Authoring College Textbooks

Denny BurzynskiCSN Mathematics

Ext 7566

Thoughts from a publisher about publishing   First, do what you tell your students to do: do your homework! Look at all the other books each publisher has available for the course where you are

interested in publishing. How many do they have? How does yours differ from what they already publish?   Be brutally honest with yourself: is it a good difference or just a quirky difference? Would your colleagues at your school or other schools want to use your approach? Remember, your colleagues have a lot to do and changing textbooks is probably not at the top of their list of fun things to do. Usually they do not want to

change books if they are pretty happy with their current book (unless the publisher of that book does something to piss them off – see reputation of publishers, below). So your book needs to give them a really good reason to change.

  Regarding publishers and how to choose them, there are a lot of things to think about. How is the sales rep for your school? Do you see the rep very often?

(If not, there might be a good reason, like if you have a small or out-of-the-way school – or a bad reason, like your rep is a slacker.)   Does the publisher have a good reputation otherwise? Do you feel like you are treated fairly and ethically by them? What does your bookstore think about

each publisher? What about things like ancillaries and technology supplements?   When you start talking to publishers, you will have a lot of contact with the acquisitions editor for the discipline. You are going to gravitate towards the

editor you bond with personally, someone who seems to get what you are trying to do and seems smart. This is only natural. However, something to keep in mind is that editors (especially younger ones) do tend to move around and get promoted, so also get to know the editor’s immediate manager and if possible, the manager’s manager. You might only meet those people once or twice, but ask how long they have been with the company and their background and familiarity with your discipline. If you feel that those managers also really get what you are trying to do, then you have a good safety net in case the editor moves on.

  Also, if possible, get a feel for how your editor works with their assistant or project editor, since those people might end up doing most of the work on your

book. There’s a saying about judging people by how they treat their subordinates…..   If your editor is slow getting back to you during the pre-signing stage, be very suspicious. The stage when they are investigating whether they want to sign

a contract with you or not should be like a courtship stage. If you aren’t getting timely responses at that stage, you never will and things will likely get worse.

  Money: money is important but not as important as the things outlined above, because if you choose poorly regarding the other aspects, you will pay for it

with lots of frustration and heartbreak. You just need to feel that your contact is fair. Most publishers will be willing to give an advance on royalties, especially if you are taking some time off teaching or even a lighter teaching load to work on the book. They are not so happy about grants (upfront money that is not expected to be paid back out of royalties) unless they have a good reason, such as it is going towards something that they would have paid for any way, like accuracy checking. Remember, you want your publisher to understand and support the educational values and purpose of your book, but you do also want them to make good business decisions – and grants that are offered without a good reason are not good business decisions.

I tell people to send out just one chapter, with a letter of introduction, the preface, and a one-page document that tells how the book fits in the market.   For contracts, I always consult with other authors, and I use TAA because they have a model contract.  Before I sign anything I use one of the attorney's

that are recommended by TAA.  I have them look over the contract and point out anything that they think could be a problem for me at some future date.   I like to get some advance money because I think it makes them more committed to the project.   And I am happy to speak with anyone that is thinking of writing a book, or is in the process of reviewing a contract.  You can give them my name and email

address.

Process Overview

The Idea Choosing a PublisherMaking a ProposalThe ContractWorking with an EditorWriting the Book

Some reasons for writing a textbook

The Idea

• Share our ideas with our colleagues and students

• Participate in our community

• We are creative• Money• Promotion

I think I could write a textbook that is better than the current collection of textbooks.

The Idea

The Idea

Why do I think that?

What ideas do I have that current authors have neglected or have not done much with?

List and annotate themYou will need them for your proposal

Do I know who publishes in my field?

Choosing a Publisher

F. A. DavisPrentice HallWileyAddison/WesleyBrooks/ColeHoughton-MifflinMcGraw-HillWorthWadsworthGuiford

Choosing a Publisher

Most of these are now PearsonCengage

Which publisher is right for you?

Choosing a Publisher

Do you know the sales rep?Sales reps can provide you with insight as to how

your text will be sold.Does your rep follow through with his or her

commitments to you? Do you see the sales rep very often?

If not, why not? There may be a good reason. Is CSN out-of-the-way, or is the rep a slacker?

Ask your sales rep if the publisher is looking for a new textbook.

What are they looking for in a text?

Choosing a Publisher

Does the publisher have a good reputation?

What does the bookstore think about each publisher?

Choosing a Publisher

Do your homeworkLook at all the other books each publisher has available for the course in which you are interested in publishing

How many do they have?Wadsworth --> West Brooks/Cole Then so many B/C did not even know they had my applied calculus book and didn’t put it on their marketing list

Making a Proposal

How will your book be different from the books they already have?Be brutally honest with yourself: is your difference a good difference or just a quirky difference?

Would your colleagues in your department want to use your approach?

Would other faculty want to?

Making a Proposal

Keep in mind that, like yourself, faculty are busy and changing textbooks is not at the top of their list of fun things to do. Usually they will not change if they are fairly happy with their current text.

Does your book give them a good reason to change?

Making a Proposal

Your proposal should clearly state how your book is different from the current texts on the market.Different (but really the same)

Identify all the ways your book will address unmet needs

Making a Proposal

ExampleCalculus textbooks typically present example problems asSolve thisHere is the solutionThe End

Making a Proposal

My Idea for improvement

Include: Here is what a mathematician thinks when he or she sees this type of problem

End the example by offering my interpretation of the result

Making a Proposal

Making a Proposal

Interpretations by your colleagues and from faculty at colleges that might use your text – big adopters

Interviews with people well-known in the field

QuickTime videos of your colleagues or well-known people in our field offering their view of some topic.

Making a Proposal

Videos of you and your students solving problems

Making a Proposal

Write one sample chapter with a letter of introduction and a one-page document that describes how your book fits into the market

Include how your book is the same but different than those they already have

Making a Proposal

Get someone to read it with you.Alternate reading paragraphs, making notes as you go

The Contract

Ask for some advance money. It makes the publisher more committed to your project.

Publishers are not real fond of grants. They may be more open to them if the money is going toward something they would have paid for anyway. (Student proofreading, faculty interpretations, videos, accuracy checking.)

The Contract

RoyaltiesYou many see a sliding scale

Example (sort of made up)up to 5000 units in first year: 10%5000-7500: 12%7500-10,000: 15%10,000 and above: 18%

The Contract

Consider joining the Textbook Authors Association (TAA)

http://taaonline.net/Contract HelpNetworking with established authorsLegal referrals

The Contract

Ask about typesetting and how they want you to submit your work

Can you use typesetting software?This has advantages during the proofreading stage

The Contract

When you start talking with publishers, you will have a lot of contact with acquisitions editors. You will likely gravitate towards the editor you bond with personally, someone who seems to get what you are trying to do and seems smart.

Editors

Keep in mind the editors, especially the young ones, tend to move around and get promoted.

Get to know the editor’s immediate manager, and if possible, the manager’s manager.If you feel they have a good sense of what you are trying to do, you have a good safety net if your editor moves on.

Editors

Try to get a sense of how your editor works with his or her assistant or project editor, since these people might end up doing most the work on your book.

If your editor is slow getting back to you during the pre-signing stage, be very suspicious. The pre-signing stage is the time they are investigating whether or not they want to sign a book with you. This should be like a courtship stage. If you are not getting timely responses at this stage, you probably never will and things will likely get worse.

Editors

Your book will go out for reviewPotential adopters

Your editor will ask you to make some or all the changes the reviewers suggestMake potential adopters happyAdd this sectionRearrange these chapters.ARG!

Editors

ProofreadingThey will have this doneYou should do it tooPay one or two students to do itPay a faculty friend to do it

ARG! There are errors in the book!How is it possible?

Editors

Try to have some influence on page layoutThey do pretty well, but you may have ideas that can help students read and understand your writing

Editors

Try to have some influence on Cover DesignThink about a cover that grabs the attention of potential adopters and that conveys a sense of calm to students

Editors

Get knownConsider giving talks at your discipline’s annual conferences

Your publisher will likely have a booth at the annual conference and your book will be displayed. Hang out at the booth.

Read the marketing material. Make sure it points out the outstanding features of your book.

Marketing

Write using only your computerKeep your work separate from school equipmentYou probably do not want the college to claim ownership of some or all of your work

Writing

Can you use sophisticated writing instruments?

LaTexhttp://www.latex-project.org/High-quality typesetting, document preparation system

Free

Writing

Your publisher likely knows of itYour publisher will pay someone to create a book design (page layout)

May pay for a TexPert to create the LaTex macros that put your writing directly into the final form

Writing

My friend Doug Campbell, Mathematics Department

West Valley College, Silicon Valley, CA

On his student evaluation form, a student wroteStrength“He really knows what he is talking about!”Weakness“We don’t know what he is talking about!”

Writing

Anguish over every sentenceConcise, but accurate and readable

Anguish over every piece of art

Time commitment?All

Writing

Thanks to

Pat McKeague Author of 16+ mathematics textbooks He says call him if you are thinking of writing a textbook 805.541.4593

Anne Scanlon-Rohrer Editor for a long time She says call her if you are thinking of writing a textbook 650-342-2432