Finding a Freelance Editor You Click With

by Hannah de Keijzer

Thousands of freelance editors are poised to work on your manuscript. But whether or not the editorial process elevates your book and enlivens you as a writer hinges in large part on the person you pick. You need someone who can deliver edits to professional standards, of course, on time and within your budget.

But you also deserve to work with a communicative editor whose method fits your brain and preferred ways of working. Look for someone who gives you confidence in yourself and in your manuscript as it develops. That’s a matter of process and feelings fit as much as one of professional skill.

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2025 TAA Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘Business Communication: Process & Product’

Business Communication: Process & Product (11e) by Mary Ellen Guffey and Dana Loewy, offers a comprehensive guide to mastering business communication skills. Covering the latest trends and practical techniques, it equips readers with tools for writing, speaking, and presenting professionally, ensuring success in today’s dynamic business environment. Ideal for students and professionals aiming to enhance communication efficiency. The book is published by Cengage.

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TAA President’s Message: Seismic Changes, But TAA is Here to Help

Given all the seismic changes in higher education publishing, authors need TAA now more than ever. About 20 years ago, I began my authoring career with a small publisher called Morton Publishing when printed books were the norm. Most of those small publishers don’t exist anymore because they have been acquired by larger publishers.

Consider all the changes in educational publishing over the past two decades. As textbook prices soared, lower cost alternatives emerged. We evolved from printed books to eBooks to Open Educational Resources (OER). Now the major higher education publishers offer various subscription models with lower fees by the month or by the semester. Printed books are quickly being phased out to transition to the new standard of digital and interactive books. Lastly, Generative AI is now a common tool being used by publishers, students, and authors alike.

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Stressed About Your Publishing Contract? These 10 Tips from an Intellectual Property Attorney Can Help

By Sierra Pawlak

Making sure you’re getting a good textbook publishing contract can be stressful and confusing, but these ten tips from Brenda Ulrich, an intellectual property attorney at Archstone Law Group, PC, should help you feel more confident to negotiate a contract that’s right for you. Ulrich shared this advice in her 2024 Conference presentation “Top 10 Tips for Publishing Contract Negotiations.”

“No two contract negotiations are the same, no two publishers are identical, and no two authors are alike,” says Ulrich. Knowing what’s important to you dictates how your contract can be best suited to you and your needs, depending on where you are in your career, why you’re writing your book, and what your long-term plans are with your publisher. “There are a lot of things potentially at play in a contract negotiation” she says, so focusing on what’s most important to you is essential.

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Industry News Round-Up Week of 10/28/2024

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.

Cengage to Launch Student Assistant, a Bot to Help You Understand Your Text (October 18, 2024)

DEI Tracker (October 18, 2024)

Tracking Higher Ed’s Dismantling of DEI (October 18, 2024)

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Three Simple Science-Based Strategies to Create Happiness at Work

By Angelica Ribeiro, PhD

Imagine this: You get a new job, which makes you very happy. But soon you realize that the job involves the following aspects, to mention a few:

  • too much sitting, too little movement
  • too much computer work, too few social interactions
  • too many demands, too few flow experiences

After experiencing all those issues on a daily basis, you notice that they negatively impact your well-being and happiness level. What do you do then?

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