MASTERING THE TRADE BOOK

INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS ACCEPTED

Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts

Poughkeepsie, New York

June 9-12, 2025

Join us this summer for an exclusive, three-day national retreat designed for senior academics who are SERIOUS about writing that big trade book – and don’t have time to waste.

This unique event – the first of its kind – will bring together scholars from across the country for a focused, immersive experience designed to cultivate mastery of all aspects of trade publishing and turbo-charge the transition to writing for popular audiences.

Featured Speakers

  • Tanya McKinnon

    Literary Agent, McKinnon Literary

    Founder of McKinnon Literary, Tanya represents award-winning authors across fiction, non-fiction and children's literature—including Anthea Butler, Imani Perry and Michael Eric Dyson. With over two decades of experience, her clients include National Book Award winners and New York Times bestsellers.

  • Allison Devereux

    Literary Agent, Trellis Literary

    Allison champions authors who bring fresh perspectives to contemporary issues. At Trellis Literary, she focuses on narrative non-fiction, history and cultural criticism from academics ready to enter the trade publishing world. Her strategic approach has helped numerous scholars secure major publishing deals with the "Big Five" houses.

  • Alane Mason

    VP & Executive Editor, W.W. Norton

    Over a 35-year career at Norton, Alane has acquired and edited numerous award-winning books that bridge scholarly research and general interest. Her expert eye for projects that maintain intellectual integrity while engaging broader audiences has helped establish Norton's reputation for thoughtful, accessible non-fiction.

  • Jessica Purcell

    VP & Senior Director of Publicity, Knopf

    Jessica oversees publicity campaigns for one of publishing's most prestigious imprints. Her innovative approaches have launched academic authors into the national spotlight through strategic media placements, book tours and digital campaigns. She specializes in positioning scholarly expertise for maximum public impact.

  • David Perry, PhD

    Op-Ed Coach & Historian, University of Minnesota
    A historian who successfully transitioned to public writing, David has published 600+ op-eds in outlets including the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Atlantic. He coaches academics on crafting timely, compelling opinion pieces that translate research into public discourse and build author platforms.

  • Assal Rad, PhD

    Social Media Strategist & Research Director

    Assal frequently appears on media outlets including BBC, Al Jazeera and CNN. Her commentary on Iran-US relations demonstrates effective translation of academic expertise to public discourse. She has written for Foreign Policy, The Intercept and other publications.

  • Yuko Miki, PhD

    Associate Professor of History, Fordham University

    Yuko successfully navigated the transition from academic to trade publishing, and has recently signed a major book deal with Simon & Schuster. Her work on the African diaspora in Brazil demonstrates how scholarly expertise can reach mainstream audiences without compromising intellectual rigor.

  • Special Guest

    Scholars Strategy Network

    The Scholars Strategy Network connects journalists and policymakers with research-driven insights. Their network includes over 1,600 researchers from more than 300 institutions, providing media training and policy engagement opportunities for academics seeking public impact.

  • John Ghazvinian

    Founder, Scholars to Storytellers

    Historian and author of "America and Iran: A History" (Knopf) named among the New York Times "100 Notable Books of 2021." His work has appeared in Newsweek, the Washington Post, and The Nation. He teaches Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Pennsylvania while helping academics transform specialized knowledge into books that reach mainstream audiences.

  • Caroline Eisenmann

    Vice President and Senior Agent, Frances Goldin Literary Agency

    A leading agent representing New York Times bestselling authors and National Book Award nominees. Caroline joined Frances Goldin after four years at ICM Partners. She specializes in idea-driven nonfiction that illuminates "hidden structures of the world" and literary fiction that explores social issues.

Tanya McKinnon | Founder and Literary Agent, McKinnon Literary

“So many have spent their careers writing for other experts and academic presses, often without much exposure to what it takes to reach a broader audience. Writing for trade is a different skill set—but not an unfamiliar one once you know what tools you need. In my experience, once academics get a feel for that toolkit and how to use it, the path forward becomes much clearer. They can choose whether to write for academic or trade audiences—or both. Because choice is the essence of freedom.”

Yuko Miki, PhD | Associate Professor of History, Fordham University

“I love a great story with strong characters and emotional resonance but had thought that such storytelling was reserved for my creative writing friends and their retreats. I am thrilled that Scholars to Storytellers is providing the opportunity for us to pursue that path.”

Asal Rad, PhD | Social Media Strategist and Research Director

“For better or worse, much of the world now communicates and learns through social media. If academics want to share their knowledge, which they should as experts in their respective fields, social media platforms can be their biggest classroom.”

Learn how to:

  • Find an agent

  • Write a killer non-fiction book proposal for a commercial publisher

  • Craft elegant, unforgettable prose that blasts off the page – and straight into the hearts of agents, publishers and (ultimately) readers

  • Stop wasting time on dead-end scholarly questions and esoteric “stakes” that no one outside academia cares about

  • Kill jargon where it starts – inside your head, your heart and your inner insecure grad student

  • Build your social media platform and become THE public voice in your field

  • Successfully pitch and write op-eds for major national and local media

Hear from:

  • Industry experts

  • Agents

  • Editors at “Big 5” New York trade publishers

  • Academics who have successfully made the transition to trade

  • One of New York’s top book publicists

Engage in:

  • Focussed exercises for smart, accessible storytelling

  • Marketing exercises to help you see your book as a commercial product and not just an intellectual product

  • “Shark Tank” pitch slam night – 60 seconds to pitch your book idea to a panel of top New York literary agents

PLUS: As a special bonus, all participants will be given one year of complimentary membership in the Scholars to Storytellers group coaching program (a $1200 value) – a cohort-building exercise designed to create accountability, community and actionable follow-through on what we learn together during the retreat.

Please note: This retreat is designed to be of value mostly to tenured scholars in the humanities and social sciences who are serious about writing a “trade book” or otherwise engaging with the general public. Non-tenured academics, scholars of the hard sciences or professional fields (law, business, education, public health, etc.), independent scholars, contingent faculty, graduate students, retired academics and others are welcome to participate. However, such applicants are advised to consider seriously how a trade book might fit into their career goals and whether participation in the retreat is a good use of their funds. If you are unsure, you are strongly advised to contact us before registering so we can constructively advise you on the program's suitability for your goals.