A: Michael
D. Spiegler, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, Providence
College and President, Textbook Writing Resources:
"If you
have a good way of approaching the subject matter, others will imitate
once your book comes out. You may have an edge as the original. And
you've made a contribution to the students in your field beyond just
your book. It may be possible to get a publisher to sign an agreement
stating that they will not come out with a book that clones yours
for a given time period. I've heard of this being done with other
ideas and industry. I'd suggest you consult with a good intellectual
property lawyer on this idea. And remember, imitation is the highest
form of strategy (or something like that)."
A: Frank
Wilson, Chandler-Gilbert Community College:
"When I first
started writing math textbooks, I had a similar concern. I have
since learned that although a particular manuscript may help to shape the
overall view of the market for an editor, editors are too busy to spend
the time "cloning" texts. For me, this worry is no longer a concern."
A: Christa
Harris, Executive Director, World Languages, McGraw-Hill Higher Education:
"Given how long
it takes to take a textbook from concept to published book, that
would give you about three years of being truly unique. So about
the time your second edition publishes, you'd have some similar books
on the market. And Frank's right...
editors are working on other first editions (and revisions), and
honestly, most of us and most authors feel our first editions are
pretty unique too. We're financially (and emotionally, if you're
a good editor) invested in our projects. So we're too busy trying to
get our own unique and wonderful books published!"
