TAA Thanks Contributing Members David C. Lay and Edward J. Tarbuck
TAA Thanks Sustaining Member Robert Christopherson
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TAA welcomes new members
Florence Chambers, David Hayes, Michelle Jones, Sally F. Keating, Ann Lallande, Tom Pilgreen, Clarissa Willis
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2008 TAA Conference
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Download and print this 2008 TAA Conference informational flyer, containing information about how to register and book your room at Harrah's; conference workshops and sessions; the Awards Ceremony; and the Conference Schedule.
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2008 TAA Conference Sponsors
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Please take a minute to fill out the 2008 TAA Member Survey
Your answers will help us shape future member benefits!
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Greetings!
This issue of the TAA News Alert debuts our new e-newsletter format! I hope that you enjoy this enhanced web-based version.
The members-only log in and online new member and renewal applications are now working. We had been experiencing technical difficulties with these areas. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused
you. You should have received an email with your new username and password. If you have not received this email, please contact TAA headquarters by clicking here.
Please let us know if you experience any problems logging in to the members-only areas or renewing with the online renewal form.
Sincerely,
Kim Pawlak
Associate Executive Director
Text and Academic Authors Association
Send me an email
(608) 687-3106
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Finish your dissertation: Participate in free TAA Teleconference
Sign up for the TAA Teleconference: "A Coach's Perspective on Finishing a Dissertation", a one-hour open discussion on Friday, April 4 at 12 p.m. CT. moderated by academic writing coach and editor Dave Harris.
Learn how to rework your writing process, fine-tune your final drafts, and everything in between!
This is a free TAA members-only teleconference.
Sign up
Other upcoming TAA Teleconferences include:
· "Don't Settle for a Publisher's Standard Contract: Terms You Can & Should Negotiate" on April 25 at 1 p.m. CT
· "Tips & Tricks For the Do-It-Yourself Indexer" on May 8 at 1 p.m. CT
Listen to a recording of "Royalty Q&A" Teleconference moderated by Paul Rosenzweig, former president of Royalty Review Service: Listen Now
Listen to a recording of "Publish & Flourish: Become a Prolific Scholar" Teleconference moderated by Tara Gray: Listen Now
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Vote for 2008 TAA Council candidates
The name of one 2008 TAA Council candidate was accidentally left off the 2008 TAA Council ballot mailed to TAA members. In fairness to all candidates, TAA sent a new ballot last week with the missing candidate's name included. Please use the new red ballots when voting in the 2008 TAA Election. Ballots from the first mailing will not be counted.
The deadline for receipt of ballots is April 15, 2008.
Nine candidates are running for five open positions on the TAA Council. One of the open positions is a one-year term as a Council member that will be vacant if current Council member Don Collins is elected Vice President/President-Elect. Other open positions include two officer positions, Vice President/President-Elect and Treasurer, and three Council seats. Terms begin July 1, 2008. Officers serve two-year terms and Council members serve three-year terms. Ballots will be mailed to members this week. They must be postmarked by April 15 to ensure counting.
Read the candidates' bios and position statements
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Punctuation, other stylistic rules: Obstacle or opportunity?
By Dave Harris
Punctuation, and other stylistic rules, with all their exceptions and apparently arbitrary forms, can seem like a massive obstacle to writing. If you're unsure of punctuation (which is reasonable, given all the conflicting opinions on punctuation), the rules are more than a nuisance; they conspire to break into the writerly flow with their demands for figuring out, for example, where to put a comma. Punctuation and other rules are enemies to many writers. Certainly most of us don't enjoy reading Strunk and White or the massive style manuals that define proper writing style in many academic fields.
Read the entire article
Sign up for Harris' April 4 Teleconference, "A Coach's Perspective on Finishing a Dissertation", by clicking here.
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2008 Texty, McGuffey winners share authoring advice
Bradley D. Fahlman, author of Materials Chemistry, 1st ed., shares this authoring advice:
"The process of writing my first textbook was an incredible learning experience. Based on this limited experience, I offer the following words of advice to aspiring authors:
Choose your potential publisher wisely. From speaking with textbook authors from potential publishers, you can get a great deal of information regarding the competitiveness of your contract terms, as well as the level of support they received before publication (e.g., assistance with improving/re-drawing Figures, effective use of color for Figs, assistance with requesting copyright permissions from publishers, ensuring a timely process from final submission to final publication, etc.), and afterwards (e.g., arranging book signing events, contacting other publishers for foreign translations, degree of online/print marketing efforts, etc.). It means a lot to work with a publisher that will offer some degree of personalized service throughout the project - especially for unseasoned book authors like myself!"
Read the rest of Fahlman's advice, and advice from the other 2008 Texty and McGuffey winners
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Australian report shows deteriorating conditions for educational writers
The results of a survey conducted by the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) in late 2007 and early 2008 showed that conditions for Australian writers have deteriorated since 2000 largely due to an increase in digital products. According to the report, the increase in digital products has caused a drop in educational print textbook sales, which in turn has caused publishers to cut costs and consolidate to retain profitability: "To bolster declining profits, publishers have turned on authors and used their market dominance to force them to sign over all copyright, write for a one-off, minimal fixed fee rather than royalties, and forgo their right to additional sources of income such as CAL [Copyright Agency Limited, which administers reprographic rights payments in Australia] payments and Lending Rights payments."
Read the full report
Visit the ASA website
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