Facilitated Dissertation-to-Book Workshop: Sept. 22 to Oct. 31, 2025 Support and Accountability

I learned how to use the Dissertation to Book Workbook more effectively with Allison and Katelyn (and my fellow brilliant participants)! They both share so many insights gleaned from working on their own writing and with academic writers with kindness and care; I found it helpful as well as deeply inspiring. As developmental editors and academic writers, their specific and individually tailored feedback and encouragement on the discussion boards can push us through and over any frustrating obstacle we encounter in our writing. I encourage all recently minted PhDs I know to at least buy the workbook, and if they have the means, to take the workshop.

The workshop creates a manageable pattern (a syllabus!) of systematically and incrementally moving through the workbook toward a book proposal, an introduction, or a reorganization of the dissertation or initial book manuscript draft. The workshop works well for books beyond the dissertation too! All this while life happens, whether teaching and/or personal demands which are always present for me and many others. I'm so grateful and relieved to give over the organizing of how to strengthen my messy first book draft to Allison and Katelyn's workshop.

-Lynn Mie Itagaki, Claremont McKenna College

After feeling stuck, I learned to trust my initial idea/interest in my topic again by following the very actionable steps proposed by Katelyn and Allison. From the overall framing and research questions to troubleshooting points of tension/weaknesses in my argument and even considering what the project is NOT, Katelyn and Allison's workshop provided the guidance we all needed regardless of whether this was our first or second project or even third.

By making us feel like we are making progress, Allison and Katelyn create a sense of community so palpable that we all felt seen, heard, and accompanied. They each have such uniquely different and yet complimentary styles that enrich our project in substantial ways.

-Manuel R. Cuellar, The George Washington University

Both workshops have been tremendously helpful! They helped me think about the structure of the book and how each chapter fits within that structure in ways I have not considered before.

I enjoyed achieving concrete goals each week, gaining valuable tips from both Allison and Katelyn, and building camaraderie with fellow writers. Don't miss these workshops--you will gain so much from participating!

I truly enjoyed working with you both and I am grateful for the time I spent in your workshops. Everything worked really well!

-Anonymous

Allison and Katelyn have developed a brilliant, step-by-step method for new and experienced authors to develop their book manuscripts and to articulate their unique contributions! Their "book questions / chapter answers," "reverse outlines," and "chapter collage with paragraph tagging" are foolproof tools that have helped me move forward even amid my deepest feelings of stuckness and self doubt. These workshops anticipate every question that have come up for me along the way ("how to I manage all of this background information?," "how do I approach my introduction chapter?," "what to do about uneven chapter lengths?," and others) and have helped me see and analyze patterns of model books in my field, even within wide variations in style and organization. Thank you, Allison and Katelyn, for breaking down this overwhelming process and helping me find my way out of the fog!

I learned how to break down an overwhelming task (writing a book!) into simple and manageable tasks. I learned how to develop a throughline for my book and to allow the chapters to connect logically to answer my book's main research questions within the set of evidence I have collected. Your workshops have helped me articulate my unique contribution to my field and to not get mired in self-doubt (which was leading to overcompensating and defensive tendencies!). Thank you for your gentle and wise guidance through this scary process!

-Charlotte D.