New Report Reveals How B2B Marketers Can Boost Business with Twitter

Fresh Perspective Copywriting recently published a special report, The Key to Twitter Success: Your Guide to Building Relationships with Customers, Prospects and the Media Using the World's Fastest Growing Social Networking Site.

The purpose of the report is to show professionals, particularly business-to-business (B2B) marketers, various ways to use Twitter for business. It also provides step-by-step instructions on how to create a simple marketing plan to get the most value from the time they spend tweeting. To download a copy of the free report, visit www.freshperspectivewriting.com/Key-to-Twitter-Success.html.

"As a Twitter novice, I feel The Key to Twitter Success provides great and understandable information," says Alixe MacRae, Owner of Concierge Relocation.

A large portion of the report is dedicated to finding followers. Learning a few simple techniques can allow professionals to connect with targeted followers who may become leads and even customers.

"When I first opened a Twitter account, I thought most of the content was just spam," says Rachel Foster, author of The Key to Twitter Success. "However, I have come to realize that the website can be a powerful tool that allows you to do everything from generate leads to share your company's latest news."

Rachel Foster is an award-winning B2B copywriter. She launched Fresh Perspective Copywriting in April 2009 to provide freelance copywriting services for B2B technology companies and advertising agencies.

Website: http://www.freshperspectivewriting.com/

Experts Across Canada Join Examiner.com Canada to Share Their Knowledge

Examiner.com, the insider source for everything local, will be expanding to Canada, via the launch of Examiner.com Canada (www.examiner.com/canada) today. Examiner.com Canada will provide localized content - ranging from breaking news to arts & entertainment to sports - to people in Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Examiner.com Canada will also offer national content for residents not living in one of its five initial markets.

"Examiner.com Canada will provide Canadians with an unparalleled resource for local information, enabling them to further engage in their communities," said Rick Blair, CEO of Examiner.com. "What's more, Examiner.com Canada will provide a showcase for Canadian writers and experts, allowing them to build their audience and provide valuable insights to Examiner readers across the country."

Examiner.com Canada is actively recruiting Canadians who are passionate about their interests and areas of expertise, expecting to have over 100 active writers and photographers when the expansion launches. Each contributor for Examiner.com is vetted to ensure they are qualified to provide localized content on their chosen topic and are given extensive training - free of charge - from Examiner.com. Writer training covers how to write for the Web, including the use of publishing tools, optimizing content for search engine pick-up and effective attribution among others.

"As an avid follower of Canadian music, from the Barenaked Ladies to the up-and-coming Dinosaur Bones, I appreciate having a forum to share my thoughts, ideas and news on a topic that interests me," said Jason Chu, Canadian Music Examiner. "In just the first two months I have been an Examiner, I have seen my following rise from a dozen or so, to hundreds of readers, demonstrating that many of my fellow Canadians share in my passion."

Examiner.com Canada is the first international foray for Examiner.com, which currently has over 20,000 Examiners writing for more than 160 markets. In 2010, Examiner.com will be launching in the United Kingdom and other countries.

Access to all editions, including Canada, is available at http://www.examiner.com/editions.html

Sign up as an Examiner and earn money.

Media Workers Guild Maps New Freelance Direction for Changing Workforce

The California Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521, has launched an organizing campaign to boost working conditions for freelance journalists, including the region's first juried press credential for independent news gatherers.

Supported by a grant from the Berger Marks Foundation in Washington, D.C., the San Francisco-based Guild local has a full-time organizer working on the project, along with other staff and volunteers. The broad-reaching campaign focuses on freelancers in Northern California. A website (guildfreelancers.org) has been established with online recruiting tools, a members-only resources area being developed, and tie-ins with social networking sites.

Hundreds of journalists have been turning in their company press passes as newsrooms shrink. The Guild is working with community groups and other partners to strengthen the safety net and equip writers, photographers, web content providers and graphic artists the supports they need to work independently without sacrificing security.

"When I retired from the Chronicle after 33 years and began freelancing, I felt it was essential to stay involved in the Guild and the larger labor movement, whose ideals I embrace and whose support of working people is crucial in these parlous times," said arts and music writer Jesse Hamlin. "I joined the Guild's freelancers unit because I wanted to stay connected with other writers and editors, to share information and ideas and to work collectively to get a fair shake for the work we do."

Plans for a freelance unit - the first in the nation sponsored by a Guild local - have been germinating for a year. Union organizers say the unit will harness the power of numbers to support the needs of freelance journalists working in a broad spectrum of media. Longtime religion writer and author Don Lattin will oversee a rigorous process for credentialing journalists without traditional employment.

Standards will ensure the Guild Freelancer credential will deserve recognition.

"Our goal is not to exclude anyone based on the type of journalism they practice or the platform they use to publish or broadcast their work. But we need to separate the dabbler, the dilettante and the publicist from the ranks of freelance working journalists," Lattin said. The Guild represents newsroom and commercial workers at the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Sacramento Bee, Bay Area News Group-East Bay and other leading organizations. The union's traditional role is to negotiate pay, benefits and working conditions for groups of employees organized as bargaining units. The Freelance Unit is part of a broad new effort by the Guild to broaden its base at a time of industry turmoil. Other projects include support of the newly announced Bay Area News Project, a nonprofit collaboration of KQED, the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and financier-philanthropist Warren Hellman.

The freelance unit welcomes journalists who are no longer employed by a traditional media company and those who never have been. "We need some new approaches to reach workers in today's economy," said Carl Hall, a staff representative for the California Media Workers local, one of the many Chronicle reporters who left the paper during the past year. "Media workers may file from cafes or their own kitchens now, but we still need advocacy and community. We need to change our approach to make the Guild fit the mobile freelance workforce."

Authors.com Expands Online Social Community For Writers And Poets

Social network site Authors.com (http://www.authors.com/) continues to expand its online social community for authors, poets, publishers and book enthusiasts, to provide a central, definitive writers community for the exchange of inspiration, ideas and support online.

Online social network Authors.com has pledged to continue to expand its network of authors, poets, publishers and book-lovers, in a bid to create a central, definitive resource for the writing community, and a free meeting place for writers and writing groups online.

Providing a platform for discussion and the sharing of ideas through its social features, Authors.com enables writers from all backgrounds to connect and benefit from the collective experiences of their peers, to generate fresh ideas and improve core-writing skills – whether through forum or group discussions, the Chat Room feature or blog comment interaction.

Tim V, a spokesperson for Authors.com said it was set on expanding the Authors.com member base to the benefit of the overall community, as it continues to become one of the Internet's foremost resources for writers and poets.

"As a writer, it's important to keep developing, and striving to learn your craft, to improve the quality of your writing. That's why we've created our social network for writers and authors, which brings together the diverse writing community to share and learn from the experiences of others."

"With our members forum and Chat Room feature, Authors.com provides the ideal framework for the free exchange of ideas and support. We're continuing to add to the conversation with a growing number of members, encouraging writers of all kinds to get involved – not only to benefit from the current resources, but to contribute and help shape the online writing community."

Authors.com allows writers from all disciplines and backgrounds to participate in forum, blog post and chat room discussions, to help share and benefit from the experience, advice and support of other writers.

Demand Studios Bolsters Offerings for its Nationwide Network of Professional Freelance Creators

Demand Media, a leading social media company that's currently the 15th most-visited property in the U.S. according to comScore, announced its publishing platform and community, Demand Studios, has created more than one million original pieces of content (articles and videos), making it one of the largest producers of content on the Web today. The content is distributed to an audience of more than 80 million via Demand Media's network of distinctive vertical properties which include LIVESTRONG.COM, eHow.com, Trails.com, Golflink.com and others. Moreover, Demand Studios creates content for major Internet destinations like YouTube, and traditional publishers such as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Large Freelance Community Sees Increased Benefits of Scale

More than 6,000 active Demand Studios freelance creators, from filmmakers to writers and title proofers to copy editors, collaborate to produce quality content. In an effort to reward and retain its existing talented community and attract additional professional freelancers, beginning November 1st, 2009, Demand Studios will leverage that scale and offer health care options to active, tenured writers, filmmakers and copy editors who meet eligibility requirements. The company has plans to expand the health care options to the other roles available within Demand Studios.

Demand Studios is focused on expanding access points for its freelance community by providing:

• Guaranteed access to health care options for eligible members through a volume discount on behalf of Demand Studios' large creator network. The Demand Studios plans average half the costs of what a freelancer would be able to get as an individual seeking health coverage
• Access to almost limitless amounts of work (tens of thousands of assignments every day)
• Guaranteed twice-weekly payments
• Access to unparalleled audience distribution (#15 on comScore, #2 most-viewed channel on YouTube)
• Access to training and mentoring offered by Demand Studios and its professional freelancer community
• Access to a large community of like-minded professional freelance content creators with whom they can learn, grow and network

 "Decades of editorial experience and creative talent are now migrating online due to the shifting climate of traditional media, and Demand Studios is poised to serve as a gathering place for this talent," said Steven Kydd, executive vice president, Demand Studios. "Freelancers are telling us two things loud and clear in our community. They want a sense of stability that comes with guaranteed work and they want to grow their careers. As a result, we are responding with solutions around health care and how they will be paid. By offering guaranteed access to health care benefits as well as twice weekly payment, we are lightening the burden and removing more of the risk for those who want to follow their passion."

Generating Traction for a New Model

Demand Studios was first created to grow Demand Media's owned and operated websites. This content creation process which combines traditional editorial processes with Demand Media's proprietary technologies results in articles now finding a home in the pages of respected, traditional publications.

For example, just in the past week an article by Demand Studios' writer G.K. Bayne showed up as a resource in a New York Times article and newspaper giant Gannett distributed Demand Studios writer Jennifer Olvera's "How to green your Halloween" and other stories from Demand Studios writers to local papers in their network.

This focus on editorial standards is also attracting quality professionals. Bob Land, an editor, indexer, proofreader with more than 30 years of publishing experience, was accepted into Demand Studios at the beginning of 2009. He sees real value in this new model for content professionals like him. "I've seen editorial jobs slashed not only throughout the publishing industry, but even in seemingly unrelated fields like the law. Friends with decades of unparalleled journalism experience have been bought out of their longtime professions as cost-cutting measures. In these times, any organization that provides steady work and reliable payment, not to mention the flexibility to set one's own schedule and allow for other freelance pursuits, is a source of great comfort. Demand Studios also gives traditional red-pencil editors the opportunity to make the jump to a new publishing paradigm."

Website: http://www.demandstudios.com/

MFA Creative Writing program ranked No. 18 by Poets & Writers magazine

Four years after its creation and only a year and a half after granting degrees to its first class, the MFA Creative Writing program at Vanderbilt University was named a Top 20 program in the country by Poets & Writers magazine.

"This quick recognition for one of Vanderbilt's much-in-demand new programs is a tribute to the talented writers and teachers in our legendary English department and to the leadership of department chair Jay Clayton and to Mark Jarman, who directs the Creative Writing program," said Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos. "I look forward to reading the work the MFA students produce as time goes by."

Vanderbilt is ranked No. 18 in the November/December issue of the magazine. Poets & Writers ranked programs in eight categories, including size, duration, cost of living, teaching load and curriculum focus. Vanderbilt -- which admits three poetry and three fiction writers to its program each year -- was ranked No. 4 in the country for selectivity.

"Last year we had 374 applications for those six slots, and we will expect to receive many more this year--demand is increasing," said Jarman, an acclaimed poet. "Our teacher-student ratio is 1-1. If you are accepted into this program, you are going to get attention."

Each of the six students accepted receives full scholarships, health insurance and stipends, said Sandy Solomon, a poet and associate director of the program. This support is a significant attraction for incoming students, she said, as is the prospect of acquiring teaching experience at Vanderbilt. All the students tutor at the Vanderbilt Writing Studio during their first year and teach a workshop in their genre in their second year.

"As soon as I arrived in Nashville, the members of the MFA faculty were calling me to invite me out to coffee, to take me out to lunch, to offer me their furniture, anything," said Matt Baker, a first-year fiction student. "At any program in the country you can study under talented, published professors, but at Vanderbilt they're also genuinely interested in the lives of their students. That's something the Poets & Writers rankings don't even take into account. Take that into consideration, and I think our program is at least top five."

Poets & Writers polled more than 500 MFA applicants online between October 2008 and April 2009 through two of their largest on-line communities, Suburban Ecstasies and the MFA Weblog. The No. 1 program was at the University of Iowa, followed by Michigan and Virginia. The universities of Texas and Wisconsin tied for No. 5. For the full list, go to http://www.pw.org/content/2010_mfa_rankings_top_fifty_0.

Vanderbilt launched its Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing program in 2006. The faculty includes fiction writers Tony Earley, Lorraine Lopez, Alice Randall and Nancy Reisman; poets Jarman, Solomon, Beth Bachman, Kate Daniels and Rick Hilles; and nonfiction writer Peter Guralnick. For more information, visit http://www.vanderbilt.edu/english/creative_writing.

IAB Calls On FTC To Rescind Blogger Rules

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (http://www.iab.net/) today called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to withdraw recently issued enforcement guidance regarding the opinions and commentary of bloggers and other participants in social media, saying the rules unfairly and unconstitutionally impose penalties on online media for practices in which offline media have engaged for decades. In an open letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Randall Rothenberg, the President and CEO of the IAB, called the FTC's distinction between offline media and online media, "constitutionally dubious."

In his open letter to the FTC Chairman, Mr. Rothenberg said portions of the "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising," would explicitly muzzle online media, while exempting offline media from equivalent scrutiny or penalty.

"What concerns us the most in these revisions is that the Internet, the cheapest, most widely accessible communications medium ever invented, would have less freedom than other media," said Mr. Rothenberg, "These revisions are punitive to the online world and unfairly distinquish between the same speech, based on the medium in which it is delivered. The practices have long been afforded strong First Amendment protections in traditional media outlets, but the Commission is saying that the same speech deserves fewer Constitutional protections online. I urge the Commission to retract the current set of Guides and to commence a fair and open process in order to develop a roadmap by which responsible online actors can engage with consumers and continue to provide the invaluable content and services that have so transformed people's lives."

The Guides include revisions that specifically address online media and will require that bloggers who receive free products to review must disclose that they received those products for free or be subject to civil enforcement penalties.

There is a longstanding practice in traditional media of providing products and services to journalists including freelancers, for the purpose of reviews. Mr. Rothenberg writes in his column:

"They -- and we -- re not arguing that bloggers and social media be treated differently than incumbent media. After all, most newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television networks, in recognition that Americans are embracing new forms of social communications, have established their own blogs, boards, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and the like. Rather, we're saying the new conversational media should be accorded the same rights and freedoms as other communications channels."

Pages 47 and 48 of the Guides emphasize the FTC's disparity in the treatment of online media versus traditional media:

acknowledges that bloggers may be subject to different disclosure requirements than reviewers in traditional media. In general, under usual circumstances, the Commission does not consider reviews published in traditional media (i.e., where a newspaper, magazine, or television or radio station with independent editorial responsibility assigns an employee to review various products or services as part of his or her official duties, and then publishes those reviews) to be sponsored advertising messages. […] In contrast, if a blogger's statement on his personal blog or elsewhere (e.g., the site of an online retailer of electronic products) qualifies as an "endorsement" – i.e., as a sponsored message – due to the blogger's relationship with the advertiser or the value of the merchandise he has received and has been asked to review by that advertiser, knowing these facts might affect the weight consumers give to his review.

To learn more about the IAB's Public Policy work, please go to http://www.iab.net/insights_research/public_policy

National Press Club Decries Embedding Censorship

The U.S. military's decision to bar embedded reporters in Afghanistan from publishing photographs of U.S. military personnel injured or killed in action hampers journalists' ability to independently report the war and the public's right to know.

"The U.S. military should not determine what is and is not news," National Press Club President Donna Leinwand said. "Censoring journalists who cover war and permitting only government-approved news and photographs undermines our country's fundamental commitment to a free and independent press."

The policy applies to Regional Command East, which distributes press badges to reporters in Afghanistan. Initially, the policy barred media from even photographing or recording video of U.S. personnel killed in action. A policy modification announced Wednesday says journalists may view, photograph and videotape casualties, but may not publish the images.

In a democracy, the news media serve a critical watchdog role on the three branches of government. When government seeks to control the media, it weakens that independence and devalues the information released to the press and the public.

This move is particularly disappointing in light of President Obama's pledge to foster transparency in his administration.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. Founded in 1908, the Club has 3,500 members representing most major news organizations. Each year, the Club holds more than 2,000 events including news conferences, luncheons and panels, and more than 250,000 guests come through its doors

Blogging for Profit: How to Monetize a Blog

Get the latest expert blogging advice in a new complimentary white paper from the Mequoda Group, a company that provides best practices for online publishers and marketers. This report answers the question everyone has been debating "how to monetize a blog?"

With over 50 million blogs out there, how do bloggers get their sites to stand out from the crowd and get noticed? The Blogging for Marketing 101 white paper from the Mequoda Group is full of marketing tips bloggers can use to enhance, promote, and monetize their blogs.

The Mequoda Group interviewed dozens of online publishers and content marketers who have been using blogs to build, monetize and drive traffic to their site by attracting more search engine referrals, increasing inbound links and improving reader engagement. In this report, bloggers can get advice from publishers who are already successfully blogging for marketing successfully.

This reports will help decide the right frequency, topics to discuss and proven SEO strategies. Bloggers can learn ways to promote their site, get inbound links and how to elicit comments from readers.

As part of their social media strategy, news and magazine publishers are already using a variety of blogs to distribute their content online. Learn how publishers in-the-know are using a hands-on approach which keeps them actively involved by responding to messages from their readers, engaging in an ongoing discussion and otherwise keeping up with industry trends.

The Mequoda Group's research team has studied over 2,000 websites to develop marketing and business strategies for its audience of large and small publishers. Publishers can visit http://www.mequoda.com/free-reports/blogging-for-marketing/ to claim a free copy of Blogging for Marketing 101.

Tips on Writing Holiday Features That Get You Noticed and Help Editors Prepare Their Sections

Features that cover holidays are a topic that is golden to editors, and of interest to a majority of readers of all ages, young and old. Which means the media is always on the lookout for fresh holiday story ideas. So this year, give them the gift of a well-written feature.

"Writing holiday features stories, with the purpose of sharing them with others, is not always easy, and persuading the editor who is preparing a gift guide or section is an even more difficult task," says Angela Mendola, Manager of Strategic Products for Business Wire.

"More often than not, we feel pressured to be creative and we focus more on promoting the product than on the information itself," says Mendola, "Getting to the point can be a challenge, but there are tricks and techniques that will help you promote your holiday message by actually being a credible source of information without sounding like an ad."

Some helpful tips on preparing a holiday feature:

-- Less is more: Keep your story to 400 words.

-- Headline: Summarize your story in 20 words or less and let readers know what it's all about.

-- Provide a good humanizing quote from your spokesperson within 60 words of your story, and attribute and identify the source or expert.

-- Avoid shopworn phrases, such as "Santa is making a list and checking it twice." The only person who will lead with a holiday phrase will be the editor, and that would be on the front page of the section.

-- Avoid superlatives like "revolutionary," "cutting-edge" or "innovative." Those words are overused and predictable. Instead, let the readers know the key benefits of the product and how it can help them.

-- Don't date your gift story to one specific holiday. Consider writing that the gift is also available even after the holidays.

-- Bullet your tips and do not number them. Editors may be tight on space and may need to edit the list.

-- Prices are necessary, but you don't want your story to become a price listing -- this will discourage the editor. Simply put parentheses around prices and toll free numbers. This way editor can decide whether or not to carry them.

Mendola is an 18-year veteran of the commercial newswire industry, with a focus on Feature news, Style and Women's news sections. Mendola was instrumental in pioneering the podcasting of features, and has conducted many feature writing workshops and webinars nationwide. Earlier in her career, Mendola worked in the On Air promotions department of Capital Cities/ABC Television Network.

New Social Networking Site Encourages Writers to Write and Earn

Xomba, Inc. has released their newly designed website which allows its members to earn money by publishing a variety of articles and content. Members publish articles on topics of interest to them, share their work within a community of writers and readers, and earn sums that far outweigh that of the average internet blogger.

"We wanted to reach out to a community of writers who enjoy blogging and other forms of online writing," explained Xomba.com creator, Nick Veneris. "But what makes Xomba different is that you can actually get paid to write online. These days, many writers are involved in some form of online writing, but struggle to make a significant income from their efforts. That's where Xomba.com takes the reins."

Xomba.com shares ad revenue earned from each article posted, and there are no limits to the amount of writing one can do.

Considered a social networking site by many of its writers, family-friendly Xomba.com aims to provide a community for those who are interested in writing, reading and sharing a variety of work. Writers are encouraged to publish magazine-like articles or short summaries along with links to information which interests them. With features such as the ability to share, vote for and bookmark favorites, users can keep up with each other and make friends with other writers, all while marketing their work.

"Xomba.com is a great marketing tool for writers," Veneris explained. "Immediately they are being seen by hundreds of captivated readers, and they begin to create a following. Readership turns into earnings and everyone benefits."

Xomba.com isn't just for professional writers. Those looking to read interesting, up-to-date content or try their hand at writing their own pieces will enjoy the benefits of Xomba.com

Xomba.com was developed and launched in 2006 by creator Nick Veneris. Its turn-key platform allows writers to publish their original content to an instant audience. Since 2006 Xomba.com has grown to host thousands of writers and readers and receives millions of visits per month.

Website: http://www.xomba.com/

More Writers Take On the Publishing Industry

Year Zero Writers is a group of 20 authors from as far afield as Hong Kong, the USA, England, France, Dubai, Greece, and Finland who have joined forces to bring their unique brand of contemporary fiction direct to readers. The group started as a response to a publishing industry reeling under the impact of the recession, and dominated by market trends that are beginning to squeeze out original, edgy fiction.

Year Zero Writers has a simple manifesto, based around the principle that literature is a living conversation between readers and writers, in which a publishing industry that demands editorial changes and toning down of content has no place. The group's first project, started in March 2009, was a novel, The Man Who Painted Agnieszka's Shoes, written in real time as a dialogue with readers, and given away for free on the social networking site, Facebook.

Larry Harrison, a founder member of the collective, says, "We're about giving readers the words we write, and letting them decide for themselves. Quality is essential – whether it's cover design or avoiding sloppy formatting. We are doing this because we care about readers, we care that what they read is in no way censored or diluted or made to some arbitrary model. Because we care about them we want to give them something different to mainstream publishing, but of equivalent quality."

Thirteen of the Year Zero Writers, including Larry Harrison, have provided samples of their work for the collection Brief Objects of Beauty and Despair, which the collective is giving away as a free pdf (available from the website) to showcase its work. This is only one of a set of marketing strategies that embrace new media such as the microblogging site Twitter, where the group's writers already have a devoted following of over 1000.

The first novels by members of the collective will be released on September 1st and will be available through Amazon and other booksellers. The first titles will be Benny Platonov by Hong Kong resident Oliver Johns, which tells of an exile from the former East Germany who believes he can save Hong Kong's homeless with his stories; Glimpses of a Floating World by Larry Harrison, an elegy to the lost underbelly of '60s London; and Songs From the Other Side of the Wall by Dan Holloway, the heartbreaking story of a teenage girl growing up in post-communist Hungary who dreams of following her mother to "The West".

"It's time writers started thinking less parochially and traditionally," says Larry, "and more like those musicians who happily give their songs away to their fans, or the artists prepared to rally round a common ideal. It's time writers came out of their attics and embraced their readers. That's the movement we want to start."

For more information go to: http://yearzerowriters.wordpress.com/

Libraries, Publishers and Leading Advocates Join Open Book Alliance

Dozens of leading academic, library, consumer advocacy, organized labor and publishing organizations joined the Open Book Alliance today in calling on Google and its litigation partners to create an open and transparent process to negotiate a settlement in the Google Book Search case. The parties published an open letter to Google, the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers, demanding that they include key stakeholders to represent the broad range of public interests in the mass digitization of books. Google and its partners abandoned a previous settlement proposed in the case after the U.S. Department of Justice and others criticized the deal and recommended that the court reject it, but Google and the plaintiff publishers continue to negotiate behind closed doors on a revised settlement proposal.

The letter, available here, states in part:

"The Department of Justice identified scores of serious problems with the proposed settlement, which cannot be fixed with simple alterations to the agreement. Other stakeholders raised even more objections, which the parties have largely ignored. In order to address these very real and very complex challenges, negotiations on this issue must involve a broad range of stakeholders in an open and transparent manner."

Joining the Open Book Alliance in calling on Google and its partners to open the process in service of the public interest are leading library associations such as the New York Library Association, the Ohio Library Council, the New Jersey Library Association, and the Special Libraries Association; publishers such as the Council of Literary and Magazine Presses and Sarabande Books; writers' representatives such as the National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981; and many others concerned that Google will unfairly monopolize the mass digitization of books, raising prices for consumers and limiting access to important literary works.

The letter signatories universally support the goal of book digitization - making books searchable, readable and downloadable. They insist, however, that Google and a few publishing groups not be permitted to be the sole controllers of this major cultural development, saying:

"Discussion and debate about the right way to digitize the world's written works must proceed through a robust process that includes input from all stakeholders, including authors, libraries, independent publishers, consumer advocates, state Attorneys General, the Justice Department, and Congress."

Google and its partners have demonstrated that they will prioritize their own narrow commercial interests over the public interest in pursuing book digitization efforts, and any revised settlement that does not include a broad range of stakeholders is destined to jeopardize consumers' and authors' rights. The Open Book Alliance and the other letter signatories today tell Google and its partners: "No more closed doors - let's do it right."

The Open Book Alliance is a coalition of librarians, legal scholars, authors, publishers, and technology companies created to counter the proposed Google Book Settlement in its current form. The Open Book Alliance can be found online at http://www.openbookalliance.org, and on Twitter @OBAlliance.

Is Twitter hyped? Research indicates otherwise

Underneath all the hype about Twitter, evidence is emerging that it can bring genuine value when used in the business environment, particularly for the younger generation. Business-to-business industry researcher AIIM found that 27% of 18-30 year-olds agree that Twitter is an important rapid-feedback tool for business use, compared to only 7% of those over 45. Users feel it gives them unprecedented access to answers from experts, and they find it useful for running mini polls, sharing opinions during conferences and events, and making contacts whilst travelling. In total, 34% of the survey population has a Twitter account.

The survey also found that business users of Twitter are much more engaged than personal users, with half of the business users actively contributing and posting, rather than merely following. As regards following, 55% of users feel it has given them a useful insight into other professional's lives and businesses. However, even among committed users, there is a concern that Twitter might steal too much of their time, with 74% using it during working hours.

"We’ve been tracking the rapid growth of Enterprise 2.0 - the business use of social media - for a couple of years," comments Atle Skjekkeland, VP of AIIM, "but Twitter has grown much faster than anything we’ve seen before. It seems to me that Twitter brings back such quick answers from any expert community that it cannot fail to have a lasting place within the general business toolbox."

The AIIM survey, which polled 788 respondents, indicates that LinkedIn is twice as popular as Facebook for business networking, with over 50% of participants having an account. Two thirds feel that professional networking on the web is vital to their career progression – even more so in the current difficult times. Pressure is growing on IT departments to replicate social networking tools within the work environment, with a third expecting to use the same type of networking tools with their business colleagues as they do with friends and family, and 71% finding it easier to locate knowledge on the web than it is to find it on internal systems.

The AIIM research report is entitled "Collaboration and Enterprise 2.0: work meets play or the future of business?" Part of the AIIM Industry Watch series, the report is free to download from the AIIM website, http://www.aiim.org.uk/. It is underwritten by Allyis, Ektron, EMC Corporation and Oracle.

Aspiring Movie Writer Wins $5,000 for College

Votes are in and investing in a higher education just got easier for the grand prize winner of the Sallie Mae Saving for College video contest, Jeffrey Loveness of Montgomery Creek, Calif.

Loveness will receive a $5,000 cash prize for entering the winning video, "Save Money." In it, he humorously illustrates with stunt acting the lengths a college student will go to save money, by dodging a car to pick up a penny. A junior at Pepperdine University in Calif., Loveness is majoring in telecommunications and media production and hopes to work as a writer in the entertainment industry. He will use the grand prize to pay for his current tuition.

Sallie Mae, the nation's leading saving, planning and paying for education company, designed the video contest to raise awareness of the importance of saving to make the investment in education. Ten finalists were selected from a field of 300 valid entries. The 30-second videos were evaluated based on quality, creativity and fit to theme. Online votes cast for each of the 10 finalists entirely decided the grand prize winner.

The runner-up, who will receive a $1,000 cash prize, is Eleanor Michalka of Ennis, Texas, who entered the video "Saving Dough." Michalka illustrates with cookie dough animation that she saves money by exercising outside instead of paying for a gym membership and choosing basic cable TV. A student at the California Institute of the Arts, Michalka is majoring in character animation and hopes to work with feature animated films. She will use the runner-up cash prize money for her education.

The remaining eight finalists, who each receive $250, are:

-- Jeremy Baker of Vero Beach, Fla., with "A Family Affair."

-- Michael Banta of Buena Park, Calif., with "Saving for College 101."

-- Brian Billand, on behalf of his family, of Carmel, Ind., with "Saving Tips."

-- Toby Cashion of Four Oaks, N.C., with "Earth Saves."

-- J. Kieran Garvey of Doylestown, Pa., with "$ave For College."

-- Ethan Malavolti of Peoria, Ill., with "Just A Day In My Life."

-- Louie Rodriguez of Laredo, Texas, with "Saving Made Easy! In 30 Sec."

-- Amanda Thompson of Cohasset, Mass., with "Econopalooza!"

To help families develop a saving-for-college plan--based on their children's age and the type of college they may be likely to attend--Sallie Mae offers its free Education Investment Planner available at www.SallieMae.com/invest. In addition, Upromise by Sallie Mae enables families to save money for college while making everyday purchases of participating products and services from groceries to gas, shopping their favorite online store or dining out.

To learn more about Sallie Mae's Saving for College video contest, visit www.SallieMae.com/savecontest.

Social Media is More than Article Sharing - It's About Forming Relationships

Salon.com Editor-in-Chief Joan Walsh told journalists that too often, writers and websites rely on social media technology to simply spread articles across the internet, instead of spending time developing relationships with readers. Speaking at the Online News Association Conference (ONA) on a social media panel, Walsh told fellow journalists that social media is fundamentally about relationships.

"Too many sites and individual journalists have a one-way Twitter or Facebook presence," said Walsh. "They say ‘read our stories! become a fan!’ without understanding that the reason most people participate in social media is to form relationships. It wasn't until I started to actually converse on Twitter and especially to re-Tweet others' stories and observations, and add pictures of my puppy that my follower number began to take off," she said.

According to Walsh, Salon's traffic from social media sites has tripled since last October and is growing stronger month over month. Though the site is gradually adding links to multiple social networks on every story, the real cause for the growth this year is individual editors and writers being active community members, especially on Facebook and Twitter. "Although it¹s time intensive, it makes a huge difference," Walsh said. "Technology matters, but voices matter more. Relationships matter. Being a person actually matters."

Salon is unique as an online media site because it offers its readers a blogging platform, Open Salon, as part of the site. With almost one million unique visitors and 35,000 active members, Open Salon promotes loyalty and engagement with Salon writers and content. Further, the sites’ editors curate the best user generated blog posts and features them on the Salon home page, giving aspiring writers a built-in audience.

In fact, Open Salon members have landed book deals as well as magazine and newspaper assignments thanks to their Salon connection -- Open Salon's Gwen Cooper turned a post about her blind cat into a book, "Homer's Odyssey," that made the New York Times bestseller list last month. "We've always boasted we have the best audience in journalism, and we've really made them our publishing partners in the last year," Walsh told ONA.

I Will Start Writing When I Get Around to It by Marjorie J McDonald

Years ago we used to have coin shaped wooden pieces that had tuit written on one side. They were for those people who always said I'll do when I get around to it. Are you saying that to yourself about any thing you are wanting to do but just have not worked into your schedule yet?

Consider that we always make time for those things we really want to do so the question now becomes do you want to write or are you just saying that is what you want to do for whatever reason you are proclaiming you want to write? If it is writers block you are dealing with, you can get help with that at many places on and off line.

If you are just blowing smoke as they often say about words spoken that one never intends to follow through with, now or ever, but they sound good at the time, it is time to change your position and do it or stop talking about it.

We can find many excuses for why we are not able to do something and can let the time slip right through our fingers and never get it done. Start planning and begin writing on what you want to share with the world. You will never be able to recoop the lost time but you can certainly make up for it by beginning and staying with your writing now. You have no idea how many people you can help with what you consider trivial. It might just be the exact solution they are needing and looking to find.

Start by writing 3-5 minutes at a time. Then put those few sentences aside for later. Do this every chance you get every day and soon you will have sufficient content to write very comprehensively about your topic. You will be amazed how those mini writing sessions can add up to tell your story and then some. It really feels great to have enough content to edit some out that is good but not really adding to the whole.

Think about the round tuit wooden coin and how many things you have said that about and begin to find the courage to get beyond the excuses and get your projects done writing or anything else you are putting off. You now officially have a round tuit so your excuse is officially over. Be brave, big breath and go for it.

And now I invite you to join me for a series of writing exercises to help you discover your areas of interest in writing as well as increasing your creativity. You may access these exercises by visiting http://www.freecreativewritingstrategies.com/ You also may enjoy visiting my blog at http://www.creativewritingmadeeasy.com/

Reporters Seeking Experts And Sources For Their News Stories Have A Powerful New Tool

Reporters seeking experts and sources for their news stories have a powerful new tool with http://www.pitchrate.com/, a free online query service.

PitchRate.com connects news reporters and other media, such as TV producers and radio hosts, with expert sources. Journalists sign up for free and send out queries on topics they are covering. Sources with expertise in diverse areas, from parenting and relationships to law and finance, also sign up for free to receive queries targeted to their areas of experience.

PitchRate.com creator L. Drew Gerber, CEO of Blue Kangaroo Inc., came up with a unique system that allows journalists to rate the expertise of the sources they interview. Reporters, whether online, in print or broadcast, can then "pay it forward" to help other reporters in finding a media expert. The goal is to move the best interviews to the front of the line for the media.

Carl O Helvie, R.N., Dr.P.H., says PitchRate helped him find sources he needed for the Holistic Health Show he hosts on BBS Radio Station 3.

"I located a person for weight loss who could follow through quickly and have two others lined up for other topics," he says. "It is a wonderful resource that I will continue to use."

T Love, RMT, CST and host of Energy Awareness Radio, says she was flooded with responses after sending out a query on PitchRate.com.

"My last request for a show on ‘An Attitude of Gratitude’ landed me over 500 pitches. I read all of them and got an additional 14 shows out of that one request," she says. "Since, I've made additional requests and booked my show for the remainder of the year."

SPAWN Helps Authors and Creative Professionals with New Benefits

The publishing world is changing rapidly and the leaders of Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN) at http://www.spawn.org/ have made changes to help their members keep up. For 13 years, the non-profit member organization has offered information, resources and other benefits for authors, freelance writers, artists, and other creative professionals

To better serve its membership, SPAWN is moving forward with a new leadership team, a Facebook presence, new webmaster, and a brand new Web site (www.spawn.org) brimming with useful articles and resources related to writing, publishing and marketing

Visitors to the Web site who sign up for SPAWN's free monthly SPAWNews newsletter also receive a new ebook: Promote Yourself! 25 Ways to Promote Your Work Whether You're an Artist, Author or Small Publisher.

SPAWN dues are $45/year. New and renewing members receive the ebook or print book of their choice; a listing in the SPAWN Member Directory; inclusion in the SPAWNDiscuss email Discussion Group; discounts on publishing-related services and products; an opportunity to be listed in the Catalog of Members' Books and Services, opportunities to participate in various SPAWN activities at a discount; and access to the meaty, monthly SPAWN Market Update newsletter

The Market Update is one of SPAWN's most popular member benefits. This monthly report is bursting with a multitude of opportunities for authors, freelance writers, artists, photographers, screenplay writers, publishers and other creatives. Each issue of the SPAWN Market Update includes dozens (sometimes hundreds) of valuable resources. The searchable Market Update archives, which are available to members, contain literally thousands more opportunities

Patricia Fry, author, publisher and charter member of SPAWN is the new Executive Director, and Susan Daffron is SPAWN's new President and Webmaster. Daffron was selected for the job because of her depth of experience in both Web design and book publishing. The owner of Logical Expressions, Inc, a software and publishing company based in Sandpoint, Idaho, Daffron owns and operates more than two dozen Web sites for Logical Expressions and has designed or developed 50 client Web sites as well. She is the author of 12 books, 10 of which she self-published in the last three years. Last May, Logical Expressions also devised, developed and hosted the first virtual event for self publishers, the Self-Publishers Online Conference (SPOC)

The Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1996. Visit SPAWN at http://www.spawn.org/