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The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: September 11, 2015

I’d love to write a light-hearted opening paragraph, American flagbut my mind is too consumed by the thought of what today represents. Instead, all I’ll say is, take a moment to remember and reflect on the events of this day in 2001—the horror we felt and how we came together as a nation. I encourage you to take a moment of silence in honor of all who lost their lives, lost a loved one, or were otherwise impacted by the events of this day.

We will never forget.

Welcome to the 15 minute/day Academic Writing Challenge
If you are struggling to find time to write during the semester, this challenge may be something of interest to you. If nothing else, run it as an experiment to see how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes a day.

Publish or Perish – But When is the Right Time?
Is there a right or more opportune time to publish? Maybe—you’ll just have to read this article to find out! ?

How to Use this Blog
Rachael Cayley compiled a list of her 139 blog posts into one useful post organized into ten themes: “Drafting; Revision; Audience; Identity; Writing Challenges; Mechanics; Productivity; Graduate Writing; Blogging and Social Media; and Resources.” Bookmark this page to revisit often and for when you need stellar advice on those various topics.

A Textbook Market Strategy That Moves Beyond Professors
Textbook publishers are looking to market beyond their traditional audience of professors. What do you think of this new strategy publishers are exploring? Is targeting this new audience the right move?

Preparing Articles for Publication In Peer-Reviewed Journals
This is a 17-page download with excellent advice for writing and submitting an article for publication.

Authorial voice, or “Putting on the Ritz”
Are you struggling to find your ‘voice’ in your writing? Are you unsure what ‘finding your voice’ in your writing really even means? If so, this article will help you.

What if my thesis is not The Most Awesome Thesis Ever Written?
The message this article gives is a necessary reminder for anyone that believes they always have to be perfect. As the author, Sherran, writes, “This mentality [‘best or bust’] makes it hard for me to celebrate small successes and see these as big gains, because I want all my writing and work to be the Best Ever.”

Wish to pen a book? Make a splash with blogging
Although this piece isn’t specifically talking to academic and textbook authors, I still think it is relevant. Publishers, across all genres and disciplines, are increasingly looking at how much of a social presence someone has when considering them for publication. Additionally, a blog can be a great way to get you into the writing habit and enjoying the writing process more.

Some Notes on Your Manuscript
A cheeky read to lighten up your day. ?