AILA Is Looking for Authors and Editors

How Would You Like to See Your Name in Print?

Consider joining AILA's team of volunteer authors. Whether it's a short article, a detailed monograph, a single chapter, or a stand-alone book, AILA can help you shape your ideas into a well-organized, professional creation that will reach a large, well-informed, and interested audience. But if writing isn't your forte, we're always looking for a few good volunteer editors and peer reviewers to critique the substance of the submissions we receive.

Become a Published Author with AILA

As a published author with AILA, your work will reach a diverse membership of thousands of attorneys, as well as government officials and congressional representatives.

The best AILA authors have a solid grasp of their area of expertise (along with the ability to explain it), are good writers, and are willing to commit the time to the task at hand. The time required can vary; writing a short article might take a weekend or two, while compiling your thoughts into book form can take several months or more. We ask that you be committed to the task and to the respective deadlines. All new publications and articles are peer reviewed by a distinguished cadre of experienced practitioners, hand-picked by AILA publications staff.

Not all articles, whether solicited or unsolicited, get published, but we certainly do encourage submissions. Your first step toward getting published is to contact us. Here are some writing opportunities:

• A single-authored book: This is a title written by an expert and composed entirely of original content. Such books include Ira Kurzban, Kurzban's Immigration Law Sourcebook; Mary E. Kramer, Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity; Robert Pauw, Litigating Immigration Cases in Federal Court; Charles Wheeler, AILA's Focus on the CSPA; Margaret Stock, Immigration Law & the Military, and others. If a proposed idea for an authored book fits within AILA's publication repertoire and merits further discussion, we will work with the author to include-as part of the proposal-a market analysis for the book, a sample table of contents, an outline, a sample chapter, and/or a schedule for the actual writing.
• A chapter for a compilation: Writing a chapter for a compilation takes time and commitment. Compilations comprise the majority of AILA's publications and typically involve several authors and editors. Authors are generally invited to participate in this type of publication based on their expertise. Well-known compilations from AILA include: the Occupational Guidebook Series with its best-selling Immigration Options for Investors & Entrepreneurs as one of six titles in the series; The Waivers Book; Immigration Practice Pointers; the Consular Practice Handbook; and many others.

Become an Editor of an AILA Publication

Editorial opportunities with AILA can range from editing and critiquing a short article to reviewing large chapters for a new treatise. The AILA members who volunteer their time to edit are those who help solidify the quality of a given publication or article with detailed suggestions on how to improve the content. They ask the hard questions and provide the detailed criticism that goes toward making a good book or article even better.

Depending on the type of publication, editors might be responsible for compiling information, suggesting the type of content to be included, identifying any chapter editors/authors, and/or writing something themselves. Some books have one principal editor; others may have co-editors or even a team of editors. Although a volunteer commitment, it is one that must be handled seriously in order to ensure the quality of the publication.

If interested, please e-mail the Volunteer Editor/Author Response Form or fax it to (202) 783-7853, or send any relevant information to books@aila.org (for books and general interest).

How to Get Involved with AILA

Publications

Write, edit, or serve on an editorial board for AILA publications. Contribute to a number of great publications, including subject-matter handbooks, or an AILA newsletter.

Subject-Matter Handbooks

Contribute to a new book by submitting a proposal to books@aila.org

Contribute an update to a current AILA publication by contacting books@aila.org to find out whether and when a particular publication is scheduled to be updated.

FAQ: How do I improve my chances of being selected to write?

Seek out any opportunity to write-no matter how small-whether it is for AILA National, your chapter, or outside groups. This will generate samples of your work and allow AILA to gauge the quality of your writing, as well as whether you are sufficiently reliable to meet those inevitable deadlines. It also will give you practice organizing your thoughts in a cohesive manner and working with editors in a productive way.

Suggest a topic-whether for a blog, an article, or a book-on which you have a particular expertise and which has not been addressed recently or requires an update. As with speaking, if it is novel, useful, and you are well versed in the subject matter, then your chances of being selected have just improved.

Contact AILA and volunteer to serve as an editor. This will show AILA that you are interested in its writing programs and want to contribute in any way you can. It will help you hone your writing skills by critically reviewing the work of your peers.

Cite as AILA Doc. No. 99900815.