We asked the 2026 TAA Textbook Award winners why they decided to write their textbook. Whether by invitation, a strong will to start a new textbook, or happenstance, their stories will speak to you no matter where you are in your textbook writing journey.
Illustrate your writing with AI-free Comics, Part 1
By Janet Salmons, PhD
Drawings, graphics, photos, and media catch readers attention. Sometimes the images are specific to the study, such as data visualizations or tables, maps or pictures of the research setting. Sometimes they help us gain a sense of the place, culture and historical period of the book or article. But they might just be a colorful element that conveys a friendly and amusing touch. How can we create or find images that get our messages across visually?
Textbook Authors File Lawsuit Against Meta
By Kim Pawlak
On July 2, 2026, a class action lawsuit was filed against Meta and Mark Zuckerberg on behalf of textbook authors whose copyrighted textbooks were used without authorization or compensation to train its large language model (LLM), Llama.
Textbook Award Winners Share How to Choose the Right Publisher | Part 3
Finding the right publisher can be daunting, especially with so many options available. This year’s Textbook Award winners shared how they found their publishers, why they were a good fit, and what factors to consider when evaluating potential publishing partners.
The Future of Textbook, Academic Publishing: An Interview with 2026 Institute Keynote Bryan Alexander
What does the future of textbook and academic publishing look like in the age of artificial intelligence? According to Bryan Alexander, award-winning futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and educator recognized internationally, the answer is already beginning to take shape.
Textbook Authoring Insight: Percentage of Royalties to Offer New Coauthor on Long-Running Successful Textbook
We asked several veteran TAA textbook author members to respond to a fellow member’s inquiry on how to compensate a new coauthor, and we’re sharing those responses with all members who may find it helpful as they also grapple with this issue.
This was the question posed: A TAA author with a long-running, high-earning solo textbook is transitioning to retirement and is about to engage a junior coauthor. They plan to coauthor about two more editions before the senior author retires entirely. The senior author is seeking information or recommendations on the initial division of royalties—what percentage of the royalties to offer the new coming author for their first edition together, to be fair, incentivizing, and within professional norms.