How to deconstruct and decipher your textbook royalty statement

Deciphering royalty statements to determine whether royalties being reported are accurate can be frustrating for both first time and veteran textbook authors. Royalty calculations should be relatively straightforward. That is, the contractually agreed-upon royalty rate for the Work multiplied by the earnings received by the publisher. However, add in escalation clauses, various rates for different sales categories or channels, co-authorship, packaged products, electronic materials, custom editions, abridgements, agreed-upon deductions, returns for reserves, specific definitions of earnings, multiple titles in various editions etc., and the calculation of royalties becomes much more complex.

10 Self-publishing companies for your next textbook project

Self-publishing, not to be confused with vanity publishing, is now seen as a much more viable option when it comes to publishing a textbook. Self-publishing companies offer a wide range of services from manuscript editing to cover design and distribution. You, as the author, often have complete control over each stage of the design, publishing, and promotion process. Keeping all of this in mind, if you decide to self-publish instead of following the traditional route, these ten self-publishing companies are ones to explore and consider:

Join us 10/8 for the TAA Webinar, ‘Tips for Writing an Effective Textbook: Developing Your Manuscript with Your Publisher’

One of the first steps after signing with a publisher is to begin working with the publisher’s content developer. The content developer is your day-to-day contact and guides you through the writing process. Join us Thursday, October 8, from 4-5 p.m. ET for the TAA Webinar, “Tips for Writing an Effective Textbook: Developing Your Manuscript with Your Publisher”, where Ann Greenberger from Greenline Editorial Services will cover the steps in developing a textbook–from first draft to final revised manuscript–and tips for successfully creating a powerful product.

And the winner is… Nominations for TAA’s 2016 Textbook Awards now open

Gain recognition with your fellow authors and within the textbook publishing industry by nominating your textbook for a 2016 TAA Textbook Award. We are excited to open nominations for the Textbook Excellence Award (“Texty”), McGuffey Longevity Award (“McGuffey”) and Most Promising New Textbook Award now through December 1, 2015.

The most useful textbook & academic writing posts of the week: September 18, 2015

“The best way to learn about writing is to study the work of other writers you admire.” –Jeffery Deaver

Isn’t this an excellent bit of advice that Jeffery Deaver gives us? Do we not do this in our own writing, but also in other aspects of our lives? I think one piece is missing from his advice, however. I believe that you also have to find and study writers that have a similar tone, style, and voice to that of your own. All of those things make up who you are and who you are as a writer.