CPSIA Rules Ease, But Is It Enough?

The CPSIA took effect yesterday amid small fanfare and much confusion. The confusion stems from the applicability of the law, which may have been clarified substantially, at least for books, by guidance put for this week. According to the guidance, the law does not apply to books published after 1985, as long as they are not intended primarily for play, or have not been altered or processed in any way that might introduce lead.

In addition, vintage childrens' books that, because of their age and value, are no longer intended for children, are exempt. All other books intended primarily fall under the auspices of the law. Apparently, ink in childrens' books used to contain lead. However, according to this article, the lead would have to be ingested somehow for it to effect childrens' health.

This guidance will assist bookstores and many other organizations, but libraries, whose budgets are suffering from the economic downturn, may suffer disproportionately. In particular, libraries in poorer areas and school districts that lack the budget to turn over their books more regularly. The question is, how many of those books are more than 24 years old? The answer will become apparent based on the number of empty shelves in the coming weeks.

In summary, while this act still needs to be improved, some reasonable accommodations have been made. Here's hoping future changes will continue to add sanity to a necessary law.

And now the news...
Publishing and the Economy
HarperCollins lays off employees, closes division -- The bleeding continues as HC announces a layoff of a "small percentage" of it staff and closes its non-fiction division.

More details on HarperCollins layoffs -- Several editors and a PR director were let go.

Kindle/e-Books
Authors Guild Questions Kindle 2 Audio Feature -- The new Kindle will read your book for you. But that may present an intellectual property issue.

Battle Brewing Over Electronic Books -- Amazon appears to be modeling the Kindle business approach after Apple's iPod, but that may not work.

Self-Publishing
Be Your Own Book Publisher -- Createspace.com publishes your book on demand for free. You get a cut for each copy sold.

Osprey Launches Self-Publishing Offer -- The new service, AuthorHouse, is aimed at military writers. Unfortunately, it's a British publisher.

CPSIA Stay: Good News or a Mirage?

A number of small businesses breathed a sigh of relief when the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) granted a one year stay on enforcement of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The relief might be short-lived, however, as the stay, like the act, is not what it appears to be.

In short, the government isn't going to look for problems, but it will prosecute any problems brought to its attention. Perhaps more important, civil liability would apply to anyone found in violation. The result may be more waiting to see how things turn out.

As previously indicated, the Act's goals are noble and laudable. We need to protect children from lead. But we should not subject small businesses (such as small book stores), crafter, artists, and writers to its provisions if their products are already lead-free. Although this law provides some guidance, the threat of lawsuits still dogs anyone whose products would otherwise fall under the act's provisions.

Short help is better than no help at all. This small movement provides at least a little breathing room. But the issue still bears watching, to determine how the stay actually plays out, and whether the CPSC and Congress amend the Act appropriately.

And now the news...
CPSIA
When will regulation fit the size of business? -- The CPSIA oddysey shows a problem with most legislation and regulations: they're written for big businesses and applied to small businesses.

CPSC Delays Enforcement of CPSIA Testing for One Year, but Not Requirements -- Although the act will not be enforced for a year, if an item is found to be in violation, civil penalties and liability costs would apply.

Our Craft
How Twitter Can Make You a Better Writer -- Cramming everything into 140 characters is a great exercise in self-editing.

Marketing Your Work
Amazon Taking Submissions for Second Annual Breakthrough Novel Contest -- Good news: The winner gets $25,000 book deal. Bad News: The deadline is Sunday.

How the New York Times Selects Books for Review -- As you might expect, the process is long and demanding, and the odds are very slim.

Social Media
Comprehensive List of Publishers With Blogs -- The article also features six of the best publisher blogs.

Publishing and the Economy
Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt Faces Uncertain Future -- Credit rating woes, $6.7 billion debt, and and shrinking textbook market may doom the publishing giant.

Publishing News -- 1/31/2009 (Pot pourri for $200, Alex)

Potpourri for $200, Alex
No overwhelming theme today. I'm sure if I looked around, I could find stories about layoffs and impending doom, but that gets old. We're writers, for crying out loud. For some of us, the goal is to provide some entertainment, a chance to ditch the bad news and enjoy a diversion. I'm currently enjoying the lastest Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a thousand well-selected and assembled words can pain a more vivid picture than any canvas or digital camera. Sometimes the best gift you can give is a few hours of joy or diversion. As writers, that's a gift we can deliver. When times are difficult, that gift is more valuable than ever.

So write on!

Agentry
Agent Advice: Courtney Miller Callihan -- Among other things, she's looking for historical fiction with a non-Western setting.

Agent Advice: Sammie Justesen -- Including five great hints for writing a suspense story.

Social Media
Five Ways Blogging Can Make You a Better Writer -- Blogging's not just for hacks any more. It can bring benefits and help you connect with your readers.

Perfect Social Media Trifecta: Have You Found Yours? -- An excellent primer on three social media tools and how they can fit together.

Digital Publishing
E-book Revolution Favors the Agile -- Small, independent publishers are leading the charge to digital content. But their efforts are not without challenges.

Publishing and the Economy
Amazon Has Big Year, Though Media Growth Slowed -- Media sales, including books, didn't increase as quickly as the rest of the e-tailer's products, but seven percent in the last quarter is a lot better than competitors.

Marketing Your Work
What You Need to Know About Off-Site Book Sales -- Selling books someplace other than a bookstore requires a massive logistical effort.

Publishing News -- 1/22/2009

The Future of Our Industry
It's a short list of links today, but they all revolve around an issue that ought to be near and dear to our hearts: the future of the publishing industry. It's a distressing time. With all the economic turmoil and doomsaying in the publishing industry, discouragement is a reasonable emotion.

It's also the exact wrong emotion. Now is the worst possible time to be discouraged.

Publishing--along with the rest of the media--is trying to survive a perfect storm. The economy is struggling. Profits for the retail giants (Borders, Barnes and Noble) are dwindling. As noted in one of the links, whispers are making the rounds about Borders' demise. The Internet has turned everything on its ear. The bad news is this: if you're expecting the publisher to be the key to your success, your chances of being disappointed have never been higher. The good news is this: your power to create your own success has never been greater.

The best news is this: the good news far outweighs the bad news.

Today, we link to stories that provide anecdotal proof: TIME magazine bringing the digital book revolution into the mainstream, a diamond in the rough found by a small publisher who hit it big at the inauguration, a woman who bypassed the publishers to find success. We're linking to a new business model that gave three authors a shot they wouldn't have otherwise had and to a suggestion to help the publishing industry avoid some of the struggles the music industry went through. And finally, we see a well-known old-school publisher laying people off.

The conditions we have today aren't negotiable. They aren't going away. They may not be fair or right, but fairness and rightness are irrelevant now. As you read, think about the new reality and how your work, your gift, and your elbow grease put you in the position to make your goals in this reality.

The Little Publisher that Could -- Elizabeth Alexander's Poem for the Inauguration propels the small publisher with yet another hit.

Books Unbound -- Publishing isn't dying; it's evolving. TIME magazine goes mainstream with what we've all been talking about for months. We don't necessarily know where the industry is going, but we know it's not staying here.

Oxford University Press Lays Off 60 -- School and library budget cuts drive the job cuts.

HarperCollins Signs Three Books froom Manuscript Website -- "The bustling social networking site (authonomy.com) counts 100,000 users worldwide who have uploaded 2000 manuscripts. On average, community members spend about 20 minutes reading and critiquing stories when they log on to the site."

Would You Like Some Books with that Broadband Deal -- Blogger suggests the publishing industry allow unlimited access to digital libraries combined with other services in marketing deals.

Publishing News -- 1/20/2008

How Can You Help
The news is depressingly repetitive: publishers are laying off, newspapers are closing, even radio stations are feeling the pinch. More and more, the traditional avenues for marketing your book are becoming unavailable. And the traditional marketing budget provided for you has disappeared into the vapor.

Necessity is the mother of invention. It's a cliche for a reason. The silver lining in this cloud is the new array of tools and methods available. But none of that matters without one other change: the one that must occur in you.

The new media requires a shift in mindset. It's okay to sell, but the first thing you need to do is create a relationship. Brian Freeman is one of my favorite authors. Last month, we were driving home on I-4 and hit traffic. The backup was mercifully short, and I updated my Facebook Status both at the beginning and end of it. He saw that and commented it. And we went back and forth a couple times.

Brian Freeman doesn't know me from Adam, but because he was generous enough with his time to chat with me online, I'm even more inclined to buy his books.

So if and when you go online, sell your wares, sure. But establish the relationship first. The sales will come and your connection to the new readers will be deeper and harder to break.

Related Links:
How Can I Help Wednesday -- LinkedIn advisor Irene Koehler presides over a giant experiment in people helping people.

Give Value to Your Readers -- "Every single post you write should have some value for your readers." Sounds right to me.

Also, if there's a way this blog can expand its content to serve you better, please let me know.

Publishing and the Economy
Washington Post Book World May Disappear -- Editor Marcus Bruachli says the rumors are untrue. Rumors indicate a decision hasn't yet been made.

Simon & Schuster Launches New Web Site -- The new site is designed to support viral marketing, author blogs, multimedia, and interactivity.

Our Craft
Should Books Contain Expiration Stamps? -- Actual places, businesses, or events can lend credibility to your story...or make it seem ancient.

Marketing Your Work
Using Postcards and Bookmarks as Promotional Tools -- These are a cheap, easy way to expose people to your work and maybe make a few sales. And it's always good to have a takeaway when you speak in front of people.

The Secrets to Marketing Fiction -- Penny Sansevieri tells her tale of how a pack of postcards helped her catch lightning in a bottle.

Publishing News -- 1/17/2009

Programming Note
FWA Radio welcomes Dani Greer of Blog Book Tours, Sunday at 1 pm. Learn about a low-cost tool for promoting your work, especially.

Social Media is Your Friend
Social Media is an important new tool for publicizing your work that's come along at the right time. Like the rest of the economy, the publishing world seems to be contracting at an alarming pace. More than ever, your success is in your hands. The publishers don't have the money to help smaller authors get the word out. If you want to make the jump, you have to do the work. Fortunately, social media help with that.

Dani's idea is for you to engage in a Blog Book Tour, in which you virtually write about your work and interest people in buying it. Penny Sansevieri of Author Marketing Experts has built an entire business around helping authors use Internet tools to publicize their work.

In short, if you're an author, you cannot afford to ignore social media. This edition of Pub-News focuses on social media as a marketing tool, a research tool, and a place where care is required. With the exception of Penny Sansevieri's business, I used social media to find all the links and information in this post.

Best Social Networking Book Sites -- "As book review outlets decline and publicity budgets shrink, these websites will become increasingly more important for the publishing industry."

Why Social Media is Worth Small Business Owners' Time -- Another primer on different social media. After all, what are authors, but small (and later maybe bigger) businesses?

Social Media and Security
Last week, a phishing scam erupted on Twitter. Phishing occurs when a website tricks you into giving them your account information by pretending to be something other than what it is. The most common phishing scams seek your bank information via e-mail messages. The Twitter phishing scam sought users' Twitter account information. As soon as the scam started, Twitter users actively warned other users not to give their user ID and password out to any third party sites. Within a couple days, the scam had run its course. Awareness of these security issues is key to a successful experience. If you believe you have given your account information in a phishing scam, change your password immediately.

Avoid Phishing Scams in Social Media Clubs -- Be on the look out for generic messages like "I saw a funny picture of you", even from people you know. And never give your user ID or password to a third-party site.

Cyber Crime Fighters -- "The truth about crime on social networks and YouTube, cyberstalking and bullying, online child predators, and identity theft." Includes a blog and a set of useful links. It looks like a great research tool and its also a good example of online book marketing.

Resource
Law and Fiction -- Q&A and research services on legal facts for fiction writers of all kinds.

Our Craft
Ten Stupid Things Cops in Books Do -- Simple tips on getting the cop stuff right when you write about legal situations.

Publishing and the Economy
Random House Publishing Group Restructured -- Future title output will be determined by unit heads. More prositions may be eliminated.

B&N Lays off Nearly 100 at NYC Corporate Headquarters -- The layoffs are the first in the company's history.

Digital Publishing
Hachette Group to Limit E-Book Offerings -- Differences in distribution rules around the world have caused Hachette USA to pull all its titles from US e-book distributors.

Publishing News -- 1/13/2009

The Cost of e-Books
Last weekend, I interviewed Lori Perkins of Ravenous Romance on FWA Radio. Ravenous Romance publishes erotica e-books for low prices, considering that the costs of raw materials and logistics don't figure into the price of the book.

Unfortunately, must of the rest of the industry isn't following that model. There's been early disappointment in the prices of e-books and other materials. For instance, to download the New York Times to your e-reader, you'd spend 75 cents. To buy Stephanie Meyer's latest on Amazon, you'd shell out $12.64. The e-book costs $11.38, a savings of $1.26. At that savings rate, your Kindle will pay for itself after you read about 270 books.

Granted, the Stephanie Meyer book is heavily discounted in Amazon, but still, unless it's a loss leader, someone's paying the cost of materials and logistics. You might tend to agree with me, but this blog article (Why e-books are so expensive) provides a different viewpoint.

Other News
Freelancing and Article Writing
Your Article Resource Box Must Promise a Strong Benefit -- If you're writing an online article and you include a resource box, fill it with as much useful content as your article.

Ten Tips for Moving from Part-Time to Full-Time Freelancing -- It would be so nice to ditch the j-o-b for a writing life. Here's a list of things you have to do first.

How I Make Money Blogging -- Blogging can be like freelancing online. And you can make good money at it, if you monetize your work. Here are some good tips.

Marketing Your Work
Gimme a "Mama" to Go -- An author set part of her novel in a diner. Now the diner sells her book.

Online Promotional Tools for Writers -- -- Blog post that highlights a website with free promotional tools.

Publishing and the Economy
Major Investor Drops B&N Stock -- Persching Squary Capital sells its 11.8 percent stake because of dropping sales numbers.

The Craft
Every non-fiction book needs an index: here's why -- An index created by a professional--not by a program--is your best bet if you want a high-quality non-fiction book.

Characters, Sex, and the Characters They Have Sex with -- It's bound to come up in something you write, so here's some Q&A about this potentially uncomfortable subject.

Self-Publishing
The First Self-Publishing Success Story of 2009? -- Notes Left Behind details notes hidden around the house by a six-year-old cancer victim that were found after she died.

Social Media
If you are laid off, here's how to socially network yourself to a new job -- 19 very solid tips for using social networking to get a new job.

New Publishing Directory for Twitter -- If you ever wanted to Tweet someone in the world of publishing, now you can!

New Media Venture Turns Bloggers into Print Journalists -- The Printed Blog will publish twice a day with local blog content. It will be available in Chicago, San Fransisco, and New York.

Publishing News -- 1/10/2009

If you like this blog and find it useful, please tell your friends and link to it.

Program Note: Dani Greer of Blogbooktours will appear next weekend on FWA Radio. Stay tunes for schedule information.

CPSIA: Major issue for Childrens' Publishing
Before a week ago, I'd never heard of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This week, its presence has become big news. Although doomsaying usually occurs before new regulations take effect, this time the hand-wringing could be valid. The CPSIA includes provisions aimed at protecting children from lead paint in toys, a laudatory goal. But the CPSIA required testing for each unit produced of any item that might be aimed at children, even if all the components were certified as lead-free. The penalties are stiff, a $100,000 for each individual item put on shelves, and five years in prison. Also, the law is retroactive. At the very least, this act will drive the price of childrens' books up and reduce reading by those who need to do it most.

Here are some relevant links:

Save the Children's Books: The CPSIA is a Road to Hell, Paved with Good Intentions --Publishers and authors are being wrongly targetted by this law which requires each print run to be tested.

Industry Scrambling to Comply with Child Safety Act -- The CPSIA is intended to protect children from lead in toys. But its application to books could be misguided and publishers promise it will be devastating.

Book burning on Feb. 10 Because of CPSIA? -- The new rules require testing on each unit, even when all the component products are certified as lead-free. The penalty? Up to $100,000 per item and five years in prison.

Marketing Your Work
How to Get Involved in Online Book Promotion -- Finding blogs that apply to your work is a magnificent first step.

Ghost Queries: Friend or Foe -- Nathan Bransford, an agent at Curtis Brown, isn't heavily against them, but says the query should capture the author's voice.

#88 (Another query letter critique) -- Critique from blog that takes and critiques query letters.

Publishing and the Economy
B&N Reports Decline in Holiday Sales -- Megabookstore reports 5.2% drop from last year. More troubling, website sales dropped 11%.

Pantheon Book Publisher Released -- Janice Goldklang, publisher at Pantheon was laid off in Random House restructuring after 25 years at the company.

AJC Drops Books from Arts Section Title -- The paper promises no significant content changes, but readers aren't so sure.

Self-Publishing
Author Solutions Acquires Xlibris -- Union of self-publishers accounted for 19,000 titles in 2008.

Digital Publishing
Digital Download Skyrocket at Libraries -- Online book source reports 76% increase in traffic over last year.

Publishing News -- 1/2/2009

Happy new year and wishes for a healthy and fruitful 2009!

Featured Event: Janet Evanovich Book Signing (Plum Spooky), Barnes & Noble, North Dale Mabry, Tampa

Publishing and the Economy
What's Killing Publishing? We are. -- Publishing group demands fee for sale of used books. (Editorial comment: Instead of regulating or establishing fees, they should improve their business model.)

Are Books Doomed? -- Maybe it's not as bad as it looks. Maybe e-Books can enhance sales of paper books.

Amazon Launches New Author Pages -- Stephen King, JK Rowling, and James Patterson among the first wave of featured authors.

Digital Publishing
Why e-Books will Rule -- More reasons physical books are doomed (or not).

Move Over Kindle, e-Books hit Cell Phones -- Romance novels are most popular, but users download about 40,000 books a day.

Marketing Your Work
How to Bring Your Book to Book Clubs -- Includes a link to a book club wiki, providing authors with information about book clubs.

Blogging Tips for Beginners -- A blog is an excellent way to add buzz to your book. Here's a great reference for getting started.

69 Questions to Ask to Review Your Blog -- Comprehensive list to consider in improving your blog, which can help market your work.

Surviving the Recession
15 ideas for eZine Articles -- eZine articles can add to your income and extend your reach. Here are some ideas for them.

Looking for a job? Social Media Offers Opportunities--and Obstacles -- Facebook, LinkedIn, et al, offer great tools to help in a job search.

Social Networking
Spending on Social Media and Online Content will Increase -- More than two-thirds will invest in social media initiatives in 09.

Social Media Wins in Marketers' '09 Plans -- Even in down economic times, social media should see more resources and opportunity in the new year.

Publishing News, 12/29/2008

If you enjoy this blog, please link to it and tell your friends!

Publishing and the Economy
This Endangered Business Model Will Survive -- The Motley Fool weighs in on the future of publishing.

Digital Publishing
The Problem with Digital Publishing -- Some really smart writer points out that the economic equation isn't there...yet.

iPhone eBook Sales Beating Kindle Sales -- Lower prices may push your decision--if you own an iPhone.

Ad-Driven Books Latest Online Publishing Twist -- Daily Lit is seeking sponsors for the books it publishes via e-mail and RSS feeds.

Marketing Your Work
Three Powerful Strategies for Promoting Your Book -- Three common-sense methods for marketing your book.

What to Put in Your Press Kit -- Making it easy for media to cover you will help increase your coverage.

Using Craigslist as Part of Your Marketing Effort -- Craig's List has more than 9,000,000,000 page views monthly. Can it fit into your marketing effort?

Surviving the Recession
Five-step plan for work and 25 services that could be sold separately -- As writers, we have a lot of marketable skills we can use if the worst happens.

Four Ways to Use Your Writing Skills in a Down Economy -- You may already have the skills to be useful in ways you haven't considered. People pay for useful.

Publishing News -- 12/26/2008

Publishing and the Economy
May You Live in Interesting Times -- Agent Janet Reid said the doom and gloom won't bring the end of publishing, but it will bring change.

Read it and Weep -- Another take on the publishing meltdown, concentrating on how the small and nimble will survive.

Surviving the Recession
How to Secure an Advertiser for Your Blog -- If you've done the groundwork, you can make some cash for writing.

Freelance Predictions for 2009 --More advice on adjusting for the changing economy, written for freelancers, but universally applicable.

Digital Publishing
e-Books Catch on With Children -- Kids are a natural first market for the growing digital publishing movement.

Kindle Rival Coming Soon -- eSlick is cheaper and has fewer features, but has better PDF support.

More Readers are Picking Up Electronic Books -- New readers are planned for 2009 as the market continues to expand.

Marketing Your Work
The Book Bloggers -- Blog that lists review sites and criteria.

Authors Create Self-Guided Book Club Tours -- Authors speak to 150 groups to sell their book.

How to get a New York publisher -- A unique approach to getting published by first self-publishing.

Resources for You
Resources for Writers -- A useful list from Yvonne Perry.

If you find this information useful, please tell a friend and link to this page. Thanks!

Publishing News -- 12/23/2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

This past year has been a tough year, and 2009 also promises to be challenging. Best wishes and best hopes for a prosperous and success new year from me and my staff!

Publishing and the Economy
CEO: Simon & Schuster Fundamentally Strong -- Carolyn Reidy says 2008, in spite of struggles, had good points, and that 2009 provides the opportunity to "take chances and embrace risk."

Digital Publishing
App Developer Strikes E-Book Deals With Major Publishers -- Random House, Houghton-Mifflin, Simon and Schuster, and Penguin among publishers signed up for e-book app to work with iTunes.

S&S, Random House Announce Large Gains in Digital Book Sales -- In a tough economy, each announce 400% gains in digital sales.

Marketing Your Work
Free Press Release Sites -- From Dana Willhoit, who really knows her stuff about PR and social media.

How Effective is Your Author Website? -- Website grader measures the marketing effectiveness of your website...for FREE!

Getting Published
The unvarnished truth about self-publishing -- You need to take care to spend your money wisely; the publishers have one goal: make money (not sell your book).

Undiscovered? Post your book in Harper Collins new site -- "If you’re a writer, authonomy is the place to show your face – and show off your work on the web. Whether you’re unpublished, self-published or just getting started, all you need is a few chapters to start building your profile online, and start connecting with the authonomy community."

Agent's Rules for E-mails -- Janet Reid, a literary agent, says that e-mail management is a challenge for her and has strict rules for which e-mails she'll read and which ones she'll never see. (See her query guidelines.)

Surviving the Recession
Out of work? It's time to get connected -- Includes seven tips for making the most of your job search.

Publishing News, 12/20/2008

Publishing and the Economy
The Sky is Falling...Not! -- Maybe it's not worse this time around. Maybe we're just finding out faster.

Predictions for 2009 -- The writer sees declines in general fiction sales and increases for digital media.

Digital Publishing
Calculating a fair price for e-books -- Given the lack of logistics required for e-books to get from the publisher to you, what's a fair price?

Downloading e-books from a Computer to a Kindle -- It's actually easy, if you should feel the need to shell out the bucks for the Kindle in the first place.

Our Craft
Finding Ideas in Classified Ads -- Some good Poynters for finding color--or even a plotline for your stories.

Queries: An Inside Scoop -- An agent deconstructs a successful query letter.

Freelance Writers Mentoring Program -- Teleseminars designed to bring new writers into the freelance writing business.

Surviving the Recession
ProBlogger Jobs Board -- Where Bloggers Looking for Jobs and Companies Looking for Bloggers Meet.

Social Media and Marketing Your Work
Social Media for Authors and Publishers -- The first rule: bring wine to the picnic, not a bullhorn.

Twenty Things You Can Do to Make Your Website Google Friendly -- If you're marketing your book online, you need to get people to read your marketing to read your book.

Twitter IDs for the 100 Most Influential Online Marketers -- If you want to get smart about online marketing, these are good people to follow.

Publishing News -- 12/11/2008

Publishing and the Economy
Book Sales Lag at the Beginning of the Holiday Season -- Sales drop 6.6 percent from last year.

Bail out the Writers -- And if that doesn't work, let us profit from the sale of Senate seats.

Suriving the Recession
How to Find a Job Online -- Tips and websites, including mediabistro.com for writers.

Digital Publishing
Re-Mixing the Publishing Model -- Two publishers bank on a digital plunge to help them through the tough times.

Pricing Digital Books for Nintendo -- In Europe, Nintendo, Harper-Collins, combine on $30 game cartridge with 100 classic books in digital format.

Magazines come to Google book search -- Some mags now available. Google hopes others to follow.

Social Networking/Marketing Your Work
How to start Speaking at Events -- Speaking can help you sell your work. Here are some tips for getting started.

The Five Biggest Mistakes Bloggers Make -- Florida Writers Association Conference faculty member Penny Sansevieri's guidance on making your blog an asset in selling your book.

A Reality Check About Blogging for Money -- Tips on integrating your blog into your revenue streams.

YouTube Videos Pull in Real Money -- YouTube's partners program has some pulling in the money, but there's talent, luck, and work required.

What is this Twitter Thing -- Penny strikes again with a primer about the Twitter microblogging service and how to make it a useful part of your online marketing effort.