Is Textbook Writing for You?

Members (Free)

Non-Member Cost $25 (Upon payment, click "Return to Text and Academic Authors Association" and you will be able to download teleconference)

Presented by Michael D. Spiegler, Professor of Psychology, Providence College

TAA-sponsored Workshop:
Textbook Writing 101
presented by Michael D. Spiegler

"Excellent session. I have participated in two and they have been a great way to find out some basic information on a topic."

"This is the highest value association I belong to or even know of, and it's because of these teleconferences. Thank you. Keep up the great work."

"As someone who is already a textbook author, I can attest that this was very complete -- it gave a good sense of the huge time commitment and personal/professional qualities needed to be a textbook author."

"This was a great presentation. Thanks so much!"

Textbook writing is a rewarding and challenging endeavor, but it is a major undertaking and it is not for everyone. If you are thinking of writing a textbook or think you might want to sometime in the future, this would be a good time to start answering the question: Is writing a textbook something I should consider? This teleconference will address the following topics:

• Why write a textbook? Some good and some less good reasons
• Personal prerequisites
• Professional prerequisites
• What writing a textbook entails: The big picture
• Testing the textbook writing water before diving in
• Making the decision to write a textbook: The critical variables

Michael D. Spiegler is a Professor of Psychology at Providence College. He has been a successful textbook and academic author for 40 years with several leading psychology textbooks, including Contemporary Behavior Therapy (5th ed.) and Personality: Strategies and Issues (8th ed.). He has presented numerous workshops on textbook writing at universities, professional conventions, and at the annual TAA conference. Michael regularly reviews manuscripts for textbook publishers and serves as a consultant/mentor to college textbook authors in diverse disciplines. He is currently writing a comprehensive Handbook for College Textbook Writing.

Please note: Recordings may not be copied, shared, or distributed.

Teleconference Handouts:
Is Textbook Writing for You? (PDF)