Yes, I do other things besides hike, write hiking guides, and blog about hiking.
Like many other outdoors bloggers, I’m a full-time writer. In my case, I’ve made most of my income since leaving college teaching in 1994 by writing supplements and ancillaries — instructor’s manuals, study guides, test questions, Internet exercises, etc — for college textbooks.
A few months ago I decided I wanted to expand my writing and start creating my own products.
The first is my e-book Writing College Textbook Supplements: The Definitive Guide to Winning High-Paying Assignments in the College Textbook Publishing Market.
I’ve pasted my newly minted press release below, and you’ll always see the cover and a link in the this blog’s right-hand column just below my picture.
How does this relate to hiking? Well, as often happens, I get my best inspiration when I’m walking the trails, and that’s where I dictated much of the outline into my digital recorder.
It would help me tremendously if you could:
- pass on the links to my main book site and the Writing College Textbook Supplements blog (see press release below) to anyone you know who teaches or has taught college, or is a freelance writer
- link to either or both of the main Writing College Textbook Supplements sales page or to the Writing College Textbook Supplements blog.
I appreciate any help you can give.
Next post will be directly related to hiking, I promise!
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Former College Instructor Makes Far More Writing for College Textbook Publishers Than He Ever Did Teaching
Mount Shasta, CA May 4, 2009
John Soares, former college instructor and author of over 200 supplements for college textbooks, teaches others how to write textbook supplements in his new book Writing College Textbook Supplements: The Definitive Guide to Winning High-Paying Assignments in the College Textbook Publishing Market.
The major downturn in the economy affects nearly everyone, including those who teach or have taught college.
John Soares, author of the just-released Writing College Textbook Supplements: The Definitive Guide to Winning High-Paying Assignments in the College Textbook Publishing Market, knows how college instructors, ex-college instructors, and freelance writers can beat the recession blues by earning $25-$100 per hour writing supplements for college textbooks.
What exactly are supplements (also called ancillaries and instructional materials)? Here are the most common types:
- Instructor’s manuals
- Student study guides
- Student companion websites
- Test questions
- Internet exercises
- Lecture outlines
- Article exercises
- And many, many others
Most lower-division college textbooks have these, and publishers need motivated people to write them. John Soares shares exactly how to do a great job on all of these projects.
Just as important, he details how to win assignments from editors and how to keep editors happy so they come back to writers again and again with more work.
And John knows what he’s talking about. He’s been doing it since 1992 and it’s given him the freedom to travel and live where he wants, including three years in the Hawaiian Islands. He now lives in his favorite place in the world – the rural mountain region near Mount Shasta in northern California.
And he’s made good money writing supplements – over $63,000 in his best year, and he had plenty of time off to enjoy life.
Business instructor Joy von Skepsgardh says “I feel inspired and empowered after reading the book. I know that what I gained will help my teaching style and allow me to write supplements in my field which will address what students, instructors, and editors want. I have a whole new way to make more money thanks to you.”
Sharon Adams Poore, Senior Development Editor at major textbook publisher Cengage Learning, says “John Soares has written an excellent guide to the art of textbook supplement writing. He thoroughly covers everything you need to know to get projects from editors, and he explains the process of preparing a textbook supplement step by step. If you have ever considered authoring a textbook supplement, I cannot think of anyone more qualified to show you the way than John Soares.”
Discussion of John’s productive textbook supplement writing career and all the details of Writing College Textbook Supplements: The Definitive Guide to Winning High-Paying Assignments in the College Textbook Publishing Market are at http://writingcollegetextbooksupplements.com/.
John also writes the Writing College Textbook Supplements blog at http://writingcollegetextbooksupplements.com/blog/, where he gives advice on how to write supplements and get assignments; he also examines important issues related to college teaching and textbook publishing.
John’s new book offers the opportunity for anyone who has ever taught a college class to make good income in the overlooked field of creating supplements for college textbooks.
For more information and to contact John, visit http://writingcollegetextbooksupplements.com/ and http://writingcollegetextbooksupplements.com/blog/.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
John, I’m impressed that you’ve found a way to earn money doing what you love – which is to say, writing. Good on ya, mate!
Wow, textbook supplements? My freelance work pays for hobbies and family restaurant nights, but I think I’ll pick up your book for my wife, who is finishing her master’s in a few months.
Twitter: @TheJohnSoares
Roy, thanks for your support — I really appreciate it. Best of luck to your wife, and have her contact me if she has any questions.
Gambolin’ Man, thanks for the encouragement. Having a relatively successful freelance writing career has allowed me a lot of freedom, including the freedom to hike and travel.