New Orleans from St. Patrick’s Church 1852 / J.W. Hill & Smith, del.; lith. par B.F. Smith, Jr. Courtesy of Library of Congress.

The organizers of the SHEAR Second-Book Writers’ Workshop are opening a second round of applications for the 2022 orkshop to be held at the Annual Meeting of SHEAR in New Orleans. The workshop will run from 12:30-4:30pm on Thursday, July 21, 2022. We also will offer one online discussion panel for book proposals via Zoom at the same time.

We invite applications for the following workshops:

The journey from first to second book can be a difficult one. Trying to write during the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard. From choosing a topic for a second book to finding the time and support to research and write, the structure that guides the writing of the dissertation and first book disappears. Many of us struggle with this transition. We search for research support at the same time as professional and personal obligations increase. For some scholars, life circumstances can make residential fellowships or long-term travel seem impossible. Yet the second book is an essential step in career advancement. In recognition of the unique challenges of this stage, SHEAR’s workshop is designed to support its members at this transitional point in their scholarly careers. 

The goals of the SHEAR Second-Book Writers’ Workshop include both practical advice and the motivation that comes from writing for and with your peers. To accommodate the many stages of second book production, the workshop encourages flexibility in pre-circulated materials. Organized into focus groups, the workshop provides a space for discussion of chapter drafts and book proposals targeting specific kinds of presses. In addition to offering in person sessions, we will also offer an online focus group devoted to discussion of book proposal drafts.