Writing textbooks

Course details

Textbooks are often perceived as dry, boring and yet, are essential reading for tens of thousands of students. The trick to writing an engaging and effective textbook is to be informative, comprehensible and comprehensive while imparting a sense of excitement in the subject area.

In this workshop, we'll look at:

Planning for your textbook

Understanding the audience and being clear about your approach to the topic
Structuring the book and looking at approaches in your genre
Understanding the competition: Analysing what works well and where gaps are
Fulfilling curriculum requirements and keeping the content broad and wide enough
Creating effective learning exercises: understanding objectives, exercises, focus issues and case studies
Effective review, self-assessment, Reading reference sections
Making it multimodal: Recognise that it's not just about the information but also the way its conveyed.
Language and production concerns

Finding the right voice and language level
Understanding the use of illustration devices: The power of type and pictures.
Filling in the gaps: Illustrations, extra resources (printed and digital)
Looking at other platforms: printed vs digital
Updating information: How current is your material?ABOUT THE TRAINER: SHELLEY KENIGSBERG
Shelley Kenigsberg
Shelley Kenigsberg is a prominent freelance editor, writer and trainer. She runs S K Publishing (working with a range of private and publishing clients) and her Editing in Paradise masterclass programs began in 2009. These programs cover Life Writing and Memoir, and self-editing masterclasses and are held in Australia and Bali. She is currently involved in training editors, mentoring writers, and editing and writing for trade, corporate, academic and educational, government and private clients.

Shelley is Head of the Macleay Diploma in Book Editing and Publishing and has delivered the course for the past 23 years. She has developed and presented courses for writers centres (Northern Rivers WC, Northern Territory WC, NSW WC, Tasmanian WC, Qld WC); Asia-Pacific Writing Partnership; Societies of Editors, Style Council, Institute of Professional Editors conferences, Distance Education for the Open Learning Conference in Australia; writers festivals in Indonesia (Ubud Writers Festival 200412) and language and corporate institutes overseas (Indonesia, Japan and South Africa). Shelley is a founding member of Professional Editors Association (NSW), was President of the NSW Society of Editors from 200103, Vice- President in 2004, Chair of the Accreditation Board and active in other national initiatives through the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd).

For more information, please visit: www.editinginparadise.com

REGISTRATION DETAILS
10% discount for Kinokuniya Privilege Card Members!
Please register for the workshop via alap@bookcouncil.sg with workshop title, name, membership and contact no. to enjoy the discount.

Minimum Maximum Number of Participants: 10 30 pax
Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis and workshop fees must be paid before the workshop. If the minimum number of participants is not met for the class, the organisers will inform all participants about possible postponement and cancellation of workshop, two weeks before the workshop date.

All ALAP workshops serve tea-breaks and provide course handouts.

Cancellation & Substitution
Fees paid are non-refundable but transferable. Fees will be refunded in the event of a cancellation of workshop if participant wishes not to transfer the fees which have been paid to another workshop Requests for cancellation must be made two weeks before the workshop date. A cancellation charge of 50% of the full course fee will be applicable for requests made later than two weeks before the workshop date. Upon registration, you are deemed to have read and understood the registration procedures and accepted the terms contained therein.

Registration opens on 1 April 2015