14 Writing and Publishing Your Book
—fortunes of the environmental movement
—key actors; note changes in cast
—expand scope beyond PA; more about the other three states and the
national scene
*Ideas about risk*
Fukushima Nuclear Accident (2012)
—reaction in the United States
—update on coal industry and nuclear power in PA; glance at situation
in other states
*Ideas about risk*
Conclusion
—reemphasize the argument; highlight points from the narrative
As you see, I inserted the phrase *ideas about risk* as a reminder that the
chapters must align with the argument. But listen to that argument again: “In
the coal-producing states of Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky, and West Virginia,
from the 1940s through the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2012, perceptions
of the risks of nuclear power depended upon the incidence of nuclear plant
accidents, the influence of the coal industry, and the strength of the environ-
mental movement.” It no longer fits this elegantly designed machine, so I
fine-tune it: “Over the past 60 years, nuclear plant accidents, the rise of the
environmental movement, and the fortunes of the coal industry shaped per-
ceptions of personal health and environmental risks, as illustrated by the
story of the nuclear power debate in Pennsylvania.” That’s not perfect, I admit,
but I will continually refine my argument as I write the book. Finally, I append
a one-sentence abstract: “Focusing on the Three Mile Island nuclear accident,
this study examines the debate over nuclear power in Pennsylvania from the
1960s through the 2010s and draws comparisons with the debate in three
other coal-producing states: Illinois, Kentucky, and West Virginia.” Later,
when I work on the book proposal, I will add chapter titles.
MOVING FORWARD
Following this method, you can fashion a unique design for your own book.
If you struggle, be patient. Save all your notes, all your dead-ends, all your
potential designs. During the writing process, you may find they have
unanticipated value. Give yourself a few days—a week if necessary—to exper-
iment. When you need inspiration, study the contents pages of books in a
variety of fields, particularly popular nonfiction. Then, whether or not you’re
satisfied with your best-so-far design, move on to the next chapter in this
