Event Report, Kitakyushu Chapter May 2017

In his presentation, Todd discussed the realities of publishing language learning material in the Japanese market, arguing that in order to successfully establish a publishing career in Japan one must remain aware of the needs and goals of publishers, editors, and sales representatives of publishing companies. The business realities are often not on the minds of potential authors when developing educational materials, but authors need to be willing to listen to publishers and editors throughout the publishing process, as these individuals are often considering many other market factors of which educators may not have full or sufficient knowledge. Todd also offered his advice in regards to the textbook material itself, including making sure to carefully increase the difficulty as the textbook progresses, keeping the content length manageable, maintaining a consistent interface, and mastering the art of developing content that can be applied to a variety of educational contexts.