2008 TAA Conference attracts record number of attendees
The 2008 TAA Conference at Harrah's in Las Vegas June 19-21, attracted a record number of attendees. Among the almost 80 participants of this year's conference were several first-timers, including several from the University of Las Vegas.
Attendees gave the conference high marks, and several commented positively on specific features of the conference, such as the pre-conference workshops, the Roundtable Discussions, and the 15-minute sessions with authoring attorneys, a literary agent and veteran authors.
Read conference testimonials here
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Minority authors to publishers: Don't be afraid to approach us for a publishing project
African American history author Molefi Kete Asante responded to Publisher Mary Ellen Lepionka's question, "Publishers are under pressure to sign minority authors and their major complaint is that there is a small pool to choose from. Where can publishers find more potential minority authors?", during his panel presentation on "Issues Faced by African American & Asian Authors" at the 2008 TAA Conference:
"If you're looking for an African-American author to co-author a mathematics textbook, ask someone like me 'what are the top schools for mathematics in the historically black schools?' I will tell you to go to the math department at North Carolina A&T, Florida A&M, and Lincoln University, and search for young assistant professors who could do this. Publishers could also benefit by asking African American scientists who work for NASA, and there are hundreds of them, or professional associations of black mathematicians (such as the Association of African American Mathematicians). You have to generate authors that way. I also encourage publishers to examine where there are Latino/Hispanic authors as well."
Other members of the audience commented that African-Americans and Asians are more afraid than Caucasian authors of being taken advantage of by publishers.
One member of the audience, Angela Jackson, an African-American Ph.D. in the field of Counselor Education, had this comment on the issue: "As budding African American authors, we can feel vulnerable to publishers taken advantage of our inexperience. So it is wise for us to have a 'healthy paranoia' regarding any entity (including publishing) that does not have a history of successfully appreciating and valuing African American contributions. Hence, please know that we desire to publish and have our voices heard, so approach us for the opportunity knowing our historical frame of reference."
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2008 Texty, McGuffey winners participate in Q&A during TAA Conference Awards Ceremony
Five of this year's Texty and McGuffey winners attended the TAA Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas held June 21 during the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring.
After being presented with their awards from TAA President John Wakefield, Texty winners Bradley D. Fahlman, author of Materials Chemistry; Charles Corbin, co-author of Fitness for Life: Middle School; Janet Belsky, author of Experiencing the Lifespan; and Jay Withgott, co-author of Environment: The Science Behind the Stories; and McGuffey winner Belverd E. Needles, co-author of Principles of Accounting, participated in a Q&A session with attendees.
Q: What is the hardest part about becoming a textbook author?
Fahlman: "I wrote my textbook before I gained tenure. The hardest part about writing the textbook was managing a research group and publishing enough articles for tenure while writing the book at the same time."
Needles: "Everything you have to do after the first edition is written. I took me eight years to write my first textbook. Writing the first edition is not the end of your work. There's much to do after that."
Withgott: "The time commitment. There were tremendous sacrifices of family and leisure time while writing the book. The rewards in the process and the end result are worth it."
Belsky: "Forcing myself to get to the computer at 8:30 every morning."
Corbin: "The hardest part of becoming textbook author was convincing the publisher there was a need for the book, and the second hardest was convincing adopters that they needed the book."
Q: What is your textbook's most outstanding feature?
Belverd: "We used a non-traditional approach to accounting. This was a negative in the beginning, because the publisher made us do two years of class testing with students before they would consider the book. Once it was published the book sold more copies in the first year than what were expected to sell during the entire life of the edition."
Corbin: "I am most proud of the way we characterize kids. We worked hard to portray kids in an inclusive way in photos and examples. We wanted kids to feel that physical education was for all kids, not just those who are athletic or good at games."
Withgott: "We integrated central case studies throughout the book. Each chapter starts with a case study that is expanded on throughout the chapter. This feature has proven popular with instructors and students."
Belsky: "The feedback that I receive from students who say they really like to read the book. They say that they read it for pleasure. The book has a personal, conversational style, yet is research-oriented. It is used at both top research-oriented institutions and at community colleges."
Q: What are your writing habits?
Belverd: "I work most productively from 4 to 7 p.m. I taught during the daytime and my rule was that I closed my door from 4-7 and wasn't available until after that time."
Belsky: "I start early in the morning and work in at least three-hour blocks. I have a hard time working at night or in the afternoon."
Corbin: "I take a block of time. Early on I stopped teaching in the summers and spent my time writing. I collected data during the school year but did most of my writing in the summer. During the school year I set aside one day a week to work at home. Phoenix and Arizona State government had a 'don't drive one in five' campaign to help reduce pollution and save energy. That was a perfect opportunity to stay home one day a week and save the commute time to work. You might take advantage of similar opportunities. If you have your resources at home you can get more done in one day in a block of time than you can do in eight hours divided over a week's time. Those are two strategies that have worked for me."
Fahlman: "I'm a night owl so I start about 9 p.m. and work until two or three in the morning. Fortunately for me the earliest class I teach is 11 a.m."
Withgott: "I put as much time between the first and second draft as I can so that when I come back to it I can see it anew and read it through in a different light. I also read the text differently in manuscript form in a Word document than I do when it is in PDF form in page proofs. It helps me catch things I may not have seen in the text draft."
Belverd: "I think it is important for an author to focus on where he or she adds value, i.e., on the organization, writing, pedagogy, and development of assignments and cases. Leave the tedious tasks to someone else. Back before computers, I had a typist for 20 hours a week. I tried to produce enough material to keep her busy for the entire 20 hours. I also hired graduate students to solve solutions to problems."
Q: How unhappy was your spouse/partner during your writing of the textbook?
Belverd: "My wife has been working as a co-author on my textbooks for 32 years."
Belsky: "My husband likes to have space of his own and doesn't mind the time I spend on the book. It was my son that didn't like the attention my book took away from him."
Corbin: "My wife and I celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary on June 12th. So we're doing fine."
Withgott: "We are both busy with our careers and I involve her in the process."
Fahlman: "You can ask my wife yourself. She's here." (his wife said that she missed him while he was working on the text, and so did their cat. When the cat wanted Bradley's attention, it would lay across his keyboard. Another attendee asked his wife if she had tried that.)
Q: How did you convince publishers your book idea was valuable?
Corbin: "My coauthors and I had to publish our first book ourselves in 1968. We had to go out to conventions and convince publishers that they needed the book before we were finally signed by a publisher in 1970. Publishers don't like to try new ideas. You have to push them to make changes. If you've got a good idea you have to push publishers to try it. You also have to push publishers to include new and different ancillaries for your books. For example, we used Persuasion (a slide making computer program) to create computer slides long before PowerPoint was available. The publisher said that there was no demand. We got there before the demand and it helped our book. Now all books have PowerPoint programs. We have developed other new things that we had to sell publishers on, but after they are successful our ideas appeared in other books from the company. You can't protect ideas but you can protect innovations if you plan ahead. Now matter what you do your good ideas will end up in other books including your competitor's books. Getting there first with new ideas helps you stay ahead of the pack."
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Attendees share feedback on TAA Conference Workshop 'Writing for Publication'
"The presenter exhibits great knowledge and presence. Great presenter. I learned about the nuts and bolts of publishing and many helpful tips. Nicely done."
"Very well presented. All materials are very useful to understanding how to publish a book."
"Presenter was exceptional. The best feature of this workshop is the practical and entertaining way in which everything is presented. I learned the starting points on how to get published and interesting ways to find and select topics."
"Presenter was excellent. The best feature of this workshop is the notes, especially the workbook. I learned that I must not limit myself to publishing only within my field. Excellent workshop."
"Great presenter. He knows what he is talking about. I learned good tips and motivation for getting published."
"Excellent. The best feature of this workshop is the presenter's style. I learned ways to improve my writing."
"The presenter is easy and accessible. Ken is a great storyteller and in doing so helps participants open a window in which they view their own writing process and prospects. The best feature of the workshop is learning to understand how much of a guide the journal itself is. Also understanding the rates of acceptance. i really liked the section on actual writing process. I also learned the importance of keeping faith in yourself and your writing, having passion for your work, connecting personal and professional goals, and the idea of writing for the read instead of 'Publish or Perish.'"
"Ken is very personable and knowledgeable. He was well organized and methodical -- good interactive style. The best feature of the workshop is the handouts and statistics of publications, as were 'behind-the-scenes" tips. I learned how to improve the acceptance rate of my manuscripts. Outstanding workshop!"
"Very amicable and knowledgeable -- a rare combination. Very practical and helpful workshop. Lots of good information about getting published and increasing my odds."
Information on Henson's conference workshop
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Attendees share feedback on TAA Conference Workshop 'The Basics of Textbook Writing From Start to Finish'
"The presentation was great. Very informative and thought-provoking anecdotes that got me thinking about how I'll juggle certain roles, etc. The most important things I learned were the manuscript review and editing process and the realistic timeline for how many years it takes for the entire process from idea to book."
"I learned the process of working with a publisher, getting started/proposal, and the important points of negotiation. Great job!"
"Very helpful. I learned about the negotiation process and the realistic aspects of writing a textbook."
"Excellent. Because of my experience level, I didn't learn a lot de novo, but things resonated with me very accurately, and I expect your presentation is very helpful to beginning authors."
Information on Henson's conference workshop
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Matson receives TAA's 2008 Norma Hood Award
Margaret Matson and TAA Executive Director Richard Hull |
Margaret Matson, who has worked as a program assistant for TAA for more than 10 years, received the association's 2008 Norma Hood Award.
The Award, named after TAA's first executive director, Norma Hood, honors recipients for devotion and commitment to the association. It was presented at the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring in Las Vegas, June 21.
"Margaret is the quiet, understated kind of worker that puts in hundreds of hours for TAA without saying a word or uttering a complaint," said TAA Office Manager Janet Tucker. "She is amazing—she knows what we need before we know we need it and makes sure that TAA gets it. She is always doing research to keep TAA up-to-date and current and quietly goes about her business tirelessly. She is Headquarter's backbone."
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Henson receives TAA's 2008 Franklin Silverman Lifetime Achievement Award
Kenneth Henson and TAA President John Wakefield |
Kenneth Henson, distinguished professor of education at The Citadel's School of Education, received the 2008 Franklin Silverman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA). The award is named after Frank Silverman, a former TAA president and founder of the TAA workshop program who died from brain cancer in 2004.
The award, presented at the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring in Las Vegas, June 21, honors its recipients for a lifetime of excellence in authoring and a career of support and service to authors.
Henson is the presenter of the TAA sponsored workshops "Writing for Publication" and "Writing Grant Proposals". He has written and co-authored more than 300 national publications. His 40 books include five books on writing for publications and two Phi Delta Kappa fastbacks (monographs) on this topic. His biennial survey results have appeared in every other June issue of the Phi Delta Kappan for over 25 years. Henson has given this workshop on some 300 colleges campuses from coast to coast.
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Asante receives TAA's 2008 Mike Keedy Award
Molefi Kete Asante |
Molefi Kete Asante, professor of African American Studies at Temple University, received the 2008 Mike Keedy Award from TAA. The award is named after TAA Founder Mike Keedy. Asante serves on the TAA Foundation Board.
The Mike Keedy Award honors recipients for dedicated service on behalf of authors. It was presented at the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring in Las Vegas, June 21.
Asante is considered by his peers to be one of the most distinguished contemporary scholars. He has published 65 books, among the most recent are The History of Africa: The Quest for Eternal Harmony (2007), Cheikh Anta Diop: An Intellectual Portrait (2006), Spear Masters: Introduction to African Religion (2007), Handbook of Black Studies, (2005), co-edited with Maulana Karenga, Encyclopedia of Black Studies, (2004), co-edited with Ama Mazama, Race, Rhetoric, and Identity: The Architecton of Soul, Erasing Racism: The Survival of the American Nation, (2003), Ancient Egyptian Philosophers (2003), Scattered to the Wind, Custom and Culture of Egypt, and 100 Greatest African Americans. The second edition of his high school text, African American History: Journey of Liberation, 2nd Edition, (2001), is used in more than 400 schools throughout North America.
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Pawlak receives TAA's 2008 Paul Anderson Award
TAA Executive Director Richard Hull and Kim Pawlak |
Kim Pawlak, associate executive director for the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA), received the association’s 2008 Paul Anderson Award.
The Award, named after TAA’s very first member, Paul Anderson, honors recipients for extraordinary service to the association in recruiting new members. It was presented at the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring in Las Vegas, June 21.
Pawlak was given the Award for bringing in more than 125 TAA members through a TAA Foundation gift membership campaign.
Pawlak has been with TAA since 1995, when she worked as a writer for The Academic Author and the TAA website. She was hired as editor of The Academic Author and TAA website in 2000. She was hired as associate executive director in 2006.
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Conference Session: Making your work more visual
Paul Siegel
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Communication law author Paul Siegel told an audience of textbook and academic authors during his 2008 TAA Conference session "Making Your Work More Visual," that he hired an art student on his campus to create original cartoons based on his ideas, that illustrated the points he made in his textbook, Communication Law in America.
Download Paul's PowerPoint from the 2008 TAA Conference, which includes a slideshow of cartoons from his textbook: Click here (7.8 MB)
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2008 TAA Conference Evaluation Form
If you did not fill out a 2008 Conference Evaluation Form at the TAA Conference, please print out and mail this PDF to Kim Pawlak, Associate Executive Director, TAA, S2874 Spruce St., Fountain City, WI 54629.
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2008 TAA Conference Program
The 2008 TAA Conference program is available for download.
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2008 TAA Conference Awards Ceremony
The 2008 TAA Conference Awards Ceremony program is available for download.
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Spiegler email incorrect in conference program
Michael Spiegler's email address was printed incorrectly in the conference program. If you would like to reach Michael, please email him at this address: SPIEGLER@providence.edu
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Attendees speak about their mentoring sessions with veteran authors
Guesna Dohrman |
Testimonial:
"I met with Andy Johnson and he was terrific. His advice was very practical and full of lots of down to earth ideas about doing a proposal of a commercial nature. I realized how awful my proposal (of which I was very proud) actually was. In trying to conform to standards for an academic proposal, I had actually made my project and me seem dull and uninteresting. He gave me many ideas for how to correct it."
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Guesna Dohrman, Professor of Mathematics, Tallahassee Community College
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Attendees share feedback on mentoring sessions by authoring attorneys, literary agent
Laura Taalman |
Testimonial:
"The free appointments with authoring attorneys have been very useful. I've met with Steven Gillen at two conferences, and with just a very short meeting his advice nudges me in a smarter direction. If/when the time comes to need actual representation, I know exactly who I will ask, and how to contact him. I really appreciate Stephen Gillen taking the time to hold these appointments."
— Laura Taalman, Associate Professor of Mathematics, James Madison University
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TAA Conference attendees speak up
Janet Belsky |
Testimonial:
"The conference was WONDERFUL!!!!!! I love everything — from the outstanding quality of the presenters, to the creative special features (roundtables; having an expert from the region come in to talk; the mentoring sessions etc). My absolute favorite however, is the sense you guys create of everyone coming together as a real family. Its been only two years and I already feel that I'm attending a not-to-be missed annual family reunion."
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Janet Belsky, author of Experiencing the Lifespan, which won a 2008 Textbook Excellence Award
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