For this workshop, five UI faculty members will submit book proposal drafts for a collaborative feedback session on Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, led by Walter Biggins, editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press. The session is designed to help authors write a compelling book proposal, with a focus on crafting a strong pitch, identifying target audiences, and outlining the project’s structure. The workshop’s goal is for participants to walk away with a strong and cohesive book proposal, increasing their chance of securing a book deal.

A box lunch will be provided.

Apply by Wednesday, Sept. 9 (5 p.m.) Faculty members accepted to the workshop will be required to email their 10-page book proposal to the Obermann Center by Sept. 23.

Biggins is editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press, where he acquires titles in cultural studies, human rights, the intellectual and political history of the Americas, and Atlantic World and postcolonial studies. With Daniel Couch, he is the author of Bob Mould's Workbook (Bloomsbury, 2017). His work has been published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Feeding the Elephant: A Forum for Scholarly Communications; The Quarterly Conversation; RogerEbert.com; The Baseball Chronicle; and other periodicals.

He is serving as the Obermann Center's Editor-in-Residence from Oct. 5–7, 2026.