Top 40 Dividend Stocks for 2010--Almost Ready

The 2010 edition of THE TOP 40 DIVIDEND STOCKS is almost ready. My wife and I are going on vacation on January 21, so it will be out before then.

In the past month, I have:

--Completed all the screening and scoring to select the Top 40. Barring a last-second surprise, the list is finalized. I have systematically reduced about 700 initial candidates down to what I think are the best 40 dividend stocks for purchase in 2010.

--Completed two drafts of the text, adding updates and final 2009 data, plus a few new features.

--Completed the Easy-Rate scoring sheets for the Top 40. There are still a few loose ends to tie up here.

What I am working on right now:

--Giving the text a final reading, correcting any errors, inconsistencies, and cosmetic issues. I'll finish off with a spell check.

--Cleaning up the loose ends in the Top 40 Easy-Rate sheets.

What remains to be done before launch:

--Convert the ebook, which I produce in MS Word, to an Adobe Acrobat pdf document.

--"Take down" last year's e-book from Payloadz, the distribution service that I use.

--Upload the new e-book to Payloadz and get their XML code for the "BUY" button that appears on my website.

--Lots of work on my website. I need to find all the pictures of last year's cover and replace them with a jpeg of this year's cover; replace last year's XML code from Payloadz with this year's, so that readers are directed to the correct new product; update (and maybe rewrite) the "landing page" where people interested in learning about The Top 40 Dividend Stocks for 2010 are directed.

--Publish the new website.

--Do a "test purchase" to make sure that everything is working among Payloadz, the new XML code, the interface with PayPal, the sending of download instructions to clients, and actual successful downloading of the e-book.

The price will remain the same as the first two years at $39.

I mentioned that I have added a few new features this year:

--A glossary of dividend terms.

--A more complete discussion of my own Dividend Portfolio, which is based on the Top 40 series.

--A modification in the scoring system to place a little more emphasis on higher-yielding stocks without adding appreciably to risk.

--A discussion of what to do with stocks purchased from 2009's list that did not make 2010's list. (Hint: In most cases, keep them.)

So, it's in the home stretch. As soon as it is available, I will announce it here as well as on the main website. Then it's off to Hawaii!