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Q: "I am an art history instructor at a community college in California. I am considering devoting an upcoming sabbatical to writing an art appreciation textbook, but I have many concerns and questions about the process. Perhaps your organization can help? My primary reason for writing this book is that I am unhappy with the textbook choices out there and feel I could do far better by my students if I wrote something tailored to the way I teach the material. I am interested in my own students first and foremost, not really in writing something for wide publication. Is it possible to publish (or self-publish) a textbook — or perhaps I should call it a workbook, since I think it may have spaces for journal entries and writing activities — that I can sell directly to my students for a small profit over cost?"

A: Richard T. Hull, Executive Director, TAA:

"Your motivation for making your own text -- dissatisfaction with the alternatives that are available to you and thinking you could teach better from your own material - is very typical of the origin of textbooks and textbook writers. I have heard your sentiments from our TAA members, particularly from our Texty and McGuffey Award winners, echoed over and over.

It is certainly possible to self-publish, or to publish with a small publishing house, just enough books to service your own courses. But if you are thinking that you can sell 400 copies a year to your own students, with a bit of marketing and some favorable reviews, you should be able to see several times that amount on the sales potential of your book. I don't know the distribution and character of your 'niche,' but if a significant number of teachers of art appreciation find the available texts hard to teach, and would find yours a substantial improvement, you may be looking at a substantial number of sales beyond what you self-project."

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