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Stay up to date with the events and knowledge that are shaping the publishing industry.
Celebrate National Grammar Day by Debunking Some Common Grammar Myths
March 4th marks National Grammar Day in the United States. Started by author Martha Brockenbrough, the founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, National Grammar Day was officially recognized by George W. Bush in 2008, and has been celebrated annually...
A Crash Course on the Public Domain Care of Mickey Mouse
After 95 years of perhaps the strictest copyright protection this side of bulletproof glass, Mickey Mouse is now entering the public domain – sort of. The original “Steamboat Willy” version of Walt Disney’s crown jewel of intellectual property officially enters the...
Closing the Gap, One Step at a Time
February 11, 2024 marks the ninth annual U.N. General Assembly’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Now, more than ever, girls’ horizons are expanding, allowing them to make their marks in fields in which they have historically been underrepresented....
Writing Prompts to Unlock Your Creativity
Ideas may seem hard to come by, whether you're attempting to start a new writing project or are experiencing writer's block in the middle of one. Writing prompts are invaluable. Use this list of creative writing prompts to flex your creative writing muscles as you...
Academic Journal Submission Tips
Many academics will submit their work to academic journals at some point in their careers. For those pursuing tenure, success in publishing may be the most important factor determining whether they receive promotion and tenure. Few will understand the thought...
What Does ChatGPT Bring to the Editorial World?
On March 16, 2023, ACES, The Society for Editing, hosted a webinar on ChatGPT, calling on the expertise of Samantha Enslen (former ACES board member and writer) and Corinne Jorgenson, COO of Redpoint AI Engineering and Consulting. Enslen and Jorgenson gave a general,...
Getting the Word Out: Social Media Tips and Tricks for Authors
Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that in today’s world, social media is an integral part of how information is spread across society—and that very much includes authors who are looking to share their work with an audience. This opens the door for a...
Hardbacks or Paperbacks: What’s the Right Choice for You?
While the common consensus is that publishing is moving further and further into the ebook market, physical media is still alive. Sales of physical books saw increases in 2020 and 2021 thanks to the pandemic lockdown, and while sales were overall down 6.5 percent in...
How Long Should My Novel Be?
When you set out to write anything for publication, one of the key things you should ask yourself is “how long should this be?” There are several things that factor into answering this question, from age demographic to genre to narrative form. No matter what you’re...
How to Procure a Cover Designer for Your Book
You should never judge a book by its cover, but that won’t prevent potential readers from passing over your book if they don’t like its cover artwork and design. So how can you commission a book cover that both attracts readers’ attention and accurately communicates...
Before You Start Writing Your Book: Twenty Things to Consider About Your Story
Are you considering writing a book? Maybe you have a vague idea of a story you’d like to tell, but you aren’t quite sure, or maybe you have a solid idea of what you want to write, but … What might you be missing? When I started writing my (still unfinished) book a few...
Get to Know the Technica Staff: Bonnie Goslen
Each month, we will interview one employee to get their opinions on the publishing industry, hear what it’s like to work at Technica, and learn a little bit about them. This month we are interviewing Bonnie Meyer, an editorial assistant who started working with us after graduating from UNC this May. This is your first publishing job. Did you always want to...
Cambridge University Press and the Issue of Censorship in China
Noted UK-based publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP) recently came under fire after removing over 300 articles from The China Quarterly, a leading scholarly publication in Chinese studies. The articles that were blocked discussed topics including the 1989 massacre at Tiananmen Square, Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution and its disastrous aftermath, as...
ISMTE Recap: Open Access, Sense About Science USA, and Preprints
Last week, the International Society of Managing and Technical Editors held its annual meeting in Denver. The event marked a 10-year anniversary for ISMTE, and organizers rose to the occasion, packing the schedule full of thoughtful, engaging presentations on topics that were relevant at both the industry and the individual publisher levels. This year’s...
Get to Know the Technica Staff: Chloe Tuck
Each month, we will interview one employee to get their opinions on the publishing industry, hear what it’s like to work at Technica, and learn a little bit about them. This month we are interviewing Chloe Tuck, a managing editor at Technica. When she’s not at work, she’s either performing improv comedy or working on a screenplay. This is your first job in...
Who are the Peers in Peer Review?
So much of scholarly publishing has been built on the promise that articles are reviewed and recommended by peers. For most journals in science research, authors tend to go through a rigorous peer review process before their paper comes close to publication. Yet, recent reports have indicated problems in the peer review process. Earlier this year,...
Keys to Managing Misconduct Accusations
It should come as no surprise to anyone reading this that misconduct is as prevalent in scholarly publishing today as it has ever been. There are whole websites and blogs dedicated to finding wrongdoing in this industry. When you are the scholarly publisher, how do you proceed when potential wrongdoing is first brought to your attention? The first step in...
Get to Know the Technica Staff: Harry Weisbecker
Each month, we will interview one employee to get their opinions on the publishing industry, hear what it’s like to work at Technica, and learn a little bit about them. This month we are interviewing Harry Weisbecker, who is currently working his first publishing job here at Technica. He has enjoyed the two-plus years of experience he has received and owes...
All Hail the Open Access Button
Scholarly publishing has seen numerous innovations over the last few years. With journals branching more and more into open access and self-publishing options, publishers are always looking for a new way to stay ahead of the curve. The latest trend being employed by publishers: internet browser extensions. Within the last five years, multiple...
Get to Know the Technica Staff: Rachel Wright
Each month, we will interview one employee to get their opinions on the publishing industry, hear what it’s like to work at Technica, and learn a little bit about them. This month we are interviewing Rachel Deary, a senior editor and occasional copyeditor here at Technica Editorial. She never imagined choosing this career, but enjoys her work and helping...
Get to Know the Technica Staff: Anne Brenner
Each month, we will interview one employee to get their opinions on the publishing industry, hear what it’s like to work at Technica, and learn a little bit about them. This month we are interviewing Anne Brenner, who has served as an associate editor at Technica Editorial for the past four years after having graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2011. She is...