Publishing is a $35 billion industry. Up until just a few years ago, that meant almost exclusively books, magazines, newspapers, and other small items such as brochures and business cards. The internet has changed all that in more ways than one. Enter the eBook, or downloadable electronic book. Although early versions of the eBook have been around since the 1970’s, it wasn’t until late in 2007 that Amazon’s eBook Reader, the Kindle, was released, and not until 2009 that dedicated reading hardware was produced. According to the Association of American Publishers, eBook sales rose 176.6% to $169.5 million in 2009. Another report, this one conducted by Forrester Research, an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology, predicts that eBook sales will cross the $1 billion line in 2011.
When I first realized that eBook Readers were already starting to render the paperback book obsolete, I became distraught. That’s because I had been working on my science fiction novel, on and off, for the better part of the last twenty years and it was very near completion. My novel was always meant to be a paperback; a handy little book that could easily fit in a backpack or a purse. I even knew what the cover art would look like: planet Earth in the background with my main character leaving orbit in his tiny spaceship while two unfolding alien spacecraft approached. I had it all figured out. I knew the printing industry was already getting hit hard but I figured the unique tactile act of reading a paperback book still had a good decade left in it. I don’t believe that anymore. Of course, there will be die-hard paperback fans for many years to come, but eBook Readers are already starting to mimic the experience of having an actual book in your hands. It finally dawned on me that eBook Readers were not my enemy, they were, in fact, very much my friend.
Finding a publisher who is willing to invest their time and money to print thousands of copies of a book written by an unknown author is extremely difficult, to say the least. However, with services such as Amazon.com and Smashwords.com, an unknown author can publish a completed novel, poetry manuscript, or collection of short stories and make it available for sale to basically anyone with internet access in a single day. And the best part is that It’s Free! There are, of course, many more online publishers than just Amazon and Smashwords but many of them are not free. I did finish my novel and published it to Amazon.com’s Kindle platform and Smashwords.com for sale at $9.99. It’s very exciting to see copies of my eBook being bought by people who somehow found my novel among the millions of titles already available through a number of online publishers. I then decided to publish a collection of poetry that I compiled from my high school and college years.
So if you’ve written your memoirs, or have a book length manuscript, or even a collection of short stories or poetry, I highly recommend that you put them up for sale at Amazon.com’s Kindle Store and Smashwords.com. Remember, it’s totally free. Simply go to www.Amazon.com and find the “Self-publish with Us” link at the bottom of the page. Then simply click the “Get Started” link in the Kindle Books section of that page. From there you can set up your account, upload your manuscript, and then name your price. According to the research I’ve done, it’s wise not to price your book too low or potential customers will get the impression that it’s of lesser value than the higher priced options available in the same category. I decided that $9.99 was a reasonable price for my book since it consisted of 36 chapters containing nearly 120,000 words- the length of a decent paperback. $9.99 may seem high for a paperback-length book but there are thousands of eBook titles selling successfully in the $20-$30 range. Granted, many of those higher priced titles are best selling books that have been available to the general public for decades in print form. But because your book is new, it just may attract a customer base that could put some extra cash in your pocket or simply get you noticed for other potentially profitable projects.
Make sure that your manuscript starts out strong because one of the services offered by eBook publishers is a free sample of your work, usually the first 20%. Selling your book is a tough business, but for those of us who believe that what we’re writing is worthwhile for others to read, there’s always a chance for great success. And remember, your customers don’t even need an eBook reader to enjoy your book; they can download it to any PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, or Android. I invite all the readers of this article to sample the first few chapters of my science fiction novel “Rise of The Kek” and my poetry manuscript “The Universe Can Never Be Complete” for free. Simply search for either title at Amazon.com or Smashwords.com.
by: John Joseph Burhop
Dode Blog's Headline Animator
Pages - Menu
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Origins Of Your Blogs Succsess
Blog success originates not from the fancy layouts or nifty widgets but rather from the unique content found on the blogging platform! If what the site administrator offers viewers continues to be interesting and relevant reading material people will continue to return! It all boils down to the personal commitment of the individual blogger insofar as to the success of the blogging platform itself!
Here are 5 things any individual will need to supply if they intend to become a popular blogger!
Idea
The starting point for any blog is the 'seed' or idea behind it's purpose and what the reading material contained within will be based upon! The theme is crucial from the standpoint that you want to be sure there is an audience for it and most especially if you intend to make money! The theme you decide upon gives you a way in which to direct your efforts since you want to maintain a certain focus when composing updates.
Motivation
Ideas are merely thoughts or dreams until you decide to take a definitive action towards making them a reality! Taking the first step is typically the hardest when entering into anything new and when launching a blogging platform it is recommended to compose a series of posts! The point here is you want visitors to have more than one update to view or they may not take your site serious enough to even return. The more posts you display the greater the commitment you will reflect to visitors!
Focus
This helps you to coordinate your efforts for the best results but just as importantly your focus will help you stay consistent with the theme of your site. It will do little good if you continue to veer away from the theme since it will confuse readers and even discourage them from returning! The main objective is create unique content that is relevant to the theme so you can attract visitors and then develop their loyalty!
Patience
This supplies the persistence you need while you wait for the results you want while also helping you beat back any feelings of frustration! Remember a successful blogging platform is one that has a loyal following but viewer loyalty does not occur overnight, it takes time!
Curiosity
Without a deeply rooted curiosity or passion it will make both your research and writing efforts more difficult! People expect to see high quality and unique content when they land on your site and it is up to you to create it but if you lack the inner drive to do so the platform will fade from existence! It is always highly recommended to consider your own level of interest when selecting a theme for just these reasons!
Blog success is much more a product of the unique content found on the blogging platform itself and not the fancy designs or widgets being used. It all comes down to people wanting reading material of interest to them and finding a source they feel is reliable. Once this occurs reader loyalty begins to develop but only after a period of time! This is why the origin and success of the blogging platform is wholly dependent upon the initiative and commitment of the site administrator! After all the use of fancy designs or widgets are no substitute for the 5 things only a blogger can supply as discussed here today!
by: TJ Pilphot
Here are 5 things any individual will need to supply if they intend to become a popular blogger!
Idea
The starting point for any blog is the 'seed' or idea behind it's purpose and what the reading material contained within will be based upon! The theme is crucial from the standpoint that you want to be sure there is an audience for it and most especially if you intend to make money! The theme you decide upon gives you a way in which to direct your efforts since you want to maintain a certain focus when composing updates.
Motivation
Ideas are merely thoughts or dreams until you decide to take a definitive action towards making them a reality! Taking the first step is typically the hardest when entering into anything new and when launching a blogging platform it is recommended to compose a series of posts! The point here is you want visitors to have more than one update to view or they may not take your site serious enough to even return. The more posts you display the greater the commitment you will reflect to visitors!
Focus
This helps you to coordinate your efforts for the best results but just as importantly your focus will help you stay consistent with the theme of your site. It will do little good if you continue to veer away from the theme since it will confuse readers and even discourage them from returning! The main objective is create unique content that is relevant to the theme so you can attract visitors and then develop their loyalty!
Patience
This supplies the persistence you need while you wait for the results you want while also helping you beat back any feelings of frustration! Remember a successful blogging platform is one that has a loyal following but viewer loyalty does not occur overnight, it takes time!
Curiosity
Without a deeply rooted curiosity or passion it will make both your research and writing efforts more difficult! People expect to see high quality and unique content when they land on your site and it is up to you to create it but if you lack the inner drive to do so the platform will fade from existence! It is always highly recommended to consider your own level of interest when selecting a theme for just these reasons!
Blog success is much more a product of the unique content found on the blogging platform itself and not the fancy designs or widgets being used. It all comes down to people wanting reading material of interest to them and finding a source they feel is reliable. Once this occurs reader loyalty begins to develop but only after a period of time! This is why the origin and success of the blogging platform is wholly dependent upon the initiative and commitment of the site administrator! After all the use of fancy designs or widgets are no substitute for the 5 things only a blogger can supply as discussed here today!
by: TJ Pilphot
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Blogger templates
