Book Chapter Shortcut: Jan 27 to March 31, 2026

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Are you ready to get your chapter into shape?

In this facilitated 10-week Book Chapter Shortcut, which runs from January 27 to March 31, you'll work alongside a cohort of authors to revise a messy draft into a solid, argument-driven book chapter. Through practical, manageable prompts, you'll learn how to plan structural revisions and implement them. And along the way, you'll develop writing and revision strategies that fit into your life—doable within your schedule, adapted to your writing habits, and responsive to your source material.

The core of the course will be our weekly 90-minute Zoom meetings, which will be held on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30pm Eastern. I'll also offer one bonus (optional) coworking session per week on Fridays at 1 pm Eastern. And we'll have a discussion board and a library of video clips, plus I'll post recordings of the meetings, so you can easily catch up if you have to miss a session.

**Use the code EARLYBIRD through January 9 for a 15% discount!**

This course is designed for authors who have existing writing (notes, a dissertation chapter, conference papers, seminar papers) and need to revise that writing into a monograph chapter. It is NOT designed for authors who merely have an idea for a chapter but have not yet written material.

I can't guarantee that you'll have a finished draft by the end of the course, since a lot depends on how much time you have to spend on it outside of our weekly meetings. But we'll work in a way that will allow you to tackle the biggest issues first, and save the smaller ones for later—so even after the course is finished, you'll be able to keep working with the tools you've acquired. And because you'll have permanent access to the materials after the course is done, you can go back at any time and catch up or review.

I recommend that you obtain a copy of The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook, although you aren't required to do so. The Chapter Shortcut will use exercises from chapters 14-15 of the workbook, though they'll be presented in a different form.



"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."


- Manuel R. Cuellar, The George Washington University


Your Instructor


Allison C. Van Deventer
Allison C. Van Deventer

Course Curriculum



Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts on Jan. 27 and ends on March 31. You will receive access to one unit's worth of material at a time, but you'll never lose access to material once it releases.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? As soon as the materials release, you have permanent access.
Will you read my materials?
This course does NOT provide a review of your materials. We will, however, be happy to answer your questions via comment/text chat and during office hours.
Do I need to have a copy of The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook to enroll in this course?
No, but it's recommended. You can order a copy here: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo205919647.html and use code UCPNEW for 30% off.
What if I am not writing a book based on a dissertation/thesis?
You're still very much welcome! Only a small minority of the material is truly geared exclusively at dissertation-to-book authors. All of the exercises will be relevant to you. That said, you'll need to be sure that you have a majority of your material in some sort of written form. These don't need to be polished chapters--they can be research notes, conference papers, or just drafty writing. But you need to have a good sense of your chapters' evidence (not just an idea for a book).
When will the group meetings be?
You have two options to attend live sessions--the content is the same in both sessions. You can attend on Wednesdays from 1-2:30 pm Eastern; 10 to 11:30 Pacific OR Wednesdays from 7:30-9 pm Eastern; 4-5:30 pm Pacific. While we encourage you to consider choosing one consistent time to develop a cohort experience, you are more than welcome to mix and match meeting times as they suit your schedule. You are also welcome to attend both sessions if you'd like. Recordings of both sessions will be made available in the Teachable course materials. We will also offer one bonus (optional) coworking session and office hour on Fridays at 1 pm Eastern.
What if I am writing a second, third, fourth, etc. book?
We'd still love to have you! See the answer above regarding books not based in dissertations.
How many hours should I expect to work each week?
The exercises are designed to fit into a larger suite of teaching, service, personal, and caretaking responsibilities. We estimate they will take between 5 and 10 hours per week. We will encourage you to work steadily and regularly, but whatever works best for you will work best for us!
What if something comes up halfway through the course, and I can't keep up?
No worries! You can decide to set the work aside, or to continue at a reduced pace. You'll always have access to the recordings and to the work, so you will be able to pick the work back up whenever you are able.
Have a question not listed here?
Email me, Allison, at allison [at] dissertationtobook.com.
Do you accept institutional payment?
Yes! If I'm not already a vendor at your institution, and your department requires me to become a vendor, I charge a $45 processing fee. I'm well-versed at completing institutional tax paperwork, submitting invoices, and the like. Just write to me at allison [at] dissertationtobook.com
What if I can't make the live call once (or ever)?
No worries! We record all of the 90-minute sessions and will post them on Teachable once the replay is available.

Get started now!