What tasks and challenges confront the first-time or even the experienced author? What should authors expect of a publisher, and what does the publisher expect of authors? This educational session is aimed at graduate students and early and mid-career ecologists who have wondered about the logistics of bringing to fruition a trade (or general interest), technical, reference, or text book in ecology, environmental science, natural history, or allied disciplines. Short presentations by five professionals (including editors and authors) will relate what it takes to find a suitable publisher and describe the book publication process. Topics covered will include how editors and publishing houses make their decisions; what they expect once a contract is signed; what it takes to be a successful author; coping with challenges; and examples of successes for both authors and readers. Attendees will be empowered to make better-informed decisions about why books are important professionally; understand how to integrate tasks associated with preparing a book into a busy and demanding schedule; and how books contribute to the communication of science and policy. We will allow time for a discussion period to engage the audience in current issues about book publishing as it relates to ecology.