I received “official notice” that summer is coming to end by one of the many random emails I (somehow) subscribe to. As if there weren’t enough signs for me already—raining for days straight, temperatures taking a significant dive, and (possibly the most dreaded) back to school commercials. Growing up in a household in which both parents worked in schools (one a middle school teacher and the other a speech therapist), we were trained to avert our eyes when school supplies were moved to the front of the store, overflowing in anticipation of the school year to come.
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.
The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: August 14, 2015
This week is another one jam-packed with excellent articles. From academics lonely at work, to being a good reviewer, to…
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: August 7, 2015
Summer is coming to a close. Maybe you are even already back in session. Were you able to meet your summer writing goals? What would you have done differently? Now is the time to make note of what worked well and what didn’t work so well. Keep this on hand so you have a better plan in place or a better understanding of how you work so that you can (if need be) accomplish more next summer. You may not feel you need to accomplish more, but you may feel that you need to work more efficiently.
5 Must-use social media tools for academics
You know the old adage “work smarter, not harder”? That’s exactly what the following tools will help you do when it comes to sharing, creating, and scheduling messages for your social media platforms. While there are hundreds, if not thousands of tools available on the web, the five listed below—ones I actually use frequently and love—are user-friendly and excellent resources for you as an academic using social media. Did I mention that these tools will also help save you time?! So get creating, get sharing, and get social with these five must-use social media tools: