What People Are Saying

What Readers and Reviewers Have to Say about Writing and Developing Your College Textbook!

QUOTES about Writing and Developing Your College Textbook FROM READERS AND REVIEWERS (updated June 8, 2006).

"If you have ever toyed with the idea of writing a textbook (or just want to understand the process by which they are written) this is the book to get. (I wish I had read this book four years ago before I wrote my textbook. I probably would have been a little less frustrated about the relationship with the publisher.) Lepionka's goal is 'to empower authors' and I would say that she accomplishes this in fourteen chapters.

Lepionka starts with an overview of how a textbook gets published. With excellent diagrams, she describes the phases of the process, the different types of books (e.g., text vs. reference vs. professional vs. trade) and how to find an appropriate publisher. She provides numerous web links for current data. She gives clear guidelines on how to prepare the initial prospectus and outline, how to manage the signing process, and high tech trends in publishing (e.g., ebooks and custom publishing).

The key theme that Lepionka emphasizes is that your work is not over when you deliver the manuscript. You have to work with the editor to revise and fine tune. Lepionka makes a clear and convincing case for politically correct language (which must be understood as avoiding unnecessarily offensive language). Helpful guidelines for good writing are given (or to get it out of the passive voice), Lepionka gives helpful guidelines for good writing.
Additional topics covered include pedagogy, critical thinking, controlling length, permissions, diagrams and how to function in the role of a peer reviewer. Again, the key is to maintain a close relationship with the publisher."

--T. L. Brink, Ph.D., M.B.A., Crafton Hills College, California

"I wanted to let you know that Writing and Developing Your College Textbook has been an invaluable guide for us this summer as my co-author and I drafted the writing outline and TOC for a textbook manuscript, which we hope will be our first foray into the textbook writing enterprise. I must have read your book many times over now, with chapters 7, 9, and 10 especially firmly imprinted in my brain. In June, after finishing reading it in two days, I insisted my co-author purchase a copy for herself, and put our discussions on hold until she had read it as well. She agreed it was "chock full of useful insight." We have used it as a guide at every one of our meetings since then. We are trying the question approach for the A-headings, which in surveying the current introductory chemistry textbooks is atypical; however, we think it is going to work for us. We are excited about our feature strands and have outlined those along with each chapter as well....I love your writing style and only wish I had that kind of command of the English language. Thanks for writing Writing and Developing Your College Textbook."

--Denise Guinn, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry, Regis University

"Mary Ellen Lepionka's book, Writing and Developing Your College Textbook, is an indispensible resource for aspiring textbook authors. It is the only book that provides essential information and suggestions regarding every step of the publishing process, including understanding the textbook industry, selling your prospectus to publishers, writing, editing, developing, and more. Clearly and concisely written, Writing and Developing Your College Textbook equips its readers with the information, and subsequently the confidence, to succeed as textbook authors. I can't imagine proposing or writing a textbook without it."

--Andy Pomerantz, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

"Lepionka examines the steps that need to be taken to publish a textbook. Assuming that her readers are experts in their fields but novices in the field of publishing, she reviews the publishing process and takes them step by step through the process of writing and publishing a textbook, including how to get a manuscript accepted by a publisher. Chapters treat a variety of topics, e.g., copyright permission, chapter assignment, pedagogy and text development, revising, image selection, and schedule management. Lepionka includes a detailed glossary of publishing terms and a bibliography listing books, Web sites, and periodicals useful in writing and publishing textbooks. Although at points the writing is technical (and needs to be), the book is well laid out and easy to follow. A useful acquisition for libraries...."

-- M. Lorenzen, Central Michigan University, for CHOICE Magazine

"There aren't many books about textbooks and the ones that do exist tend to be rather theoretical. This one is very practical. You can tell it isn't written by a hack: the book is full of concrete details based on experience. As a textbook publisher myself, I feel confident in saying that no prospective textbook authors could read this without profit - and I doubt any experienced authors could either."

-- Anthony Haynes. Continuum, London

"Writing and Developing Your College Textbook by Mary Ellen Lepionka (a veteran development editor in higher education publishing for more than twenty years) is a straightforward guide to creating easy-to-understand, comprehensive, well-thought-out, accessibly organized textbooks for college-level courses. Individual chapters cover how to publish the text manuscript, as well as the importance of structure, ways ot make drafting and revising easier, the right way to acquire permissions when needed, and much, much more. Writing and Developing Your College Textbook is very highly recommended for aspiring textbook writers regardless of the subject matter of the book itself." 

-- Posted on Amazon.com

"Writing and Developing Your College Textbook is an absolutely essential guide for first-time textbook authors and extremely valuable for all academic writers."

-- Nancy Johnson Black, Chair, Social Science Department, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN

"...Offers insights for new and seasoned writers alike. It includes tips not only on writing clearly and effectively, but can also help guide authors in their dealings with publishers."
-- Julie C. Benyo, Director, Education Initiatives, WGBH, Boston

"Mary Ellen Lepionka's insights into the textbook development process are not only insightful but also extremely savvy. I can't imagine a textbook writer moving ahead without consulting it first."

-- Fran Mascia-Lees, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief, American Anthropologist, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY

"I recently bought your book and have just finished reading it! It contains a lot of good information about the publishing process in general and about the mechanics of writing a textbook in particular. Your enthusiasm for the textbook writing/publishing process was evident throughout the book. Writing a textbook can seem like an overwhelming proposition. What I especially appreciated about your book is the 'I can do this' feeling that you were able to engender in me as I was reading. I'm sure your book will be very helpful to me as I actually write my textbook..."

-- David W. Denton, Ph.D., Associate Professor Psychology and Interim Dean, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN

"[Writing and Developing Your College Textbook] is wonderful! Just what EVERYONE involved needs for the author to know! Glad to see your great [web] site, too. Congratulations and best wishes with this great venture!"

-- Nan Fornal, Executive Director, The Writers' Room of Boston, Inc.

"I picked up a copy of your book and I wanted to drop you a note saying how much I liked it. I'm in the middle of writing a textbook for a major publisher and I wish I had read your book before I began."

-- Name withheld on request

"Lepionka, a veteran development editor in higher education publishing, empowers academic authors and textbook writers to undertake textbook development on their own. She shows how to interest a publisher in a manuscript and how to negotiate an agreement, then gives advice on establishing an authorial voice, organizing the materials, controlling length, and graphics. Appendices list publishers and resources for custom publishing, self-publishing, and legal and business advice."

-- Jane Erskine, Editor, Reference & Research Book News

"There are many books available on writing, publishing, and marketing your book. However, if you are preparing a book that you intend to be adopted by a college as a textbook, then most of those other books are of minimal value. The writing, publishing and acceptance of a college textbook is a unique undertaking. Writing and Developing Your College Textbook walks the potential author through the process of publishing your textbook. The Text takes you through the unique prerequisites for getting a publisher interested in your college textbook, use of an author team, knowing the market, the prospectus, and book outline. Then it walks you through the signing process and negotiating an agreement, book development, reaching your audience, creation of chapter apparatus, and all the various other details that must be attended to in order for your textbook to be successful. This is easily the single best book I have seen for the collegiate publishing market and a recommended read for anyone wishing to produce a college textbook."

-- Harold McFarland, Readers Preference Reviews, also appearing in Reviewers Bookwatch,The Midwest Book Review, and Book Review Index

"Thanks for posting on the TAA [Text and Academic Author Association] list server about your book. I bought it and am very impressed by your coverage of the many aspects of development. I am on my second draft of a first edition intro math text for a major publisher. I'll use many of your pointers in the development of my text."

-- Reva Narsimhan, Kean University, Kean, NJ

"Probably many readers...have textbooks in progress... This reviewer very much recommends Mary Ellen Lepionka's packed and concise guidebook to them... Lepionka distills twenty years in the publishing business into a helpful guidebook of do's and don'ts, resources, and contextualizing discussion... Experience helps Lepionka to put herself in the place of an author and see the questions and issues from both sides... Lepionka's own voice is the voice of the helpful but direct editor that writers all crave." -- Michael R. Mosher, Saginaw Valley State University, University Center, MI, for Leonardo Digital Reviews (MIT Press). For the full review click here.