Wavelengths Frequently Asked Questions

Our researcher partners invest their weekly dedicated time, subject knowledge, stories, and contacts throughout the projects’ developmental and promotional phases, which last anywhere from 2 to 4 years, depending on external partner projects that may be inspired by the book. Authors meet with their writing partners twice a week for a total of 2 hours, and also respond to emails, review drafts, etc. for an average of 6-8 hours weekly during the manuscript’s development. When the book is published, the promotional campaign lasts for 2-3 months, for as many as 40 interviews that vary in length from 10 minutes to an hour, and also includes speaking engagements.

Collaborating on projects with us enables researchers to bridge the academic and public spheres by sharing facts from and stories about their subjects and research. In doing so, they hone their public communication skills, refine their ability to describe their work succinctly and persuasively in grant applications and for policy audiences, become more recognized as expert advisors, and help to fulfill the university’s “Knowledge for the world” mission. In addition, authors earn royalties on books sold.

Johns Hopkins Wavelengths welcomes researchers’ interest in authoring narrative nonfiction books, co-developing secondary school lesson plans, creating community outreach initiatives, and/or inspiring exhibits based on Hopkins research. We’re eager to serve the JHU research community as a public engagement partner to reach local, national, and global audiences. The ideal Wavelengths candidate:

• works in a subject area that will spark public curiosity;
• is able to dedicate the time needed to complete the work(s);
• is eager and able to translate their research into an engaging narrative for the public (with assistance from a provided professional writing partner, if required);
• is comfortable being interviewed on radio, podcast, and television programs, and by journalists for print and online media;
• is a full time tenured or tenure-track equivalent JHU researcher in good standing.

Proposals are reviewed by the Director of Strategic Engagement in the Office of Research; the Executive Acquisitions Editor, Executive Director, and Editorial Review Board of the Press; and finally, the Provost for approval to publish.

For each Wavelengths-researcher partnership, Hopkins invests an average of $100,000, which includes the fees for the writing partner, external publicists, media training, events, and partnership opportunities. It also covers the fee for making the books available for free, globally, through Project MUSE Open Access downloads. Our researcher partners also receive royalties on the sales of their books.

Writing the book lays the foundation for the full Wavelengths experience. Once the book is published, we hire multiple external public relations teams to place the authors in newspapers, magazines, and on websites, radio, television, and podcast programs. Authors frequently take advantage of the media training we offer. Authors should plan for a full day of interviews on the day of release, and 20 or so interviews in addition over weeks and months, as their schedules permit. There are also opportunities for in-person presentations and events, and even research-inspired exhibits.

Wavelengths is developed and managed by Anna Marlis Burgard, the Director of Strategic Engagement for the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Johns Hopkins University Press. To read the full creative development team’s biographies, click here. Wavelengths is grateful for the support and guidance from President Ron Daniels; Provost Ray Jayawardhana; Executive Director of Johns Hopkins University Press, Barbara Kline Pope; Vice Provost for Research, Denis Wirtz; Associate Vice Provost for Research, Nick Wigginton; and Chief of Staff to the Provost and Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives, Julie Messersmith.

First, take a look at the published Wavelengths books to get a sense of their appeal for general audiences, narrative nonfiction voice and structure, and also the subjects already included in the series to avoid submitting ideas for already-represented fields. They’re available in print and for Kindle, and can also be downloaded for free through Project MUSE. Next, take a look at the application form. All submissions are reviewed, but we will contact only those who fit the parameters of the program, and whose ideas could work as books, lesson plans, and other partnered content forms.