Member Testimonials

What TAA members value:

Pat Goodson"Twelve years ago, I created (and now direct) POWER Services at Texas A&M University. POWER comprises peer-led support for graduate students’, post-docs’ and junior faculty’s academic writing. Most of our POWER Consultants and I are TAA members. Membership in TAA reminds us we are not alone in our efforts to improve our academic writing - there’s a whole community out there providing support and resources every step of the way. We are better writers because we belong to TAA!"
Pat Goodson, Ph.D., Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence, Texas A&M University, Founding Director of POWER Services (Promoting Outstanding Writing for Excellence in Research), and author of Becoming an Academic Writer: 50 Exercise for Paced, Productive and Powerful Writing (SAGE) (2018 TAA Textbook Excellence Award Winner)

"Being part of the TAA community has helped me become both more productive and more creative—for which I am deeply grateful!"
Michael Greer, Lecturer, University of Arkansas at Little Rock / Faculty Advisor, Gadget Software; textbook author and academic journal editor; English / professional and technical writing


Kenneth Campbell"Since joining TAA, I have discovered numerous valuable suggestions and information through its newsletter and online materials, gained renewed inspiration for writing from belonging to a community dedicated to the mission of helping and encouraging writers, and made valuable connections and contacts at the annual conference. Joining TAA was one of the smartest career decisions I have made in recent years."
Kenneth Campbell, Professor of History, Monmouth University


"I've taught at two non-traditional liberal arts institutions for undergraduates while also working as a writer and series editor. TAA has remained a constant encouraging organization, for which I've turned to regularly for over a decade: for professional development, publication grants, and for a sense of cross-disciplinary community. I love the newsletter with its simple, inspiring, and useful articles that have helped improve my writing and understanding about the business of publishing. TAA feels just the right size, a group that has your back, and it is an organization with whom I plan to remain associated as long as I can type!"
Richard King, Visiting Associate Professor of Maritime Literature and History at the Sea Education Association, author of Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick and other books

"As society becomes more technical, we also can become more isolated, especially in the field of writing. TAA's yearly conference gives authors, like me, the opportunity to connect on that human-to-human level which is so important in maintaining professionalism, integrity, and foremost our enthusiasm in the writing and sharing of our experiences and expertise."
Susan M Ford, RN, MN, CNE, Professor Emeritus, Tacoma Community College, Textbook Author, recipient McGuffey Longevity Award 2018, Health Sciences, Nursing Pharmacology

Audrey Cohan"TAA’s workshops have helped me to identify my short- and long-term writing goals as well as take 'time inventories.' As I now review my writing/work hours, I notice that I am more productive. Since I work collaboratively, I need to hold myself accountable for project deadlines, which means a continuous analysis of my dedicated writing time."
Audrey Cohan, Senior Dean for Research and Scholarship, Molloy College


"TAA came to me in my time of need. I quit a job without another one lined up, so I had to cobble together a sabbatical, through grants and fellowships. Thanks to help from TAA, I published 7 journal articles that year -- and transformed a year of uncertainty into an endowed chair and a tenured full professorship."
Nikolai G. Wenzel, L.V. Hackley Chair for the Study of Capitalism and Free Enterprise, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Fayetteville State University (NC)
 
"I sing the praises of TAA to my academic and author colleagues alike. As a TAA member, I have a community that understands the contributions and challenges of authors as well as access to an array of resources and opportunities that support and augment our work. Through TAA, I am better informed about how the changing publishing world impacts me as a current and future author. I look forward to the conference all year – the sessions, the mentoring, and the chance to greet familiar faces and meet new friends."
Jamie Pope, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, Assistant Professor of Practice in Medicine, Health and Society, Vanderbilt University, Textbook author - Nutrition

Tara Gray"I always say 'TAA is dedicated to keeping academic authors from dying with a book or an article in ‘em.'"
Tara Gray, Ph.D., Director, Teaching Academy, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, New Mexico State University, author of Publish & Flourish: Become a Prolific Author

"I can't think of any faculty-centered, national organization that been as valuable to me as the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA). A colleague at my campus introduced TAA to a group of like-minded faculty by way of a writing seminar that came with a complimentary year’s membership to TAA. That was the best money I’ve never had to spend and I’m glad to say I renewed my membership and have been a paying member ever since. Even though I had written books and articles prior to joining TAA, it soon became clear to me that my publishing life would have been so much more stress-reduced had I joined years earlier. TAA has an amazing variety of resources for authors at any stage of their writing careers, including those who have a dream to be published but have yet to make that a reality. TAA’s annual conference is the best author-focused conference one could hope to find, and of the writing awards I’ve been privileged to receive, TAA’s McGuffey Longevity Award is the one I would grab and take with me – if my office was ever on fire. TAA absolutely delivers on its stated commitment to authors!"

Kent Kaufmann, Associate Professor, Business Law and Ethics, Doermer School of Business, Purdue University-Fort Wayne

Kevin Patton“As in any profession, textbook and academic authoring requires regular and ongoing professional development to help build expertise and benefit from the support of peers. TAA provides solid training in the diverse aspects of authoring as well as a professional network that I can turn to at any time for advice. I can’t imagine life as an author without TAA.”
Kevin Patton Ph.D., Professor (New York Chiropractic College & St. Charles Community College), author of textbooks and manuals in anatomy and physiology. President Emeritus of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society.

“TAA makes me part of a community of authors in many disciplines. Its conferences are the only place where I can have candid conversations with other authors who aren’t competing with me for market share. Conferences, webinars, and our newsletter are fonts of invaluable insight into the textbook industry in a time of market uncertainty and dizzying change; without TAA, I would feel uninformed, bewildered, and largely at the mercy of whatever my publisher chose to tell me, or not to tell me. Knowledge is power, and TAA is my source of industry knowledge. My association with TAA-affiliated legal and accounting experts has also been invaluable to me in understanding and securing my rights as an author.”
Ken Saladin, author of Anatomy & Physiology—The Unity of Form and Function, which became the top-selling college title in McGraw-Hill history and received a 2017 TAA McGuffey Longevity Award

"I am a TAA member because this organization helps me connect with a wide range of academic authors. At the annual in-person meetings, there are multiple opportunities to interact with other participating authors, publishers and legal counsel. It is a time to reconnect with old friends and to enjoy new acquaintances who share great ideas that I can put into practice. I always come away refreshed and ready to start my next project. Throughout the year, TAA online resources and books provide solutions for my authoring challenges. I totally enjoy being part of TAA."
Margaret Reece, author of Craft Your Plan for Learning Physiology, 30-Day Challenge Workbook, 2017

Erin McTigue"TAA has helped me at different points of my career, as well as the transition between careers!  First, as a typical faculty member, attending TAA's conference and using the resources (webinars, articles) gave me inspiration and practical ideas on how to be a more efficient and powerful writer.  Now, as a full-time academic writing coach (and part-time academic), TAA gives me a network of professional writers to learn from and a wealth of resources to recommend to clients."
Erin McTigue, Academic Writing Coach, The Positive Academic, Research Scientist, Norwegian Reading Research Centre, University of Stavanger

"Three years out of a Ph.D. program while teaching in a supportive sociology department, I began to write a textbook for courses on the sociology of sport. If only TAA had been a part of my life at that time. So many mistakes would not have been made! So many headaches would have been avoided! Being a member of TAA is essential for anyone at the beginning of their academic and publishing career. The association provides information from peers who have learned from their experiences and from experts who know the legal and business side of publishing. The list of valuable things I’ve learned through TAA is long and it continues to grow. Being a member is a no-brainer for an academic author."

Jay Coakley, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs; former journal editor and author of 13 editions of Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies. Retired but still doing research and publishing.

Frank Carrano"I am a longtime member of TAA. Until I began attending the annual conferences, I did not realize how valuable TAA could be, nor did I take full advantage of the many benefits of membership. At the conferences, I met TAA’s staff and fellow members. I came away with many ideas for improving my books, resources about contracts and marketing, and a heightened confidence in what I was doing. My books have since won two TAA awards, and I’ve been able to contribute to our community by hosting sessions at recent TAA conferences."
Frank M. Carrano, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, University of Rhode Island, Textbook author in computer science

"At my university, I have few colleagues who understand what it takes to maintain a top-notch textbook. My publisher knows what it takes from the production end, but not from the content creation perspective. Moreover, the publisher has financial interests that may or may not align with the author’s interests, and the revolving door of publisher personnel means authors don’t always have an advocate who knows them well. TAA is the one organization that is always on the author’s side, with great resources and colleagues who know exactly what we need to be successful."
Marielle Hoefnagels, Professor of Biology, University of Oklahoma, author of Biology: Concepts and Investigations and Biology: The Essentials

Lisa Daniels"When I first started writing my textbook, I discovered
Writing and Developing Your College Textbook: A Comprehensive Guide, by Lepionka, Wakely, and Gillen. I read the book, highlighted sections, typed out my own notes, and referred to it regularly over the next two years as I developed my own textbook. I can’t imagine a better guide to writing a textbook! I later discovered that the authors of the book were active members of the TAA organization and was delighted to meet them at my first TAA conference. Since that time, I have enjoyed learning from many TAA members and from an impressive array of resources available to members."
Lisa Daniels, Professor of Economics,Washington College


"Authoring can be a lonely business and authors can share strategies through TAA. We are not alone!"Laura Frost
Laura Frost, Director of Whitaker Center for STEM Education, Professor of Chemistry at Florida Gulf Coast University, and author of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 2e




"TAA is a great writing community. I value the resources like the newsletters and webinars, and of course the interactions with members. I have attended the TAA conference for the past several years and it is my most favorite conference of all that I attend as an academic! TAA is a 'first class' organization that provides a space for learning about writing, publishing, and mentoring others."

Julie Peterson Combs, Professor of Educational Leadership and Director of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, Sam Houston State University

"When we needed help determining our author rights when our publisher was bought by another company, the TAA lawyer met with us (for free) and helped clarify things that we had trouble with."
Rebecca Valette, Professor Emerita of French, Boston College

"TAA gives me a multi-dimensional perspective on textbook and academic publishing. By helping me understand what authors and publishers want and need, it empowers me to do a better job as a freelance editor."
Elsa Peterson

"The academic publishing world need not be cloaked in mystery."
Katie Van Heest, Tweed Editing

"I'm enjoying the resources and the community."
Meggin McIntosh, Author & Coach, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc.

Brittney Rosen"My favorite TAA benefit is the opportunity it provides me to connect with other writers from different disciplines. Through this exposure, I have realized the writing issues I encounter are not singular to me--or my discipline. I value discussing, with other writers, solutions to common writing issues."
Brittany Rosen, Assistant Professor, College of Education, Criminal Justice & Human Services, University of Cincinnati

"This is the most valuable group with which I have ever been involved!"
Frank Afflitto, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Criminology Author

"One of the things I appreciate about being a TAA member is the networking opportunities with other textbook authors. Being an author is a time-consuming and individual endeavor, so it's nice to communicate with other authors about authorship issues. In June [2014] I attended my first TAA conference, and I learned so many useful things I can employ in my writing! Plus the breakout sessions and social events were fantastic."
Al Trujillo, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Earth Sciences at Palomar College, and author or co-author of several textbooks, including Essentials of Oceanography

"I love the annual conferences, the chance to learn from others and to network. TAA is a treasure trove of useful information!"
Joanne Cooper, Professor Emeritus, University of Hawaii, Manoa, and coauthor of several books on the topics of writing, leadership and education

"TAA provides a like-minded community for people to share ideas, advice, and commiseration."
Steven Barkan, Professor of Sociology at the University of Maine, Vice President/President-elect of TAA, and 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)

Mike Kennamer"Having been a textbook and academic author for 12 years, I wish I had discovered TAA earlier in my writing career. Although I have been a member of TAA for only a few years, it is one of the few organization s to which I belong that I have received both immediate and continued benefit. Whether dealing with tax issues, copyright questions, royalties, contracts, or simply connecting with fellow authors, TAA is my go-to organization."
Mike Kennamer, Director of Workforce Development at Northeast Alabama Community College, TAA Council Secretary, and author of textbooks, workbooks, instructor resources, and academic articles for the healthcare field

"I have used the TAA model contract to improve my own contracts, and have been very impressed with the legal referrals I have had from TAA."
Pat McKeague, Owner of XYZ Textbooks and MathTV.com

"The resources on the TAA website have been incredible. I am truly grateful to have been introduced to this association."
Eric J. Schmieder, Professional Educator, Author & Presenter in Computer Technology

Dannelle Stevens"The TAA newsletter and numerous other benefits are a rich resource for faculty struggling to keep up with the changing world of academic writing."
Dannelle D. Stevens, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Portland State University, author or coauthor of several books and numerous journal articles, and PSU Faculty-in-Residence for Academic Writing in the Office of Academic Innovation, where she has created the Jumpstart Academic Writing Program involving over 60 faculty practicing and publishing academic writing

"I am a TAA member because I feel that I am a member of a community consisting of tremendously talented and brilliant individuals."
Julia Lobur, coauthor of The Essentials of Computer Organization and Architecture

"TAA is the only professional organization that meets my needs as a textbook author. I feel fortunate to be a member!"
Darla Ferris Miller, author of Positive Child Guidance

"As a PhD student, the resources made available to improve my writing have made a big difference in getting several articles published in leading journals."
- Bill Cleveland


"For more than 25 years, TAA has made me feel such support, gave me access to such expertise, and surrounded me with colleagues going through what I was going through -- such a great asset." 
Robert Christopherson, Professor Emeritus of Geography, American River College, author of the leading physical geography texts in the US and Canada


I am a TAA member because...

We invite you to share how TAA membership has helped you boost your writing & publishing success. Email your testimonial along with your name, title, college/university/company (if applicable), and/or whether you are a textbook author and in what field, and/or your writing field, to Membership Coordinator Bekky Murphy at [email protected]