I’m getting LOTS and lots of e-mail about WordPress For Dummies, Second Edition. I’m really excited to see so much anticipation about it – - mostly because I’m super excited about the book. But when is it coming out?? Originally, I had announced it was being released in Fall ‘08. Amazon says November 2008 and so does Barnes and Noble. So, when is it really?
The publish date for the book has been pushed back to December 2008. We’re not intentionally dragging our feet with it. The book is actually written, and I submitted 100% of the content in mid-October. And then? I had a peek at WordPress 2.7 and had a mini-heart attack! haha 
Seriously, when I looked at WordPress 2.7 and started installing the pre-pre-beta updates via SVN, I realized that the Second Edition simply could not be published in it’s current state. I wrote to my editor and told her that it didn’t make sense to publish a 2.6 book in a 2.7 world. She agreed and we decided to push the publish date off until December. I’m really excited about the new development that WordPress is putting out with the 2.7 release – I think you will be too!
At the time of this post, the book is roughly 80% *there*. I’m just waiting for the 2.7 dashboard design to hit its final iteration so I can include all necessary screencaps and such. Can I take a moment and gush about how fantasticaly helpful the Automattic team has been – particularly Jane Wells, whose updates I find in my e-mail to be invaluable. Jane, I cannot say thank you enough for keeping me in the loop. (haha – - the LOOP – - get it?) Mark Jaquith, as well – has been a gem, as always. He lets me bug him with little things and he’s always prompt with a helpful response. Thank you, Mark!
Throughout this entire project, since the beginning of the First Edition to wrapping up the Second Edition, my team at Wiley Publishing has been fully committed to making absolute sure that WordPress For Dummies is as up to date as humanly possible. Deciding to push the publish date back on the book probably wasn’t an easy decision to make from a publishing standpoint – - but I had no doubt they would, and they did! Let me tell you – keeping up with WordPress development in print is NO small task!
Also, thanks for everyone who has emailed and have left messages on my blog, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon blog and Linked in accounts.
For those interested – I will be appearing on Jeff’s WordPress Weekly internet radio program on November 28th and will be discussing the book and the great new changes coming with 2.7.
Hang tight – we’re almost there!
Good luck with it.
11:17 pm on November 7th, 2008
That sounds good, I was thinking about that. Especially with books coming out when WordPress is releasing version so quickly.
3:11 pm on November 8th, 2008
Congrats! It’s almost ready!
10:42 pm on November 10th, 2008
Whatever version you publish, I can’t wait. I use my copy EVERY day and I even purchased it for friends who were just learning to blog. It is a great resource.
6:52 pm on November 11th, 2008
Any chance of a release before Christmas?
2:17 am on November 12th, 2008
That is what we’re shooting for, Joe
2:17 am on November 12th, 2008
@Kristina – thanks! I’m really happy you find it so helpful..for you, and your friends
2:18 am on November 12th, 2008
@Susan – it’s def. getting there!
2:18 am on November 12th, 2008
@TheFrosty – keeping up with WordPress development in print is not so easy lol
11:43 am on November 12th, 2008
Hurry! I need to do my Christmas shopping.
2:51 am on November 18th, 2008
You’re welcome.
Hopefully 2.8 and 2.9 will be less of a headache for you!
2:21 pm on November 24th, 2008
Looking forward to the second edition, Lisa. The first has been very useful – I also bought a copy for a friend – and expecting no less with the second
9:29 am on December 1st, 2008
It looks like it’s available on Amazon now – is there any way to buy it as an ebook? (Not kindle…)
Thanks!
5:33 pm on December 5th, 2008
Awesome can’t wait to get my hands on the 2nd edition!
5:29 pm on December 8th, 2008
Still on pre order for January 09.
If possible, ask Amazon to note that this is the second edition in its title and description. There is no reference to it being the second edition except for your updates/author notes at the bottom of the page.
8:57 pm on December 8th, 2008
Thanks, Bill – - I have put in a request for an update to be done to the copy at Amazon.com. They, unfortunately, do not move as quickly as I’d like them to
8:23 am on February 7th, 2009
just got my copy, and Amazon sent by courier in 3 days, even though I specified regular shipping
Nice.