publishing

How Americans Earn Extra Money on the Side

With unemployment high, wages stagnant and costs rising, a growing number of Americans are working a part time job -- or more than one -- to make ends meet. 24/7 Wall St. dug through the data to see which industries are the best bets for those seeking part-time work -- and some may surprise you.

Judge Rejects Google Online Library Deal

A New York judge has called off a deal between Google and the book industry that would have created a universal library. But a new deal could still go forward with modifications.

Bidding for Authors: When Books Sell at Auction

To those outside the publishing industry, the deals that get covered in the press might give the impression that book auctions are as rare as solar eclipses. In fact, they happen with remarkable regularity. But that doesn't mean they're any less nerve-wracking for authors.

A Bankrupt Borders Makes Everyone Poorer, Especially Authors

Beginning as early as the end of the week, 6,000 Borders employees will be out work, and publishers will likely lose millions of dollars in bad debt. Hardest hit will be "midlist" authors -- those whose books aren't bestsellers but still do well enough to justify their publication.

Jersey Shore, the Book?

MTV's Jersey Shore may bring in big numbers on TV. But recent attempts by the program's stars to become best-selling authors have met with, at best, modest success. And the same goes for other Jersey Shore-related books.

Doing Book Research Without Breaking the Bank

Planning on a career as a writer? Getting started can be costly -- advances are often elusive -- so you'll often have to dig into your own pockets to cover the cost of doing research. Doing that within your means is the key. Here are eight tips for doing great research on a budget.

How One Writer Is Riding the E-Book Revolution

A novelist realizes that a book she wrote 20 years ago -- now out of print -- can be revived today as an e-book. Here's the story of how she took that old print volume and turned it into an e-book, complete with new title, new cover -- and new royalties!

Borders: Getting Closer to the Bookseller's Final Chapter

The country's second-largest book retailer had been counting on a Christmas miracle to rescue it from deep financial doldrums. But the holiday season played Scrooge instead. Now, confronting a liquidity shortfall, a bankruptcy seems more likely than ever.

E-Readers Make Great Gifts -- but Which One?

In these precious few holiday shopping days left, e-readers make for an easy gift for a wide range of family and friends. So, DailyFinance has assembled a guide to the major e-readers and what each one is best suited for as well as what issues you should consider before buying.

WikiLeaks' Julian Assange to Write His Memoirs

As the embattled 39-year-old Australian hacker's lawyers fight his extradition to Sweden, he'll be working on a memoir. The book will be published in the U.S. by Knopf, a division of Random House, and in the U.K. by Canongate. Admirers -- and detractors -- can't wait.

So, You Want to Publish Your Own Book?

With an ever-expanding array of online tools available, it's getting easier and easier to turn your ideas into books -- and money. The secret is to know your market before you begin to write, start selling before you've published and never, ever stop promoting your book.

Borders Posts Another Dismal Quarter

The country's second-largest bookstore widened its third-quarter loss to nearly double that of a year ago. Even worse, the estimated value of its inventory has declined, making it harder for Borders to borrow money. Will the company find a way to transform itself?

Borders' Bid for B&N Will Go Nowhere Fast

When Barnes & Noble announced it was looking for a buyer, we entertained the fanciful notion that struggling rival Borders might put in a bid. As absurd as the idea was, that buyout offer has been made. Here's why it has virtually no chance of succeeding.

Oprah's New Book Club Pick Has a Dickensian Feel

Winfrey has selected two Charles Dickens classics, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations, which will be reissued together in one 800-page volume with the Oprah's Book Club sticker from Penguin Classics. But readers can get them a lot cheaper, or free, elsewhere.

How to Turn Your Passion Into a Book Deal

Matthew Biberman had a story to tell about his dad and a one-of-a-kind motorcycle, and he soon turned his passion into a book deal. But the newly published author says the book deal is just the beginning -- learning how to pitch your story is what builds audiences.

The Art and Economics of Ghostwriting

In today's spooky economy, more writers are turning to ghostwriting to help make ends meet. If you're looking for a new career -- or if you've got a story to tell but no interest in writing it yourself -- here are some things you should know, things you should avoid and things not to worry about.

Gawker Is on Shaky Legal Ground Over Sarah Palin Book Excerpts

When Sarah Palin protested after gossip site Gawker posted pages from her upcoming book America By Heart, Gawker taunted her for her lack of knowledge about copyright law. But a federal judge has ordered Gawker to take the pages down temporarily.

Amazon's Holiday Gift to E-Shoppers

While it probably should have done this long ago, Amazon will now let you send an e-book to anyone, Kindle owner or not. The online retail giant's move is aimed at undermining a similar one by rival Kobo -- and shows how hard it is to outmaneuver Amazon in the marketplace.

Books-A-Million Earnings Drop in Third Quarter

The bookseller had a "disappointing" quarter with comparable store sales down nearly 6%, but a deal with competitor Barnes & Noble to sell the Nook e-reader could help end the year on a more positive note.

Barnes & Noble Shareholders Rubber-Stamp Poison Pill

Back in September, billionaire Ron Burkle lost his proxy war with Barnes & Noble's board, failing to kill the poison pill that kept him from upping his stake in the company. That made Wednesday's shareholders meeting all but a formality. But what's next for the nation's largest bookseller?

Publishing Puzzle: Chelsea Handler Gets an Imprint

When a book publisher wants to reward an editor's ability to bring in the bestseller bacon -- or sweeten a job offer -- the solution is often a new imprint, ideally one with their name on it. Which explains nothing about why Hachette just gave one to comedy show host Chelsea Handler.

Is Apple Using Gift Cards to Prop Up a Sagging iBookstore?

Sales of e-books on Apple's iBookstore have made "barely a blip" in the digital book market. Will its new iBooks gift cards help to change this -- or will customers continue to use apps to allow them to read Amazon and Barnes & Noble e-books on their Apple devices?

Financial Crisis Commission Scrambles for a Publisher

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission had planned to publish its findings in book form with Little, Brown. But the unusual deal between the two, which involved an advance payment from the publisher, has fallen apart, and PublicAffairs Books has stepped in as the new publisher.

News Corp. Buries HarperCollins' Earnings

Why did News Corp. bury the earnings of its book publishing unit HarperCollins? Does the media giant view the publisher as merely an afterthought -- or could Rupert Murdoch be contemplating a sale?

The (Paltry) Economics of Being a Novelist

Veteran novelist Catherine Ryan Hyde (Pay It Forward and 15 other books) describes the monetary underpinnings of the novelist's business. Did you know authors generally get just two royalty checks a year? That is, if there are any royalties at all.

Borders' New 'Low Price Promise' Fades in the Fine Print

Borders, the nation's second-largest bookstore chain, has struggled for years due to competition from both fellow bricks-and-mortar outlets and online booksellers. It's latest move to combat that is an offer to match the competition's prices -- but the program's limits doom it failure.