Becoming an Academic Writer: 50 Exercises for Paced, Productive, and Powerful Writing by Patricia Goodson helps readers improve their writing by engaging in deliberate practice employing 50 self-paced exercises for the various stages of the writing process. The third edition features a new unit on how to manage the required reading and includes updated material, alongside testimonials from previous users. A new appendix on processing reviewer feedback, and new “Research Shows” boxes also help address hurdles to developing a lower-stress, sustainable writing habit. Purchase it in the 2026 TAA Institute for Textbook & Academic Authors Bookstore.
Industry News Round-Up Week of 11/10/25
Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our…
Dear Dr. Noelle: Those Horrible Holiday Questions
By Dr. Noelle Sterne
Q: I’m dreading the holiday dinner table and all those questions about my dissertation. How to handle them?
— Lost My Appetite
A: Holidays can be welcome respites from our daily routines and the seemingly relentless pressures to produce. But, like Lost Appetite, when we’re at holiday gatherings and in the throes of our dissertations, we also risk often inevitable and embarrassing questions from well-meaning relatives and friends. With all the gorging, you can be sure that at least one person will ask those questions that make you squirm, right up there with the personal in-your-face ones like “How come you’re still single?” or “When are you going to have kids?”
How You Can Build Grit
By Angelica Ribeiro, PhD
Recently, a member of my writing group complimented me on my dedication to my writing goals. She said, “You’re so good at staying focused on the goals you set for yourself.”
“I think it has a lot to do with grit,” I responded. Let me explain.
Angela Duckworth (2016) defines grit as “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” Based on her book Grit, here are some key actions to build grit:
Industry News Round-Up Week of 10/27/25
Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.
Northwestern, Cornell Still Working to Unfreeze Federal Funds (October 29, 2025)
Trump’s UCLA Demand: $1.2B Fine and Limits on Trans, Foreign Student Freedoms (October 27, 2025)
Trump’s DEI Crackdown Closes 120 TRIO Programs (October 27, 2025)
In Fourth Week, Government Shutdown Increasingly Hinders Higher Ed (October 23, 2025)
Meet the Newest Member of the TAA Staff
We are pleased to welcome Stephanie Kinner, our new Events & Operations Coordinator, who joined the staff on September 22. She has experience in event planning and operational support and will oversee the planning of TAA’s annual virtual and in-person conferences, starting with the next in-person conference in 2027.
She is excited to be part of TAA and support the needs of academic and textbook authors.