Lonnie Hicks, in his blog, is tackling the issue of how to write the great American novel. An ambitious project indeed. Intended to be part of his outline chapters for his new book on this topic, Hicks takes us through a mini-course with concrete information, suggestions and exercises. An interesting one is "Writing the One Page Novel."
He shows us how that works, invites us to try and best of all shows us right on the page how to write one. Then each reader can submit their effort and Hicks promises to read them and evaluate them with "a two sentence evaluation."
This sounds like fun.
The mini-course has 11 points to make us all excellent writers and famous.
Ok, let see what comes of this.
Hicks publishing is a start up publishing company and media company, aligned with smashgrabnow.com and H2 Advertising.
Website: http://www.lonniehicks.com/
Sunday, February 28, 2010
North Wind Publishing Is Now Accepting Book Proposals
North Wind Publishing is accepting non-fiction manuscript proposals in the following subjects: Nautical (boating, cruising, navigation, boat repair, etc.), Outdoor Sports (kayaking, canoeing, hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, etc.), and Christian Non-Fiction.
Already published are NOAA's 2010 Tide Tables and Tidal Current Tables in Book form. Tide Tables and Tidal Current Tables are used for Navigation and are required by the U.S. Coast Guard aboard all passenger vessels navigating in U.S. waters. Many private boat owners also use the tables when embarking on longer cruises.
If you have written a non-fiction book, or have an idea for a book, please send a proposal via e-mail to contactNWDP@gmail.com or through regular mail including a writing sample (please do Not send an entire manuscript) to North Wind Publishing, Attn: Editor, P.O. Box 8, Belfast, ME 04915.
Visit North Wind Publishing's website at http://www.nwdpbooks.com/ to order 2010 NOAA Tide Tables and Tidal Current Table Books (world wide coverage) or call 207-542-0180.
Already published are NOAA's 2010 Tide Tables and Tidal Current Tables in Book form. Tide Tables and Tidal Current Tables are used for Navigation and are required by the U.S. Coast Guard aboard all passenger vessels navigating in U.S. waters. Many private boat owners also use the tables when embarking on longer cruises.
If you have written a non-fiction book, or have an idea for a book, please send a proposal via e-mail to contactNWDP@gmail.com or through regular mail including a writing sample (please do Not send an entire manuscript) to North Wind Publishing, Attn: Editor, P.O. Box 8, Belfast, ME 04915.
Visit North Wind Publishing's website at http://www.nwdpbooks.com/ to order 2010 NOAA Tide Tables and Tidal Current Table Books (world wide coverage) or call 207-542-0180.
Us Justice Department Rejects Google Book Settlement
The US Justice Department determined that copyright and antitrust issues haven't been adequately addressed in the latest proposed settlement between Google and authors and publishers in the ongoing copyright infringement suit against the online giant.
The lawsuit, now in its fifth year of litigation, claims that Google is breaching artist copyright by attempting to digitally scan copyrighted books and include them in the Google books online repository.
The Author's Guild, for its part, is trying to settle the case with Google instead of wasting legal funds and energy to win empty victories similar to what the RIAA did with Napster and Grokster, the Guild said in a statement on its website.
However, the Open Book Alliance, a group opposed to the settlement that includes Amazon, Microsoft, and Yahoo, was pleased with the rejection of the latest deal.
Read more about this story at Book Publishing Industry Today:
Latest Google Book news - http://books.einnews.com/news/google-book
Latest Authors Guild news - http://books.einnews.com/news/authors-guild
The lawsuit, now in its fifth year of litigation, claims that Google is breaching artist copyright by attempting to digitally scan copyrighted books and include them in the Google books online repository.
The Author's Guild, for its part, is trying to settle the case with Google instead of wasting legal funds and energy to win empty victories similar to what the RIAA did with Napster and Grokster, the Guild said in a statement on its website.
However, the Open Book Alliance, a group opposed to the settlement that includes Amazon, Microsoft, and Yahoo, was pleased with the rejection of the latest deal.
Read more about this story at Book Publishing Industry Today:
Latest Google Book news - http://books.einnews.com/news/google-book
Latest Authors Guild news - http://books.einnews.com/news/authors-guild
Sunday, February 21, 2010
PubMatic Launches Expansive New Platform Giving Publishers More Opportunities to Monetize
PubMatic (http://www.pubmatic.com/), the company that provides online publishers -- including the majority of the comScore Top 10 -- with the tools and services to significantly increase revenue and better manage their advertising inventory, today unveiled a revolutionary new set of offerings to give publishers more revenue generating opportunities and more control over their brand. For the first time ever, sales and ad operations teams can manage all ad revenue from a single dashboard and gain new insights into inventory and pricing across non-guaranteed and guaranteed inventory channels. This will allow publishers to find new ways of selling existing inventory and improve the value of the inventory sold by their direct sales force.
Online publishers will benefit from PubMatic Premier's six core elements of technology and services, including: Impression-Level Ad Auction: Delivers every source of demand for non-guaranteed inventory into a unified, impression-level auction that ensures the most money for every ad impression. The auction includes over 400 ad networks, the largest pool of Real Time Bidding buyers available, and insertion orders sold directly by the publisher's sales force.
Global Demand Representation: PubMatic represents publishers to ad networks and exchanges with feet on the ground in seven global locations while managing creative policy and revenue requirements.
Audience Analytics & Monetization: Aggregates data from leading data providers such as in market data exchange BlueKai, targeting data marketplace eXelate, Rapleaf, and audience segmentation platform provider Red Aril, for improved audience insight, audience acquisition, and re-targeting. PubMatic provides publishers' direct sales forces with audience targeting solutions for higher CPMs and sell-through of guaranteed ad inventory.
Brand Control & Data Safety: Provides comprehensive tools and service to protect the publisher's brand – automated blocklist and malware detection, pixel identifier, real-time ad quality screening and more.
Guaranteed Inventory Yield Management: Enables sales and ad operations to manage all ad revenue from a single dashboard and gain new insights into inventory and pricing. PubMatic integrates directly with the industry's leading ad servers.
Enterprise Ad Operations Support: Includes a dedicated service team to consult on campaign trafficking and delivery, provide consolidated payments, and ongoing industry insights.
"Publishers require a new set of tools to capitalize on emerging revenue opportunities such as RTB ad exchanges and data monetization platforms within the context of their existing premium and non-premium display sales channels," said William Morrison, Partner and Sr. Internet Analyst at ThinkEquity Partners. "PubMatic's new platform should help publishers keep pace amid the increasing sophistication of ad buyers and a complex array of monetization opportunities."
"Publishers have never had so much innovation and so many new opportunities to increase the value of their ad inventory and maintain control of their brand as they do today," said Rajeev Goel, Co-founder and CEO of PubMatic. "However, taking advantage of those opportunities can be complex without the right tools in place to simplify the process, and PubMatic Premier brings together the tools and services publishers need in one solution."
Online publishers will benefit from PubMatic Premier's six core elements of technology and services, including: Impression-Level Ad Auction: Delivers every source of demand for non-guaranteed inventory into a unified, impression-level auction that ensures the most money for every ad impression. The auction includes over 400 ad networks, the largest pool of Real Time Bidding buyers available, and insertion orders sold directly by the publisher's sales force.
Global Demand Representation: PubMatic represents publishers to ad networks and exchanges with feet on the ground in seven global locations while managing creative policy and revenue requirements.
Audience Analytics & Monetization: Aggregates data from leading data providers such as in market data exchange BlueKai, targeting data marketplace eXelate, Rapleaf, and audience segmentation platform provider Red Aril, for improved audience insight, audience acquisition, and re-targeting. PubMatic provides publishers' direct sales forces with audience targeting solutions for higher CPMs and sell-through of guaranteed ad inventory.
Brand Control & Data Safety: Provides comprehensive tools and service to protect the publisher's brand – automated blocklist and malware detection, pixel identifier, real-time ad quality screening and more.
Guaranteed Inventory Yield Management: Enables sales and ad operations to manage all ad revenue from a single dashboard and gain new insights into inventory and pricing. PubMatic integrates directly with the industry's leading ad servers.
Enterprise Ad Operations Support: Includes a dedicated service team to consult on campaign trafficking and delivery, provide consolidated payments, and ongoing industry insights.
"Publishers require a new set of tools to capitalize on emerging revenue opportunities such as RTB ad exchanges and data monetization platforms within the context of their existing premium and non-premium display sales channels," said William Morrison, Partner and Sr. Internet Analyst at ThinkEquity Partners. "PubMatic's new platform should help publishers keep pace amid the increasing sophistication of ad buyers and a complex array of monetization opportunities."
"Publishers have never had so much innovation and so many new opportunities to increase the value of their ad inventory and maintain control of their brand as they do today," said Rajeev Goel, Co-founder and CEO of PubMatic. "However, taking advantage of those opportunities can be complex without the right tools in place to simplify the process, and PubMatic Premier brings together the tools and services publishers need in one solution."
Barnes and Noble to Launch Tikatok Children's Publishing Website
Barnes and Noble, Inc. announced it has unveiled its plans for Tikatok, a children's book publishing website, which it acquired in September.
Created in collaboration with a team recruited from MIT University, Barnes & Noble said that Tikatok is the first Internet publishing platform for children. The site, which serves parents with children between the ages of 5 and 12, offers a safe studio environment for budding child authors, complete with a patent-pending StorySparks system that helps to walk children through the process of creating and writing stories.
Barnes and Noble said its plans include a series of piloted events for kids in various Barnes & Noble stores throughout the country, in which children will learn the process of writing, illustrating and publishing their own books.
Events will take place on the following dates:
Friday, March 12, at 12:30 p.m. at the Upper East Side Barnes and Noble in New York City;
Sunday, April 11, at 1 p.m. at the Barnes and Noble in Oxford Valley, Pennsylvania.
Created in collaboration with a team recruited from MIT University, Barnes & Noble said that Tikatok is the first Internet publishing platform for children. The site, which serves parents with children between the ages of 5 and 12, offers a safe studio environment for budding child authors, complete with a patent-pending StorySparks system that helps to walk children through the process of creating and writing stories.
Barnes and Noble said its plans include a series of piloted events for kids in various Barnes & Noble stores throughout the country, in which children will learn the process of writing, illustrating and publishing their own books.
Events will take place on the following dates:
Friday, March 12, at 12:30 p.m. at the Upper East Side Barnes and Noble in New York City;
Sunday, April 11, at 1 p.m. at the Barnes and Noble in Oxford Valley, Pennsylvania.
jexbo Teams with Authors Digital to Help Authors Who Self Publish Sell Books Online
Today, jexbo.com, the site for self-published authors, and Authors Digital, a new service to create audio books, announced they are working together at www.jexbo.com/authorsdigital.
"By teaming with jexbo, now authors who self publish can create, market and sell audio versions of their self-published books online quickly and easily," states David Wolf, Authors Digital Founder.
"We are working with Authors Digital because of their extensive experience producing audio for film, radio and television for more than 25 years," states Jill Exler, jexbo Founder. "Their expertise will help self-published authors create high-quality audio books and access new revenue opportunities."
A 2009 sales survey by the Audio Publishers Association at audiopub.org/resources-industry-data.asp, "estimates that the total size of the audio book industry, based on the dollars spent by consumers and libraries, is close to $1 billion."
With the combination of jexbo and Authors Digital, authors who self publish can take advantage of this growing industry and:
• Record self-published books, or use professional voice-talent, in a digital, downloadable format at a local location with the Authors Digital remote recording studio;
• Save time and money with audio book project-rate pricing, not per-hour billable studio time, and list books on jexbo for free with no long-term contracts;
• Stop wasting time printing books and carrying inventory;
• Relax working with experienced distributors who properly place titles and pay on time;
• Learn the latest, self-publishing trends and tips on how to sell books online; and
• Talk directly to customers and market and sell books with a free Web page, customized bookmarks, an online forum at jexbo.com, and more.
"Once the audio books are produced by Authors Digital, self-published authors can immediately market and sell books online at jexbo.com at no cost," says Wolf. "Plus, we have the resources to take the audio books to the major online distributors such as iTunes and Amazon."
To discover more about creating, marketing and selling self-published books, audio books and ebooks quickly and cost-effectively, visit www.jexbo.com/authorsdigital now.
"By teaming with jexbo, now authors who self publish can create, market and sell audio versions of their self-published books online quickly and easily," states David Wolf, Authors Digital Founder.
"We are working with Authors Digital because of their extensive experience producing audio for film, radio and television for more than 25 years," states Jill Exler, jexbo Founder. "Their expertise will help self-published authors create high-quality audio books and access new revenue opportunities."
A 2009 sales survey by the Audio Publishers Association at audiopub.org/resources-industry-data.asp, "estimates that the total size of the audio book industry, based on the dollars spent by consumers and libraries, is close to $1 billion."
With the combination of jexbo and Authors Digital, authors who self publish can take advantage of this growing industry and:
• Record self-published books, or use professional voice-talent, in a digital, downloadable format at a local location with the Authors Digital remote recording studio;
• Save time and money with audio book project-rate pricing, not per-hour billable studio time, and list books on jexbo for free with no long-term contracts;
• Stop wasting time printing books and carrying inventory;
• Relax working with experienced distributors who properly place titles and pay on time;
• Learn the latest, self-publishing trends and tips on how to sell books online; and
• Talk directly to customers and market and sell books with a free Web page, customized bookmarks, an online forum at jexbo.com, and more.
"Once the audio books are produced by Authors Digital, self-published authors can immediately market and sell books online at jexbo.com at no cost," says Wolf. "Plus, we have the resources to take the audio books to the major online distributors such as iTunes and Amazon."
To discover more about creating, marketing and selling self-published books, audio books and ebooks quickly and cost-effectively, visit www.jexbo.com/authorsdigital now.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Indian Authors and Publishers File Objections against Google Book Settlement
Indian authors and publishers, along with the Indian Reprographic Rights Organisation (IRRO) and Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP), filed their objections against Google Book Settlement's (GBS 2.0) blatant violation of Indian and International copyright laws. The filing at the New York District Court has been made by eminent Indian authors and publishers including Star Publications Pvt. Ltd., Abhinav Publications, Daya Publication House and Pustak Mahal.
“The Google Book Settlement is contrary to every international treaty that governs Copyright laws. Google's unilateral conduct is a brazen attempt to turn Copyright law on its head, by usurping the exclusive rights of the Copyright holder,” says Siddharth Arya, legal counsel for IRRO.
Since 2004, Google has scanned over seven million books from across the world. Following this, the Authors Guild of America sued the company for copyright infringement, resulting in the Google Book Settlement that was binding on almost all authors and publishers. Thereafter, several objections by countries, such as France and Germany, as well as the United States Department of Justice, the Court asked Google to file a revised settlement. The outcome - GBS 2.0, incorporates minor cosmetic changes but continues to violate basic copyright laws. At the same time, it retains several fundamental issues in the original settlement, such as a mechanism known as ‘opt out’. This implies that if a person is silent, he is deemed to have consented to an agreement, thus fundamentally altering his rights, a concept inherently unfair and contrary to existing legal principles.
Arya adds, “It is outrageous that Indian authors and publishers are forced parties to an agreement that has been negotiated on their behalf by a few publishers alone, without any representation of their interests. Furthermore, the specifics of the agreement have not been communicated to the affected parties. Our objections are centered around these issues, and we are currently awaiting the court hearing scheduled for mid-February.”
The current scope of GBS2.0 is books that are either registered with the United States Copyright Office or published in the UK, Canada and Australia. However, it impacts the rest of the world as much, since any author published in the aforementioned countries is included in the settlement. In the current global economy, Indian authors like to see themselves published abroad for higher royalties and better professional services.
In the US, the campaign against GBS 2.0 is being led by the Open Book Alliance, members of which include the American Society of Journalists and Authors; National Writers Union; New York Library Association; US Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, as well as non-profit organisation such as the Internet Archive, the Small Press Distribution and the Special Libraries Association, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, along with several multinationals like Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo. Further details are available on http://www.openbookalliance.org/.
“The Google Book Settlement is contrary to every international treaty that governs Copyright laws. Google's unilateral conduct is a brazen attempt to turn Copyright law on its head, by usurping the exclusive rights of the Copyright holder,” says Siddharth Arya, legal counsel for IRRO.
Since 2004, Google has scanned over seven million books from across the world. Following this, the Authors Guild of America sued the company for copyright infringement, resulting in the Google Book Settlement that was binding on almost all authors and publishers. Thereafter, several objections by countries, such as France and Germany, as well as the United States Department of Justice, the Court asked Google to file a revised settlement. The outcome - GBS 2.0, incorporates minor cosmetic changes but continues to violate basic copyright laws. At the same time, it retains several fundamental issues in the original settlement, such as a mechanism known as ‘opt out’. This implies that if a person is silent, he is deemed to have consented to an agreement, thus fundamentally altering his rights, a concept inherently unfair and contrary to existing legal principles.
Arya adds, “It is outrageous that Indian authors and publishers are forced parties to an agreement that has been negotiated on their behalf by a few publishers alone, without any representation of their interests. Furthermore, the specifics of the agreement have not been communicated to the affected parties. Our objections are centered around these issues, and we are currently awaiting the court hearing scheduled for mid-February.”
The current scope of GBS2.0 is books that are either registered with the United States Copyright Office or published in the UK, Canada and Australia. However, it impacts the rest of the world as much, since any author published in the aforementioned countries is included in the settlement. In the current global economy, Indian authors like to see themselves published abroad for higher royalties and better professional services.
In the US, the campaign against GBS 2.0 is being led by the Open Book Alliance, members of which include the American Society of Journalists and Authors; National Writers Union; New York Library Association; US Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, as well as non-profit organisation such as the Internet Archive, the Small Press Distribution and the Special Libraries Association, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, along with several multinationals like Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo. Further details are available on http://www.openbookalliance.org/.
Mediabistro Launches Book Reviews on Publishing Blog GalleyCat
Mediabistro.com (a division of WebMediaBrands Inc.) announced the launch of GalleyCat Reviews, an online book review site featuring literary criticism by established and emerging writers. Relationships with other publications will enrich original mediabistro.com editorial content.
GalleyCat Reviews (www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/galleycat_reviews) will include a variety of daily book review content: 300-500 word original book reviews, excerpted book reviews from partners, and curated posts linking to the best book reviews on the web.
"GalleyCat Reviews fills a need in the publishing industry for timely, authoritative book reviews," stated Alan M. Meckler, Chairman and CEO of WebMediaBrands. "As traditional review outlets disappear, online communities are becoming the place where readers go to find out about new books. Our special relationships with premium outlets will make GalleyCat Reviews a destination site for readers, writers, editors, and publishers."
The first publication to join GalleyCat Reviews is Foreign Affairs magazine, the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs, published by the non-profit, nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations. The magazine features nonfiction book reviews, and GalleyCat Reviews will excerpt brief portions of these essays.
Foreign Affairs editor Gideon Rose stated, "Our regular capsule reviews and our longer specially commissioned review essays showcase the most interesting and important new releases in the field, giving readers an objective expert take on everything from history, biography, and trade non-fiction to a broad range of academic scholarship and policy wonkery."
GalleyCat Reviews (www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/galleycat_reviews) will include a variety of daily book review content: 300-500 word original book reviews, excerpted book reviews from partners, and curated posts linking to the best book reviews on the web.
"GalleyCat Reviews fills a need in the publishing industry for timely, authoritative book reviews," stated Alan M. Meckler, Chairman and CEO of WebMediaBrands. "As traditional review outlets disappear, online communities are becoming the place where readers go to find out about new books. Our special relationships with premium outlets will make GalleyCat Reviews a destination site for readers, writers, editors, and publishers."
The first publication to join GalleyCat Reviews is Foreign Affairs magazine, the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs, published by the non-profit, nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations. The magazine features nonfiction book reviews, and GalleyCat Reviews will excerpt brief portions of these essays.
Foreign Affairs editor Gideon Rose stated, "Our regular capsule reviews and our longer specially commissioned review essays showcase the most interesting and important new releases in the field, giving readers an objective expert take on everything from history, biography, and trade non-fiction to a broad range of academic scholarship and policy wonkery."
PreachingToday.com Announces Annual Preaching Book Awards
PreachingToday.com, a non-profit ministry of Christianity Today International, has announced the winners of its annual Preaching Book Awards. PreachingToday.com names preaching books of the year in two categories: one focused on the preacher's skills and the other on the preacher's soul.
This year's winner of the skills category was Setting Words on Fire, author Paul Scott Wilson, published by Abingdon. Honorable mention in the skills category was given to Why Johnny Can't Preach, author David Gordon, published by Presbyterian & Reformed.
In the soul category, there was a three-way tie for winner between Deep Preaching, author Kent Edwards, published by Broadman & Holman; Dying to Preach, author Steven Smith, published by Kregel; and The Glory of Preaching, author Darrell Johnson, published by InterVarsity.
The award winners were chosen by votes from two preaching experts and the editors of PreachingToday.com.
The article announcing the awards can be found here:
www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2010/theptbookawards.html
This year's winner of the skills category was Setting Words on Fire, author Paul Scott Wilson, published by Abingdon. Honorable mention in the skills category was given to Why Johnny Can't Preach, author David Gordon, published by Presbyterian & Reformed.
In the soul category, there was a three-way tie for winner between Deep Preaching, author Kent Edwards, published by Broadman & Holman; Dying to Preach, author Steven Smith, published by Kregel; and The Glory of Preaching, author Darrell Johnson, published by InterVarsity.
The award winners were chosen by votes from two preaching experts and the editors of PreachingToday.com.
The article announcing the awards can be found here:
www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2010/theptbookawards.html
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