Advice from Olga Onuch for Early Career Researchers

"To write and publish a book, it takes a village!” This is how I begin my book presentations and launches. It is certainly true of most early career academics who are trying to adapt their past doctoral work for a book monograph, as they need to rely on the help and advice of several mentors, colleagues and a good copy editor, along the way.

Also crucial to this process – the dissertation to monograph metamorphosis - is a helpful, professional and knowledgeable editorial team. I certainly benefitted from both.

I asked many questions along the way, which helped me maintain control over the publication process and also allowed me to learn a great deal. But it is also equally important to remember that this is ‘your’ project and that you need to stay true to yourself.

Publishing Mapping Mass Mobilization was clearly very important for my career development. Not only did it help my receiving permanent Assistant Professor job offers but also allowed me to showcase my ability to complete a large research project from research design to monograph. Publishing the book has led to greater professional exposure in my field and has resulted in several invitations to give academic talks in Canada, the USA, the UK, and across Europe. Mapping Mass Mobilization is now my academic calling card.

The main advice I have for scholars just starting this journey is to make sure they have the right ‘village’ to support them along the publication process and to ask many questions along the way. An author’s first book is special in so very many ways, but it is also an incredibly important learning experience.’

Olga Onuch is the author of Mapping Mass Mobilzations (2014)