The Savvy Self-Publisher, November-December 2008

Tip of the Month:

Just in: an e-mail post that reads "The International Library
of Poetry has just announced that over 1,175 prizes, totaling
$58,000.00, will be awarded in the International Open Amateur
Poetry Contest. The contest is open to everyone, and entry is
free."

Contests like this could be legit... but if you enter, beware
of follow-ups that notify you that your poem has been chosen
not for a cash prize but for inclusion in a book -- that you
must buy for $50 -- or an invitation to attend an upcoming
awards ceremony... at your own expense.

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Lead Story: Google Pays $34 M to Seed "Book Rights Registry"

The good folks at Google have settled a lawsuit brought by
the equally good folks at The Authors Guild and the AAP,
opening the door to make millions of books available online
forever. FMI:

http://books.google.com/booksrightsholders

and

http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSTRE49R71K20081028

Paul Aiken, executive director of the Authors Guild, called
the settlement "the biggest book deal in U.S. publishing
history." He added that a "vast repository of books --
millions upon millions of out-of-print books and many in-print
books -- will find a new home and new readers online."

The new "Book Rights Registry" will be open to self-publishing
authors as well as big publishers.

This is positive, historic news for everyone in the book world.
Please stay tuned to future issues of this bulletin for updates!

Additional Stories for November-December 2008

November 1:

Co-author Danny O. Snow will be interviewed at Carol Denbow's
"A Book Inside" 'Blog on November 1, with Q and A sessions
over the next few days. Please join us:

http://abookinside.blogspot.com

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News to Use:

The Small Publishers Ass'n of North America (SPAN) has published
a good primer on how you can use Facebook to promote your book:

www.spannet.org/article-applequist-facebook.htm

(Ad) You can also join SPAN with a huge "new member discount"
courtesy of U-Publish.com. To get the special discount, you must apply
using the following link:

http://www.u-publish.com/services.htm

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More News to Use:

Self-publishing authors can now use Google Book Search to embed
easy-to-navigate previews of their books on a Web site or blog,
(like uTube videos) which can lead to more orders:

http://www.booktrade.info/i.php/16478

How does this differ from Amazon's "Look Inside" feature?
Danny O. Snow remarks:

-- It's free.

-- Readers can order directly from you, for more income.

-- It's an open platform, not a proprietary system that holds
readers and writers captives of a single bookseller.

For an example, click the "Free Preview" link in the
right-hand column of this page.

The announcement from Google gives authors and publishers an
alternative way to let readers "look inside" their books in
a more open environment.

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Ad: Prove Your Market Before Printing in Bulk

Special services for U-Publish.com visitors help you prove the
market for your book BEFORE you invest in bulk printing:

http://www.u-publish.com/special.htm

Don't get stuck with a garage full of unsold books! Test your
book's public appeal at little or no cost before placing big
print orders.

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Barnes & Noble has introduced its answer to Shelfari, Goodreads
and other social networking sites for books:

http://www.booktrade.info/i.php/17590

Likewise, Lulu.com has struck a deal with http://www.WeRead.com
that benefits authors who self-publish their books at Lulu.

(Ad) Get a free advertising package courtesy of U-Publish.com
when you self-publish a book at Lulu:

http://www.u-publish.com/services.htm

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Please Vote for Our Site!

Please help get U-Publish.com back in the top 101 sites for
writers. Send a message to writersdig@fwpubs.com
with "101 Best Websites" in the subject line. Thanks!

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Quotation of the Month:

"The writer who neglects punctuation, or mispunctuates, is
liable to be misunderstood.... For the want of merely a comma,
it often occurs that an axiom appears a paradox, or that a
sarcasm is converted into a sermonoid."

-- Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1845)

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