Friday, November 28, 2008
Black Friday for Writers
This weekend traditionally kicks off the shopping season for Christmas. Though my husband and I have never yet participated in pre-dawn “Black Friday” rush, we did this year. Both of us wanted an item that we weren’t willing to risk losing if supplies ran out.In my case it was an exceptional deal on a color laser printer. My monotone one broke, and quite frankly, it’s expensive to print manuscripts using ink jet.
My husband, purchased a 22” LCD monitor to better see his software when programming his music.
While I was out, I saw some exceptional deals for writers.
Student, Teacher editions of Office 2007 were/are on sale as low as $59.99
Laptops were as low as $350
Printers, both laser, inkjet, and multifunction were nearly half their listed retail price
Computer desk stations were as low as $25
Wireless Mice as low as $4.99. (I don’t now about wireless keyboards because I’ve wanted one for two years, and knew if I looked, I’d buy.)
External Hard Drive prices were slashed.
Many of the sales continue into this weekend. It’s not too late to pick your Christmas present early this year. If you want to browse some of this years specials, check out:
Friday, November 21, 2008
Last week I asked about Readers. This week I’m curious to learn how many of you are using Project Gutenberg, which currently has over 25,000 free books online and over 3million downloads a month.
It’s absolutely brilliant for a historical novelist. I’ve used it to read Victorian housekeeping books, diaries, and research topics of interest. A quick search of my eBooks folder shows me some of the various subjects and books I’ve downloaded:
AN ENGLISH GRAMMAR, by W. M. Baskervill and J. W. Sewell
1811 DICTIONARY OF THE VULGAR TONGUE, by Captain Grose et al.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND USEFUL PHRASES, by Greenville Kleiser
And I quote, "Practical Handbook Of Pertinent Expressions, Striking Similes, Literary, Commercial, Conversational, And Oratorical Terms, For The Embellishment Of Speech And Literature, And The Improvement Of The Vocabulary Of Those Persons Who Read, Write, And Speak English.”
LETTERS FROM ENGAND 1846-1849, by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft
THE CENTURY VOCABULARY BUILDER, By Garland Greever and Joseph M. Bachelor.
THE HOUSE OF THE VAMPIRE, by George Sylvester Viereck
SHORT STORY WRITING, A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE ART OF THE SHORT STORY, by Charles Raymond Barrett
THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC, by Lawrence Beesley (a firsthand account that kept me as riveted as the movie)
et cetera, et cetera . . .
It’s absolutely brilliant for a historical novelist. I’ve used it to read Victorian housekeeping books, diaries, and research topics of interest. A quick search of my eBooks folder shows me some of the various subjects and books I’ve downloaded:
AN ENGLISH GRAMMAR, by W. M. Baskervill and J. W. Sewell
1811 DICTIONARY OF THE VULGAR TONGUE, by Captain Grose et al.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND USEFUL PHRASES, by Greenville Kleiser
And I quote, "Practical Handbook Of Pertinent Expressions, Striking Similes, Literary, Commercial, Conversational, And Oratorical Terms, For The Embellishment Of Speech And Literature, And The Improvement Of The Vocabulary Of Those Persons Who Read, Write, And Speak English.”
LETTERS FROM ENGAND 1846-1849, by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft
THE CENTURY VOCABULARY BUILDER, By Garland Greever and Joseph M. Bachelor.
THE HOUSE OF THE VAMPIRE, by George Sylvester Viereck
SHORT STORY WRITING, A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE ART OF THE SHORT STORY, by Charles Raymond Barrett
THE LOSS OF THE SS. TITANIC, by Lawrence Beesley (a firsthand account that kept me as riveted as the movie)
et cetera, et cetera . . .
I suppose any non-writer would think I was grabbing all the boring ones. But it's a gold mine for writers and researchers, not to mention a place to read the classics for free. They also have illustrated books, children's botany, etc.
So do any of you guys visit Project Gutenberg? And if so, I'm curious what you've down loaded.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Paperless Books
While we wait to see what changes are coming to the publishing industry, it seems that digitals books are gaining more and more attention in the news.
In an earlier Novel Journey post called The Rumblings of Revolution I outlined some thoughts on the Sony Reader. Since then, Amazon has introduced Kindle along with some pretty tempting prices on their downloadable books.
With everyone trying to predict the future of publishing, I’ll throw in my two cents.
In an earlier Novel Journey post called The Rumblings of Revolution I outlined some thoughts on the Sony Reader. Since then, Amazon has introduced Kindle along with some pretty tempting prices on their downloadable books.
With everyone trying to predict the future of publishing, I’ll throw in my two cents.
Recently my husband and I signed up with Rhapsody. For the price of a CD a month, we have unlimited downloads. The music stays for 30 days. At first I wasn’t certain I even wanted it. I’m pretty happy with iTunes. However, I absolutely love Rhaposdy now. I’m listening to so much more music and finding so many more artists.
Could we do that with books?
Could we do that with books?
This is what I want as a reader.
If I could pay the price of a hardback per month, $22.95—and have unlimited books downloads--not just from one house, but any book--I'd subscribe in a heartbeat.
(Well, okay, Readers would have to be cheaper.) But not only would I subscribe to that that service, but I'd buy hard copies of the books I really loved.
Considering that the cost of paper, ink, graphics for the cover, and shipping would no longer be in the equation, is it feasible? I don't know how all the rights, payments, and tracking of best-sellers would work, but it seems like Rhapsody has figured it out.
For this week’s poll, I’m asking:
Labels: Amazon Kindle, digital books, E-books, Paperless Books, Reader Salon, Sony Reader
Friday, November 07, 2008
Surviving the Doom and Gloom
Have you noticed the subject lines of PW Daily lately?
11/7 2008 Scholastic Buyout Draws 100
11/6/2008 Profits Stink at Harper
11/5/2008 Trade Sales Dip in September
11/4/2008 B&N Unhappy Forecast
Yikes!
Equally as cheerful is this little article on New York that asks ‘Have We Reached the End of Book Publishing as We Know it’—the article is happily named “The End.”
It reminds us that our biggest advocator of books, Oprah, will be off the air soon, rings the death knell of Borders Group while calling B&N stingy. Amazon, it appears, is trying to take over the world (publishing that is.) The article also states their opinion as to how things got into this mess.
Right now isn’t exactly the most encouraging time for aspiring novelist. This week someone jokingly called me and asked if I’d look over their work. They wanted to pitch it before the entire industry collapsed.
Ha, ha. Funny. (I hope.)
But this week, I also read something encouraging. Something that reminded me that writers write, whether any one is buying or not.
The proposal was rejected and this book had to wait 16 years before finally becoming published. That book was Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen also sold another book to a publisher who didn’t bother to publish it. After thirteen years passed, her brother purchased the rights back and the book, Northanger Abby, didn’t release until after Jane was in her grave.
11/7 2008 Scholastic Buyout Draws 100
11/6/2008 Profits Stink at Harper
11/5/2008 Trade Sales Dip in September
11/4/2008 B&N Unhappy Forecast
Yikes!
Equally as cheerful is this little article on New York that asks ‘Have We Reached the End of Book Publishing as We Know it’—the article is happily named “The End.”
It reminds us that our biggest advocator of books, Oprah, will be off the air soon, rings the death knell of Borders Group while calling B&N stingy. Amazon, it appears, is trying to take over the world (publishing that is.) The article also states their opinion as to how things got into this mess.
Right now isn’t exactly the most encouraging time for aspiring novelist. This week someone jokingly called me and asked if I’d look over their work. They wanted to pitch it before the entire industry collapsed.
Ha, ha. Funny. (I hope.)
But this week, I also read something encouraging. Something that reminded me that writers write, whether any one is buying or not.
Here’s a query from the 18th century:
Sir, I have in my possession a manuscript novel comprising 3 vols. About the length of Miss Burney’s Evelina. As I am well aware of what consequences it is that a work this sort should make its first appearance under a respectable name, I apply to you. I shall be much obliged therefore if you will inform me whether you choose to be concerned in it, what will be the expense of publishing it at the author’s risk, and what you will venture to advance for the property of it, if on perusal it is approved of. Should you give any encouragement I will send you the work.
The proposal was rejected and this book had to wait 16 years before finally becoming published. That book was Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen also sold another book to a publisher who didn’t bother to publish it. After thirteen years passed, her brother purchased the rights back and the book, Northanger Abby, didn’t release until after Jane was in her grave.
Her books are still in print, and probably doing better than most.
Austen, it seems, loved writing for writing sake. My guess is that if she were alive, she’d simply skim the headlines, and then go back to writing her books. Guess I will too.