As academic authors we all need help and support to improve our writing—that is why we become members of TAA! In general, ESL academic authors need the same support as native English speakers. For instance, we all need to establish and maintain a writing habit, get feedback regularly, revise our texts multiple times, use examples of good writing, and find a supportive writing community.
The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: August 28, 2015
“Scripturient.” What a great word that I’ve only now just discovered! According to Merriam-Webster it means, “having a strong urge to write.” Do you ever have a strong urge that you have to sit and write? I get these urges from time to time. It can be a glorious thing (if you don’t get in the way of yourself and your writing). For me, as soon as I start thinking too much or try to form the perfect sentence, the words stop flowing so easily. Embrace those urges to write and just put everything on to the page that you can. Editing is for making sense of it all!
How to have a writing room of your own
My writing buddy’s face turned dark pink as she shouted over her latté. “No one can do anything worthwhile without a private writing place!” She thrust her face into mine. “It’s gotta be your own!”
I was as adamant. “Oh, come on. All you need is the desire and will and your stone tablet and sharp tool. It doesn’t matter where you write!”
Our little debate embodies two often-discussed viewpoints about writing. Despite my vehement response to my friend, I have long puzzled about the most effective place to write. If you too are in a quandary, or lament you have no writing spot to call your own, I’d like to help you enlarge your perceptions about your own physical and mental writing places, spaces, and times.
New 2015 TAA Fall Webinars – Improve Your Skills
Summer is rapidly coming to a close, meaning fall and classes are just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about and planning your fall writing projects. Whether you are interested in learning the steps for developing a textbook, creating an online presence to build your academic brand, educating yourself on textbook royalty audits or publishing agreements, or how to write clearer academic pose, TAA’s fall webinar series for textbook and academic authors has you covered. Join us as various industry experts share their expertise on academic and textbook writing topics.
The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: May 28, 2015
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” –Stephen King
I cannot say with certainty that, “the scariest moment is always just before you start.” I have to think that I am not alone in thinking the scariest moment is right before submitting the final draft. As a perfectionist I always strive to get it perfect, yet in writing (and most everything in life), I know that it will always have errors. An extra comma or two are almost always inevitable.
Featured Member Robert Christopherson – Textbook author shares how to maintain enthusiasm, organize production process
Robert W. Christopherson is Professor Emeritus of Geography at American River College (1970-2000). He is the author of the leading physical geography texts in the U.S. and Canada all published by Pearson Prentice Hall. He and his nature photographer wife Bobbe have completed twelve expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions since 2003, gathering information and photos for his books, Geosystems, 9/e, Elemental Geosystems, 8/e, Geosystems Canadian Edition, 4/e, and Applied Physical Geography, 9/e.