Writing, publishing, and sharing a popular science book: Lessons learned from Under the Sky We Make

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Kimberly Nicholas, Center for Sustainability Studies, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Background/Question/Methods
How can scientists communicate the urgency of the climate and ecological emergencies, and help inform and inspire the public to participate in the sweeping transformations needed for sustainability? Increasingly frustrated with the lack of accurate, actionable information accessible to a broad public audience, I wrote and secured a commercial publisher (Penguin Random House) for a popular science book, Under the Sky We Make: How to be Human in a Warming World (published March 2021). The book is aimed at the majority of Americans who are already concerned or alarmed about climate change, but rarely discuss it, and do not know how to use their power as a citizen, consumer, and community member to help bring about the necessary changes to a world where people and nature can thrive. I will share my experiences in using both rigorously supported research and personal stories as a way of reaching the public and in university teaching. I will also share the roadmap for commercial publication, which differs substantially from academic publishing, and discuss its pros and cons in terms of potential audience, reach, and expectations.
Results/Conclusions
Securing a commercial nonfiction book deal requires obtaining an agent and writing a 20,000 word book proposal, which the agent will pitch to publishers. If a publisher buys a proposal and gives you a book deal, writing, revising, and fact-checking a commercial book is a substantial investment of time. Although the connection with readers may be deeper than with other audiences, book audiences are typically much smaller than other potential communication forms, such as podcasts, popular media, or social media, so it is important to have a strategy for securing media, writing, and speaking opportunities and conveying your core messages through different channels. The synergy between the book and existing research, teaching, and outreach commitments should be maximized as much as possible to reduce overwork, and realistic expectations are needed. However, if you have a book in you, it is deeply rewarding to bring it out into the world, and it opens new possibilities for collaboration, communication, and contributing to the leverage point of shifting mindsets and culture needed for a transformation to sustainability.