Finding the write advice
We’ve all got our favourite human factors books that we keep coming back to time and again. But if you’ve spotted a gap on your bookshelf and have an idea how to fill it, how do you turn that idea into a published reality?
Author and former CIEHF President Bob Bridger has shared his tips on writing and publishing human factors books on the 1202 Human Factors podcast. He has worked with publishing companies and also self-published . His most recent book is Introduction to Human Factors in Accident Investigation.
Speaking to podcast host Barry Kirby, Bob described how was inspired to write his own text book after finding some other titles felt out of date. He explained the publishing process and what publishers want to know, as well as how to make a case for your proposed work.
With new research in human factors always moving forward, text books need to be updated with around 25-30% new material in each new edition. And he warned would-be authors to carefully read the small print and understand what they can expect to make in royalties.
Bob admitted taking an unusual approach to his first book – writing the whole thing before getting in touch with a publisher. He now also publishes his own work directly, meaning he keeps complete control of all the copyright and the material.
But he warned: “The disadvantage is that you have to do all the marketing yourself, otherwise no one is going to know it exists. When people ask me what advice I can give them about writing an ergonomics book, I say, ‘What’s the title of your book?’ and they say ‘I don’t know’. So I tell them to go and think of a title – books without titles don’t get written.”