example, A. Name,  Br. Pat. , 123 456, 2016. B. Name,  US Pat ., 1 234 567, 2015.

T. Bellander, M. Lewne and B. Brunekreef, GAUSSIAN 3 (Revision B.05), Gaussian Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, 2003.

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If you wish to provide additional content to accompany your chapter, for example extra figures, data tables or a video, we can now host this alongside the chapter files online.

Please submit any ESI files along with your manuscript, ensuring that they are clearly marked as ESI. ESI will be made available online at the same time as the ebook is published, or when the print book is published for print-only titles.

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Large file transfer system.

Our Large File Transfer (LFT) system provides a secure means to upload large files.

As soon as you are ready to submit the final and complete manuscript, we'll send you a link to the LFT. This link will have an expiry date so please do let us know if you're not ready to send the typescript in.

All the folders for the book should all be zipped into one complete zip file before uploading. If the zip file exceeds the 1 GB limit then please split into two or send chapter by chapter.

How to create a zip file

In Windows Explorer, navigate to where the folders are that you want to zip; select all the folders. Right-click on the highlighted files, and select 'Send to' followed by 'Compressed (zipped) folder'.

In OSX, navigate to where the folders are that you want to zip; select all the folders. Right-click on the highligted files, and select 'Compress Items'.

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How to Write a Book Chapter in 7 Simple Steps for Your Nonfiction Book

POSTED ON Aug 22, 2019

Written by Petros Eshetu

Are you ready to learn how to write a book chapter? This is the first step towards many exciting milestones in your writing journey, so it’s time to get started!

You’ve committed to write a nonfiction book , and you’re well on your way to begin your author journey. 

So where do you start? By learning how to write a book chapter. 

Sounds simple, right? But it can be overwhelming and difficult to gain momentum, especially when we doubt ourselves and start to feel like writing a book is such a mammoth project to undertake. 

As writers, we often tend to overthink the process, causing a flood of questions that occupy our attention instead of actually writing. 

You might be asking yourself…

• How do I even do this?
• Where do I begin and when do I finish? 
• How long should my chapters be?
• How many chapters should I have?

These are just some of the questions that might be preventing you from actually getting started writing your book's first chapter. In this article, you'll learn the exact steps on how to write a book chapter, and more.

Here’s how to write a book chapter:  #1 – Create a chapter outline #2 – Build out the chapter’s structure #3 – Write an eye-catching chapter title or headline #4 – Hook readers with your chapter intro #5 – Expand your story with main points #6 – Provide a recap that summarizes the chapter #7 – Add a Call-to-Action & transition to your next chapter

But before we get started, let's make sure you have the required foundation to get started on writing a chapter.

How do you start writing a chapter?

In order to start writing a chapter, all you need to do is start writing. Remember, when you begin your draft simply focus on getting the words on the page. You can edit it later. Looking at the blinking cursor can be one of the most intimidating parts of the writing process, so just start.

Bonus: When you start writing your first chapter, it doesn't need to be chapter one. If you have a great idea for the middle of the book, write it! You may inspire yourself for chapter one.

How long does it take to write a book chapter?

The speed you write depends on many factors such as:

• Your typing speed
• If you choose to edit as you draft
• Whether or not you know the direction you plan to take the story

Don't allow yourself to get hung up on your writing speed, instead, focus on your writing quality.

How many pages should be in a chapter?

The page count in each chapter depends on what is best for your story. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, how you end your chapter greatly influences if a reader turns the page.

It would likely be better for your reader, and your story, to end a chapter a bit early on a cliffhanger, rather than drag a chapter out.

As you write, ask yourself this question: What type of chapter ending would keep me turning pages? Be sure to end your chapter at this point.

Now, it's important to note that before you can even begin, you first need to have your book's general outline in place. It's okay if you have a working outline that's not finalized, but you need to have a rough idea of what chapters you need to include. If you're asking, “ What is an outline ?” read more at the link.

Your book's outline is your roadmap, and it's what you will use to get to your final destination with the chapters you write. After all, how do you know which direction you’re heading if you don’t have a path?

Think of your book like a TV show, and instead of episodes, you have chapters. Most hit shows develop a general theme for the season, so each episode progressively builds up to a grand finale. 

The same goes for writing books. You brainstorm ideas, figure out a theme for your book, and structure it by chapters, so it all fits together nicely.

Your book is the general theme, and each chapter should build up to the big picture. 

What is a chapter?

A chapter is defined as section, or division, of a book, and it is usually separated with a chapter number or chapter title. Chapters break the overall book topic into sections. Each chapter in a book is related to the overall book theme, and chapters are found in many book variations and genres, such as nonfiction, fiction, academia, law, and more. The concept of a book chapter is to allow the author to break up the work, and for the reader to digest the material in increments, or chunks that are both understandable and memorable.

After all, most readers aren’t going to go through 30,000 or more words in one sitting. They need mental breaks. That’s what your chapters provide.

Also, chapters allow you to have some kind of structure in your writing compared to just rambling all of your ideas in one go like journal writing. A journal may make sense to you in your mind, but for the average person who’s reading it, they might not get the whole picture because they don’t have the same perspective as you.

Before you can get started with how to write a chapter, you need to be clear on what the purpose of a chapter is, and how it helps your book's organization.

Related: Parts of a Book

How long should my chapter be?

The short answer is, it really depends on your topic, and your writing style. There aren’t any set rules or guidelines. That’s the beautiful thing of self publishing – you as the author gets to dictate the length of your book. 

The length of your chapters will vary depending on the genre. So, if you really want some guidance, then just compare the typical length of other books within the same niche. 

How many words are in a nonfiction book chapter?

The average number of words in a nonfiction book is around 50,000-70,000 words, and the average number of chapters in a nonfiction book are about 10-20. With this logic, the number of words in a nonfiction book chapter is about 3,500 words to 5,000 words. But, the number of words in each chapter can vary greatly, depending on the nonfiction book's topic, subject matter, and the author's writing style.

Some topics will require more details, and some will require less. There isn't a set number of chapters to include, either, so make your chapters detailed, concise, and see where your word count falls and make adjustments in your editing process as needed.

As you learn how to write a book chapter, try not to worry so much about how many words to include in each chapter of your book. Instead of focusing on your word count, focus on the quality of your writing, and that you are including all the necessary information to get your point across.

How many chapters should I write? 

Again, this is up to you.  You can write as many or as few chapters as you want. Your book is your baby, and you make the final decision.

Don't decide on number of chapters just for the sake of it. Make sure you organize your chapters with sound reasoning, as opposed to just setting a random number.

This will ensure that your chapters make logical sense, and are in the correct order. With structured, organized chapters, your reader will be able to follow the information in your book seamlessly.

Now that you understand what a chapter is, and how many words and chapters to have in your book, it's time for writing !

#1 – Create an outline for the chapter 

The best way to brainstorm ideas and create an outline for your chapter is through mindmapping. 

A mindmap, if you aren’t already familiar with it, is where you brainstorm and unload all your ideas onto paper (or type it).

Once you’re done, you can look over and see if there’s a common theme beginning to take shape. At this point, you can start linking them together. You can structure your ideas to help with your analysis and see it visually.

As you learn how to write a book chapter, you'll get a better feel for how many sections make sense for your book's topic.

Here’s how to create an outline for your chapter:  #1 – Brainstorm all of the ideas and topics that this chapter should cover #2 – Write your ideas down on a mindmap  #3 – Review your ideas and link similar ideas together #4 – Identify a common theme for your chapter #5 – Sort the ideas into a logical order of how you should present them in your chapter

Here’s an example of my mind map: 

After my mind map, I was able to create a structured outline:

Here are more resources for mindmapping: #1 – Mindmapping tool #2 – Learn how to book map #3 – Create an outline for a book

#2 – Build the chapter structure

Now that you understand the fundamentals, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of what makes up an effective chapter structure.

You'll want to be sure to include each element of your chapter structure for every subsequent chapter that you write.

It might be helpful to create a standard format, whether you write with pen and paper, or using book software on your computer. This will help you stay on track and write your chapters in an organized, structured form.

Here are the elements of a chapter structure:  #1 – A title or headline #2 – An introduction that hooks #3 – Body paragraphs that provide further details #4 – A recap, or summary, of the chapter #5 – A transition to the next chapter

While you can add more or less to each of your chapters depending on your genre, writing style, and needs, it’s important that all of your chapter contents contain similar points or pieces of information related to your overall theme.

All of the information should also be what your reader actually needs to know to understand the overall picture. 

If any of the contents don’t fit into your chapter’s theme, take it out. If there is extra information that isn’t necessary for the reader to know, or causes the reader to go off on a tangent, take it out. 

Only add what’s absolutely necessary, and take out anything extra. Chances are, the information either doesn’t add to the value of your work, or it might belong in a different chapter.

#3 – Write an eye-catching chapter title or headline

As you learn how to write a book chapter, you’ll realize just how important writing eye-catching chapter headlines, or titles, are. 

You can have the most amazing content in the world that has the power to change people’s lives forever. But if you don't learn how to write a book chapter headline that captures their attention, then they’ll never bother reading your book. 

This is especially important when you have someone on the fence, deciding whether or not to buy your book. They’re skimming through your table of contents or flipping through the pages to see if anything sticks out.

You want a chapter headline that triggers curiosity, and makes your reader want to learn more.

Even though this is listed as the first element of a chapter’s structure, many authors find that it’s easier to create the headline AFTER the chapter has been written. 

Tip: Write your headline once your chapter is already written. 

This is because as you write, your chapter and concept might change slightly, so you don’t want to waste time tinkering with the headline every time you update your concept.

Here are three types of headlines you can write:  #1 – Use the “How to…” approach #2 – Use a phrase or belief statement #3 – Present it as a question

#1 – Write the headline as a “How to…”

The “How to” format is a common strategy when writing a book chapter title because it works. A good “how to” headline is enticing, concise, and provokes action in the reader. 

To create a “How to” headline for your book’s chapter, make a list of the benefits, barriers, and beliefs that your chapter covers and then just plug it into the “How to…” template. Play around with it and see which headline combination makes the most sense.

If you’re struggling with this, think of the problem your chapter solves. Then craft that problem into a “How to” statement.

Here’s an example: “How to (add benefit) without having to (add barrier) even if (add belief).”  #1 – Add benefit – What’s the benefit of this chapter? What insight will your readers gain? #2 – Add barrier – What barriers or obstacles are your readers facing? What is their problem? What do your readers currently believe right now? #3 – Add belief – What belief(s) or inner thoughts are your readers telling themselves about your topic? 

How-to headline examples on book writing:

• How to self-publish your book without having to commit 8 hours a day, even if you don't think you’re a good writer. 
• How to stay motivated when writing your book without having to sacrifice hours away from family and business, even if you don't feel you have enough time.
• How to build your confidence when writing your book without having to do a ton of research, even if you don't feel like you’re an expert

#2 –  Use a phrase or belief statement as your headline

You can simply use a phrase or belief that your readers are thinking about. If you think about it as the problem you are trying to solve for your reader, your headline or title would simply be the problem statement. 

Here are examples of beliefs for people who want to write a book:

• “I'm not good enough to write.”
• “I’m not a writer.’’
• “I'm not special; why would anyone want to read my book?”

#3 – Present the headline as a question 

This is similar to the problem statement, but you are rephrasing it as a question that your readers might ask. 

Think about what your chapter covers, and ask yourself, “What question is this chapter going to answer for my readers?”

Then, use that question to can create a compelling book chapter or headline.

Here are some examples of questions a reader might ask:

• How long does it take to write a book?
• Can I make a living writing books?
• Do I need an editor for my book?

If you’re still stuck thinking of an enticing chapter title or headline, it may be that you need more time to flesh out your content. 

Or, maybe you just need to spend some time writing, and come back to the headline when you are feeling more creative. 

You can also use title generators like Portent (which is my favorite) and tweakyourbiz . It can inspire you to come up with something unique.

What's great is you can use these headline ideas for not just chapters, but also webinars, videos, blog posts, guest posts, etc. as you expand your book business. 

#4 – Hook readers with your chapter intro 

Alright! So, you’ve captured the reader’s attention and now they’re curious to find out more. This is where you want to avoid any first chapter blunders and have an engaging intro that keeps people hooked, and attracted to your content. 

To explain the power of a hook in your chapter, let’s use an example from the TV show Law and Order . In every episode, they show the murder scene in the first few seconds; this is the opening hook! 

This effective technique naturally hooks viewers, myself included, making us want to know more.

We are left with the lingering question through the screenwriter’s hook (“How did they die?”) and then the rest of the episode is focused on piecing together who committed the murder. 

Unless you’re writing a horror book, I wouldn't expect your chapter introduction to be that dramatic, but there are similar ways that you can create an engaging opener. You can learn how to write an intro with a few simple steps, then apply the same strategies to all of your chapters.

Here’s how to hook your reader at the start of your book’s chapter: #1 – Share a personal story #2 – Show a conversation or dialogue #3 – Add powerful quotes #4 – Add shocking statistics  

What else can you think of to grab your reader's attention? Get creative!

In my experience, the best chapter introduction that get the most reader engagement is when the author shares a personal story. This is for two reasons.

Reason #1 – It builds a connection

Before spitting out facts and solutions, share your own personal story about overcoming the challenge you hope to help others through when they read your book and/or other products or services you offer. 

Stories are what connect you to your readers. 

Describe how you felt before, during, and after your personal challenge. For example, if you’re helping people lose weight, how did you feel when you were overweight? 

What did you see, hear, and feel? Relive and visualize this because most likely that’s where your readers are right now in their life. 

Even though you have overcome these struggles, you need to communicate at the same level as your readers and not from where you’re at right now.

Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and open up. 

I attended a screenwriting class recently. What I learned was that the most successful Hollywood movies are those with characters that have the most flaws.

It’s your flaws that will connect you to your readers emotionally. People are not looking for solutions or anecdotes as much as they are seeking for connection. 

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people” – William Butler Yeats

Reason #2 – It adds credibility

Your story helps build credibility, so people think, “ Wow! This author has been there, and done that, so they must know what they are talking about. I should read what they have to say. ”

When people are reading your book (and chapter) they may be asking:

• ‘Why should I listen to you?”
• “Who are you?” 
• “How can you help me with _____?”
• “How do you know how it feels to____?”

No one will listen to you unless they first know that they are understood. 

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” John Maxwell

Share your story of being in the trenches and having gone through the challenges that your readers are currently facing. Create a bridge between you and your readers. 

Once your readers know that you understand them, they will begin to trust you and will be more open to hearing your advice.

Alternatively, you could also tell a story of a client you’ve helped or share their testimonials. 

You could also paint a picture of how life will be when they finish reading your book or implementing your methods, products or services, or even how life will be if they don't.

#5 – Expand your story with main points

Okay, so you have a great opening and people are hooked. Your readers can’t put the book down.

But now it’s time to dive into the details. Expand your opening and begin to explain your points.

This is where you are offering your reader the gold. How will you solve their problem? What does the reader need to know? Keep the momentum going and make sure each point is cohesively building up.

You can have as many points as you want. I personally like sharing three points within chapter topics just because there is so much to write about for each point.

For example, in my book, The Introverted Immigrant's Journey , I share 3 steps (or points) to overcoming fear, worry, and anxiety.

• Step 1: Awareness   
• Step 2: Identifying self-sabotaging thoughts
• Step 3: Take action (despite the fear)

For each point, you can simply apply the same strategy just as you would starting a chapter. Add a story, quote, stat, or some other kind of evidence. 

Then expand on your opener.

Remember when you had to write a five paragraph essay in school? Think about this in terms of your five paragraph essay. These are your body paragraphs in your chapter!

This step is where a lot of writers can get sidetracked. That's why it's important to create your chapter outline in step 1, then stick to it as much as possible so that your writing is focused and concise and you hit your writing goals .

#6 – Write a summary of the book chapter

Celebrate! You’re almost to the finish line.

Now, all you’ve got to do is summarize what you’ve just said. You’ve given your reader a ton of information, so you have to bring it back around and close the loop.

Writing a summary of your book's chapter is basically recapping the information you shared in the section.

Since people best remember what they read last, this is your chance to be truly memorable.

What’s the last thing you want people to know? The key takeaway. Keep this short and to the point.

Here's how to write a summary of a book chapter: #1 – Skim the chapter and take notes of any major points or key takeaways #2 – Jot down each point or key takeaway #3 – Summarize each point in your own words  #4 – Whittle it down to 1 or 2 sentences for each point. #5 – Combine all your summarized points into one paragraph. #6 – Add in transition words such as “first,” “next” or “then” for each new point.

For example, in my book, I summarized my chapter points by creating 1-2 sentences on each point. Then, I combined each of those sentences together in order. 

For my first chapter point, which was on creating awareness, I wrote this summary:

“It’s important to remember that awareness is the first step to overcoming fear. How can you fix something without knowing its broken in the first place? Begin writing daily in a journal. Track how you feel throughout the day without any judgment.”

#7 – Add a Call-to-Action & transition to the next chapter

A call-to-action (CTA) is when you ask the reader to take action by implementing what they have learned and applying their new knowledge in some way. 

In short: Ask the reader to do something. 

What do you want the reader to do now? If you want them to think, act, or do something, tell them so at the end of your chapter.

It could be as simple as leaving a few questions for the readers to think about.

Here are some ways to add a call-to-action for your reader: #1 – Add reflection questions: “So, what’s one AHA! moment you got from reading this chapter?” #2 – Add action steps: “What is one small action you can take today after reading this chapter?”  #3 – Sign-up to my email list: “Do you still struggle with this (chapter problem)? Sign up to my email list, where I share more tips and strategies.” #4 – Get in touch: “If this (chapter problem) is a continuous challenge you are facing, feel free to reach out” (add email or any contact info) #5 – Buy: “If you’re interested in learning more about (chapter topic), consider buying these other books that focus on X.”

Once you’ve added your call to action, you can add a short transition to prepare your reader for your next chapter. 

Transitioning your reader to the next chapter gets them excited to keep reading, and it fully closes the loop on the information they just read. 

You can easily add some transition words and craft a 1-2 sentence that briefly covers what the next chapter will be about. 

Then, you can wrap up the entire chapter, and start the chapter writing process all over again!

Before you know it, your entire book will be written, and you’ll be preparing your finished manuscript for self-publishing .

Now that you have all the essentials on how to write a book chapter, it’s time to implement them!

Start sharing your stories and making the impact you’ve always wanted to make in the world through the power of your book. 

What other chapter techniques or strategies work for you?

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How to Write an Edited Book Chapter

Learning objectives.

Upon completion of this comprehensive and engaging course, you will be able to:

• List the 5 major contributions made through edited academic book chapters
• Describe 4 strategies to get the opportunity to write an edited academic book chapter
• Identify the key differences between edited academic book chapters and journal articles
• Follow an 11-step process to structure and write an edited academic book chapter
• List the 8 common elements of all successful edited academic book chapters
• Adhere to a timeline covering the entire edited academic book chapter publication process
• Use an e-mail template to invite influential scholars to co-author your edited academic book chapter
• Apply best practices in disseminating your edited academic book chapter after publication
• Adapt an edited academic book chapter for publication in a peer-reviewed journal (and vice versa)

Jay Phoenix Singh, PhD, PhD is a Fulbright Scholar and the internationally award-winning Executive Director of Publication Academy. Author of over 85 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters (average 400+ citations/year since 2010) as well as 4 books (published by Routledge, Wiley, Sage, and Oxford University Press), he completed his graduate doctoral studies in psychiatry at the University of Oxford and clinical psychology at Universität Konstanz. He was named the youngest tenured Full Professor in Norway in 2014 before accepting faculty appointments at the University of Cambridge as well as the University of Pennsylvania. Since this time, he has become the only psychology professor to have lectured for all eight Ivy League universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, UPenn) as well as both Oxford and Cambridge. Dr. Singh has provided keynote speeches at leading academic conferences on six continents, and his work has been featured in leading newspapers such as The Washington Post and magazines such as People . He has been the recipient of awards from organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Society for Research in Child Development, the Society for Research in Adolescence, the American Board of Forensic Psychology, the American Psychology-Law Society, and the European Congress on Violence in Clinical Psychiatry.

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• Writing and Publishing Scientific Papers

29. How to Write a Book Chapter

© Gábor L. Lövei, CC BY 4.0 https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0235.29

Books have become very important tools of information and learning. In the view of many, a scientific book is an authoritative source of information, written mostly for those who know little about the subject. Writing a book is a very large and complex task. Traditionally, writing scientific books has been the realm of the “real expert”, usually near the peak of an illustrious and productive career.

Today, however, fewer and fewer people write single-authored scientific books. The reasons for this are manifold, but the two most important ones are the huge increase in the amount of information, and the increasingly limited time available to researchers to focus on such a task — or so most people claim.

In the absence of knowledgeable, willing and able single authors, there are more and more books that are written by a group of experts. In some cases, every chapter is written by a different set of authors. Such a book is then coordinated by one or more scientific editor(s). Receiving an invitation to contribute to a book is flattering, because it means that you are considered by your colleagues to have a certain comprehensive knowledge as an expert in your chosen field of research, and they trust you to impart this knowledge to others in an accessible way. However, do not let yourself be led by your vanity into such a venture. Once your pride subsides a little, consider a few things very carefully and critically before accepting the invitation.

The success of a book depends on content, form, and marketing.

Let us assume that you are confident that you can write an excellent chapter alone, or in a team, about the topic you were asked to write about. Of course, if you do not feel this way, do not accept the invitation. However, if you do feel this way, this is far from sufficient to give a positive reply. Writing a chapter is still a considerable piece of work and, if the entire book is unsuccessful, your contribution will not get the attention it should. So: what are the necessary conditions for a successful, multi-authored book?

The first is organisation. The editors will have a large and complicated task: to make sure that many authors complete their given contribution on time, and to a reasonable standard. This is a huge organisational challenge. Additionally, there must be some stylistic editing done, as it is guaranteed that authors will have very different approaches to their topic, and different styles. An editor must be an efficient organiser, a diplomat, and a conscientious controller of a complicated venture. This role is very important, as it keeps the project progressing on time, and this requires a lot of time, effort, and scientific — as well as diplomatic — skills. Only join an author team if you know the editor, preferably personally, and are favourably impressed by her abilities as scientist, writer, and organiser.

If there are multiple authors, it also becomes a question of “company”. One good chapter will not make the reputation of the book, nor assure its success, so you must be sure about the quality of your co-authors. Find out about the other authors who were asked to contribute, and only join the team if you trust them to deliver high-quality manuscripts.

Finally, a set of high-quality manuscripts delivered on time are not enough: books have to sell, and for this, they must be printed and distributed. Only a good, experienced publisher with a record of producing high-quality books would provide a reasonable chance of success. Only join the team if the suggested publisher is well known in the field, and has a reliable record of producing such books, as well as a global distribution chain.

If all three conditions are met, then consider the available time, your own engagements and, if you have the time, go ahead: good books are rare, and are in high demand. The task is to write for the novice. Book chapters are also non-primary publications, so never include previously unpublished information.

During the actual writing, use the experience gained when writing reviews, or refer to the points mentioned in the previous chapter. Assume even less of the reader’s background knowledge than for a review. Frequently, people reading books know next to nothing about the subject and the function of the book is to provide them with this knowledge. Write in plain language, use lots of examples, figures, pictures, and tables. You will almost certainly use the work of others — so dealing with copyright is almost inevitable. The publisher can help you with this, but do not leave it to the end.

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Organizing Research for Arts and Humanities Papers and Theses

• General Guide Information
• Developing a Topic
• What are Primary and Secondary Sources
• What are Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Sources
• Writing an Abstract
• Writing Academic Book Reviews
• Writing A Literature Review
• Using Images and other Media

Purpose of a Book Review

Note: This information is geared toward researchers in the arts and humanities. For a detailed guide on writing book reviews in the social sciences, please check the USC Libraries guide to  Writing and Organizing Research in the Social Sciences , authored by Dr. Robert Labaree.

When writing an academic book review, start with a bibliographic citation of the book you are reviewing [e.g., author, title, publication information, length]. Adhere to a particular citation style, such as Chicago, MLA, or APA.  Put your name at the very end of the book review text.

The basic purpose of a book review is to convey and evaluate the following:

a.     what the book is about;

b.     the expertise of the author(s);

c.     how well the book covers its topic(s) and whether it breaks new ground;

d.     the author’s viewpoint, methodology, or perspective;

e.     the appropriateness of the evidence to the topical scope of the book;

f.      the intended audience;

g.     the arrangement of the book (chapters, illustrations) and the quality of the scholarly apparatus, such as notes and bibliographies.

Point "c. how well the book covers its topics and whether it breaks new ground" requires your engagement with the book, and can be approached in a variety of ways. The question of whether the book breaks new ground does not necessarily refer to some radical or overarching notion of originality in the author’s argument. A lot of contemporary scholarship in the arts or humanities is not about completely reorienting the discipline, nor is it usually about arguing a thesis that has never been argued before. If an author does that, that's wonderful, and you, as a book reviewer, must look at the validity of the methods that contextualize the author's new argument.

It is more likely that the author of a scholarly book will look at the existing evidence with a finer eye for detail, and use that detail to amplify and add to existing scholarship. The author may present new evidence or a new "reading" of the existing evidence, in order to refine scholarship and to contribute to current debate. Or the author may approach existing scholarship, events, and prevailing ideas from a more nuanced perspective, thus re-framing the debate within the discipline.

The task of the book reviewer is to “tease out” the book’s themes, explain them in the review, and apply a well-argued judgment on the appropriateness of the book’s argument(s) to the existing scholarship in the field.

For example, you are reviewing a book on the history of the development of public libraries in nineteenth century America. The book includes a chapter on the role of patronage by affluent women in endowing public libraries in the mid-to-late-1800s. In this chapter, the author argues that the role of women was overlooked in previous scholarship because most of them were widows who made their financial bequests to libraries in the names of their husbands. The author argues that the history of public library patronage, and moreover, of cultural patronage, should be re-read and possibly re-framed given the evidence presented in this chapter. As a book reviewer you will be expected to evaluate this argument and the underlying scholarship.

There are two common types of academic book reviews: short summary reviews, which are descriptive, and essay-length critical reviews. Both types are described further down.

[Parenthetically, writing an academic/scholarly book review may present an opportunity to get published.]

Short summary book reviews

For a short, descriptive review, include at least the following elements:

a.     the bibliographic citation for the book;

b.     the purpose of the book;

c.     a summary of main theme(s) or key points;

d.     if there is space, a brief description of the book’s relationship to other books on the same topic or to pertinent scholarship in the field.

e.     note the author's affiliation and authority, as well as the physical content of the book, such as visual materials (photographs, illustrations, graphs) and the presence of scholarly apparatus (table of contents, index, bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, credit for visual materials);

f.     your name and affiliation.

Critical or essay-length book reviews

For a critical, essay-length book review consider including the following elements, depending on their relevance to your assignment:

b.     an opening statement that ought to peak the reader’s interest in the book under review

c.     a section that points to the author’s main intentions;

d.     a section that discusses the author’s ideas and the book’s thesis within a scholarly perspective. This should be a critical assessment of the book within the larger scholarly discourse;

e.     if you found errors in the book, point the major ones and explain their significance. Explain whether they detract from the thesis and the arguments made in the book;

f.     state the book's place within a strand of scholarship and summarize its importance to the discipline;

g.    include information about the author's affiliation and authority, as well as the physical content of the book, such as visual materials (photographs, illustrations, graphs) and the presence of scholarly apparatus (table of contents, index, bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, credit for visual materials);

h.     indicate the intended readership of the book and whether the author succeeds in engaging the audience on the appropriate level;

i.     your name and affiliation.

Good examples of essay-length reviews may be found in the scholarly journals included in the JSTOR collection, in the New York Review of Books , and similar types of publications, and in cultural publications like the New Yorker magazine.

Remember to keep track of your sources, regardless of the stage of your research. The USC Libraries have an excellent guide to  citation styles  and to  citation management software . 

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How to Write an Academic Book Proposal: 6 Questions for Laura Portwood-Stacer

You want to convince a publisher that your scholarly book project is exactly what they need? Then crafting a compelling book proposal should be at the top of your priority list. Laura Portwood-Stacer has helped hundreds of academics do just that. We asked the publishing consultant and developmental editor your most burning questions.

This post is part of a series that provides practical information and resources for authors and editors.

Writing a scholarly book can be difficult but getting a publisher to “bite” can feel even harder. How do I approach the process? What elements belong in a catchy proposal? And how do I get an editor’s attention? These and similar questions cause many aspiring authors sleepless nights. But help is at hand.

Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD, is a publishing consultant and developmental editor based in Los Angeles. She has taught media and cultural studies at the University of Southern California and New York University and is the founder of Manuscript Works , a consultancy service for academic book authors. Over the last years, Laura has helped hundreds of academics across the humanities and social sciences with getting their work out in the world. She compiled her experiences as well as advice for aspiring scholarly authors in her book “The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors” , issued by our publisher partner Princeton University Press.

To help you make your pitch stand out, we asked Laura six questions about the ins and outs of developing and presenting a compelling book proposal.

De Gruyter : How can academic authors find out which publisher could be a good fit for their work?

Laura Portwood-Stacer : When identifying good-fit publishers, I like to work backward from the books they publish. I encourage authors to think about recent books that they want to be in conversation with. These could be books on a similar topic or books that are taking a similar theoretical or methodological approach within their field. Often, authors will notice that the same publishers turn up repeatedly on their lists of recent books, which indicates that these publishers have a consistent commitment to a particular kind of book and may be receptive to an additional book in the same vein.

DG : Which first steps would you recommend to a scholarly author who wants to get their work published?

LPS : After identifying some potential publishers, I recommend that authors articulate what features of their book would make it a good fit for those publishers (and the types of readers who tend to buy books from those publishers). Again, this could be topic, approach, disciplinary contribution, or some other aspect that will draw readers in. Thinking about your book in these terms helps you position it the way publishers will — as a marketable commodity that must find enthusiastic readers, not just a piece of scholarship that will be kept on file in a library or database.

I also think authors should try to identify their intended audiences early on in the process. It’s important to know whether you’re trying to reach experts in a particular disciplinary subfield or trying to participate in broader interdisciplinary conversations or even trying to speak to readers outside the academy altogether. That will affect not only which publishers you reach out to but how you pitch the book (and ultimately how you write the manuscript). If you try to pitch a book as appealing to everyone, it will be much harder to write and much harder to find a publisher for it. This might be surprising to authors who think the more potential readers the better, but publishers have their specialties and are more likely to jump at a book that’s a clear fit for their niche and their existing marketing channels.

DG : What elements does a good book proposal consist of?

LPS : “The Book Proposal Book”  walks readers through each of the common elements publishers ask for in their proposal submission guidelines. While some publishers use different terms for these components, they can essentially be translated as:

• a working title
• a project overview
• a table of contents with summaries of each chapter
• a discussion of intended audiences
• a list of recent books your book is in conversation with
• technical specifications such as total word count and number of images
• the current status of the manuscript and an estimated completion date
• a brief biography of yourself as the author

Some publishers will ask for sample chapters along with proposal submissions, as well as additional information that’s useful for the press, such as suggested reviewers or a full CV. Always check the submission guidelines. If you are missing something or aren’t sure how to complete some part of the proposal, that usually won’t kill your chances, but try to address everything to the best of your knowledge, because this will make it easier for an editor to say yes to seeing more.

DG : What are the most common mistakes you encounter when helping prospective authors with their proposals?

LPS : Publishing can be a subjective industry and most editors aren’t expecting perfection, especially from first-time authors. So I hesitate to point to “mistakes,” per se. But there are some commonly missed opportunities where authors don’t use the proposal as effectively as they could to make the case that their project should become a published book. One big one is not using the project description to convey the broader stakes of the research. An editor should understand from your proposal not just what your book is about topically but also how the driving thesis of the book could be applied to other research objects or sites and why your findings will matter to readers beyond the handful of disciplinary experts who are invested in similar questions. Another thing authors can do to make a stronger case for why their research will appeal to readers as a book (versus a series of journal articles or essays) is to think carefully about chapter order and use the chapter summaries to explain not just what’s in each chapter but why the chapter appears where it does and how it supports the book’s overall thesis. Showing that you’ve been thoughtful about the structure of your book instills confidence in a publisher that you will produce an appealing manuscript.

Are you looking for the right press to publish your academic work? Find out here whether De Gruyter might be the right partner for your project!

DG : In your experience, what excites an acquisition editor at a publishing house or university press?

LPS : Of course scholarly editors are interested in fresh intellectual ideas, but I think authors sometimes set the bar too high for themselves, thinking they need to have a brilliant theoretical intervention in order to get a book published. Publishers are above all interested in connecting books with readers, so if you have a project whose appeal to a well-defined readership is clear, that goes even further than originality, in my opinion. That could mean having a strong voice or style, having a topic in an up-and-coming area that presses are eager to build their lists in, or tackling a perennial question in a way that’s particularly teachable or accessible. I think editors are especially excited by authors who share their goal of reaching readers and show an interest in active collaboration with the press to make sure the book finds its audience. You don’t need a fully conceptualized promotion plan when you pitch your book, but it’s a plus if you indicate that you’re ready to take part in promotional activities and have networks you can tap to publicize your book when it’s out.

DG : Which resources would you recommend to aspiring scholarly authors?

LPS : I wrote “The Book Proposal Book” to be a comprehensive guide for aspiring scholarly authors, especially those who may be lacking in mentorship or other forms of cultural capital. It not only demystifies the publishing process and the elements of a successful proposal, but it gives readers a structured plan to navigate the process step by step, from identifying presses to reaching out to editors to handling peer review. I also offer a number of online programs to support authors with various parts of the writing and publishing process. These can be found at courses.manuscriptworks.com , and my free weekly newsletter with additional tips and how-tos is at newsletter.manuscriptworks.com . In addition, many publishers’ websites (like this one!) have their own resources for authors, so I encourage you to check those out as well.

Learn more in this related title from Princeton University Press

[Title image by Jacob Ammentorp Lund/iStock/Getty Images Plus]

The Editors

Articles signed by the editors were written in a collective effort.

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