By Kiara Catanzaro
News Assignment Editor
Chris Mackowski, associate professor of journalism and mass communication, recently edited “Bushwhacking on a Grand Scale: The Battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 18-20, 1863,” which was written by Lee White, historian at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Battlefield.
Of the now nine books in the series, Mackowski has either authored or co-authored five.
“The books in the series are reader-friendly and give quick overviews of major Civil War stories,” Mackowski said. “If someone wanted to know about the a specific battle in the war in roughly two hours, these book can help readers accomplish that.”
Mackowski is the managing editor the Emerging Civil War Series, published by Savas Beatie, the largest commercial publisher of Civil War books. The series was inspired by a blog that he co-founded called Emerging Civil War.
“As an editor, it’s fun for me to help others build their careers,” Mackowski said. “It’s great to help someone with a new opportunity. It relates back to my role as a professor, because I like helping writers find their voices.”
In addition to his work as an editor, Mackowski is writing a manuscript for a new Civil War book that will be published in December.
“I am writing another book in the series, ‘Grant’s Final Battle,’ which is about the last year of Ulysses S. Grant’s life,” Mackowski said. “Grant is at the point of his life where he decides to write his memoir to help his family make money before he dies. His memoir is seen as America’s work of non-fiction. He died two days after he completed the book.”
Mackowski connected the importance of publishing his work and working as a journalism professor.
“It’s important for me as a professor to write professionally because it gives me credibility in the classroom,” Mackowski said. “I’m writing and editing every day, and hopefully professional experience will bring value to students who are trying to work in this field.”
According to Mackowski, good stories are important. He said the Civil War is 150 years old, and there’s nothing new for writers to talk about. That’s why it’s important to develop the ability to tell stories that will make people want to read the work. Mackowski said it’s about finding the stories and telling the well. Non-journalism majors can apply the same idea to business, politics and sports, he added
Mackowski offered advice to students who worry about the time commitment and dedication required of writing and publishing.
“Find your passion, and throw yourself into it because it will never seem like work,” Mackowski said. “You can’t love journalism without bringing a new angle to the conversation. Having an opinion simply isn’t enough.”
