There’s an interesting new development at Amazon.

Amazon Muscles Print-On-Demand Services reports:

“Amazon has announced that it will only sell print-on-demand books printed by its own print-on-demand service BookSurge.”

This is bad news if you’re currently selling your books published by Lulu.com and others at Amazon, because now you won’t be able to do that. You’ll have to use Amazon’s own services if you want Amazon sales.

This may be a quality issue. With BookSurge, Amazon could demand further editing with books which don’t meet quality guidelines. OTOH, it may just be that they want to build up BookSurge and make it the de facto POD standard.

Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens.

Want to develop a six-figure writing income?

The September 2007 issue of The Writer had a great story: “Secrets Of The Six-Figure Freelancers”. The story’s wonderful because it shows you the potential of a freelance writing career; with the development of the Web and its unlimited markets, if you can write, you can make a great income as a freelance writer.

I chuckled when I read the story because many writers think a “six figure income” is hype. Either that, or they think that a great income is reserved for copywriters, or genre novelists, or other specialist writers.

The fact is that YOU can develop a six-figure writing career: you just need to know that it’s possible to earn $250,000 a year and more as a freelance writer, and then make that your goal.

And of course, you need know-how. That’s what my writing ebook manuals give you. In 30 years as a freelance writer, I’ve learned the tricks of the writing trade, and I’d love to share those tricks with you, so many of my ebooks offer free coaching. Whatever your level of experience as a freelance writer, you can develop a fantastic career, when you know how.

Develop your writing skills today.

Many people want to write a book. Few people ever get around to doing it, because writing a book is a considerable commitment. In my long and colorful writing career I’ve written many books, so in this article, I’ll share my tried and tested “Lazy Writer’s Method” with you.

My method will work successfully for nonfiction, less so for fiction. So if you’re writing a novel, just sit down and write it. Novels are rewritten, rather than written.

My method works because it cuts down on the time needed to write a book, and it also lets you make a little money along the way - always useful for a working writer to keep the wolf from the door.

OK, let’s get started. You’ve had a brilliant idea for a book.

Here are the four easy steps of the Lazy Writer’s Method:

1. Write an article on the subject of your book

The first step is to write an article on the subject of your book, and get the article published in a magazine or newspaper. Yes, you can publish the article online, but I don’t recommend this method.

You must get your article published in print, because if you do, you’ve soared over the first hurdle: the gatekeepers of publishing, the editors.

Anyone can get an idea for a book - in fact, if you put your mind to it you could probably get a dozen ideas before breakfast. Ideas are cheap.

If your idea passes the publication test however, you know you’ve got an idea that others respond to… and you’ve made a little money too.

2. What’s the response?

Your article’s been published. Now check the response.

Bit tip - ANY response is great. If you get a dozen letters congratulating you on the article, wonderful. If you get another dozen letters castigating you for the article and wanting your scalp, even better.

If there’s no response to the article at all, look for another book idea. The lack of response proves that your article’s (possibly) not worth pursuing at book length.

3. Write another couple of articles, and an outline

Let’s assume you got a response to your article - or there was no response, but you love the topic, and you’re committed to writing the book.

Your next step is to write another couple of articles, and an outline for your book. This package is part of your “chapters and outline” proposal package you’ll send to publishing houses and agents.

Get the two additional articles published.

Then rework the three articles and complete your publishing package. (You’ll need to do a competitive marketing analysis too.)

Send out your book proposal to people who can buy it.

4. The truly lazy writer’s way: blog your book

Most writers would now wait, for a year or two, until a buyer showed interest, and offered them a book contract.

However, you’re not just a writer, you’re a Lazy Writer, so take the next step, which is blogging your book.

Blogs are instant publishing and they’re amazing tools for savvy writers. Start blogging on the topic of your book - you’ll get readers. Your readership will attract the attention of editors and agents, and with a little luck, you’ll get your book publishing contract much more quickly than you would otherwise.

So if you’re thinking about writing a book, try the “Lazy Writer’s Method”. It’s a fast way to write and sell a book.

Write more - the key to your writing success

Yes, you can write more - even if you’re a world-class procrastinator.

Did you know that when you write more, your writing improves? Many of my writing students experience this. They find that when they write more, writing is easier for them - they’re not dominated by their inner editor.

My new writing class, “Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process” is based on lessons I developed for my private coaching students to help them to write more, improve their writing, and make more money writing.

If you’re struggling with your writing, the class will help. The techniques you’ll learn in class with help you write fiction, nonfiction, and copy for business.

Discover how you can write more, improve your writing, and sell more of your writing to higher-paying markets.

Top white author admits she made up story of growing up with tough black gangs in LA | the Daily Mail reports:

“A memoir by a white woman who claimed she was raised in poverty by a black foster mother and sold drugs for a gang in a tough Los Angeles neighbourhood has admitted the book was pure fiction.”

Publisher Riverhead has cancelled author Margaret B. Jones’s book tour, and has recalled all copies of the book.

The story also notes:

An editor at Riverhead described the discovery as “upsetting” and as a “huge personal and professional betrayal.”

Yes, it is a betrayal. Whatever gets into some authors? A publisher invests money in an author, and then is, as the editor said, betrayed.

Write It Once And Sell It Forever

Get A Constant Flow Of Cash By Writing And Selling Ebooks… It’s Much, Much Easier Than You Think

Ebooks are BIG online. Most ebooks contain from five to 100 pages, and sell anywhere from $10 to $100 dollars, and over, depending on the information. Clever writers are realizing that there’s gold in ebooks, and that they’re well-placed to mine that gold…

Discover how you can self-publish online, and make a great income, writing and selling ebooks with “Write and Sell an eBook: Every Writer’s Quick-Action Guide To Writing Ebooks”..