The Query Letter and Book Proposal are the go-to means of communicating an author’s ideas to prospective publishers. But how do publishers assess Book Proposals? When they read a Query Letter, how do they evaluate the idea, the author, and the market? In this TAA Webinar, available on demand, Publishing Consultant John Bond examines these common author documents and then uses a publisher’s magnifying glass to look at them through their eyes. By reviewing Query Letters and Book Proposals for the publisher’s wants, the author will be better equipped to create more attractive projects that will secure greater attention and possible publishing contracts. John shares best practices for creating these documents as well as the do’s and don’ts.
TAA Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Town Hall on Peer Review
Peer Review is at the heart of the process scholars use for advancing knowledge, testing theories, and authenticating claims and findings of research. Identity – both of the reviewers and the reviewed – is an inescapable component of peer review, and it can add an element of subjectivity to any assessment.

 Members of TAA’s Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will conduct a Town Hall to hear from members about their experiences in peer review. Have you experienced biases in the peer review process? How did you become aware of it, and did the publisher address the issues? Are there ways you’ve seen diverse identities improve the peer review process?
Join us Tuesday, September 21 at 4 p.m. ET for a discussion guided by members of the Committee. Take this opportunity to include your voice in the discussion, and leave with strategies for reviewers and authors navigating DEI issues in the peer review process. Let’s learn from our experiences.
New TAA eBook Download: Writing Accountability – Productivity Through Partnership
Download this 17-page eBook, packed with helpful information for textbook and academic authors on how to be more productive through writing accountability, including:
- How a Personal Writing Team Can Increase Your Productivity Through Accountability
- How to Be an Effective Writing Accountability Partner
- Writing Groups: When, Why, How, and Best Practices
- Developing Healthy Collaborative Relationships: Why and How
Get your writing-themed t-shirts by Aug. 10
TAA is offering two writing-themed t-shirt designs for a limited time. Choose between two popular writing quotes. ‘Write Without Fear. Edit Without Mercy.’ and ‘Writing: Somewhere Between Torture and Fun’. Or, get both!
Super-soft high-quality fabric T’s. Both designs available in crew neck (unisex) or v-neck in Graphite Heather or Royal Frost. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL. Order by August 10. Shirts ship the week of August 30.
The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: Holiday Edition, Part 2
Happy New Year! This week’s most useful blog post takes a look at some of the most popular articles featured in this weekly series. This is Part 2 of a two-part series (see Part 1 here). May your year be full of accepted manuscripts and writing that flows easily on to the page.
8 [MORE!] Academic writing blogs you should be following
The original, 8 Academic writing blogs you should be following, was so popular (and continues to be) it seemed fitting to bring you a second addition—not to mention the fact that the blogs below are worthy of being followed! In no particular order, here are eight academic writing blogs that offer superb advice on everything academic writing and publishing related, plus life as an academic: