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This is a free e-mail bulletin for subscribers only, sent from
"U-Publish.com," the website named for the revolutionary guide
to new methods for publishing and promoting books by Dan Poynter
and Danny O. Snow. Watch for the new 2002 edition, coming soon!
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*** MightyWords and iPublish Close
Poynter and Snow have long maintained that while e-Books are
almost certain to play a major role in the future of publishing,
print-based technologies like POD and PQN will dominate the
industry for several more years. Recent announcements about
closures at two of the largest digital-only web sites support
our view. See items below for details.
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*** iPublish.com Folds
According to Steven Zeitchik, a reporter for Publishers Weekly
(12/10/2001) "Trade publishing's most elaborate experiment
in e-publishing came to an end last week when Time Warner Trade
Publishing announced it is folding iPublish and at least
temporarily abandoning its idea of using the Web as a place to
troll for unknown writers.
"The company will continue reprinting e-book editions of paper
books, and possibly even original work by print authors, via
BookMark, the house's online marketing division. A transition
team will stay on for one to two months to work on that
integration. Of the nine iPublish authors whose books were
scheduled for print publication, the company expects most to
still be published, possibly as part of the Warner mass market
division. The iPublish Web site will be closed."
We believe that iPublish failed because it focused almost
exclusively on e-publishing, and ignored the preference of
today's readers for printed books.
Co-Author Danny O. Snow met with Gregory Voynow of iPublish
prior to its launch, and proposed publishing POD paperback
editions of at least one title per month, but Snow's proposal
went unanswered. Now, only a handful of printed books will
survive iPublish, after a loss of $13 million.
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*** MightyWords Shuts Down
In a related story covered by Edward Nawotka of Publishers Weekly
(12/17/2001) "MightWords.com, which created quite a bit of fanfare
when it launched in March 2000 with plans to digitally distribute
original short works, is closing down. CEO Chris MacAskill told PW
'The motivation for closing wasn't that we're running out of cash.
It's that the adoption for digital publishing isn't happening as
fast as we hoped.' He said the company has about a year and a half
of working capital left.
"MacAskill added, 'the only digital publishers that are doing
pretty well are those that started in digital and then went into
print.' "
Poynter & Snow agree. At present, consumers want "real" books,
whether they are produced using conventional printing, or the
newer POD and PQN methods discussed in our book. However, we
also remain confident that e-Books can be useful tools for
selling printed books, used as a low-cost preview; they are
also helpful as updates of printed books, and in other ways
discussed in "U-Publish.com." We believe that e-Books will be
more and more accepted in the future, but they are not yet a
viable substitute for a printed book.
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*** Public Appearances for 2002
Dan Poynter is criss-crossing North America to spread the word
about eBooks, treeBooks, digital printing and The New Book
Publishing Model. For more info: DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com
Danny O. Snow will speak about POD publishing technologies at
BookTech 2002, running February 11-13 at the New York Hilton:
http://east.booktechexpo.com
Snow will also speak on the panel titled "How POD Can Fatten
Your Bottom Line" at PMA University in NYC on May 2:
http://www.pma-online.org
e-mail: rick@pma-online.org
As always, when you contact organizations featured in our
bulletins, kindly mention that you were referred to them by
U-Publish.com, thanks!
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*** December 2001 Bulletin Delayed
Our 12/2001 bulletin was delayed due to e-mail viruses that
infect Microsoft Outlook, and send virus-laden files to
addresses in the user's "address book." Eudora is a full-
featured, free e-mail program that seems immune to most
viruses that infect Outlook. You may download a copy for
free from http://www.tucows.com or other freeware sites.
Related tip: at times when viruses are spreading, avoid file
attachments of any kind. (Large file attachments should also
be avoided -- at ALL times.) Recipients may delete your
messages unread if you attach files, due to concerns
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In general, simple e-mail is better than "busy" e-mail.
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*** Third Edition Coming Early in 2002
*** Special Offer for Subscribers!
"U-Publish.com 3.0" is due out shortly, in both paperback and
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will LOVE the new one! It will include expanded sections on
selling books directly to readers for better earnings, many new
tips and tricks for online promotion, extensive lists of contacts
that will be updated regularly on the Web, and the latest on Dan
Poynter's "New Book Model" for independent publishers.
The paperback will remain $14.99 to the general public ... but
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U.Publish.com
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end as soon as the book is publicly released, so please order
your copy soon.
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