Ask An Editor Why Are Textbooks So Bloody Expensive

Ask An Editor Why Are Textbooks So Bloody Expensive Ask an Editor: How are textbooks made and why are they so damn expensive? Karrin Marie Varucene is a Reedsy editor with seven years of editorial experience, including development editing, copy editing, and proofreading. She gained her editorial start in educational publishing and has since groomed her skills with creative nonfiction manuscripts and digital content marketing.I don’t think anyone ever wakes up one day and thinks, â€Å"I’d like to be an editor of college textbooks.† I certainly didn’t when I decided to pursue a career in publishing. I loved reading, I loved writing, I enjoyed the process of revision - of making something good, better. I envisioned working with famous authors on future bestsellers.It was quite by accident that I stumbled into educational publishing, but with a B.A. in English and having just returned from a year teaching English abroad in China, I found it to be a logical and worthy fit.Despite having used textbooks throughout their education, most people know very little about the textbook busine ss. So here are answers to questions I’m often asked about my work.Where does the idea for a textbook come from?Acquiring a first-edition textbook usually happens one of two ways:1) The author seeks out the publisher, often contacting the Acquisition Editor with a book proposal and sample manuscript. The proposal would, of course, include a summary of the book's content, the course for which it is intended, a list of competing textbooks, and what would make this book different from similar ones on the market (and therefore worth publishing).2) The Acquisition Editor identifies the need for a particular book for a particular course. S/he will go to educational conferences and search for well-established instructors who would be a good fit, based on professional experience, for writing that book.How do you decide what goes into textbooks?While these are certainly primary contributors to the rising cost of textbooks, I would add to this two additional factors:1) Permission to us e the additional materials included to engage students and appeal to a variety of learning styles - anything beyond the text originated by author or Development Editor - will cost the publisher or author. These costs have risen steeply over the years as publishers have to request not only print rights but also now electronic rights for e-book versions of the texts. Those who hold the rights to those materials have watched textbook prices soar and therefore want a larger share of the growing profit pie (see self-perpetuating cycle above).2) Let’s not forget a school’s bookstore, which often adds a hefty markup on top of an already significant list price to turn a profit of its own. Why are textbooks getting more expensive? An academic editor answers that question, and more! So yes, textbooks are expensive. But they also help shape a student’s future, whether teaching him to write a logical, coherent, grammatically correct essay or teaching her the fundamentals of psychology, which may lead her to pursue a career in child psychology. And knowing that I have a hand in shaping those futures? Well, that feels pretty good.What other burning questions would you like to ask an Academic Editor? Drop them in the comments box below and Karrin will do her best to answer them!