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                      Digital Publishing Association News
                      Volume 2, Number 9  September, 1993
                        Copyright (C) 1993 Ron Albright

DPA News is sponsored by the Digital Publishing Association. It features news,
product developments, and information of interest to authors, distributors,
and readers of electronic publications.  Items presented here serve to inform
the public of the electronic publishing industry which covers authorship and
publication of reading materials in electronic format.  Find back issues on
DPA BBS at 205-854-1660.  Have you tried the new MOUSE SCROLL?

A Quote to Think About ...

The following was received from DPA member Dick Adler (Da Ponte & Company,
Books On Disk, 402 Broadway Avenue, Venice, CA 90291; 310-392-1932) who
spotted it in an advertisement from Apple Computers. The ad was for the Apple
PowerBook line of portables, but it happens to cover many of our ideas about
digital publishing...  "A PowerBook not only helps you write, it also lets you
do something completely new; read your favorite books on disk. While this
concept seems startlingly unusual at first, people who read books on disk
discover some interesting advantages. Like being able to search for key words
and passages, or type notes in the margins.  Many titles come with sound and
graphics, to complement the text.  With the PowerBook's bright, backlit
screen, you can even read in the dark - no nightlight needed. Plus, with
publishers like Random House embracing this new medium, you'll find an
ever-growing number of literary titles to chose from."

Think about it! The world continues to claim new insight into what we, as
members of the DPA and self-discoverers of digital publishing, have known all
along. Specifically, that publishing on disk - sans paper - just makes good
sense. Good sense economically, ergonomically, and logistically.

An "Open Letter" and a suggestion for activity ...

Colin Haynes (Nomad Press International, P.O. Box 1803, Bisbee, AZ 85603), is
near completion of the mammoth task of putting together "The Writer's
Electronic Publishing Kit." The Kit is a book on electronic publishing as well
as a collection of software to implement it - all in a single package. It
should bring a real boost to the industry as it will provide an almost
"turnkey" software package to start publishing on disk in short order. For
more on the Kit, send DPA a double-stamped, legal-sized SASE and we will send
you the wonderful "newspaper" Colin put together to describe both the Kit as
well as an introduction to electronic publishing in general.  Great reading
and well worth sending for.  (Mailing address is on next to last screen-page.)

Colin also announces he has been "trying to distill an action plan out of the
vast amount of information that DPA members and others have given him over the
past year." He asks, "How do we - collectively and individually - reach and
develop our market, and generate revenues?" Colin would like to share the
following thoughts and suggestions with the DPA membership:

"We all know that our concepts of digital publishing will appeal to an
enormous number of writers, entrepreneurs, and business people.  But how do we
most effectively transmit our enthusiasm to these scattered audiences and
develop our stakes in this young industry?  The print media - including the
computer press - neither understand nor take any significant interest in what
we are doing.  We are a muted chorus of small voices against the marketing
muscle of commercial publishers, who primarily push expensive CD-ROM products
and so distort public perceptions about digital publishing.

"Direct mail to target groups, such as writers, poets, scientific and academic
researchers, and business people involved with information processing, is very
costly and wasteful.  The majority of those we want to recruit to the DPA, or
as customers for our digital publications and programs, don't spend much, if
any, time on bulletin boards.

"Perhaps the time is opportune for a direct face-to-face approach.  How about
getting some of our butts on seats at workshops and seminars in the U.S.A.,
Canada, and Europe?  If two, or three, or more of us got together - hopefully
under the auspices of the DPA - we could put on a great show.  Seminars can be
very profitable if there is a cost-effective way of reaching potential
attenders - I made more money in a couple of months from a series of workshops
I staged in Africa, than in a year of intensive research and writing for one
of my books.  But, although I've been a guest speaker at some U.S.conferen-
ces, I don't know much about organizing such events here.

"So this note is an attempt to seek out other talents who might join together
in setting up what we might call the DPA Road Show - presentations/workshops/
seminars on digital publishing that we could stage at universities, and at
meetings of business and writers' organizations in major cities.  Revenues
would come from attendance fees and the sale of electronic publishing soft-
ware.  We could recruit new members for the DPA, and promote the Quill Awards.

"We've got a powerful message to convey, and lots of practical, valuable
benefits to distribute.  It is an inherently fascinating subject that lends
itself well to live presentations, and there seems to be a strong public
demand for such 'shows,' as demonstrated by attendances at events ranging from
poetry readings to the plethora of computer-user conferences.

"There might be some sponsorship or support available.  For example, elec-
tronic publishing has many benefits for disabled readers and writers.  We have
a positive environmental message.  We can save business and professional
people time and money in ways they do not even suspect.  So perhaps organiza-
tions such as Rotary or Lions might help to set up Road Show events?  Or the
organizations for writers, journalists, and poets - some of which have thou-
sands of members and active local chapters - might join us for co-productions?

"An event, such as I am suggesting, can generate media coverage far more
effectively than a mailed press release, and so stimulate further exposure and
the potential for revenues.  We can put a version of our show into a
multimedia presentation on floppies for sale, or as a sales tool to seek
invitations to stage profitable shows by distributing it as a sampler over
Internet, CompuServe, et al.

"I suggest that our show comprise a nucleus of two or three speakers who can
combine the expertise of giving an overview of digital publishing in its many
forms and dealing with various technical aspects, mainly the functioning of
the software, how to use the bulletin boards, etc.  These speakers would
travel to venues, where their presentations could be augmented by local ex-
perts.  For hardware, all we need is a laptop and projection facilities.  Much
of our audio-visual demo material has been created already and is available.

"Anyone interested in pursuing this?  Anyone have any suggestions - for
example, should we pass the concept on to an agency that specializes in
staging such events, or can we network sufficiently to do our own organizing
and marketing?  Are there any suggestions for organizational (e.g. Lions or
Rotary) or corporate sponsorship?  Is there a foundation that might be
interested?  Could Prodigy or one of the other on-line organizations, or a
telecommunications group, provide backing to promote its own services?  Our
formats for digital publishing could become major revenue generators for the
on-line and telecommunications services, many of which have promotional
budgets that might be tapped, plus seminar centers of their own in many major
cities.  But we need direct personal contacts to pursue such potential
sponsorship opportunities.

"In the meantime, here is a proposition to test the concept and perhaps start
the ball rolling:

"If you have, or know of, the resources to get a paying attendance to a half
or one-day workshop on electronic publishing in your area,  I will volunteer
my time to fly there and give a complete program in which I will use the over
20 software programs, the demonstrations, etc. that I have assembled for my
Electronic Publishing Kit.  It would represent a comprehensive and impartial
overview of electronic publishing - but not cover the complex commercial
information systems being used by large organizations, as described in the
latest issue of Byte.  We're focussing here on the self-publishing, entre-
preneurship, and smaller business needs as reflected in the DPA's activities.

"If it helps to attract an audience,  I could also incorporate material I have
used for presentations relating to my books about computer viruses and
computing-related health problems, e.g.  repetitive stress. You would just
need to generate sufficient revenue to cover my travel and accommodation.
Although it's not a condition, I would appreciate being able to set up a table
at the back of the room to sign and sell some of my books during breaks.  If
another member would like to participate on similar terms, we could do a
two-hander - but then the local host would have to generate enough attendance
fees to cover two air fares and accommodations.  If it would help to promote
your cause or organization, I can also do local radio or television
appearances.  Computer-user health problems is always a good theme for radio
call-in shows, opening the door to plugs for electronic publishing.

"These are only feelers, suggestions - ground bait to attract participants or
bright ideas for what could be a really exciting and worthwhile venture.

Colin Haynes can be reached at Nomad Press International and by telephone at
602 432-7117. Interesting idea to which I hope other DPA members will respond.
Think about it and see what you think.

More Press Coverage ...

According to John Gaudreault, there was another nice article on electronic
publishing in the New York Times. The cover article for the August 29th Sunday
Times Book Review section was "Hyperfiction: Novels for the Computer." If
anyone has seen the article, we would appreciate a copy for the DPA archives.
While John reports the DPA was not mentioned, any ink is welcomed ink for the
industry. We have heard from many in the computer industry that the concept of
digital publishing is a "hot" item at industry conferences and roundtables. I
think we are "on" to something here, folks.

Paper Publisher Buys Into Online World ...

It was reported by United Press International (and others) that Rupert
Murdock's News Corp. Ltd. announced on September 1 that it has agreed to buy
Delphi Internet Services Inc.

According to Murdock (News Corp's Chairman and CEO), "Delphi's leading
technology will enhance The News Corp.'s role in the rapidly evolving
worldwide interactive media marketplace. It will provide a series of
additional products and services, including an electronic newspaper unlike any
other and an electronic version of TV Guide, which will empower consumers to
deal with the ever-increasing number of channels."

News Corp. said Delphi, of Cambridge, Mass., is the fastest growing of the
industry's major consumer on-line services, which include Prodigy and
CompuServe. It plans to make Delphi part of its news technology group. Delphi
currently employs 300 on-line experts, or moderators, to help customers browse
through the Internet electronic databases.

"We have gained a tremendous competitive advantage in joining the News Corp.
global media family," noted Daniel J. Bruns, president and CEO of Delphi. "In
turn, because of our leading state-of-the-art technology, we provide a key
part of the strategic interactive media marketplace for News Corp. as it
expands its information network on a worldwide basis."

So, online publishing gets another bug shot in the arm. The online providers
are lining up alliances throughout the paper publishing industry. Online
publishing continues to be an obvious wave of the future and a healthy segment
of digital publishing.

Computer Access Continues to Grow ...

The US now has 243 computers for every 1000 people. According to the publisher
of the Computer Industry Almanac, of the 243 systems, 230 are personal
computers. According to the annual publication's calculations, there was less
than 1 computer per 1000 people when the PC first appeared on the scene in the
mid-1970s. By 1985, the figure had shot up to 99 per 1000 people. The
publication estimates that by the turn of the century there could be as many
as 600 computers per 1000 people, The $45 Computer Industry Almanac is
published by a company of the same name located in Incline Village, Nev.

The "Quills" - Rolling Along ...

The Second Annual "Digital Quill" Awards for excellence in electronic
publishing continue to progress nicely. We are getting a number of
submissions, both from last year's publishers and new entries from around the
world. Thanks to Washington editor and DPA member John McCormick, Newsbytes'
coverage of the event has been a real boost to the recognition of the DPA and
"the Quills" for the publishing industry. One more time, for those who may
have been vacationing under a rock in the Bahamas:

The Second Annual Quill Awards are a competition to recognize and reward
excellence in electronic publishing among DPA members and the industry, as a
whole. We are accepting entries - the deadline for entries is September 30,
1993 - for several categories of electronic publications. They include:

Regular Publication - a weekly, monthly or bi-monthly publication that has
been in publication for 6 months or more. This category will include both
fiction and non-fiction magazines and newsletters.

Fiction Book - an original (eliminating reprints of the "classics" in digital
format - who among us can hope to compete with a digital edition of
Shakespeare's classics?) electronically published novel. Length: 50,000 words,
minimum.

Non-Fiction Book - an original non-fiction book in digital format. Length:
35,000 words minimum.

Short Story - a single original story appearing either alone or as part of an
anthology or magazine and published in digital format. This category shall
exclude reprints of stories originally published in a paper publication.
Length: 1000 words, minimum.

Non-fiction article - a single originally article appearing either alone or as
part of a magazine and published in digital format. This category shall
exclude reprints of articles originally published in paper. Length: 1500
words, minimum.

Miscellaneous Publishing - to accommodate experimental literature, this
category is new to the 1993 Quill Awards. This category shall include (but not
be limited to) poetry and electronic comic strips, for example. Anything that
you have created that can't be pigeon-holed into the above categories can be
submitted under this heading.

Publishing software - a software program (Shareware or traditionally marketed)
designed for publishing text and/or graphics and facilitating their
distribution and viewing.  Nominations will be accepted from users as well as
original authors.

New Serial Publication - a weekly, monthly or otherwise regularly- scheduled
publication that has been issued for less than 6 months but has been published
at least for two issues. This category will include both fiction and
non-fiction magazines and newsletters and is proposed to recognize and
encourage new issues.

We have also added a "Miscellaneous" category. Since electronic publishing
encourages experimentation with publishing materials, there are a number of
publications out there that just can't be pigeon-holed into any of the above.
With this new category, we can recognize poetry, graphic collections, comics,
and other publications outside the previous "standard" categories.

While several members have stepped forward since we called for volunteers in
the last issue, we still need offers from within the DPA membership and
non-members (authors and publishers who are not members of the DPA but have
the appropriate qualifications will be considered as well) to serve as judges.
As always, judges will serve outside their own individual categories. For
example, if you publish a regular fiction magazine or anthology, you could
easily serve as a judge in the "novels" category or "non-fiction book"
category. If you are a programmer of a publishing software package, you could
easily serve as a judge of any category of literature. We encourage ALL DPA
members to volunteer to serve as a judge in some category. With the expected
number of entries this year, it is imperative that we get a large panel of
judges from which to chose.  Please notify the DPA office - either through
electronic mail or through "paper mail" of your willingness to serve as a
judge.  Finding judges is the one critical aspect of the Quill Awards that
always requires the most work. PLEASE help make it easy this year by
volunteering a few hours of your time to look over some of the entries. We
need your support and input desperately.

Also, if you are submitting to the competition, please remember the following
important points:

1. You do NOT have to be a member of the Digital Publishing Association to
submit for the Quill Awards. No preferential treatment will be given DPA
member authors or publishers. The Quill Awards are an open competition and all
are invited to submit.

2. Be aware that the competition is open to materials that were FIRST
published in electronic format. That means, materials that have been uploaded
to an online system or distributed on disk for reading as digital materials
previously are eligible for consideration. Materials that were simply created
on computer (most writers use those for EVERYTHING these days, anyway) and do
not meet the criteria of having been made available on an online system for
reading are ineligible. This is an important requirement. Please remember it.

3. The deadline for entries is September 30, 1993. Judging will take place
during the month of October and the winners will be announced in conjunction
with "Digital Publishing Month," set for November, 1993. The month will be
highlighted by a number of press and informational campaigns by the DPA to
heighten public awareness of the benefits and feasibility of "publishing
without paper." It should be an exciting month.

3. Finally, the Quill Awards are not computer-specific. The DPA is equipped to
judge material submitted in most computer formats including but not limited to
DOS, Windows, and Macintosh. We invite material from all hardware platforms.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We are also looking for input from the DPA membership about
what we should do about prizes this year. Last year we awarded a simple but
attractive certificate (along with a great deal of press coverage) to the
winners of the Quills. Since we have a modest budget this year, we hope we can
come to some consensus within the membership on offering something more sub-
stantial to this year's winners. If you are a DPA member, please submit sug-
*gestions soon. The final decision will be made by the Board of Directors. As
soon as the prizes are determined, we will make an announcement.

Entries for the 1993 Quill Awards, and requests for DPA information, may be
submitted to either of the following electronic addresses:
                      ┌────────────────────────────────┐
                      │ CompuServe: 75166,2473         │
                      ├────────────────────────────────┤
                      │ GEnie: RALBRIGHT               │
                      ├────────────────────────────────┤
                      │ MCI Mail: 370-7474 (RALBRIGHT) │
                      └────────────────────────────────┘
What?  You want to use 'paper mail'?!  OK, for you old fashioned types, here's
a traditional mailing address:
                      ┌────────────────────────────────┐
                      │ Digital Publishing Association │
                      │ 1160 Huffman Road              │
                      │ Birmingham, AL 35215           │
                      └────────────────────────────────┘
Use this address to request Colin Haynes' newspaper mentioned in the "Open
Letter."  Send a legal size self-addressed envelope with TWO STAMPS on it!

Winding down ...

Thank you all for your efforts in getting the Quills off the ground.  PLEASE
keep up the work. Your efforts - posting notices on BBSs and anywhere else you
can, leaving messages in writers' forums, including a mailer in your shareware
packages to others, etc. - are the keys to making the DPA and the 1993 Quills
a success.  We need your help.  Please volunteer for the judging.  It should
not take more than a few hours of your time and it is imperative for the suc-
cess of the Quills to get a variety of judges for as many viewpoints as pos-
sible. With the Digital Quill Awards cranking up and activities in preparation
for November's "Electronic Publishing Month" festivities, things will stay
busy at DPA HQ.  Join in, stay tuned, spread the word!

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