David M. Perry, "The Public Scholar: A Practical Handbook" (JHU Press, 2026)

In this episode of New Books in Education, host discusses David M. Perry's new book, 'The Public Scholar: A Practical Handbook,' a guide for academics and intellectuals seeking to transition into public writing. Perry, a former medieval historian and university professor, shares his personal journey from academia to freelance journalism, emphasizing the importance of writing quickly in response to current events, embracing loss of control over one's work, and writing broadly across personal and professional experiences. He outlines a clear, actionable framework for crafting effective pitches—concise, argument-driven, and tailored to the editor's context—and advocates for iterative, incremental public writing that prioritizes impact over completeness. The conversation also covers practical aspects like navigating pay, building authentic social media presence, and recognizing the ethical boundaries of online engagement. Perry argues that academic training, particularly teaching experience, provides valuable skills in distillation, audience awareness, and clarity—essential for public communication—while cautioning against the narrowness that academic specialization can impose. He concludes by affirming the vital social role of public scholarship in fostering informed discourse, especially during times of crisis, and shares personal reflections on how writing has helped him process trauma and connect with readers in meaningful ways. Key takeaways include: (1) Write quickly and respond to news cycles to break into public writing; (2) Craft pitches in 6–7 sentences that establish your credibility and argument; (3) Accept that public writing is iterative and incremental, not definitive; (4) Use teaching experience as a model for audience-centered writing; (5) Prioritize ethical compensation and never write for free without intention; (6) Build social media presence authentically by giving more than you take; (7) Recognize that public writing is not a classroom—log off when needed; (8) Start with opinion essays as the easiest on-ramp into public media. Perry’s message is one of empowerment: public scholarship is not just possible, but necessary—and accessible to anyone willing to learn the hidden rules of the game.