Want to feel more joyful when writing? This 2023 TAA Conference session is for you

“I want to feel more joyful through the process of my writing.” If this statement resonates, you will not want to miss the 2023 TAA Conference session, Empowering Joyful Writing, by Dr. Tracy Hodges, Owner and Chief Creative Officer of The Empowering Advocate LLC.

The stressors of current life are pushing more and more people to seek joy in their work. Writing is one task that may not spark joy for many of us— it is challenging, vulnerable, and time-consuming.

Registration is now open for the 2023 TAA Conference on Textbook & Academic Authoring

Network with other textbook and academic authors and gain knowledge on writing and editing strategies, writing productivity, textbook contracts and royalties, and much more! You will leave inspired!

You’ll have the opportunity to participate in more than two dozen educational sessions, one-on-one mentoring sessions with veteran textbook and academic authors and industry professionals, and plenty of networking and information-sharing sessions.

TAA’s 35th Annual Textbook & Academic Authoring Conference will be held online, June 9-10, 2023, on an interactive virtual conference platform.

Join us on 3/8 for the TAA Webinar – Getting Your Journal Article Published: Simple Steps to Success

Getting your research and academic work published in a peer review journal is essential to your career. The process seems difficult and mysterious, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Join us for this one-hour webinar, “Getting Your Journal Article Published: Simple Steps to Success,” on March 8 from 2-3 p.m. ET. Publishing Consultant John Bond will present practical steps for any aspiring writer and researcher to follow to go from idea and raw data to submitting a top quality manuscript for possible publication. Topics include: “Developing a plan and Timeline,” “Determining a Target List of Potential Journals,” “Writing and Editing Your Work,” and “Understanding Journal Review the Decision Process.” You’ll also learn the 13 most Frequently Asked Questions.

TAA welcomes new executive director

On behalf of the TAA Council, I am pleased to announce that Kim Pawlak was promoted to Executive Director on January 1, 2023, after Michael Spinella retired as Executive Director at the end of 2022.

Kim has worked for TAA in increasingly responsible roles for more than 30 years, most recently as Director of Publishing & Operations.  She was instrumental in the development of TAA’s webinar program, Month of Motivation, Writing Gyms, and many other member benefits and services.

Help shape TAA’s future! Nominate yourself or a colleague for a position on the TAA Council

The TAA Governance Committee is seeking nominees for the TAA Council, the association’s governing board. Open positions include TAA Council positions and three Officer roles: Vice-President/President-Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary. Any TAA member in good standing may serve on the TAA Council.

The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday, February 13, 2023.

All terms start July 1, 2023. The term for Council positions is three years. Officers serve two-year terms, with the Vice-President ascending to the role of President for an additional two-year term (subject to Council approval) and then Past-President for another two-year term.

TAA raises the alarm on book banning

In recent years an alarming number of books are being banned in U.S. public school classrooms, libraries, or both.

PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans lists 2,532 instances of individual books being banned, affecting 1,648 unique book titles and 1,261 different authors in one year’s period (July 2021 to June 2022). The American Library Association (ALA) reports that this current trend in 2022 is the highest number of book challenges since the American Library Association began recording this data over 20 years ago. The subject matter of these banned books relates to content on race and racism, gender identities, and sexual content.