Long-time readers of this blog know that one of my main interests is new, workable models for the publishing industry. The current model is out-of-date, antiquated and goes against the grain of most other business models for consumer products (what other industry, other than publishing, demands that manufacturers take back product that doesn’t sell?).

One idea that has intrigued me for a while now is a subscription-based book publishing service. Here’s how it can work: A publisher (usually a small press in a niche market) markets directly to consumers, bypassing bookstores altogether. The consumer pays a one-time annual subscription fee and each month, the publisher sends the subscribers a new book on their catalog.

Of course, there are variations on this. The frequency of books sent to subscribers would vary with how many books a press published each year. And like magazines, the cost of the subscription would include shipping, handling, etc.

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Yes, I have been absent during the last week in the blogosphere and haven’t posted anything since the last Friday’s link love. I apologize. Other parts of life took up more time than I had and I never got around to getting a post or two written.

But as I always say, better late than never (at least, when it comes to posting here). I have run across some great material during the past week that I think you will really enjoy. On a more personal note, I am really loving this cooler fall weather the Chicago area has been experiencing. It’s a nice change from the hot and humid summer months.

With that said, here’s the week’s installment of Friday Link Love (a little late, I know). As always, I hope you have a safe and happy weekend!

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What a week this has been! The financial markets are in chaos, the government is running around in circles like a chicken with its head cut off, and the presidential campaigns are heating up as we enter into the final month before the elections! If it appears that I haven’t been posting as much as usual during the past week, then you are correct. My mind hasn’t been thinking about writing and literature much.

Maybe this is a good thing, as it is a mental "vacation" that will refresh my mind, imagination and give me a renewed vigor when I do return to it after all this excitement calms down. One thing I have always feared since I started this blog is burning out. Burn out can have serious consequences, the worst of which is giving up on a blog altogether. I don’t want that to happen.

Don’t worry though. I’ll continue blogging as regularly as I can. I have some great posts coming up that I’m sure ya’ll will love. With that said, it’s FRIDAY! And like always, have a safe and happy weekend!

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Where should writers go on the internet to help them with their craft? Well, there’s a new list out – the Top 10 Blogs for Writers. Here are the first three blogs from the list:

1. Copyblogger

2. Men with Pens

3. Freelance Writing Jobs

What are the remaining 7 blogs on the list? You’ll just have to click here to find out!

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Better late than never – that has been on of my unofficial mantras throughout my life. Of course, if there’s a hard deadline that needs to be met (like for a client or something), then obviously that mantra doesn’t apply. Thus, Friday Link Love  has been posted a few days late. A family obligation kept me away from my computer the last few days and I was unable to get this post finished.

The good news is, however, I have lots of links for you this week. I scoured the web high and low to bring you the best posts from the past week. So sit back, relax, and enjoy some good reading! I hope you have had a happy and safe weekend.

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It has been a while since I posted a writing tip, so I thought now is a good time for one since summer is over and we will soon be facing several months of dark, cold, snowy weather (at least here in Chicago!). This is the time of year when my creative writing output starts to increase and I start to read a lot more as well.

But today I’m going to focus on writing. Throughout the year, there are certain things that keep me from writing. No, I’m not talking about that anti-writing demon that lives in my closet and tackles me whenever I attempt to write something (another post for another day). I’m talking about various "mental blocks" that can keep me away from a current project, or even from starting a new one. There are many mental blocks, and I’m not going to attempt to cover them all here, but I will talk about the ones I suffer from the most.

Here are a few mental blocks that keep me from being a productive writer:

1. "I’ve started a great story, but don’t know how to end it!" - This is perhaps the biggest reason I have so many unfinished short story manuscripts stuffed into my file drawer. Writing just an adequate ending is hard enough, much less a great ending.

The Antidote: Getting through this mental block requires two main ingredients. First, know that whatever you write is not set in stone. You can change the ending later and edit your manuscript. Keeping this in the back of my mind really does help. Secondly, brainstorm ideas for how your story will end. Just write down anything that comes to mind. Then, write a couple different ending based on your brainstorming session. This also reinforces the idea that nothing is set in stone and will help open up your creativity!

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The world that encompasses ebooks is huge, and expanding with each passing day. A good example of this is the number of different ebook reading applications that have recently made their debut for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The game has shifted from being focused on an "ebook-only" reading devices (think Kindle, Sony Reader), to oriented toward all-in-one devices such as the iPhone.

In fact, if we continue to focus on the iPhone and the apps that have evolved over the last few months, it’s turning into a huge cottage industry. How big? Big enough that venture capitalists are taking notice (actually, they’ve been noticing since before the Apple App Store was even open). Recently, iFund launched this blog that discusses that will "Share  (and hear) perspectives around the iPhone and emerging mobile ecosystem."

What does this mean for the world of ebooks? It means that we’re on the cusp of an explosion in ereading software and ebook distribution platforms for mobile devices that will help push ebooks into the mainstream. The iPhone has really taken the first step, and as the iFund blog points out, will hopefully push others to follow:

The iPhone is a driving force that is finally pushing others in the mobile ecosystem (from developers to handset manufacturers to carriers) to move faster. Ultimately this is better for everyone as users do more on their phone, buy data plans, transact, etc.

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The literary world was rocked by the news that we had lost another one of our own. David Foster Wallace, author of the iconic novel Infinite Jest, had apparently hanged himself, according to California authorities. My deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends and all his fans. His legacy will live on. While I have heard of Wallace, I haven’t read any of his works.

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I hope everyone out there has a lot of free time this weekend, because I got lots of links this week! For some reason I kept finding good stuff that I knew you would like – so happy reading!

Anyway, it has been an interesting week, to say the least. I have been pretty distracted by the Sarah Palin book banning controversy, which I posted about a few times on this blog. Even though it’s obvious no books were actually banned from the public library, I continue to maintain that Ms. Palin had it in her head that removing certain books might be something she would like to do – especially considering she brought it up to the librarian 3 times and also tried to have her (the librarian) fired.

This weekend will be a pretty low-key affair, especially considering that Chicagoland is in the grip of more rain showers. I will be accompanying my wife and some friends to a local craft fair, however. It’s always fun to see what other people are making and usually you can find at least one self-published author at these events. If I come across anything really cool/neat/interesting/funny, I’ll definitely post about it here.

With that said, I hope everyone out there on "the tubes" has a happy and safe weekend!

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The same group that helped in the defense of Roger Rapoport, who was sued after trying to publish The Harry Potter Lexicon (read more about the case here), will become an official tax-exempt organization to help writers with issues on fair use and first amendment rights. I came across this article on Publishers Weekly, which describes the goals of the new organization that will…

…help support other creative artists faced with legal threats or lawsuits.

Additionally, the Right to Write will also collect and help spread information regarding intellectual property issues:

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