Latest Contributions by StacyKrieg

Five years ago, my manager and Esri Press publisher Catherine Ortiz and I were given the opportunity to talk with Kathryn Sullivan, the astronaut.  We wanted her thoughts on how to bring GIS to more people. She suggested with should focus on young people, especially young women. This is where the idea of the book Women and GIS originated. With each of the three volumes, we wanted to show women someone like themselves. There are so many people in GIS with unique experiences and different backgrounds, and we hoped these books would help show that they can take what they are passionate about and use science and GIS improve the world. Many of the people we profiled did not set out to be GIS specialists, but in pursuing their dreams, they came to realize that GIS is a useful tool to achieve their goals. We hoped the message is: If these women can do it, they can too. In these books, there are also so many shared themes; a love of nature, an innate curiosity, and similar struggles in finding their voice and their place while doing something they love. With each interview, we would receive recommendations from other women in GIS to reach out to. As the team kept meeting one amazing woman after another, we were able to feature around 90 women. I am honored to be a part of it, and I got to meet so many amazing people. And as a community, I know we have so much more to share and talk about with each other. I hope you can join us at the User Conference this Tuesday, July 11 for the Women and GIS SIG in San Diego. The last few times we have gotten together have been so rewarding and eye-opening, and it’s such a privilege to meet people and allies from the GIS community.  If you can’t join us in San Diego, I hope this is a space where we can continue to talk, exchange ideas, and help each other navigate and balance our world. Let’s work together to create the world we want to see. ... View more

Come Pitch your Book to Esri Press   The Esri User Conference in San Diego is a great place to learn, connect, and take a deep dive into the latest advances in geographic information system (GIS) technology. This year, Esri Press has also added pitch sessions for prospective authors. At the User Conference, an editor from Esri Press will be on hand to talk with you for ten minutes about your book ideas. Our editors have committed to meeting with prospective authors on Tuesday, July 11, Wednesday, July 12, and Thursday, July 13, from 3 to 4 pm at the Esri Press booth. What is a pitch session? In publishing, a pitch session is a chance to meet face-to-face with editors or agents and present them with your idea. We all know what an elevator pitch is: Two to three sentences that summarize the book. The difference between the pitch and a full proposal is that here, you should be giving enough information to gage the excitement or viability of your idea, and that’s it. Here is a prior blog on how to submit a proposal. I’ve been on both sides of the literary pitch, and whether you’re pitching to Esri Press, or any other publisher out there, here are some tips that will make sure you get the most out of this opportunity.   Be prepared Read the Esri Press website. Look at our existing list. Esri Press is dedicated to producing content that shows how GIS can change the world, especially concerning the environment, climate change, business uses, social issues, human geography, urban planning, coding and programming, as well as technical workbooks for the classroom. How does your idea fit into our mission? Be concise A pitch session is not the time for an hour-long conversation or a vague idea. It’s also not the time for a full-blown proposal. This is an opportunity to give a clear, concise summary of your proposal. We are allowing ten minutes per person, and a lot of publishers’ pitch session are even shorter. Hint: If you can’t pitch your book clearly and concisely in two to three sentences, refine it. Practice! The pitch should include the following: What makes your idea stand out from every other book that's on the market? Why is it a topic that someone should read about now? Why is it a book, instead of a magazine article or academic paper? Who is going to buy this book and why?  Why are you the best person to write this book? Editors want to come away remembering your idea and excited to get the full proposal. Be curious Now is the time to ask questions. How does the proposal process work? What’s the time commitment? How does Esri Press work with authors? Use this opportunity to get your questions answered. You need to feel that the publisher is a good fit for you as well. Our editors are looking forward to meeting our users and potential authors. So be sure to stop by the Esri Press booth and sign up for a time to pitch your idea.   ... View more

If writing a book has always been on your to-do list, the first thing you will have to come up with is a book proposal. Whether you’re submitting to Esri Press, or any other publisher out there, here are top tips that will make sure you don’t end up on a slush pile. Follow the directions Most publisher’s websites have thorough instructions on how (or even if) they take unsolicited book proposals. Here is the Esri Press book proposal  https://community.esri.com/t5/esri-press-books-documents/book-proposal-guidelines/ta-p/904387.  This is no time for cutesy graphics or scented paper. Give the publisher what they want, exactly how they want it. There is a reason they need that information, so make it as easy as possible for your editor to read and evaluate it. Know the list and do your research Don’t propose a book that already exists in that publisher’s list. For instance, at Esri, all books will be about GIS in some way, but how is yours different than the others? Why is this book going to resonate with the audience? Note the other books that exist out there on this topic (check online retailers and similar publishers’ websites). Provide the competitive information, especially if those books sell well or your idea is unique. Give the elevator pitch We all know what an elevator pitch is: Two to three sentences that summarize the book. Hint: If you can’t do it clearly and concisely in two to three sentences, it might not be a fully baked idea. Keep refining it until you can communicate the overview. Include why the topic is important or timely, and what problem it is going to solve for the reader. Know your audience Who is going to buy this book and why? Students, professionals, experienced readers, beginners? Books that are for “everybody” usually don’t work for anyone. Know who you are writing to and write in a way that is useful to the reader. Tell us who you are Why are you the best person to write this book? You don’t have to include your entire CV (please don’t, unless asked), but do speak to why you are the expert in this topic. Provide an outline and writing sample This is important. The overview will give a summary, but a detailed outline and sample gives a true idea of the level and depth of content and how it’s going to be presented. Provide as much detail and organizational structure as possible. Make the chapter titles clear at this point: Clear is better than clever. Don’t include an intro or a conclusion as a sample. Pick a meaty chapter and dive right into it. And don’t sweat it too much: all editors know that this is subject to change as you write.   And finally: Follow the directions! Your editor will thank you for it. ... View more

In the Foreword of the second volume of Women and GIS: Stars of Spatial Science, Dr. Jane Goodall relates,   “Everyone I told [about my dream to go to Africa, live with wild animals and write books about them] laughed at me. How could I do that? We had very little money. World War II was raging. Africa was far away. And I was “just a girl.” And girls didn’t do that sort of thing. So they told me I should dream about something I could actually achieve and forget about going to Africa. When a career counselor came to the school and heard that I wanted to go out and study animals in the wild, she laughed too.”   Dr. Goodall is not alone in her quest to follow her passion and do what she most desired to do. And our world is better for it.   Showcasing the lives and contributions of thirty women in STEM fields, Women and GIS: Stars of Spatial Science is an inspirational resource for young adults wondering how they might channel their STEM interests. Full of personal stories and groundbreaking scientific work, this book inspires anyone interested in making a difference in the world through GIS.   LEARN MORE  ... View more