Have you opened a textbook lately?

Open access textbooks are becoming increasingly popular, with many universities now requiring that their students have access to open textbooks. There are a few different types of open textbooks, including those that are free to use, and those that are available for a fee. Open textbooks can be helpful for students who want to study without having to pay for books, and they can also be useful for teachers who want to create materials that are accessible to all students.

There are, however, some concerns about whether this trend is sustainable. Some believe that open access textbooks are fads that will eventually go away, while others some professors worry that the trend will not pay off for students.

Most useful textbook and academic posts of the week: May 13, 2022

Write. Revise. Repeat. A cycle of productivity for all academic authors, but when does it end? When is the project complete? And, what happens next?

In this week’s collection of articles from around the web, we find advice about making decisions about your writing, what to do after the draft, and how much revising is required. We also have resources on mid-career scholarship and collaboration efforts. Finally, we have some industry news on Creative Commons licensing and the book supply chain.

There’s also the philosophy of Saul Bellow who said, “You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.” So, I suppose that’s one way to increase productivity and avoid the need to revise. Happy writing!

Most useful textbook and academic posts of the week: March 11, 2022

W. Somerset Maugham once said, “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” Some may say this applies to all writing efforts, however this week’s collection of articles from around the web attempts to address some of the common issues you may be facing as an academic author.

With resources on how to start, dealing with self-doubt, writing processes, and peer review, you can garner some helpful advice to move your project forward. Further, resources on women in publishing, open access, open research, and publishing research directions frame some of the trends in academic publishing today.

As you write this week, write your own rules and enjoy the process. Happy writing!

Most useful textbook and academic posts of the week: February 25, 2022

Judy Reeves once said, “Probably the most important thing I’ve learned is that if I don’t make the time to do the writing, the writing won’t get done.” Are you making time for your writing? If not, what is holding you back?

Many of the common issues writers face – it’s hard, how do you finish, copy editing, self publishing considerations, open access, and marketing and reviews – are all covered in this week’s collection of articles from around the web.

This week, make time for your writing and get it done. Happy writing!

Most useful textbook and academic posts of the week: February 18, 2022

As we started this week, many of us celebrated Valentine’s Day recognizing the loves in our life and, perhaps, feeling celebrated ourselves. For others, this same holiday can be one of heartache and defeat as life may not be as satisfying as desired or past loss may weigh heavy on our hearts. Regardless, we as authors can rejoice because Edna Ferber tells us, “Life can’t defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer’s lover until death.”

If your relationship with your writing needs a little TLC, consider some of the ideas in the articles below to breathe new life into your projects and learn to love again. Happy Writing!

Most useful textbook and academic posts of the week: January 14, 2022

Why do you write? Are you writing to share you knowledge with others? Are you writing to get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper? Perhaps, here at the start of the year, you are writing (or not) because you have resolved to do so. Or are you like Flannery O’Connor who said, “I write to discover what I know.”

In this week’s collection of articles from around the web, we find insight on new years’s resolutions for authors, writing deadlines, writing strategies, the end of writer self-doubt, and the future of open access. Whatever your reasoning, we encourage you to write every day. Happy writing!