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.

This six-hour workshop is designed for both those who want to learn how to write their first textbook and those who have written a textbook and want to learn how to write their next textbook or revision more efficiently and effectively. It will provide you with the nuts-and-bolts of how to write a prospectus and sample chapters, how to contact publishers, and how to negotiate a favorable contract. You'll learn the basics of the writing, revising, and production phases and get advice on how to deal with publishers, alternatives to traditional publishing, and survival skills for authors. This workshop is a based on a three-day Chautauqua Short-Course for college faculty and graduate students that Michael Spiegler teaches in a different location each year.

To schedule this workshop, contact Michael Spiegler, (401) 865-2618 or spiegler@providence.edu

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Mary Ellen Lepionka is a developmental editor in higher education and has worked with many major textbook publishers, such as Allyn & Bacon, Prentice Hall, McGraw-Hill, Wiley, Houghton Mifflin, Sage, and others. She is also the founder of Atlantic Path Publishing in Gloucester, MA, and author of Writing and Developing Your College Textbook, second edition (2008) and Writing and Developing College Textbook Supplements (2005). Mary Ellen is a proud member and sponsor of the Text and Academic Authors Association.

This one-day workshop on developing a textbook proposal incorporates lecture, discussion, application, and tutorial. It begins with an appreciation of the prerequisites: what is involved in stating your textbook idea, discovering the market for your textbook idea, and finding the right publishers for the kind of textbook you want to do? What kind of a track record and author profile do you need? Hands-on activities include completing a market analysis and competition grid. The workshop goes on to explore in greater depth what should be in a textbook proposal. Working on a prospectus template, participants will have opportunities to develop descriptions of their content, organization, apparatus, pedagogy, and presentation. Hands-on activities include completing a pedagogy plan and supplements plan. Participants also will have opportunities to develop plans for supporting materials, including the table of contents, sample chapters, and cover letter. The workshop concludes with advice on making contact with editors, observing publishing calendars and submission guidelines, and interpreting outcomes. Participants receive a free copy of Writing and Developing Your College Textbook, Second Edition.

Downloadable PDF Handout: Workshop Outline

To schedule this workshop, contact Mary Ellen Lepionka at (978) 283-1531 or me.lepionka@verizon.net

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