Writers’ Roundup

The latest amazing  gizmo to spring from Jason Epstein’s forehead is the Espresso Book Machine. (What does this man eat for breakfast?) Here’s the video link. Go watch. It’s fun.

http://www.ondemandbooks.com/video2.htm

Back? Okay, this is pinch-me stuff. This is a book-lover’s Batmobile. This could save unborn postage, bubble wrap and trees. Consignment and returns? Feh! A thing of the past with Espresso.  Once the instant book machine becomes readily accessible, traditional publishing’s clunky infrastructure could dissolve before our very eyes.

Writers need to keep a sharp eye out, though. The Espresso and its ilk could double as a fog machine. Continue reading

This morning’s Globe & Mail broke the story. Chapters/Indigo has aggressively entered the ebook market, offering 50,000 ebooks for sale from $4.99 to $19.99. These can be downloaded to your computer, your iphone, your iPod touch, Sony Reader etc.

You won’t find Canadian titles there — yet. Indigo has pitched its woo at the multinationals: Random House, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Simon & Shuster. Those publishers have already secured North American or worldwide epublishing rights. Continue reading

This afternoon I attended a Round Table Discussion jointly org-ed by The Writers’ Union of Canada and The Association of Canadian Publishers. The two local publishers participating were Jack David of ECW Press and Alana Wilcox of Coach House Books. Both these publishers are writers’ friends and deeply on-side. The panel was moderated by TWUC writer Genni Gunn and TWUC chair Wayne Grady.

Perhaps 50 or so writers attended. We watched on the  blackboard how the publisher’s revenue of a hypothetical book selling for $10, displayed at Chapters, is dropped into the Big Box woodchipper. First the Chapters/Indigo discount of 45% is applied. Then a further charge of $1 per book is levied for strategic in-store placement, reducing the revenue to $4.50. The publisher must now grind off his/her costs.  Brinnggg. The book is half the size it was. Continue reading

I attended the latest seminar (5th) on this settlement held by Access Copyright on February 19th, 09. Roannie Levy from Access did an admirably clear job of walking approximately 300 creators through the complexities of this agreement but was careful not to speak for or against it. She would say only that in the U.S. both writers and publishers have said YES to this settlement.

I recommend you visit the Google Settlement home page (see Useful Links page) and read its explanation. Access has also posted its seminar online with commentary and is running still more seminars in March. Unless you love poring over these sorts of documents, it’s easier to bite a few hours and take their seminar than try to digest the implications of this settlement on your own. Continue reading