Textbook Author Roundtable Q&A



Please Note: There were minor interruptions to the audio when recording this webinar so please be aware that there may be areas where the audio dropped briefly.

What are your burning questions about textbook authoring? In this one-hour webinar, three award-winning textbook authors: Steven Barkan, author of Criminology: A Sociological Understanding; Joseph Healey, author of Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change; and Lorraine Papazian-Boyce, author of ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding: A Map for Success; answer 15+ questions about authoring a textbook, including:

  • What are some ways in which you developed a track record of publishing before you decided to write a textbook?
  • How did you decide which book publishing company to use? Are there any questions I should ask or information I should gather before selecting a publisher?

  • Do you have any advice for getting the attention of a publisher when writing a book proposal? Any do’s and don’ts?
  • In addition to actually writing the book, what activities should I expect I will be doing as a textbook author both pre- and post-publishing?
  • What fees are associated with publishing books?
  • What key strategies do you use to keep on track with writing in order to meet your publisher's submission deadlines?
  • As a new textbook author, what royalty rate can I expect?
  • What is the best contract advice you ever received?
  • Do you play a role in marketing your textbook? If so, how?
  • How does your experience with a publisher change as you become a more established author or publish multiple editions? For example, are you better able to negotiate certain contract terms or a higher royalty rate? In what other ways does it change?
  • Do you use any particular software to organize your research when writing or revising a textbook?
  • How do you manage your writing time? Do you have set days and times that you write?
  • Which chapter do you start with and why?
  • What is the future of visual learning using digital textbooks?
  • The business model at over $100 per book has failed. What business models do you foresee?
  • What are the top two things you wish you had known before you wrote your first textbook?

Steven BarkanSteven Barkan Criminology TextbookSteven Barkan is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Maine and Vice President/President-elect of TAA. He is the author of seven textbooks, including 2006 TAA Textbook Excellence Award winner Criminology: A Sociological Understanding (Prentice Hall) and 2012 TAA Textbook Excellence Award winner Sociology: Exploring and Changing the Social World (Flat World Knowledge).

Joseph HealeyRace, Ethnicity, Gender and ClassJoseph F. Healey is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. He received his PhD in sociology and anthropology from the University of Virginia. His research and teaching interests included social research, racial and ethnic minorities, globalization, and immigration. Among other publications, he is the author of Statistics: A Tool for Social Research (10th edition, 2013, Cengage) and Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change (7th edition, 2014, Sage. This edition was co-authored with Professor Eileen O’Brien). The latter publication won the TAA Textbook Excellence Award in 2007.

Lorraine Papazian BoyceICD10 MAPLorraine M. Papazian-Boyce is an award-winning author and instructor in the field of healthcare management. Her first textbook, ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding: A Map for Success, received a 2013 TAA Most Promising New Textbook Award. Her second text, Pearson’s Comprehensive Medical Coding: A Path to Success, is currently in production. She has contributed to over 10 texts from three major publishers, written dozens of journal articles, and is a nationally sought speaker. She holds a M.S. in Health Systems Management and has over 30 years of experience as a consultant, business owner, and educator in this field.