Day One: Book Proposal

By John Bond 

Writers take different journeys getting to a published book. Some write their manuscript, and then write a book proposal. Some may work on both simultaneously. Some may never write a book proposal. And I am sure there are other permutations. I think a case can be made for writing a full, final book proposal before you ever write a single word of your manuscript. Hear me out.

Book proposals (the way I suggest people create them) include Project Overview and Summary, Extended Table of Contents, Project Specifications and Status, Book Market, Competitive or Complimentary Books, Author Bio, and Author Promotional Platform. Contact me for what each of these mean if you are unsure.

Writing a book proposal as a first step does not mean anything is set in stone. The table of contents, the title, the competitive books: all of it can change if needed. So, why create this before writing?

Day One: Book Proposal Read More

Industry News Round-Up Week of 11/11/24

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.

Scholarly Publishing World Slow to Embrace Generative AI (11/14/24)

Kindness in Academic Workplaces Can Boost Well-Being and Reduce Stress, Study Shows (11/13/24)

Flynn vs McGraw Hill LLC: United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (11/6/24)

Industry News Round-Up Week of 11/11/24 Read More

Dear Dr. Noelle: Reciprocal Relationships of Advisors With Students

By Dr. Noelle Sterne

Q: How much about yourself should you divulge to create a reciprocal relationship?

–Approachable Advisor

A: The benchmark is boundaries. For your poor suffering student, you want to be approachable, supportive, encouraging, and all the other wonderful adjectives of a sterling advisor. BUT—you don’t want to be over-open or fall into a sinkhole of too much sharing.

What’s appropriate for you to share:

How you struggled in graduate school, the nightmare of your defense.

What’s not appropriate for you to share:

Your latest root canal agony, your septic system failure.

!–more–>

Dear Dr. Noelle: Reciprocal Relationships of Advisors With Students Read More

Egocentric Reading: Using Literature to Support Your Own Research

By Dave Harris

When we notice egocentrism, it is usually a bad thing: who likes the know-it-all who thinks only of themself? But lack of egocentrism is also bad: we need to know where we stand on issues; we need to trust our own knowledge enough to commit to projects and tasks, and to commit to words on the page. I want to emphasize the importance of egocentrism in reading as a crucial factor in using the research literature effectively, and how writing is an effective tool for building the right kind of egocentrism.

Egocentric Reading: Using Literature to Support Your Own Research Read More

Writing Productivity Tip: Block Double the Time and Commit to Half

TAA member David Stehlik, an associate professor of Management and Leadership at the University of St. Francis, shared his approach to increasing writing productivity during TAA’s August 2024 Conversation Circle on the topic of productivity:

“I block double the time and commit to half. So, if I think I could write it in two hours, I book a full morning/afternoon, and then I commit to getting half of it done. It’s more realistic. When I’m on the ball, the productivity is energizing. When I’m not, it’s less debilitating.

Writing Productivity Tip: Block Double the Time and Commit to Half Read More

2025 TAA Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies’

Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies: Best Practices for Public Procurement, Third Edition  by William S. Curry, describes research based best procurement practices for state and local levels. This textbook, recipient of TAA’s Textbook Excellence Award, is suggested for graduate or undergraduate courses. The best practices are based on nationwide research conducted from 2006 to present.

Purchase in the 2025 TAA Conference Bookstore

2025 TAA Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies’ Read More