How to write a textbook for your students?

Writing a textbook is daunting at first glance, but it is also very fulfilling. Whether you are a teacher or not, there are probably many reasons why you should create your textbook. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it.

Why write a textbook?

It wasn’t straightforward to publish a textbook until a few years ago. You had to know the publishing world well and go through many intermediaries: proofreader, graphic designer, publisher, bookseller…
Nowadays, anyone with a good knowledge of a subject can try to write their textbook. Some academics, for example, want to disseminate their expertise on a large scale.
Teachers, put off by expensive textbooks, may want to print their books. It is also an opportunity for homeschooling parents to produce an ideally suited text for their children.
Creating an educational book gives you the freedom to define the knowledge, exercises and concepts you want to teach your student(s).

Defining the theme of your textbook

Of course, creating a textbook that deals with your favourite subject is highly recommended. You may also want to write a book that brings together several topics, for example, Latin and Greek or physics and earth sciences.
In this case, don’t hesitate to surround yourself with people who can fill in the gaps in your knowledge of a subject. Once you know the theme of your book, you need to define the audience for it.
Are you aiming at primary, secondary or university students? Also, decide on the mainline of your book.
The preparation work
Before you start creating the actual content of your book, it is strongly recommended that you do some market research. Discuss your project with others to find out what teachers and parents want.
Finally, it is imperative to talk about it with the main stakeholders: the pupils.

• What do they like/dislike about current textbooks?
• What would give them more motivation to learn the lessons?
• Which exercises are likely to appeal to them?
As you write, feel free to offer several pages for students to read. This way, you will get real-time feedback and know how to adapt the writing of your textbook.

Writing the textbook content

Now you are ready to tackle the biggest part: writing the book! Be aware that this will take dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of work.
Give yourself a time slot during which you will work on your book. You can use writing software to guide you day by day.

Reliable and verified sources

Writing a textbook is a fundamental responsibility. Unlike a novel, you can’t just write down every idea that pops into your head.
You are going to be involved in the education of your students. This means that you will have to be particularly thorough in your research and validation of information.
Be highly detailed and do not rely on your knowledge, even if you are confident in it. Read many books on the same subject, seek advice from professionals in the field…
You can’t write a textbook like a novel on the fly. It would be best if you structured your book chapter by chapter.
Start by making a list of all the concepts you want to cover. Then think about how they will fit together to form the different chapters.
• Will the chapters be independent of each other?
• Will there be an exercise phase at the end of each part?
• Will the level become more and more difficult as you read?
A textbook should be organised logically. Only then will you convey your knowledge correctly to the students.
Pay particular attention to the title (headings and subheadings), and do not hesitate to insert boxes throughout the textbook. Summary sheets at the end of the book are also a good idea.

Formatting your textbook

For your book to be interesting to read, it needs to be attractively formatted. Long paragraphs are not very popular with students. Remember that teaching used to be done by oral tradition. Your text should be lively so that the students can retain it. To do this, work on your writing style: it should be fluid and easy to read, with short sentences.
Also, try to include lots of photos and illustrations. Please note: your images must be free of copyright to be used. This is especially important in the case of a textbook that will be widely distributed.
It is essential to include graphs, timelines and other diagrams. Ideally, it would help if you created them yourself. This is possible with software such as Canva, Illustrator.

Publish your textbook

Once you have put the finishing touches on your book, you need to print and publish it.

Using a publishing house

The easiest way to get your book into the bookshops is to publish it. To do this, you will need to make a list of publishing houses that may be interested in your book.
Focus on those who specialise in textbooks. You will need to print several copies of your manuscript and send them to the different publishing houses.

Print your textbook

Trust the online printing site doxzoo.com to print your textbook. You will have access to a whole range of customisation options: choice of binding, format, paper, cover…

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