E-books are quickly replacing printed text in many industries. Online college courses now rely on e-texts instead of printed texts, the government relies on e-books and materials to distribute information, and several businesses rely on e-books to attract visitors to their site as well as to market their ideas. If you are interested in taking advantage of this remarkable media revolution then it is time that you write your own e-book.
Steps 1 - Select Your Theme
The first step for writing an e-book is to establish your book's theme. If you will be writing a fictional piece then your theme will be based on the plotline. On the other hand, if you will be writing a nonfiction e-book then your theme will be based on the subject of your book you can visit www.easy-pdf-toolkit.com For example your theme may be "how to organize your office."
Step 2 - Select Your Market
the next step is to decide who you will be marketing your e-book to. You will want to make sure that you focus your writing style and information so that it appeals to your selected market. By doing this you will be improving the chances that your book will sell and you will be improving the chances that this book will be able to attract viewers to your site.
Step 3 - Select the Format
the format of your e-book will influence who will be able to read your e-book, as well as how they will be able to view your book. When you are deciding on what format to use make sure that you take into consideration what device the book will be viewed on: Windows PC, Windows Table, Macintosh, Linux/Unix Computer, Pocket PC, Palm OS device, Blackberry, etc. You will also want to take into consideration if you want to make your e-book printable, easy to view on a computer screen, and/or easy to navigate through.
There are several great computer programs that are designed especially for formatting e-books. Some of the most reliable and user friendly products for formatting e-books include: e-Book Starter, e-Book Generator, and Active E-Book Compiler. If you don't want to buy special software for formatting your e-book then you can also use Adobe Reader, HTML, Word, and Plain Text.
Step 4 - Outline Your Book
Now that you have the logistics established you can now outline your e-book. For fictional pieces you will want to make sure that you cover all of the major events and plot twists in your outline. For nonfiction pieces you will want to create a chapter outline that covers all of the topics that you will be covering in your book.
Step 5 - Research
to ensure that your e-book is offering your readers the most up-to-date data and information you will want to make sure that you can back up your statements and information with reliable sources. Try to create an annotated bibliography that you can use to not only support your claims with, but that can also be used to help you organize your ideas. If you are writing a fictional piece then your research will be related to situations that your characters are facing, or to elements that will help you to flesh out descriptions of the setting or characters, or to verify historical events that impact your storyline.
Step 6 - Develop a Writing Schedule
writing a book can take years to do if you just pick at it. If you want to complete your e-book in a timely manner then you will want to set up a writing schedule and a completion due date. For example you may want to set a writing goal of 5 pages per day until the book is completed. You will also want to make sure that you schedule time for revisions and editing.
Step 7 - Write Your E-Book
get writing! Try to stick to your schedule. If you fall behind adjust your schedule and work hard to complete your book by your due date. Just remember, the sooner your e-book is online the sooner it will be generating leads and income for you.
Step 8 - Edit and Revise Your E-Book
after you have completed your first draft put the project away for a week. Then after the week is up return to the project and read through it again. During this read check for flow problems, grammar errors, and spelling errors. If you have someone willing to edit your project for you take advantage of their help. It is often very difficult to find all the mistakes in a large document that you have written yourself.
Step 9 - Publish your E-Book
When your piece is ready to publish you will need to decide how to get it online. You have a few options. Your first option is to try and sell it on commission via an established e-book web site or visit www.make-your-ebook-sell.com your second option is to publish it on your own web site and offer it free to all of your site's visitors. Your third option is to sell your e-book through your own web site using an online shopping cart program.
Step 10 - Market Your E-Book
the final step is to market your e-book. To do this you will need to use your imagination. You may start by asking friends and colleagues to read your book and then recommend it to their friends and colleagues. Next you can advertise your e-book via your bog or your company's message board. Finally you can buy online ad space via Google's Ad Sense, Yahoo’s advertise
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Effective Methods of Book Promotion
Apart from writer's block, one of the most frustrating things about writing a book can be the trouble that you have to go through to get it noticed. In the fluid modern market, even authors of top selling novels have to do a bit of personal publicity. Considering the vast expanse of available titles, it is imperative to give your book every opportunity to be noticed. Here are a few handy tips on how to promote the sales of your title:
Book signings
The first point to take of when it comes to book signings, is that the purpose of a signing session is not to sell your book - it is to sell yourself! A book signing creates the ideal platform for the promotion of your book as the 'book store' environment is crawling with people who love to read i.e. potential customers.
Depending on your target market, book genre and your personal attitude toward the signing - you could expect to make anywhere from 5 to 100 sales per signing. However, as with every idea of product promotion, you will only get out what you put in.
Here are a few quick tips on preparing for a book signing :
Promote yourself to everyone that you knowMake an effort to invite everyone that you know to your signing. Also, feel free to tell your friends and family to invite everyone that they know. Essentially all that you are trying to do is guarantee a good attendance, so make every effort to get the word out about your signing!
Don't do it on your ownTry to arrange a book signing with other writers. Believe it or not, the book industry is not always about competition. By having a group book signing, you will feel more at ease and have the benefit of learning from more experienced writers i.e. learn the best way to interact with readers, find out how you can prepare yourself personally for the event and maybe even how to professionally handle 'groupies'.
Dress appropriatelyEssentially, you need to look good, while still being comfortable. The best way to go is 'causal business' attire.
SmileBe as friendly as you can possibly be - greet people, wave and most importantly, smile!
Just remember: a book signing gives you the opportunity to have a bit of fun with your readers, so go ahead and enjoy every minute of the lime light.
Public Talks and Interviews
One of the best ways to gain local publicity for your book, is attaining public exposure amongst your potential target market. While it may sound rather 'old school', public talks and radio interviews are highly effective vehicles for publicity - radio itself is one of the most widely used media sources in most first and third world countries. If you are working with an agent, you should definitely try to get a word in about either of these mediums.
If you are handling your own publicity, you should make an active effort to hunt down any interview opportunity. Approach websites like Barnes & Noble Explorations, John Scalzi's By the Way blog, and Suite101.com
This is an example of a good public speaking idea:
If you find that your book targets children, why not go to its source? It has been noted that schools are the best location to do a reading and give a talk. Firstly, you are guaranteed an audience and secondly, children are highly opinionated and that will give you an accurate reflection of your target market's interpretation of and comments on your book.
When it comes to public talks and readings, your priority should be the location of your target market.
Online Book Promotion
Online promoting is probably the most powerful marketing tool available to you. Any successful book must make use of online media to boost sales. Here are a few tips for effective online book promotion:
Start a blog well before the release of your book and begin consciously trying to write about topics that will hopefully garner you an audience.
Make use of your current social media sites i.e. MySpace and Facebook, and seek friends with interests in the genre of your book.
Create a personalised webpage for your new book - maybe dedicate an entire lens on Squidoo to it and use that page to display your book's events info, reviews etc.
If taking on the pressure of marketing your book personally, is something you could do without, it may be a good idea for you to make use of an online service. International promotional companies offer various marketing packages. You could pay anywhere between $10 for a mention on a website for one week, to several thousand dollars for a larger scale online promotional package.
The only downside, apart from forking out hefty bundles of cash, is that these promotional packages don't let you see exactly how your title is doing. One company, RankTracer, allows you to see how your book is faring while simultaneously promoting and marketing it online - giving you the best of both worlds for a mere $2 per month.
If blogging about your book is the type of online promotion that works for you, you may be interested to hear about the embeddable Amazon sales ranks and graphs feature that RankTracer has recently added to its list of services.
It comprises of a unique html code snippet, which is automatically generated for each tracked book or any other product. This snippet will display a specific product's sales ranks, performance statistics, with a graph included. Another embeddable snippet displays your book's best sales rank along with an authentication link for verification. This allows you to show your readers exactly how well your book is selling, plus your shout out can be verified at the click of a button.
By way of example, take a look at this link: My Blog. It will help you visualise the displayed version of the code (the graph, stats and subsequent line about the 'best sales rank' are produced by Ranktracer for inclusion into your own blog, site and promotional material).
All that's required for RankTracer subscribers to achieve this, is a snippet copy and paste into any page that allows html. With the creation of such a code, avenues for personalised online book promotion are endless, plus sales ranks are neatly verified by the company. Remember too that the actual snippets provide direct links to the product in question allowing readers to purchase it at a click of a button.
If your book’s online sales could do with a boost or it simply needs tracking, why not visit the RankTracer website and let the leaders in sales tracking technology help you out.
Book signings
The first point to take of when it comes to book signings, is that the purpose of a signing session is not to sell your book - it is to sell yourself! A book signing creates the ideal platform for the promotion of your book as the 'book store' environment is crawling with people who love to read i.e. potential customers.
Depending on your target market, book genre and your personal attitude toward the signing - you could expect to make anywhere from 5 to 100 sales per signing. However, as with every idea of product promotion, you will only get out what you put in.
Here are a few quick tips on preparing for a book signing :
Promote yourself to everyone that you knowMake an effort to invite everyone that you know to your signing. Also, feel free to tell your friends and family to invite everyone that they know. Essentially all that you are trying to do is guarantee a good attendance, so make every effort to get the word out about your signing!
Don't do it on your ownTry to arrange a book signing with other writers. Believe it or not, the book industry is not always about competition. By having a group book signing, you will feel more at ease and have the benefit of learning from more experienced writers i.e. learn the best way to interact with readers, find out how you can prepare yourself personally for the event and maybe even how to professionally handle 'groupies'.
Dress appropriatelyEssentially, you need to look good, while still being comfortable. The best way to go is 'causal business' attire.
SmileBe as friendly as you can possibly be - greet people, wave and most importantly, smile!
Just remember: a book signing gives you the opportunity to have a bit of fun with your readers, so go ahead and enjoy every minute of the lime light.
Public Talks and Interviews
One of the best ways to gain local publicity for your book, is attaining public exposure amongst your potential target market. While it may sound rather 'old school', public talks and radio interviews are highly effective vehicles for publicity - radio itself is one of the most widely used media sources in most first and third world countries. If you are working with an agent, you should definitely try to get a word in about either of these mediums.
If you are handling your own publicity, you should make an active effort to hunt down any interview opportunity. Approach websites like Barnes & Noble Explorations, John Scalzi's By the Way blog, and Suite101.com
This is an example of a good public speaking idea:
If you find that your book targets children, why not go to its source? It has been noted that schools are the best location to do a reading and give a talk. Firstly, you are guaranteed an audience and secondly, children are highly opinionated and that will give you an accurate reflection of your target market's interpretation of and comments on your book.
When it comes to public talks and readings, your priority should be the location of your target market.
Online Book Promotion
Online promoting is probably the most powerful marketing tool available to you. Any successful book must make use of online media to boost sales. Here are a few tips for effective online book promotion:
Start a blog well before the release of your book and begin consciously trying to write about topics that will hopefully garner you an audience.
Make use of your current social media sites i.e. MySpace and Facebook, and seek friends with interests in the genre of your book.
Create a personalised webpage for your new book - maybe dedicate an entire lens on Squidoo to it and use that page to display your book's events info, reviews etc.
If taking on the pressure of marketing your book personally, is something you could do without, it may be a good idea for you to make use of an online service. International promotional companies offer various marketing packages. You could pay anywhere between $10 for a mention on a website for one week, to several thousand dollars for a larger scale online promotional package.
The only downside, apart from forking out hefty bundles of cash, is that these promotional packages don't let you see exactly how your title is doing. One company, RankTracer, allows you to see how your book is faring while simultaneously promoting and marketing it online - giving you the best of both worlds for a mere $2 per month.
If blogging about your book is the type of online promotion that works for you, you may be interested to hear about the embeddable Amazon sales ranks and graphs feature that RankTracer has recently added to its list of services.
It comprises of a unique html code snippet, which is automatically generated for each tracked book or any other product. This snippet will display a specific product's sales ranks, performance statistics, with a graph included. Another embeddable snippet displays your book's best sales rank along with an authentication link for verification. This allows you to show your readers exactly how well your book is selling, plus your shout out can be verified at the click of a button.
By way of example, take a look at this link: My Blog. It will help you visualise the displayed version of the code (the graph, stats and subsequent line about the 'best sales rank' are produced by Ranktracer for inclusion into your own blog, site and promotional material).
All that's required for RankTracer subscribers to achieve this, is a snippet copy and paste into any page that allows html. With the creation of such a code, avenues for personalised online book promotion are endless, plus sales ranks are neatly verified by the company. Remember too that the actual snippets provide direct links to the product in question allowing readers to purchase it at a click of a button.
If your book’s online sales could do with a boost or it simply needs tracking, why not visit the RankTracer website and let the leaders in sales tracking technology help you out.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Effective Methods of Book Promotion
Apart from writer's block, one of the most frustrating things about writing a book can be the trouble that you have to go through to get it noticed. In the fluid modern market, even authors of top selling novels have to do a bit of personal publicity. Considering the vast expanse of available titles, it is imperative to give your book every opportunity to be noticed. Here are a few handy tips on how to promote the sales of your title:
Book signings
The first point to take of when it comes to book signings, is that the purpose of a signing session is not to sell your book - it is to sell yourself! A book signing creates the ideal platform for the promotion of your book as the 'book store' environment is crawling with people who love to read i.e. potential customers.
Depending on your target market, book genre and your personal attitude toward the signing - you could expect to make anywhere from 5 to 100 sales per signing. However, as with every idea of product promotion, you will only get out what you put in.
Here are a few quick tips on preparing for a book signing :
Promote yourself to everyone that you knowMake an effort to invite everyone that you know to your signing. Also, feel free to tell your friends and family to invite everyone that they know. Essentially all that you are trying to do is guarantee a good attendance, so make every effort to get the word out about your signing!
Don't do it on your ownTry to arrange a book signing with other writers. Believe it or not, the book industry is not always about competition. By having a group book signing, you will feel more at ease and have the benefit of learning from more experienced writers i.e. learn the best way to interact with readers, find out how you can prepare yourself personally for the event and maybe even how to professionally handle 'groupies'.
Dress appropriatelyEssentially, you need to look good, while still being comfortable. The best way to go is 'causal business' attire.
SmileBe as friendly as you can possibly be - greet people, wave and most importantly, smile!
Just remember: a book signing gives you the opportunity to have a bit of fun with your readers, so go ahead and enjoy every minute of the lime light.
Public Talks and Interviews
One of the best ways to gain local publicity for your book, is attaining public exposure amongst your potential target market. While it may sound rather 'old school', public talks and radio interviews are highly effective vehicles for publicity - radio itself is one of the most widely used media sources in most first and third world countries. If you are working with an agent, you should definitely try to get a word in about either of these mediums.
If you are handling your own publicity, you should make an active effort to hunt down any interview opportunity. Approach websites like Barnes & Noble Explorations, John Scalzi's By the Way blog, and Suite101.com
This is an example of a good public speaking idea:
If you find that your book targets children, why not go to its source? It has been noted that schools are the best location to do a reading and give a talk. Firstly, you are guaranteed an audience and secondly, children are highly opinionated and that will give you an accurate reflection of your target market's interpretation of and comments on your book.
When it comes to public talks and readings, your priority should be the location of your target market.
Online Book Promotion
Online promoting is probably the most powerful marketing tool available to you. Any successful book must make use of online media to boost sales. Here are a few tips for effective online book promotion:
Start a blog well before the release of your book and begin consciously trying to write about topics that will hopefully garner you an audience.
Make use of your current social media sites i.e. MySpace and Facebook, and seek friends with interests in the genre of your book.
Create a personalised webpage for your new book - maybe dedicate an entire lens on Squidoo to it and use that page to display your book's events info, reviews etc.
If taking on the pressure of marketing your book personally, is something you could do without, it may be a good idea for you to make use of an online service. International promotional companies offer various marketing packages. You could pay anywhere between $10 for a mention on a website for one week, to several thousand dollars for a larger scale online promotional package.
The only downside, apart from forking out hefty bundles of cash, is that these promotional packages don't let you see exactly how your title is doing. One company, RankTracer, allows you to see how your book is faring while simultaneously promoting and marketing it online - giving you the best of both worlds for a mere $2 per month.
If blogging about your book is the type of online promotion that works for you, you may be interested to hear about the embeddable Amazon sales ranks and graphs feature that RankTracer has recently added to its list of services.
It comprises of a unique html code snippet, which is automatically generated for each tracked book or any other product. This snippet will display a specific product's sales ranks, performance statistics, with a graph included. Another embeddable snippet displays your book's best sales rank along with an authentication link for verification. This allows you to show your readers exactly how well your book is selling, plus your shout out can be verified at the click of a button.
By way of example, take a look at this link: My Blog. It will help you visualise the displayed version of the code (the graph, stats and subsequent line about the 'best sales rank' are produced by Ranktracer for inclusion into your own blog, site and promotional material).
All that's required for RankTracer subscribers to achieve this, is a snippet copy and paste into any page that allows html. With the creation of such a code, avenues for personalised online book promotion are endless, plus sales ranks are neatly verified by the company. Remember too that the actual snippets provide direct links to the product in question allowing readers to purchase it at a click of a button.
If your book’s online sales could do with a boost or it simply needs tracking, why not visit the RankTracer website and let the leaders in sales tracking technology help you out.
Book signings
The first point to take of when it comes to book signings, is that the purpose of a signing session is not to sell your book - it is to sell yourself! A book signing creates the ideal platform for the promotion of your book as the 'book store' environment is crawling with people who love to read i.e. potential customers.
Depending on your target market, book genre and your personal attitude toward the signing - you could expect to make anywhere from 5 to 100 sales per signing. However, as with every idea of product promotion, you will only get out what you put in.
Here are a few quick tips on preparing for a book signing :
Promote yourself to everyone that you knowMake an effort to invite everyone that you know to your signing. Also, feel free to tell your friends and family to invite everyone that they know. Essentially all that you are trying to do is guarantee a good attendance, so make every effort to get the word out about your signing!
Don't do it on your ownTry to arrange a book signing with other writers. Believe it or not, the book industry is not always about competition. By having a group book signing, you will feel more at ease and have the benefit of learning from more experienced writers i.e. learn the best way to interact with readers, find out how you can prepare yourself personally for the event and maybe even how to professionally handle 'groupies'.
Dress appropriatelyEssentially, you need to look good, while still being comfortable. The best way to go is 'causal business' attire.
SmileBe as friendly as you can possibly be - greet people, wave and most importantly, smile!
Just remember: a book signing gives you the opportunity to have a bit of fun with your readers, so go ahead and enjoy every minute of the lime light.
Public Talks and Interviews
One of the best ways to gain local publicity for your book, is attaining public exposure amongst your potential target market. While it may sound rather 'old school', public talks and radio interviews are highly effective vehicles for publicity - radio itself is one of the most widely used media sources in most first and third world countries. If you are working with an agent, you should definitely try to get a word in about either of these mediums.
If you are handling your own publicity, you should make an active effort to hunt down any interview opportunity. Approach websites like Barnes & Noble Explorations, John Scalzi's By the Way blog, and Suite101.com
This is an example of a good public speaking idea:
If you find that your book targets children, why not go to its source? It has been noted that schools are the best location to do a reading and give a talk. Firstly, you are guaranteed an audience and secondly, children are highly opinionated and that will give you an accurate reflection of your target market's interpretation of and comments on your book.
When it comes to public talks and readings, your priority should be the location of your target market.
Online Book Promotion
Online promoting is probably the most powerful marketing tool available to you. Any successful book must make use of online media to boost sales. Here are a few tips for effective online book promotion:
Start a blog well before the release of your book and begin consciously trying to write about topics that will hopefully garner you an audience.
Make use of your current social media sites i.e. MySpace and Facebook, and seek friends with interests in the genre of your book.
Create a personalised webpage for your new book - maybe dedicate an entire lens on Squidoo to it and use that page to display your book's events info, reviews etc.
If taking on the pressure of marketing your book personally, is something you could do without, it may be a good idea for you to make use of an online service. International promotional companies offer various marketing packages. You could pay anywhere between $10 for a mention on a website for one week, to several thousand dollars for a larger scale online promotional package.
The only downside, apart from forking out hefty bundles of cash, is that these promotional packages don't let you see exactly how your title is doing. One company, RankTracer, allows you to see how your book is faring while simultaneously promoting and marketing it online - giving you the best of both worlds for a mere $2 per month.
If blogging about your book is the type of online promotion that works for you, you may be interested to hear about the embeddable Amazon sales ranks and graphs feature that RankTracer has recently added to its list of services.
It comprises of a unique html code snippet, which is automatically generated for each tracked book or any other product. This snippet will display a specific product's sales ranks, performance statistics, with a graph included. Another embeddable snippet displays your book's best sales rank along with an authentication link for verification. This allows you to show your readers exactly how well your book is selling, plus your shout out can be verified at the click of a button.
By way of example, take a look at this link: My Blog. It will help you visualise the displayed version of the code (the graph, stats and subsequent line about the 'best sales rank' are produced by Ranktracer for inclusion into your own blog, site and promotional material).
All that's required for RankTracer subscribers to achieve this, is a snippet copy and paste into any page that allows html. With the creation of such a code, avenues for personalised online book promotion are endless, plus sales ranks are neatly verified by the company. Remember too that the actual snippets provide direct links to the product in question allowing readers to purchase it at a click of a button.
If your book’s online sales could do with a boost or it simply needs tracking, why not visit the RankTracer website and let the leaders in sales tracking technology help you out.
Fiction Books: Full of Suspense and Secrets
Traditionally human beings have been inclined towards the world of fiction. The word 'fiction' means 'imagination'. Philosophers always opine that human beings find solace being in the state of imagination. That is why, these days fiction books are always in great demand. But very few people know about the different kinds of genres of fiction books. Such books are known in different names such as imaginative books, fantasy books etc. In addition, many people end up buying the costly books. As an intelligent buyer, one should always look forward to buy the most popular imaginative books at cheap price.Fiction books are really appetizing when a reader goes through out the whole book. In such books, folks get to experience some imaginative characters which are portrayed artistically by the writers. It is impossible to get the exact count of the whole variety of imaginative books. With the advent of World Wide Web, now people can explore the different types of fantasy books. There are infinite sites which are into the selling of these books. The advantage of buying these books online is that customers get to make use of various online discounts. Such kinds of reductions let book lovers get their favorite books at a much cheap price. Most of the fiction books help readers to get a reflection of their own lives. Life is full of sorrow, happiness, adventure, tragedy as well as fun. These are some of the characteristics of imaginative books, which revolve around the stories of such books. Many people all around the world have hobbies of reading these books. The number of people opting for such a range of books is getting higher. The main reason for this is the wide-spread of internet facility and the price of fantasy books is getting cheaper day by day. In addition, people can opt for online books in which they can also look out for imaginative books. These are the most useful ways of buying cheap fantasy books.All websites do not let people buy fantasy books at the less amount of money. In order to buy cheap fantasy books, people have to gather some information on the sites which surely sell these books at a cheaper price. Such kind of research can be done at ease with the help of informative tools like search engines. People can write down 'cheap fiction books' in the search box and instantly a good count of websites dealing in the selling of cheap imaginative books will be cascaded to them.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Book Swapping and Exchange Sites : the Pros and Cons
The idea of exchanging your old used books for new ones you haven't read is an idea which is gaining momentum across the internet. Used book swapping sites now boast hundreds of thousands of registered members and millions of used books ready for to be exchanged with other book lovers.
So what is the appeal? Why should you join an online book exchange web site when there are so many other ways of acquiring books? Well, here are some arguments for and against joining.
The Advantages Of Online Book Swapping Sites
Why should you join a book trading site?
Well, for a start, if you are someone who regularly buys books, it is more than likely going to save you a lot of money. Book swapping sites are free to join, and for the price of postage and one used book from your collection, you can get new books to read. Effectively, this means you can pick up a new book for under $2 – this includes hardback books, cookbooks and textbooks too. That offers the possibility of making big savings when compared to any other way of buying books.
Secondly, you can give yourself a pat on the back for recycling books and saving the environment in the process. Swapping rather than buying books means less trees are felled to produce reading material. Again, this can only be a good thing so far as environmental issues are concerned.
Thirdly, it's a great way to declutter your book shelves and help out someone else at the same time by giving them a book they are looking for.
Book trading sites are also a great place to find out of print and hard to find books. These can often be expensive to find otherwise, and you can waste a lot of time looking for them. At book swapping sites, you simply add the books you want to a wish list and when it comes in to the site, you are sent an email alert saying its there. Much easier.
One more thing – the selection is huge. Sure, you can go hit all the used book stores in town and you might find what you are looking for but probably not. A used book club on the other hand has millions of books in their system. One swap site claims to have over 2.5 million books and that's just on one site.
The Disadvantages Of Online Book Exchange Sites
Firstly, why not just use a library? Then the books are free right? Personally, I look at libraries as something aside from all other forms of acquiring new reading material because you do not get to own the book. You get a specified period in which to read the book, in many cases will get fined for returning it late if you've not done with it, and have a limited selection to choose from. Libraries are great, but they're not ideal.
Used books are not for everyone. If you like your books shiny and new regardless of the price, then an online book swapping club is not for you. Most swap sites have rules about the quality of book allowed to be offered up for exchange but they are predominantly used books.
New books make money for the publisher and the author, used books do not. Whilst its easy to argue they have already factored in trading on the used book market into the price of a new book, the fact remains, buying or swapping used books costs them money and may affect new authors in particular.
The Verdict?
Either way, online book swapping sites are becoming increasingly popular, with millions of books waiting to be traded with swappers all over the world. Whether a book swapping club is right for you is a matter of personal choice, but either way, it is something to consider the next time you look at that shelf full of books you'll never read again or choke on the price of a new hardback.
So what is the appeal? Why should you join an online book exchange web site when there are so many other ways of acquiring books? Well, here are some arguments for and against joining.
The Advantages Of Online Book Swapping Sites
Why should you join a book trading site?
Well, for a start, if you are someone who regularly buys books, it is more than likely going to save you a lot of money. Book swapping sites are free to join, and for the price of postage and one used book from your collection, you can get new books to read. Effectively, this means you can pick up a new book for under $2 – this includes hardback books, cookbooks and textbooks too. That offers the possibility of making big savings when compared to any other way of buying books.
Secondly, you can give yourself a pat on the back for recycling books and saving the environment in the process. Swapping rather than buying books means less trees are felled to produce reading material. Again, this can only be a good thing so far as environmental issues are concerned.
Thirdly, it's a great way to declutter your book shelves and help out someone else at the same time by giving them a book they are looking for.
Book trading sites are also a great place to find out of print and hard to find books. These can often be expensive to find otherwise, and you can waste a lot of time looking for them. At book swapping sites, you simply add the books you want to a wish list and when it comes in to the site, you are sent an email alert saying its there. Much easier.
One more thing – the selection is huge. Sure, you can go hit all the used book stores in town and you might find what you are looking for but probably not. A used book club on the other hand has millions of books in their system. One swap site claims to have over 2.5 million books and that's just on one site.
The Disadvantages Of Online Book Exchange Sites
Firstly, why not just use a library? Then the books are free right? Personally, I look at libraries as something aside from all other forms of acquiring new reading material because you do not get to own the book. You get a specified period in which to read the book, in many cases will get fined for returning it late if you've not done with it, and have a limited selection to choose from. Libraries are great, but they're not ideal.
Used books are not for everyone. If you like your books shiny and new regardless of the price, then an online book swapping club is not for you. Most swap sites have rules about the quality of book allowed to be offered up for exchange but they are predominantly used books.
New books make money for the publisher and the author, used books do not. Whilst its easy to argue they have already factored in trading on the used book market into the price of a new book, the fact remains, buying or swapping used books costs them money and may affect new authors in particular.
The Verdict?
Either way, online book swapping sites are becoming increasingly popular, with millions of books waiting to be traded with swappers all over the world. Whether a book swapping club is right for you is a matter of personal choice, but either way, it is something to consider the next time you look at that shelf full of books you'll never read again or choke on the price of a new hardback.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Ultimate Publishing Guide – How to Publish Your Book Without Breaking a Sweat
Most writers claim that 'writing' is the painless part of being a writer- the real challenge begins when you attempt to publish your masterpiece. The book industry can be a really hard one to crack, especially if you're a newbie. No need to panic though - if you're reading this, all your publishing problems are nearly over!
This guide explores; Publishing thorough an Agency, Mainstream Publication, Self Publishing, Local Publishing Companies and eBook Publication. It furthers to explore life after your book has been published. So whether your interests lie in large international exposure for you book, or self publishing, simply read on for a detailed tour of the publishing industry.
Option 1) Publishing through an Agency
The Process
The first step to saving time whilst publishing is making sure that you avoid writing something that will never be read! My advice to anyone who aspires to publish something is to find a literary agent . This is a great time saver as, when you have an agent, you will never again waste time writing something that may be defined as 'unmarketable'. To further explain - the literary network is very closely knit i.e. in order to have your book published; you would need to go through specific channels. A strict system has been designed to maintain a sense of order in the realm of literature.
Now, an agent can help you weave your way through the system - especially if you are a first timer. An agent is an individual who is able to help you through much of the information filtering process. A recommendation from an agent almost guarantees that your manuscript will be read by a publishing house. Essentially, the role of an agent is to read and approve your manuscript or any ideas that you may have i.e. queries and proposals.
The agent will then decide whether your venture could be successful. If so, the agent will further to draw up a contract with you. Contracts of this nature usually express the agent's promise to use his/her best efforts to get your manuscript into a publishing house - the exchange is usually about 15% of the entire deal. Your new agent will then work extremely hard to sell your idea.
Agent Hunting
There are usually 2 types of agents - those who work with fiction and those who work with non-fiction. The easiest way to find your match is by paging through a publishing guide/directory, which lists the functions of a variety of agents in great detail i.e. 'Guide to Literary Agents'. It is important to take note of any previous books that have been published by the agent/s that you are interested in - usually an agent will take interest in a particular theme, and stick to working with ideas along its lines.
Contacting an Agent
Once you have compiled a list of potential agents, feel free to start contacting them. The best way to do this is via a query letter. In essence, a query letter a short introduction of yourself and your idea - it should feed the agent enough information to arouse interest, but not too much to bore him/her. This is a suggested letter structure:
The TeaserYour introduction is usually the aspect of the letter sells you - so make it an attention grabber. Ideally, you would want to describe the compelling fit between the person that you are and your idea for a book.
Develop Your IdeaUse your next few sentences to explore your idea, explaining what it is that you want to write about. Feel free to add in a snip-bit of your writing that best exemplifies your idea.
Self DescriptionYour third paragraph should be based on you. Try to reiterate the connection between you as a person and your idea. You should also feel free to show-off your academic or intellectual achievements.
Wrapping UpBe sure to personalize your concluding sentence- making the agent feel unique and valuable to you in your selection process. Conclude by sharing your contact details and preferred method of communication.
Remember, this letter is merely an 'appetizer' so keep it short and simple.
Proposal Preparation
After sending your initial query letter to an agent, he/she would normally follow up by requesting a proposal. Essentially, your proposal is a document that accurately outlines an idea for a book. Here's idea of what your proposal should contain:
The OverviewThe first 2 pages of your proposal should contain a broad summary of the book. Non-fiction: Explain your intentions in terms of contents and topics. Fiction: Provide a general outline of your plot.
Target MarketYour next 3 pages should contain a description of your prospective target market. You should define this in terms of; age, socio-economic, and educational characteristics of you potential audience.
Market Threat and CompetitionThis section allows you to define what type of threats your book may face in terms of competitors and other books that cover a similar topic. Be careful to do all your homework here, because this section is really important to an agent as it dictates your books marketability.
AuthorshipUse this section to write up a brief description about yourself and your co-authors, if any. Take this opportunity to brag as much as possible, as this section will help your agent convince a publishing house to pay you for your idea.
Summary of ChaptersThis should be the largest part of your proposal - it contains an outline of what you intend to cover in each chapter of your book. Non-fiction: Provide a minimum amount of information i.e. outlines. Fiction: Provide definite samples of your writing.
DeliveryThis section is relatively small - it simply contains the number of words you think your finished book will contain and the approximate time you will take to write it.
Contracts
Happy Day! So your proposal finally earns you a thumbs up...now what? It's time to get into some paper work. The best part about this section is that you are not bearing the work load anymore. Your new agent will now send you a contract. These contracts are usually short documents that you can probably work though on your own, so no need for an attorney.
You just need be careful about two things - firstly, that your agent is not looking to exclusively represent you for over 12 months, and secondly that you are not going to billed for the cost of office overhead if your book does not do well on the market.
Once the contract has been signed, your agent will send you a copy of your original proposal with a few editorial suggestions. As soon as you finalize your proposal's contents, your agent will start pitching your idea to the 'big boys' i.e. publishing companies. Once you get the go-ahead as well as the funding, feel free to start writing...Microsoft Word will be your new home!
Option 2) Mainstream Publication
The Process
This option is slightly similar to the first; however the two do have a few minor differences. The primary difference is that the 'middle man' or agent is no longer involved i.e. the first step that you need to take in the field of mainstream publication, is directly locating a publisher. Once again, you can feel free to look through a publishing directory or make use of a search engine. This way, you can choose a publisher, that best suits you. As soon as you have made contact with a publishing house and managed to spark a bit of interest, you might be requested to 'pitch' your book to the company in person.
The Pitch & Self Marketing
Now if consider yourself to be a great public speaker, this could be your moment to shine - if not, just remember that you will only be speaking to a few suits! The pitch is almost a verbal explanation of everything you would express in a proposal - if you happen to be unfamiliar with the guidelines for a proposal, simply follow the outline mentioned in option 1.
If you choose to publish via mainstream publication, it is important to note that you must be able to market yourself. Even if you do get lucky and a publishing house chooses to publish your book, you will still have to do a major part of the marketing - keep that in mind when it comes to your budget as it will help to have some additional money to use for publicity.
Risks/Benefits
The obvious benefit of publishing via a mainstream company is the possible exposure that you and your book could attain. On a large scale, the scope of various mainstream publication houses extends from local to international. The greatest risk involved in using this method of publication, is the risk of rejection. You may even be rejected before publication as well as after. It is not often that a well-known publishing company would risk a dollar on an unknown author - so prepare yourself for possible rejection after your pitch. Even if your book does get accepted for publication, rejection is still a factor in terms of your book's marketability and it is highly unlikely that your publisher will pick up the bill should your book not be successful.
Option 3) Self Publishing - (POD) Print/Publish on Demand
The Process
This option refers to printing a book at the time of purchase. It is an innovative method of publishing books that saves money, time and supplies. The printing industry is ecstatic about this method of publication as it means that books no longer need to be warehoused until purchased.
This method of publication allows you to handle the design work of your book or opt for a service/package that offers cover design, formatting and editing. Various companies offer these services. These companies will assist you in the areas that you may need help - from the time that your book has been ordered to the delivery. The POD will actually help you list your book on Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com and other major bookstores by hooking you up with an ISBN. Here's how the process works:
Submit the final draft of your book to a company that offers POD. Make sure your draft is formatted in the way that you want it to look in its final publication.
You will be requested to wait until your file has been added to the data system of that company.
The printing company receives an order for your book according to its ISBN.
An operator at the printing company accesses your file in their system. Ensuring all editing and formatting is correct; the book is released to the printer and binder system. Your book is printed in less than 5 minutes.
Your book is then packaged and addressed to the customer. It is then sent directly to the customer. This entire process takes approximately 10 working days - thus your book can hit the market as soon as possible.
Budget
While this type of publishing has become increasingly popular in the industry, it is important to note that it requires you fork out a bit of your own money - each book will cost you approximately $5.
Risks/Benefits
This option has various benefits. Firstly, most of the companies involved will accept any type of work, no matter who you are - so rejection is not something that you will have to worry about. Secondly, if you are involved with the design and formatting personally, your book automatically will gain a unique edge. Finally, the POD handles distribution and order fulfilment. This means that when you book has been ordered; the POD will print a copy of your book, ship it and pay you a royalty of approximately 30% of the purchase price - leaving you with less grey hair! With regards to the risks involved, it is important to note that the owner of the ISBN also owns the book's copyright, so be careful with that and make sure that you purchase your book's ISBN under your name, not the vanity publisher.
Option 4) Local Publishing Companies
The Process
Local commercial printing companies use the same technology as PODs. Feel free to browse through a publishing directory or just your local directory for a list of companies that offer publishing services. Your next step is to contact the publishing house that you have chosen.
Budget
While prices may vary, expect to pay 3 cents per black and white page i.e. a 200-page book could cost you approximately $6.50.
Print Style Options
Your first choice in terms of printing style is between color printing and black & white printing. This will dictate the cost that you will need to budget for. Most companies offer digital printing, so you can choose the amount of copies that you want printed at the time of publication. In terms of cover design, you are only limited by your own creativity - once again you are free to take charge of your own design. Binding on the other hand, will be handled by the company and is included in the original price per page.
Risks/Benefits
When you publish through a local company, you must take note that the printer will print precisely what you send - this is without any revision or editing. It is crucial that your book is proofread before submission. Also with this option, you will still have to promote your book, fill and ship all orders.
Option 5) eBook Publication
What is an eBook?
An eBook is an electronic copy of your book that may be purchased, downloaded and read immediately online. It can serve a variety of purposes i.e. advertising, the gathering of potential customer's information and the generation of interest. Not only does this option provide the media for a sample publication of you incomplete book, but it also allows for full publication of your book once it is complete - thus you can sell the electronic version of your book, as if it were a hard copy.
The Process
This option may be deemed the most convenient and economical way to publish a book. Here is a basic outline of the process:
The Final DraftTo prepare you book for eBook publication, you have to format it exactly the way that you want your readers to see it. This will be easy if you are using a word processor such as Microsoft Word.
The FormatUnless you know exactly what you want in terms of formatting, I suggest that you stick to a standardised type of book formatting - the outline of a manuscript format is included later on in this article.
ProofreadingSorry to say, editing will be your worst nightmare - just when you think that it's over, go back and proofread again and again. Also try and get others to read your final draft too. Don't skimp on the quality of your writing simply because you are publishing electronically.
CopyrightingCopyrighting your book is your next move. Don't stress out too much about the ISBN, as you are actually the publisher now, so you will be in charge of the distribution and price setting.
Designing the CoverIf you happen to have an arty side, this is your chance to bring it out! Feel free to extend your creativity but remember to keep your design, appropriate with regards to your book's contents. You can also make use of external services should you need help i.e. graphic designers do freelance their services for this type of thing.
PublicationNow it really gets interesting...There are various programs available that generate self-executable eBooks. It is however important to note that most people are cautious when it comes to downloading new programs. I therefore recommend that you publish your eBook in plain old .pdf format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a well established brand which is both safe and also free for anyone to download. Visit Adobe Online and register for their online PDF Creator to publish an ebook or feel free to do a Google search for a few more eBook publishing programs.
Your AccountSet up a business account with an ecommerce site like PayPal. You will then have to add your book's ISBN to your 'product list'. PayPal will then generate an html code that you can copy and paste where ever you would like to promote your eBook. You will in turn be notified via email, when someone purchases your book. Your last move is to reply to that email by attaching the .pdf of your book and sending the mail directly to your customer...and voila! Your first eBook is sold.
Risks/Benefits
There are various benefits related to this new wave of publication. Firstly, it requires you to spend little to no money out of your own pocket. Thus, there is very little financial risk involved. Secondly, your book can be published from the comfort of your own home...a few clicks here and there is all that it takes. Finally, from a marketing perspective, an eBook opens up various avenues for advertising - it allows you to add links within your book, directing the reader anywhere that you would like i.e. this gives you a chance to expand your business network. Once again, you must remember that you are in charge of your book's marketing.
Irrespective of the method of publication that you choose, you will need to master manuscript writing...Here's a handy guide on how to correctly format your manuscript.
Try to make use of this type of formatting prior to submitting it to an agent or publisher. At first glance you may think that these standards may not be aesthetically pleasing, but don't stress, your publisher should send your original manuscript to a 'formatter' that standardizes the format during publication.
Basic Formatting Rules
Use 1 inch margins around all your text - repeat this on each page.
Double spacing should be used throughout your manuscript. This type of spacing enhances your manuscripts readability and makes it easier to edit.
If you want to italicize something, don't do it now. Only highlight this before the final version is published - anything that you want in italics should be underlined in your manuscript.
All numbers should be spelt out i.e. type out four instead of 4.
Most symbols should also be spelt out i.e. don't use the '%' sign, instead type out 'percent'.
Life After Publication
Even though your book is now on its way to mass production, you need not let your relaxation period be short lived - don't become overridden with anxiety about publicity, marketing and even worse, sales!
For a stress free way to boost sales and keep abreast of your new book's performance you should consider subscribing to a promotions and sales tracking company.
With modern publishing methods, like self-publishing and eBook publication in mind, it is easy to understand why sales tracking has become a common pastime for most writers. Because most publishing options force you to take charge of your book's marketing, it may be a good idea for you to make use of an online service to help you track the sales of your book and handle do a bit of book promotion on your behalf.
Taking this into consideration, let's take look at the sales ranking and promotions company, RankTracer. This company will do some online promotion and track your book at the same time - giving you on-the-hour sales rank information, graphs, reports and actual sales estimates.
With an external company tracking your sales and offering you a bit of extra help with book promotion, you are left with more time on your hands to use as you please - feel free to explore book-signings, tours, public talks and even blog about your new book!
So now you know! I trust that you found my walk through the publishing industry informative. Hopefully it has answered a few of your publishing queries and has helped you find the perfect publishing fit for you. Good luck and happy publishing!
This guide explores; Publishing thorough an Agency, Mainstream Publication, Self Publishing, Local Publishing Companies and eBook Publication. It furthers to explore life after your book has been published. So whether your interests lie in large international exposure for you book, or self publishing, simply read on for a detailed tour of the publishing industry.
Option 1) Publishing through an Agency
The Process
The first step to saving time whilst publishing is making sure that you avoid writing something that will never be read! My advice to anyone who aspires to publish something is to find a literary agent . This is a great time saver as, when you have an agent, you will never again waste time writing something that may be defined as 'unmarketable'. To further explain - the literary network is very closely knit i.e. in order to have your book published; you would need to go through specific channels. A strict system has been designed to maintain a sense of order in the realm of literature.
Now, an agent can help you weave your way through the system - especially if you are a first timer. An agent is an individual who is able to help you through much of the information filtering process. A recommendation from an agent almost guarantees that your manuscript will be read by a publishing house. Essentially, the role of an agent is to read and approve your manuscript or any ideas that you may have i.e. queries and proposals.
The agent will then decide whether your venture could be successful. If so, the agent will further to draw up a contract with you. Contracts of this nature usually express the agent's promise to use his/her best efforts to get your manuscript into a publishing house - the exchange is usually about 15% of the entire deal. Your new agent will then work extremely hard to sell your idea.
Agent Hunting
There are usually 2 types of agents - those who work with fiction and those who work with non-fiction. The easiest way to find your match is by paging through a publishing guide/directory, which lists the functions of a variety of agents in great detail i.e. 'Guide to Literary Agents'. It is important to take note of any previous books that have been published by the agent/s that you are interested in - usually an agent will take interest in a particular theme, and stick to working with ideas along its lines.
Contacting an Agent
Once you have compiled a list of potential agents, feel free to start contacting them. The best way to do this is via a query letter. In essence, a query letter a short introduction of yourself and your idea - it should feed the agent enough information to arouse interest, but not too much to bore him/her. This is a suggested letter structure:
The TeaserYour introduction is usually the aspect of the letter sells you - so make it an attention grabber. Ideally, you would want to describe the compelling fit between the person that you are and your idea for a book.
Develop Your IdeaUse your next few sentences to explore your idea, explaining what it is that you want to write about. Feel free to add in a snip-bit of your writing that best exemplifies your idea.
Self DescriptionYour third paragraph should be based on you. Try to reiterate the connection between you as a person and your idea. You should also feel free to show-off your academic or intellectual achievements.
Wrapping UpBe sure to personalize your concluding sentence- making the agent feel unique and valuable to you in your selection process. Conclude by sharing your contact details and preferred method of communication.
Remember, this letter is merely an 'appetizer' so keep it short and simple.
Proposal Preparation
After sending your initial query letter to an agent, he/she would normally follow up by requesting a proposal. Essentially, your proposal is a document that accurately outlines an idea for a book. Here's idea of what your proposal should contain:
The OverviewThe first 2 pages of your proposal should contain a broad summary of the book. Non-fiction: Explain your intentions in terms of contents and topics. Fiction: Provide a general outline of your plot.
Target MarketYour next 3 pages should contain a description of your prospective target market. You should define this in terms of; age, socio-economic, and educational characteristics of you potential audience.
Market Threat and CompetitionThis section allows you to define what type of threats your book may face in terms of competitors and other books that cover a similar topic. Be careful to do all your homework here, because this section is really important to an agent as it dictates your books marketability.
AuthorshipUse this section to write up a brief description about yourself and your co-authors, if any. Take this opportunity to brag as much as possible, as this section will help your agent convince a publishing house to pay you for your idea.
Summary of ChaptersThis should be the largest part of your proposal - it contains an outline of what you intend to cover in each chapter of your book. Non-fiction: Provide a minimum amount of information i.e. outlines. Fiction: Provide definite samples of your writing.
DeliveryThis section is relatively small - it simply contains the number of words you think your finished book will contain and the approximate time you will take to write it.
Contracts
Happy Day! So your proposal finally earns you a thumbs up...now what? It's time to get into some paper work. The best part about this section is that you are not bearing the work load anymore. Your new agent will now send you a contract. These contracts are usually short documents that you can probably work though on your own, so no need for an attorney.
You just need be careful about two things - firstly, that your agent is not looking to exclusively represent you for over 12 months, and secondly that you are not going to billed for the cost of office overhead if your book does not do well on the market.
Once the contract has been signed, your agent will send you a copy of your original proposal with a few editorial suggestions. As soon as you finalize your proposal's contents, your agent will start pitching your idea to the 'big boys' i.e. publishing companies. Once you get the go-ahead as well as the funding, feel free to start writing...Microsoft Word will be your new home!
Option 2) Mainstream Publication
The Process
This option is slightly similar to the first; however the two do have a few minor differences. The primary difference is that the 'middle man' or agent is no longer involved i.e. the first step that you need to take in the field of mainstream publication, is directly locating a publisher. Once again, you can feel free to look through a publishing directory or make use of a search engine. This way, you can choose a publisher, that best suits you. As soon as you have made contact with a publishing house and managed to spark a bit of interest, you might be requested to 'pitch' your book to the company in person.
The Pitch & Self Marketing
Now if consider yourself to be a great public speaker, this could be your moment to shine - if not, just remember that you will only be speaking to a few suits! The pitch is almost a verbal explanation of everything you would express in a proposal - if you happen to be unfamiliar with the guidelines for a proposal, simply follow the outline mentioned in option 1.
If you choose to publish via mainstream publication, it is important to note that you must be able to market yourself. Even if you do get lucky and a publishing house chooses to publish your book, you will still have to do a major part of the marketing - keep that in mind when it comes to your budget as it will help to have some additional money to use for publicity.
Risks/Benefits
The obvious benefit of publishing via a mainstream company is the possible exposure that you and your book could attain. On a large scale, the scope of various mainstream publication houses extends from local to international. The greatest risk involved in using this method of publication, is the risk of rejection. You may even be rejected before publication as well as after. It is not often that a well-known publishing company would risk a dollar on an unknown author - so prepare yourself for possible rejection after your pitch. Even if your book does get accepted for publication, rejection is still a factor in terms of your book's marketability and it is highly unlikely that your publisher will pick up the bill should your book not be successful.
Option 3) Self Publishing - (POD) Print/Publish on Demand
The Process
This option refers to printing a book at the time of purchase. It is an innovative method of publishing books that saves money, time and supplies. The printing industry is ecstatic about this method of publication as it means that books no longer need to be warehoused until purchased.
This method of publication allows you to handle the design work of your book or opt for a service/package that offers cover design, formatting and editing. Various companies offer these services. These companies will assist you in the areas that you may need help - from the time that your book has been ordered to the delivery. The POD will actually help you list your book on Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com and other major bookstores by hooking you up with an ISBN. Here's how the process works:
Submit the final draft of your book to a company that offers POD. Make sure your draft is formatted in the way that you want it to look in its final publication.
You will be requested to wait until your file has been added to the data system of that company.
The printing company receives an order for your book according to its ISBN.
An operator at the printing company accesses your file in their system. Ensuring all editing and formatting is correct; the book is released to the printer and binder system. Your book is printed in less than 5 minutes.
Your book is then packaged and addressed to the customer. It is then sent directly to the customer. This entire process takes approximately 10 working days - thus your book can hit the market as soon as possible.
Budget
While this type of publishing has become increasingly popular in the industry, it is important to note that it requires you fork out a bit of your own money - each book will cost you approximately $5.
Risks/Benefits
This option has various benefits. Firstly, most of the companies involved will accept any type of work, no matter who you are - so rejection is not something that you will have to worry about. Secondly, if you are involved with the design and formatting personally, your book automatically will gain a unique edge. Finally, the POD handles distribution and order fulfilment. This means that when you book has been ordered; the POD will print a copy of your book, ship it and pay you a royalty of approximately 30% of the purchase price - leaving you with less grey hair! With regards to the risks involved, it is important to note that the owner of the ISBN also owns the book's copyright, so be careful with that and make sure that you purchase your book's ISBN under your name, not the vanity publisher.
Option 4) Local Publishing Companies
The Process
Local commercial printing companies use the same technology as PODs. Feel free to browse through a publishing directory or just your local directory for a list of companies that offer publishing services. Your next step is to contact the publishing house that you have chosen.
Budget
While prices may vary, expect to pay 3 cents per black and white page i.e. a 200-page book could cost you approximately $6.50.
Print Style Options
Your first choice in terms of printing style is between color printing and black & white printing. This will dictate the cost that you will need to budget for. Most companies offer digital printing, so you can choose the amount of copies that you want printed at the time of publication. In terms of cover design, you are only limited by your own creativity - once again you are free to take charge of your own design. Binding on the other hand, will be handled by the company and is included in the original price per page.
Risks/Benefits
When you publish through a local company, you must take note that the printer will print precisely what you send - this is without any revision or editing. It is crucial that your book is proofread before submission. Also with this option, you will still have to promote your book, fill and ship all orders.
Option 5) eBook Publication
What is an eBook?
An eBook is an electronic copy of your book that may be purchased, downloaded and read immediately online. It can serve a variety of purposes i.e. advertising, the gathering of potential customer's information and the generation of interest. Not only does this option provide the media for a sample publication of you incomplete book, but it also allows for full publication of your book once it is complete - thus you can sell the electronic version of your book, as if it were a hard copy.
The Process
This option may be deemed the most convenient and economical way to publish a book. Here is a basic outline of the process:
The Final DraftTo prepare you book for eBook publication, you have to format it exactly the way that you want your readers to see it. This will be easy if you are using a word processor such as Microsoft Word.
The FormatUnless you know exactly what you want in terms of formatting, I suggest that you stick to a standardised type of book formatting - the outline of a manuscript format is included later on in this article.
ProofreadingSorry to say, editing will be your worst nightmare - just when you think that it's over, go back and proofread again and again. Also try and get others to read your final draft too. Don't skimp on the quality of your writing simply because you are publishing electronically.
CopyrightingCopyrighting your book is your next move. Don't stress out too much about the ISBN, as you are actually the publisher now, so you will be in charge of the distribution and price setting.
Designing the CoverIf you happen to have an arty side, this is your chance to bring it out! Feel free to extend your creativity but remember to keep your design, appropriate with regards to your book's contents. You can also make use of external services should you need help i.e. graphic designers do freelance their services for this type of thing.
PublicationNow it really gets interesting...There are various programs available that generate self-executable eBooks. It is however important to note that most people are cautious when it comes to downloading new programs. I therefore recommend that you publish your eBook in plain old .pdf format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a well established brand which is both safe and also free for anyone to download. Visit Adobe Online and register for their online PDF Creator to publish an ebook or feel free to do a Google search for a few more eBook publishing programs.
Your AccountSet up a business account with an ecommerce site like PayPal. You will then have to add your book's ISBN to your 'product list'. PayPal will then generate an html code that you can copy and paste where ever you would like to promote your eBook. You will in turn be notified via email, when someone purchases your book. Your last move is to reply to that email by attaching the .pdf of your book and sending the mail directly to your customer...and voila! Your first eBook is sold.
Risks/Benefits
There are various benefits related to this new wave of publication. Firstly, it requires you to spend little to no money out of your own pocket. Thus, there is very little financial risk involved. Secondly, your book can be published from the comfort of your own home...a few clicks here and there is all that it takes. Finally, from a marketing perspective, an eBook opens up various avenues for advertising - it allows you to add links within your book, directing the reader anywhere that you would like i.e. this gives you a chance to expand your business network. Once again, you must remember that you are in charge of your book's marketing.
Irrespective of the method of publication that you choose, you will need to master manuscript writing...Here's a handy guide on how to correctly format your manuscript.
Try to make use of this type of formatting prior to submitting it to an agent or publisher. At first glance you may think that these standards may not be aesthetically pleasing, but don't stress, your publisher should send your original manuscript to a 'formatter' that standardizes the format during publication.
Basic Formatting Rules
Use 1 inch margins around all your text - repeat this on each page.
Double spacing should be used throughout your manuscript. This type of spacing enhances your manuscripts readability and makes it easier to edit.
If you want to italicize something, don't do it now. Only highlight this before the final version is published - anything that you want in italics should be underlined in your manuscript.
All numbers should be spelt out i.e. type out four instead of 4.
Most symbols should also be spelt out i.e. don't use the '%' sign, instead type out 'percent'.
Life After Publication
Even though your book is now on its way to mass production, you need not let your relaxation period be short lived - don't become overridden with anxiety about publicity, marketing and even worse, sales!
For a stress free way to boost sales and keep abreast of your new book's performance you should consider subscribing to a promotions and sales tracking company.
With modern publishing methods, like self-publishing and eBook publication in mind, it is easy to understand why sales tracking has become a common pastime for most writers. Because most publishing options force you to take charge of your book's marketing, it may be a good idea for you to make use of an online service to help you track the sales of your book and handle do a bit of book promotion on your behalf.
Taking this into consideration, let's take look at the sales ranking and promotions company, RankTracer. This company will do some online promotion and track your book at the same time - giving you on-the-hour sales rank information, graphs, reports and actual sales estimates.
With an external company tracking your sales and offering you a bit of extra help with book promotion, you are left with more time on your hands to use as you please - feel free to explore book-signings, tours, public talks and even blog about your new book!
So now you know! I trust that you found my walk through the publishing industry informative. Hopefully it has answered a few of your publishing queries and has helped you find the perfect publishing fit for you. Good luck and happy publishing!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
INTRODUCTION TO BOOK READING
Reading of books is a part of human life. But some times we feel or confused on the kind of book to read at a particular time. For example, if we want to know about the late world's historians, some of us may not know the particular kind of book to read at that very time. Reading of book i believe keeps our senses alive all the time. It makes us to know more about what is hiding in our environment. It teaches us what we must know at a particular time. But do you know taht you as a person can contribute to book reading by writing your own kind of book. But before you write your own book there some things we must know as beginner. First of all don't write because you see people writing. Don't write because you want your name to be known. Don't write any kind of book that will not make any positive impact in the life of your reader. After writing your book, go back and read it many more times so you could track one or more mistakes you made while writing. Before you bring your book to public knowlege, ask your self some fundamental questions like:[1] HOW MUCH WILL MY BOOK WHAT IN BOOK STORE. [2] AM I MAKING SENSE WITH WHAT I HAVE WRITING?[3] IF THIS BOOK IS WRITING BY SOME ONE SOME WHERE, WHAT WOULD BE MY COMENT ON IT. [4] WILL I BE ABLE TO DEFEND ALL THE POINTS I RAISED IN THIS BOOK BEFORE THE GENERAL PUBLIC? Book writing can be inform of fiction or non-fiction but it must make a whole lots of senses to the readers. After writing the book think of how best to get it published. Book writing is a very difficult task but it could also be easy if you take time to read books that was writing by some professionals.
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