Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories:

The United Kingdom’s University of Central Lancashire has created an MA program designed to teach students self-publishing [2]. (GalleyCat)

The Seattle Times investigates Amazon’s long-term strategy [3], stating the online giant’s “real business is trying to change the business of book publishing.”

Salman Rushdie, along with two hundred others, signed an open letter denouncing Russian laws [4] that prohibit freedom of expression. (Guardian)

The New York Times visits the Virginia home of the late Annie Bethel Spencer [5], a poet active in the Harlem Renaissance.

Novelist Roxana Robinson shares her thoughts on the tragic death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman [6]. (2paragraphs)

Democracy advocate Freedom House publicly condemns the Iranian regime’s execution of [7]activist poet Hashem Shaabani [7]. (Radio Free Europe)

If you missed William S. Burroughs’ centennial birthday [8] yesterday, Flavorwire lists the many cultural icons Burroughs influenced.