Fascinating post by the Book Madam, Julie Wilson (via whom I also have a remarkably fun time as Ottawa’s Literary Voyeur): Evolution in the Book Industry?, on new possibilities for making money selling your own work, in a world where authors are paid 10% in royalties…

I came across that link in a lovely post on Carin Makuz’s blog, which is also  about being happy (rather than envious) of others’ achievements. I experienced the same euphoria she describes this week. There was all that, you know, Egypt stuff, plus I found out that former UBC classmate Sarah Selecky (shortlisted for the Giller Prize earlier this year!) and former Humber classmate, Darcie Friesen Hossack, are on the regional shortlist for the Commonwealth Prize… I couldn’t contain myself when I found that out. Put it this way: a couple of years ago the brilliant but ever-humble Darcie was despairing of ever even being published. Read Darcie’s joyous reaction on finding out she was a nominee. Love the image of her scrolling around on her Blackberry, trying to read the whole article…

Carin’s a fellow Literary Voyeur, and we both found about the sign-up call for Voyeurs via the fab writer Teri Vlassopoulos, who today has a post up about  achievements of some of the members of a writing group we all belong to. The group comprises women who met while doing the online creative writing program at Humber College — including Darcie — and some other editors and writers who have joined since. (The group doesn’t really have a name — my spellchecker keeps changing it to Humbler writers, but no one’s biting at that suggestion.)

Lastly, the inestimable Susan Toy, also one of the Humber group, spoke recently at the Calgary Public Library as part of the Writers’ Weekend, “a day-long extravaganza of informational sessions designed for writers at all stages in their careers”. She’s posted a PDF copy of her talk, “Marketing Yourself and Your Work”. It’s an invaluable resource, for those of us trying to get published AND those of us who already are.

Which brings us back to the beginning — how to make money from your own work…!