The Public Scholar
A Practical Handbook
Book •
David M. Perry's The Public Scholar provides practical, workshop-tested advice for academics seeking to write for public audiences.
Drawing on his experience as a medieval historian turned freelance writer and columnist, Perry lays out pitching strategies, essay craft, navigating pay and social media, and different public-writing formats.
The book emphasizes moving quickly in response to news, accepting the loss of control that public work entails, and expanding the scope of topics writers feel qualified to address.
It targets the 'hidden curriculum' absent from graduate training and aims to make public scholarship approachable and sustainable.
The handbook balances concrete how-to steps with reflection on the social value of informed public commentary.
Drawing on his experience as a medieval historian turned freelance writer and columnist, Perry lays out pitching strategies, essay craft, navigating pay and social media, and different public-writing formats.
The book emphasizes moving quickly in response to news, accepting the loss of control that public work entails, and expanding the scope of topics writers feel qualified to address.
It targets the 'hidden curriculum' absent from graduate training and aims to make public scholarship approachable and sustainable.
The handbook balances concrete how-to steps with reflection on the social value of informed public commentary.
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Mentioned by Host (New Books Network interviewer) and discussed as David Perry's guide to starting public scholarship.
David M. Perry, "The Public Scholar: A Practical Handbook" (JHU Press, 2026)
