Building a Better Book: Tips for Prospective
Textbook Authors
Michele Sordi
Wadsworth Publishing
Acquisitions editors resemble talent scouts. We search for prospective authors
who combine solid research credentials and training, an outstanding teaching
record, and an infectious passion for what they do. Successful
authorswhether newly tenured, established faculty, or promising new
assistant professors whom experienced editors will track until tenurenot
only have the goods, they have the commitment it takes to sustain a writing
project and the ability to deliver it over the long-term. The
consolidation in college publishing in recent years means that there are fewer
editors making decisions about what books to sign and publish and which to
reject. Have you been thinking about writing a textbook? Or, do you have
an idea for one percolating on the back burner? Perhaps youre simply
curious to learn more about how the process works and whats involved?
Below, Ive gathered some of the most frequently asked questions and
misperceptions about textbook publishing, along with some advice for how to
get a project off the ground and into the right publishers hands.
1. Why should I consider writing a textbook?
Editors are always on the lookout for signs of author
potential and evidence of a proven track record. At conventions and on
campus, in phone conversations and via e-mail, were in search of that rare
combination of spark, expertise, and commitment to teaching. How many of
the following indicators apply to you?
- Im not fully satisfied with existing
textbooks for the course; in fact, I have specific ideas about what Id
like to see improved and what Id like to see done differently in a new
book.
- I teach an introductory or upper-level
undergraduate course that gets my students interested in and excited about
my field.
- Ive devised innovative ways to make the
course content come alive for my students.
- In addition to the core text Ive adopted,
Ive created my own course pack or custom publication.
- Im in the process of creating (or have
recently created) a new course for my department.
- Ive been recognized by my department or
university for outstanding teaching. My student teaching evaluations
are consistently strong.
- I am active in my field with a vita that shows
a strong record of current research, journal articles, presentations, and
membership in my fields major organizations.
- Im already tenured or will be up for tenure
within the next year.
- Ive written or coauthored a textbook before
for a different course.
- Ive previously authored an instructor
manual, test bank, or other ancillary materials to accompany a leading
textbook.
- Im on the editorial board of a journal or
publication associated with my field.
- I have a sense of the current trends and
future directions of my field that should be reflected in a new textbook.
- Ive taught this course enough times now and
have tried different texts and methods so that I know what works for
students.
2. Whats the first step in linking up with a
publisher?
This first step actually consists of several
preplanning tasks. Before drafting a proposal and approaching a
publisher, you should closely evaluate the competition, gaining a concrete
understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the leading books on the
market. Peruse your office bookshelves and determine what you like about
your favorite textbooks. Do you find effective chapter-opening or
end-of-chapter features? Eye-catching art? Inviting design? Accessible writing
style? Concrete, relevant examples? Student-centered activities? A helpful
ancillary package? Today, the Internet makes it very easy to access instant
information about competing books on publishers Web sites. You can find
tables of contents, book overviews, reviewer comments, prefaces, sample
chapters, media clips, features lists, and book specs.
Test out your ideas in class with your own students,
and talk with colleagues at your campus and other schools about common course
goals and teaching challenges. What do instructors find most frustrating
about teaching the course? Which topics give students the most trouble?
In which areas do current books fall short in helping instructors
achieve their most important teaching goals? Understanding
the persistent problem areas in a course and where current textbooks fall
short presents an opportunity for the new textbook author who can solve these
teaching needs with a better book.
The next time that publishers representative
stops by to say hello, dont politely brush the rep off. Take a few minutes
and talk with her. Experienced publishers reps are experts about
their own companys books as well as the competition. The rep will be
able to tell you why a book sells or doesnt sell, discuss regional and
national course trends, and explain the impact of new technology. A good
rep can also function as your ally, helping to get your proposal brought to
the attention of a busy editor.
When you attend your next convention, stroll
through the exhibit hall and take advantage of the opportunity to meet
editors, publishing executives, and marketing managers. Depending on how
serious you are about a book project, you might consider setting up an
appointment ahead of time to meet one-on-one with the editor. Talk with
the staff in the booth and ask questions about the books and media on display.
Are books displayed prominently? Is there a good representation of
backlist and frontlist titles? Are catalogs in plentiful supply? Are
reps and booth staff helpful and knowledgeable about their products? Are
the publishers talking with customers? Chances are that what you observe
in the booth is a good indication of the treatment you can expect down the
road for your own book.
After assessing competing books and conducting some informal market research
of your own, youre ready to craft your draft prospectus and determine which
publisher will be the best fit for you and your book. Most editors and
companies have proposal writing guidelines that you can download off the
publishers Web site or request in person from your local publishing
representative. Its a good idea to use the publishers guidelines
as a roadmap for blocking out your proposal as they typically cover important
market and project issues whose importance a first-time author might neglect.
In addition to your narrative prospectus or proposal
(about 5 to 10 pages), youll need to sketch out a detailed table of
contents or book outline that clearly shows all chapter titles, subtopics,
appendices, and other back matter you plan to include in the book. Be
sure to double-space the entire documentone of the first rules of
manuscript preparationand dont identify your name or affiliation. Your
editor will want to keep the review process blind to ensure an
objective, frank evaluation of your proposals strengths and weaknesses.
3. What are pitfalls to avoid in your book proposal?
- Sending unsolicited manuscript or huge e-mail
attachments. Most editors prefer a
brief project description, or outline and prospectus, along with a copy of
your vita. If your entire submission is less than 25 pages, its
fine to send your material by e-mail. But, always send a hardcopy as
well, since e-mail access can be erratic for travelling editors. Sending
a box of unsolicited manuscript or multiple chapter e-mail attachments is
strongly discouraged. Experienced editors will be able to decide the
potential of a project, and whether they want to see more material, based on
a solidly written proposal and vita.
- Ignoring the competition.
Inexperienced authors often state that they never look at the competing
books because of a nave perception that their own projects originality
would be compromised. I cant tell you how many times Ive been in
meetings with prospective authors when the conversation has taken this
near-fatal turn. An authors unfamiliarity with the competition
reveals a lack of understanding of the market and audience for which he or
she intends to write. The more you can demonstrate a solid grasp of
the strengths and shortcomings of current leading books, the more
convincingly youll position your book in relation to leading competitors.
Why would a professor using a proven, leading book be tempted to drop
the current text and switch to yours? To make a compelling case for
your own book, youll need to know your competition, common teaching
challenges, areas of student difficulty, and how your book will provide a
better, innovative alternative.
- Pitching your book for everyone. Theres
no other book like this on the market anywhere. In fact, Ive never
seen a book like the one Im proposing. My book will fit a range of
courses, such as Intro X, upper level courses in Y, as well as courses over
in the Medical School, and anthropology and education departments. The book
will also have broad appeal to professional markets and the lay audience.
Some version of this comment appears in many first draft proposals, and I
cant think of a line that makes an editor wince more (other than the I
dont know the competing books comment above). Once again, this
common pitfall reveals an authors lack of knowledge of the audience and
the market for which he or she is writing. If you cant find a
similar book available anywhere, you might want to consider what this lack
of supply suggests about market demand or market size.
If the course for which you are writing a book
is a newly emerging or growing course, youll want to have hard evidence
(sample syllabi from other campuses, studies or reports, related articles
describing new course trends) to back up your claims of the need for such a
book. A textbook will often appeal to secondary or overlapping
markets, and it may have reach into trade or professional markets. However,
its imperative that you clearly identify the target audience for which
you are writing the book. In the textbook arena, this means that you
must be able to identify the primary course for which your book will be the
core text. A book with diffused objectives will end up fitting no
single course well.
4. How does the review process work?
Depending on the quality and completeness of your
draft proposal, an editor may require changes before agreeing to send it out
for review. When both editor and author are satisfied that the proposal
and outline are in good shape, the editor will commission 4 to 10
presigning reviews (depending on the market size and competitive
landscape) to gather feedback on the projects potential for critical and
commercial success. The review process typically takes 4 to 6 weeks,
including time to line up reviewers, prepare and mail out review packets, and
track reviews as they come in. Its a good idea to get a sense of the
timetable for the reviews up front. By what date will the editor send
your material out for review? When will the reviews be due back to the
publisher? When will copies be sent to you? Do you have a clear
understanding of what the editor hopes to learn from the reviews? In
other words, what will the editor specifically be looking for in the reviews
in order to reach a decision about the books potential for success in the
market? Do you have a sense of what the editor considers a solid
round of reviews 50% positive reviews or 80% positive reviews? Whats
a reasonable target date by which you will want to know whether the publisher
will offer you a contract or decline interest in your book?
When all the reviews are in, the editor will send you
a set of reviews and set a date to discuss them with you. Its a good
idea to prepare for this conversation by taking careful notes as you read the
reviews, noting which comments or criticisms you find helpful and which you
disagree with. Do you find any patterns in the reviewer comments or any
concerns or disagreements with what you have proposed? Be prepared to discuss
the reviews in detail with the editor. This meeting will give you a
preview of what it might be like to work closely together and what you can
expect from the editor in terms of level of detailed attention, support,
creative solutions, guidance, expertise, and flexibility. You can be
certain that seasoned editors will be looking for these same qualities in you!
Assuming that the reviews are encouragingthat is, reviewers indicate that
they would be likely to adopt the proposed text or would seriously consider it
for adoptionthe editor will then nail down a writing schedule, terms, and
proceed to negotiate a contract.
5. What are the hallmarks of a good textbook? What
makes a book marketable?
Its important to recognize that theres a
distinction between a good textbook and a marketable textbook. Not all
good books are commercially successful. Id bet that there are
numerous first edition books lining your shelves that you consider perfectly
respectable in terms of accuracy of content, organization, and style. A
good book may appeal to a narrow segment of a market but fail to meet the
needs of a wider audience. Its your editors job to craft a
strategy for your books critical and commercial success, ensuring that it
is a quality book that gets widely adopted and sells enough copies to satisfy
the publishers investment goals. The development of a textbookits
unique pedagogy, art and photos, media, and supplements packagerepresents a
costly, long-term financial investment by the publisher. Understanding
the basics of your books budget and the publishers financial
expectations will help you partner with your publisher in making decisions
that are best for the success of your book. To reach a second edition, your
textbook will have to meet or come close to meeting the sales targets
established by your editor.
Commercially successful books tend to be ones written
for a specific course that the author successfully teaches. The
authors grasp of common course goals, teaching challenges and areas of
student difficulty is informed by his or her firsthand experience as an
instructor who teaches the course. The book must match the course as it
is commonly taught, while offering obvious improvements and innovations that
make it a better and more exciting alternative to the leading books already
dominating the market. A good book is accessibly written, free of
unnecessary jargon, and replete with interesting, relevant examples. A
good book is crafted with a keen eye to detail so that text, art, pedagogy,
media, and supplements are planned together from page one. Its also
essential that the author complete the book according to schedule, as a book
that suffers from chronic delays risks losing its timeliness, currency, and
competitive edge. Given the high competitiveness and tight margins of
publishing, the book alone is no longer enough. The author and publisher
need to partner in creating a complete course solution delivered via a
combination of text, media, and supplements.
6. With all the books on the market for course X,
why would a publisher want to develop yet another new book for the same
course?
Why would I want to sign with a publisher who already has
other books for the same course? Why would I want to sign with a
publisher who has never published a book for this course before? New
authors confronting this issue need to decide what is most important to them
in an editor and publishing house, and what they expect for their book. Its
important to understand that there are potential benefits and challenges that
come with either of the two scenarios mentioned above. Signing with a
publisher who already has a track record of success publishing in a given
course can benefit your book in several ways. The house has a
demonstrated commitment to the course, and its sales reps and marketing
department know the customers and what it takes to be successful in that
market. Your new book will have the advantage of cross-promotion with
established titles. For any sizeable course, there is always room for
multiple books aimed at different levels of the market (low, mid, and high
level), as well as books that take different conceptual, thematic, or
organizational approaches. The fact that a publisher may publish one or
more books for the same course should not be a deterrent as long as each of
these different booksincluding your proposed bookhas a strong,
compelling story that distinguishes it from the other books on a publishers
list.
Sometimes, its tempting for an author to favor a
publisher who will make his new book that publishers first entry in a given
course or market. As in the scenario above, be sure to get specific
assurances up front about your and the publishers expectations for
development and marketing. What are the publishers goals for entering
a new market? Youll want to see evidence that the publisher has the
resources, creativity, and commitment it will take to establish a successful
new book in a competitive and often crowded marketplace. If your book
marks a publishers debut in a new market, does the publisher have other
strengths it can leverage in helping to establish your book?
7. Is it ethical to send my proposal out to different
publishers at the same time?
As a prospective author, you are free to talk
with and get advice from as many publishers as you wish. It is not
uncommon for an author to submit his proposal to several publishers at the
same time. Doing so can help you gauge your potential working
relationship with different houses. Youll get a realistic view of how
quickly and thoroughly an editor responds to your material, the timeliness and
quality of reviews, the urgency with which your project is treated, and a feel
for whether the editor and publishing house are a good fit for you in the long
term. However, in any presigning situation in which you are sharing your
book proposal with more than one publisher, its vital to assure a fair
process.
To avoid miscommunication, communicate honestly with
all parties about your most important needs and concerns, identify which
publishers you are talking with, ask tough questions, and establish clear
decision-making timetables. When will reviews be commissioned, analyzed,
and discussed? Is an on-site meeting with the publisher necessary, and
if so, when? By when can you expect a decision from the publisher of
intent to offer a contract or decline interest in the project? Do you
have a date by which you want or need to make a decision?
When the honeymoon phase of signing has ebbed, and youre hard at work on
the book, youll want to be confident that the publishing relationship
youve entered into is the one that will support and sustain your efforts
over the long term. Even if you never end up writing a textbook of your
own, understanding some of the nuts and bolts of the process will help you
better appreciate the commitment and contribution made by those of your
colleagues whose names appear on your favorite textbooks.
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