Sunday, December 30, 2007

UK's First Top 10 List of Out-of-Print Books

BookFinder.com has released the list of the top 10 most sought-after out-of-print books in the UK. Unlike traditional annual lists of bestselling books, this list consists of titles which readers seek out independently, without being biased by publishers' publicity machines.

The books represent diverse interests, including Angling Times articles, 1950s environmental disaster fiction, historical timepieces, and Madonna's somewhat less historical collection of racy photos (the only title to appear both on the U.S. and UK lists).

"While the book trade is increasingly driven by book-of-the-day marketing, it's refreshing to see readers still seeking out classic titles decades after their last printing," says BookFinder.com founder Anirvan Chatterjee. "The public appeal of these books stands the test of time."

The top 10 as compiled by BookFinder.com:

1) The Forests of England (1976) by Peter J. Neville Havins; history of
England's timberland

2) Walker's Pitch: A Selection of Articles from the Angling Times (1959)
by Richard Walker; from the classic angling magazine, now
incorporated into Anglers Today

3) The Widow Makers (2005) by Jean Mead; on North Wales mining

4) Sex (1992) by Madonna; pop icon's book of erotic photos

5) The Death of Grass (1957) by Samuel Youd (writing as John
Christopher); post-apocalyptic SF about a virus that kills all forms
of grass, upsetting nature's balance

6) Labyrinth (1986) by A. C. H. Smith; novelisation of David Bowie movie
of the same name

7) Extreme Rock (1987) by Ken Wilson and Bernard Newman; from the Great
British Rock Climbs series

8) The Big Greed (1966) by Kenneth Giles; hardboiled crime thriller set
in the U.S.

9) Brass Dial Clocks (1998) by Brian Loomes; on 17th and 18th century
brass timepieces

10) The Red Sailor (1968) by Patrick O'Hara; novel about the Royal Navy
at the start of the Korean War

BookFinder.com has also released the list of top 10 most sought-after out-of-print books in the U.S., viewable online at http://journal.bookfinder.com/

Sound Authors Radio Show Brings Live Interviews and Readings

Each Friday at 1PM Eastern Standard Time, Sound Authors radio show features live interviews and readings from all varieties of authors, known and not-yet-known; all soon-to-be bestselling authors from all walks of life, from Hollywood actors to marathoners, to PhD therapists or life coaches. On this talk radio show, it is the story that counts. Authors sound off on every possible topic, from cuisine to culture, and from nature to nurture.

The show also podcasts each interview separately, and all archived podcasts can be searched from the Sound Authors website at http://www.soundauthors.com/

Tune in January 4th to the live show or podcast to hear Alan Tripp, who at the age of 20 broadcasted the news on WMCA in New York. He's run an ad agency, produced the first network Pro Football Championship, has written three books, and has been an entertaining guest on radio and TV shows from New York to San Diego. His latest project, IN THE HOLE! Poetic Justice for Golf Fanatics, is a combination audio CD and book about the fun side of golf.

Sound Authors radio show each week is replete with authors from around the country and around the world, each telling their tales, from self-help to fiction, children's books to thrillers, how-to books to corporate guidebooks.

HarperTeen Authors Use MySpace.com to Interact with Readers

HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, has partnered with MySpace, the world's most popular social network, to launch MySpace/HarperTeen (http://www.myspace.com/harperteen), a customized interactive community for teen readers to connect with one another, read author blogs, interact on message boards and forums, learn about upcoming releases, post photos, and participate in HarperTeen contests, programs and online polls. Beginning January 2008, HarperTeen authors will regularly interact with readers via the HarperTeen/MySpace site through author chats.

The MySpace/HarperTeen profile also provides user generated content tools where MySpace users can "Create and Share" by submitting their own creative writing and getting feedback from their peers in the HarperTeen community.

Through January 7th, 2008, MySpace/HarperTeen users can enter the first "Create and Share" writing contest by submitting original entries in the form of short stories, poems, and songs. The winning writer will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a phone call from their favorite HarperTeen author. A panel of HarperTeen judges will select the ten most original and creative entries, but the MySpace/HarperTeen community will vote for the actual winner. Finalists and their work will be featured on the HarperTeen profile and various other MySpace pages.

The MySpace/HarperTeen profile will also keep readers informed of new releases via their "Weekend Read" bulletin. Every Friday, users receive a book recommendation and can discuss the book the following week on the message boards.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Is Your New Year's Resolution to Publish a Book?

AuthorHouse wants to help writers accomplish one of their New Year's resolutions - publishing a book in 2008. Thousands of authors utilized self-publishing in 2007 to reach their publishing goals. Here are six helpful tips from AuthorHouse to help you get your book published in 2008:

1. Pick a target date for holding the first copy of your book in your hands - Staying focused on this date will help you remain productive. Many first-time authors pick dates with special significance, such as a birthday, professional meeting, or speaking engagement.

2. Pay attention to the best time and place for you to write productively - Most experienced writers say they've learned there are better times and settings for them to write. Once you've figured out where and when you do your best writing, commit to it.

3. Set a schedule to meet your goal - Once you pick your publication date, work backwards, putting dates on a calendar of when you need your manuscript completed and submitted. Also, build in time for illustrations or editing if needed. Experienced self-publishing companies such as AuthorHouse can help you with your schedule.

4. Make yourself accountable to someone for finishing your book - Choose someone who will make sure you're staying focused. It can be a friend, family member, or someone familiar with book publishing. AuthorHouse representatives have served in this role for thousands of authors.

5. Create a marketing plan for your finished book - The success of a book is often directly tied to successful planning. Develop a plan for how you'll get the word out about your new book. Your own Web site, press releases, book signings, and speaking engagements should all be considered.

6. Plan an event to celebrate your book's publication - Writing a book can be one of the most enjoyable accomplishments of your life. Celebrate by throwing a launch party or scheduling a book signing at a local bookstore. This is more than a book, it's part of your legacy. Take a few moments to enjoy your achievement.

AuthorHouse is the leading provider of publishing and marketing services for authors worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.authorhouse.com/.

Book to Video Partnership Between Harper Paperbacks and MySpaceTV Provides MySpace Users with How-To Information

MySpace has struck a content deal with Harper paperbacks and bestselling author Neil Strauss (The Game). Starting today, the MySpace community can view weekly video episodes that explore the false myths of dating from Strauss's new book Rules of the Game. The videos, created exclusively for MySpace, can be seen on MySpaceTV (http://www.myspacetv.com/) and on Strauss's official MySpace profile (www.myspace.com/neilstrauss).

Each of the eight weekly episodes will be approximately three minutes long and feature David Faustino ("Married with Children") and Corin Nemec ("Parker Lewis Can't Lose") acting out a "rule" from the new book with a mission at the end of each "rule." At the conclusion of each video Strauss will explain more about the "rule" featured in Rules of the Game and challenge the MySpace community to incorporate it into their own dating lives that week. The first mission regards stepping outside of the dater's comfort zone.

"MySpaceTV has enabled me to not just tell people how it's done with a book, but to also show them with videos of real-life interactions. After watching David Faustino get actual phone numbers with, for example, his identity concealed, his hands tied, and his mouth duct-taped, no guy should ever have to fear approaching a woman under normal circumstances again," said Neil Strauss.

The series aims to connect with MySpace users through interactive video posts to the author's profile reporting their personal experiences using the "rules". Every week, Strauss will choose one user who submits the best video of the week to win different prizes, such as a one-on-one dating consultation with him. In addition, the user who undergoes the most impressive transformation wins a free ticket and travel to Strauss's next Stylelife Academy seminar. The Rules of the Game series will culminate on Valentines Day with a special video from Strauss.

In addition to promotion on MySpace, every copy of Rules of the Game sold will have a MySpace sticker on the book jacket driving people to Strauss's profile - marking the first time MySpace has participated in this type of promotion.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

How to Snowball Sales with Your Self-Published Book

The most valuable thing you can collect if you are selling your book from a website when a visitor comes to your book's sales site is not their money... it's their email address and/or other contact information.

If you have no clue how to create a website, do not worry about feeling intimidated. It is actually a lot easier than you think. There is a simple site that teaches people all about creating websites for free at www.LissaExplains.com

You can also learn a lot by doing a search for a phrase at Google.com like "how to make a website" and "free html tutorial." You will find tons of very good free training that way and can learn how in no time. Anyone can learn the basics of creating a website in just one day.

Ok, back to collecting your website visitors contact information.

I know, I know you’re probably saying... "I'm an author. I want to write my book, sell my book and become a recognized expert. WHY do I need to get their contact information?"

The simplest answer is: Because you will NOT become wealthy from the sale of your book. You will become wealthy and achieve celebrity status through the ongoing relationship you build with your readers.

If you don't know who they are, how can you continue to keep in touch with them – and they with you.

If you're an expert on the subject and they already have your book, don't you think they'll want MORE information and MORE books from you?

ABSOLUTELY!

Your book makes you an expert on the subject, your interactions and relationships will propel you to a recognized expert and position you for long-term success – not just a one-hit wonder.

The service you need to collect email and contact information and automatically respond to the person is called an Autoresponder.

There are paid autoresponders and free autoresponders. Normally the free autoresponders paste their own marketing message at the bottom of the emails you send out.

Not the best scenario, obviously, but if you want to do this will limited or no upfront investment then a free autoresponder service will work just fine until you start to see profits coming from your book.

The service I use is a paid service called Aweber. It is located at www.aweber.com

Do your own research and find a company that meets your needs. I recommend this service because it's been around for a long time and many of my high quality marketing friends recommend this to their clients and wouldn't continue to do so if it was a shoddy service.

What should you do with your autoresponder service when you get it?

1) You should place at least 1 or 2 "sign up" boxes on your book's sales page. You can offer an ongoing "newsletter" or "ezine" (as it's called online). Or you can create a "special report" related to the subject of your book and offer it free to anyone who signs up.

The purpose of this sign up is to capture "visitor" information. This way even if the visitor doesn't order your book, you still have their contact information and can keep in touch to promote your book and yourself to them on an ongoing basis.

Maybe they won't buy your book, but because of your newsletter or special report, they might recommend your book to family and friends.

2) After PayPal.com and before your download page.

When looking at PayPal.com, we saw that after they took the person's payment for your book, they would send them back to your website.

The first page the person – now a client – should see is a "register" page. This page can simply ask for their name and email or you can have optional fields like address, phone number etc. Obviously the more information they are willing to provide the better for future contact with them.

This is a different list than those in #1. #1 is a list of people who visited your book's website who may or may not have purchased your book. These people are registered buyers.

History proves that it's far easier to get current clients to order more from you than trying to get someone who hasn't already ordered. Both lists are valuable – but this one is the most valuable to you for ongoing success.

(C) www.BookCatcher.com

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Amazon.com Buys Rare J.K. Rowling's Book

Amazon.com, Inc. has purchased J.K. Rowling's "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" at an auction held by Sotheby's in London. The book of five wizarding fairy tales, referenced in the last book of the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," is one of only seven handmade copies in existence. The book was purchased for £1,950,000, and Ms. Rowling is donating the proceeds to The Children's Voice campaign, a charity she co-founded to help improve the lives of institutionalized children across Europe.

"Even before establishing her charity, J.K. Rowling had done the world a rare and immeasurably valuable service -- enlarging forever our concept of the way books can touch people—and in particular children -- in modern times," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. "When we deliver Harry Potter, kids are camped out at the post box, and the drivers get hugs."

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" is handwritten, extensively illustrated, and autographed by the author. It is written in an Italian handmade notebook, bound in brown Moroccan leather and embellished with five individually hand-chased hallmarked sterling silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. It is 157 pages long. One of the five original stories included in the book, "The Tale of the Three Brothers," is told in the final Harry Potter novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." This copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" purchased today is one of only seven copies handwritten and illustrated by the author. The six other copies have been given to friends of Ms. Rowling in appreciation of the support they provided her throughout the writing of the Harry Potter series.

Amazon customers around the world are invited to visit http://www.amazon.com/beedlebard to read editorial reviews of the five fairy tales, and to join the online discussion of these and other Harry Potter stories with other fans of the bestselling series. For the curious of mind, Amazon editors will be taking questions about the tales from all comers on our discussion boards, starting immediately. Customers will also find a link to The Children's Voice website, where donations to this charity can be made. To date, Amazon has sold more than 12 million copies of the seven Harry Potter titles worldwide.

Videogames: a Healthier Alternative to Books?

"An obvious but largely overlooked fact is that reading is one of the most sedentary activities there is," says one of the book's editors, Erik Hoftun. "In a society where obesity has become a serious health issue, watching television has rightly been blamed as a major culprit, but strangely reading is never mentioned. Video gaming also gets its share of blame, but the fact is that new video games and hardware actually can be great tools in fighting obesity, so much so that video games are finding their way into physical education programs in schools both in the US and Europe."

Having watched their children, parents do not have to be told that video games develop dexterity and hand-eye coordination. What may still surprise is research such as an experiment that showed how doctors perform better at surgery after playing regular video games.

Hoftun goes on to explain what he as a parent finds most intriguing when comparing video games to reading: "Reading is a passive activity, not only in the physical sense. You are completely at the mercy of the author, having to accept a story as it unfolds, with no influence on the outcome. Of course no one objects to be taken on such a ride as long as it is a good one, being it through a book or a movie. But the question is; what develops a young mind better: Passively reading a book or actively playing a video game where you are in charge and where your actions and reactions decide the outcome? And more importantly: What prepares you better for real life?" Being an avid reader himself, Hoftun hastens to add that " ... of course there are good and bad video games, just as there are good and bad books. My point is that video gaming is a valid and sometimes better alternative to reading."

"It may seem contradictory to publish a book about video games, but we thought it might be fun to prove that video gamers actually can read," Hoftun says wryly and adds: "We are surprised that an industry that this year is surpassing the music industry in size has next to no representation in bookstores. At Barnes & Noble and Borders there are rows upon rows of titles on music, movies and computers, but you have to look really hard to find a book about video games."

Book of Games Volume 2 is a 400 page book presenting 100 of this year's best games along with informative feature articles on topics such as gaming in schools, video games as art and intriguing stories from the world of hard core video gaming. With literally thousands of screenshots and photos the book accurately represents the wonderful visuals of video gaming making it a great gift. With an extensive glossary section and tables this is a true reference book for gamers, parents and anyone interested in the fascinating world of video gaming. It is available in major bookstores and on Amazon now for $24.95.

Website: http://www.bookofgames.com/

Publisher Services Offers a Road Map for Independent Self-Publishers

With the advancement of desktop publishing software and printing technologies, authors are now empowered to make their book publishing dreams a reality. However, many are unaware of all production and marketing challenges which arise once the actual writing process has been completed. Despite the dramatic increase in the number of small independent publishers, very few titles actually get picked up by a national retailer and an even smaller percent of independent publishers ever turn a profit. Publisher Services, a division of Bar Code Graphics, now provides packages which make the publishing process more understandable and affordable for independent publishers.

Included with an ISBN assignment, Publisher Services provides a road map of the required publishing components, ranging from copyright registration to book marketing. In order for self-publishers to establish realistic expectations for their publishing endeavor, it is imperative that they understand all elements involved in book publishing. Once a publisher defines the scope of their project, Publisher Service offers various programs enabling direct to consumer sales or traditional book distribution models.

The vast majority of today's self-publishers can expect to make a profit only through direct to consumer sales, due to the relatively high percentage (45-55%) which would traditionally go towards a book distributor or reseller. Consider the basic math of the situation for a new self-publisher who has decided to utilize distribution channels to access the major chains; for 100 printed copies of a 100 page (b/w) book, production cost is about $5.00 a piece, so unless a publisher sets the price at $15 or more, there is minimal profit in sight. In the end a self-publisher is going to have to heavily promote and market a book on their own, but lose half their cost just to distribution.

Print on demand publishing is an accessible and tempting tactic in this new style of bookselling, but is still an expensive option. Although many online solutions dangle large distribution channels to prospects, the unit cost per single book production is simply too high to make any tangible profit. The self-publisher's alternative is to print a realistic amount of copies and reach out directly to all viable markets.

Website: http://www.isbn-us.com/

The Birth of a Bestselling Book Author

What IS a best-selling author?

You have to answer that in your own mind.

Technically, it's any book that makes it into the Top 100 list at ANY online or offline bookstore.

However, what does it mean to you?

Is it someone who sells 300-500 books in a day through online bookstores like Amazon.com and makes the top 10?

Is it only the person who makes it to #1?

Is it the person who sells their book from their own website and makes $10,000 in a few months?

Or does it have to be a specific list... like the New York Times best seller list?

What does it mean to you?

It's a tough call. But you CAN have it all.

Selling your book through an online or offline bookstore will mean less money for you upfront, but will provide you far more leverage in the long run.

Selling your book from your own website and taking your own orders will mean far more money in the bank for you initially, but you'll have to work a little harder on the back-end to get the recognition you deserve.

Both ways work. Neither way is right. It's really what's right for you.

Let's talk about the steps necessary to make your book a bestseller whether you want to do it through an online bookstore or from your own website.

1) Pick the specific day you want to become a best seller.

Focusing on a specific day is what provides you the leverage to sell a large amount of books quickly. Selling 500 books over 6 months is not as impressive as selling 500 books in one or two days.

2) Create your "what's in it for me?" offer.

Your book is a valuable resource for your clients. But selling it alone puts it up against all the other books already on the market for your subject. I don't like those odds.

What you need is something "extra" -- something that really let's the perspective buyer know that you want to help them.

If you were to sell your book (for let's say $20) and then offered everyone who purchased your book on the specific day you decided on in step 1 around $200 in bonuses from experts... do you think they'd be more likely to buy? And buy on that day?

Of course they would.

This is the step where you stop thinking about you and start thinking about the group of people you want to help by writing this book in the first place. Think of everything you can possibly offer to add value to your book and build a powerful arsenal of tools and resources.

When the potential buyer asks, "What's in it for me?" (which they always do)... give them TONS of answers.

3) Use the 12-step method to create a promotional sales letter.

Now that you've answered the "What's in it for me?" question, use the 12-step process to build a sales letter site for your book that explains it to the potential buyer.

They have a problem in their life. Your book is going to give them a solution for their problem... and a whole lot of "extras" if they buy on the specific day you've selected.

Tell them – using the proven 12-step process.

4) Leverage the relationships you've built.

Now, simply go back to the experts who provided you the bonus items for your book promotion, let them know the day you have picked as your bestseller day and ASK them if they would help you promote it on that day.

GIVE THEM A FREE COPY OF YOUR BOOK.

Don't be stingy. These are experts who have earned the right to be called an expert. You are asking them for a favor. Be generous enough to let them read your book first.

If you can afford it, send them a physical copy. If you can't, email them a digital copy with a short, concise explanation of what you are doing.

Pick a specific day to target your focused effort. Give an overwhelming amount of bonus reasons for people to buy your book on that day; and then leverage the relationships with experts to get them to help you promote your book.

Why would they want to? Some will want to give back for the success they've earned. Some will want to because by doing so their bonus item is getting in more people's hands (and their bonus item promotes them).

What will these experts use to help promote your book?

You guessed it... the "list" of their current clients.

Authors 25, 50 or 100 years ago would buy out their own first printing to make it appear their book was popular. Many "best sellers" used this tactic to get the Best Seller status so publishers would contract with them for future titles.

Tricky? Maybe. Successful? Absolutely.

Now it's your turn.

Now that you know HOW to become a best seller, let's address where to become a best seller.

Right now the 2 most popular bookstores for running best seller campaigns are Amazon.com and BN.com (Barnes and Noble).

To get your book listed in Amazon.com you can either:

Purchase the $149.95 option from Lulu.com for Global Distribution. This will get you listed in all major online and offline bookstores or go to Amazon.com and do it yourself.

If you take the "do it your self" route at Amazon, be sure to join Amazon.com's Advantage Program. They will walk you through the process of signing up and getting your book listed in their store.

If you want to get listed in Barnes and Noble (online or offline), then visit BarnsandNobel.com.

Lulu.com will make both of these a simple process because you'll already have an ISBN and you can order just a few books initially to get started with Amazon.com and/or Barnes and Noble.

Let's talk through a few examples of how the Best Selling promotion may work:

1.) Leverage experts

We've already covered this one.

If I was writing the Pet Name book, I could find experts who are currently providing products and services to pet enthusiasts. Ask for bonuses and/or content from them. Then let them know the day I'm going to promote it and ask for their help.

I would provide them a digital or physical copy of the book to review. I would also ask what I could do to assist them. I've got to make it worth their while to help me.

2.) Leverage businesses

Rather than relying on 1 sale at a time from individual readers, I could approach businesses that sell pet-related products and see if I could get a licensing agreement with them where they buy a large quantity of books at one time.

I could sell 500 books to 500 different readers or I could sell 500 books to 1 or 2 pet stores.

3.) Leverage home town support

If it's a localized subject – like a travel guide to North Carolina beaches – you could focus on specific businesses along the North Carolina coast to promote your book.

You could also contact local radio and/or TV stations to get publicity for your book promotion.

The biggest key to your best selling book promotion... don't just go through the motions. Make It An EVENT! And have FUN with it.

Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, Book Publishing News.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Best Xmas Gift for Self-publishing, Unpublished and Other Angry Authors

Traditional publishers reject up to 98% of all the manuscripts submitted to them. Considering the fact that about 81% of Americans believe they have "a book in them" that suggests a very large number of frustrated writers looking in vain for a publisher. Worldwide it goes into tens or hundreds of millions.

Thanks to the latest developments in digital printing new authors can publish quickly using inexpensive print-on-demand (POD) technology. Our "Print-on-Demand Publishers Directory 2008" helps them to compare and select a POD service best suited to their needs.

In recent years numerous POD services have come into being offering their services to new authors. 21st Century Research compiles a directory of over 75 POD services mostly located in USA but also in Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, England, Scotland and Wales.

Entries in the directory include full addresses, telephones, faxes, and web sites. It also includes information on contracts, distribution, royalties, prices and other submission details. Street addresses are important particularly when authors are not satified with the service and want to take action.

Authors can use this directory to compare and select one or more POD services. They can choose non-exclusive contracts, keep all TV, film and audio rights, and negotiate royalty and book price levels. Unpublished authors can forget the agents and once published their book will never be out of print as long as it remains in a POD database.

The companion "Print-on-Demand Printers Directory 2008" is designed for self-publishing authors who can design their own books in print-ready format. As publishers they can deal directly with book printers who operade digital presses and provide POD printing services. Most offer an excellent Request for Quote(RFQ) form online for pricing a book depending on number of page, type of paper, binding, book size, color and cover design.

A series of “Top 100” editorial E-mail lists for daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, senior and veteran publications and Radio and TV shows are also available to authors who want to control their own book promotion and marketing. More details are available at our blog: http://book-publicity.blogspot.com

These directories are available at a price of $ 10.00 each($13.00 outside USA) with free handling and shipping by first class airmail.

How To Create Tantalizing Titles And Sensational Content

Years ago when Napoleon Hill's famous manuscript on building wealth was ready for publication, it had no title.

His publisher called and said, "If you don't come up with a title by tomorrow morning, I'm going call it "USE YOUR NOODLE AND MAKE A BOODLE." Distraught, Napoleon Hill began playing with words and throughout the course of the night came up with the classic title, "THINK AND GROW RICH."

Have you read Think and Grow Rich? [If not, you need to head to your local bookstore, or library, and pick up a copy.]

It is one of the most best selling books of all time – probably due to its name.

Hey, it's a great book because of what's inside the book. The contents are incredibly powerful ...but, I'm not sure how many people would have bought it with a title like Use your Noodle and Make a Boodle.

Would you have? Not me.

There are many, many other examples throughout history where books were written and published unsuccessfully... until they changed the title of the book.

In fact, some authors have ONLY changed the title of their books and have become best sellers after their first printing sold just a few copies.

I know it's crazy. I know it's not right. But that's life. I'm sharing this with you so you can work it to YOUR benefit.

I'm not proposing that you can put together horrible content for your book, slap on a great title and make tons of money. Although I've personally seen it done (unfortunately), I am not suggesting you do that.

I'm suggesting that once you've got quality content inside your book, let's get a great title on the outside of your book and add tremendous potential on your road to success.

Ok, so how can you get a great idea for a title?

Simple: start looking at the Best Seller lists at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

When Jason Oman and Mike Litman wanted to publish their book they modeled a popular book called "Conversations with God" and published "Conversations with Millionaires." Their book went to #1 on Amazon.com

Another great place to look for outstanding titles is the tabloids in the checkout isle. Those papers and magazines don't sell millions of copies because they write unique and wonderful content – it's because their titles are just SO compelling you've got to read it.

Now that you know how to brainstorm a book title, here are some tips to help you research content for your book.

Most people know about Google.com as the largest search engine in the world... however, few realize how powerful it is as a research tool.

The key is knowing how to tap into Google's research powers. One of the best ways to find content for your book is by using the search string called "allinurl." (pronounced all-in-u-r-l)

You can go to Google.com and type your keyword phrase in after allinurl: – and search its database for sites that have that keyphrase in their URL, either in the domain name or in a file name.

For example, if I was writing a book about Dog Names I could use something like:

allinurl: dog name articles

allinurl: dog name

allinurl: beagle dog names

You should find some excellent content ideas using this method.

Let's check out the real world examples and take a look at what we would find.

#1) allinurl: dog name articles

• "A Dog Name is Something To Be Chosen Carefully"

• "5 tips for finding the right name"

• "Puppy dog name meanings"

Looks like great content for the book. Simply decide which section (from your outline) would be the appropriate section for it to go in.

HOW can you organize your search findings? Put the name of your idea and the Outline Section at the top of a piece of paper.

In the section below put...

Name/Title: The name and/or title of the content you've found

Link: URL to the content

Expert (Owner): Who wrote the content

Type: Is the content text, audio, video, etc.

If you have 6 sections to your outline, you should have 6 of these sheets with content information – one for each section.

After collecting all the content you want for your book, you have four options.

#1) You can contact the content owner and ask permission to include their content in your book.

The benefit of including other experts' content is that when it comes time to market it you've got ‘built-in' partners to help promote it and you are leveraging other people's credibility as experts in the subject.

#2) You can hire a ghostwriter to write on similar topics to those in your outline.

#3) You could research and write content following the outline yourself.

I've come to realize the power and the effectiveness of using existing content from experts.

Unless you have to have the entire book be your words, I'd suggest mixing in expert content with some of your own content. This might be as simple as finding a public domain book on the subjects you outlined and using some of its content as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Learn how to become a published book author! Download Brian's free e-book, Book Writing for Fun and Profit, at www.BookCatcher.com. Visit Brian's blog, Book Publishing News.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Graphic Designer Shares Her Secrets to Book Cover Design

Karen Saunders, herself an award-winning book cover designer and owner of MacGraphics Services, has just posted another in a series of free design-it-yourself articles on her website. Half the battle in selling a book is getting someone to look at it. Saunders shows you how to accomplish this in her latest article, entitled "Design a Book Cover That Flies Off the Shelf." Saunders guides the self-published author through the basics of designing a book cover that not only gets picked up, but also gets sold. The article can be seen at http://buyappealmarketing.blogspot.com/

Saunders has a simple four-step system to getting the most out of book covers, and never forgets the primary goal - to sell the book.

"Looks aren't everything," says Saunders. "Great graphics combined with proven sales techniques in just the right spots make a book hard to put down. Authors need to work just as hard on the cover as they did on what's inside."

Saunders shares her success secrets in a simple format. She takes the four basic parts of a book cover - front cover, back cover, spine and inside flaps - and shows how to use each one to its full advantage.

The techniques in this article can also be used with e-books, which are fast becoming an alternative to books bought in a traditional brick and mortar store.

Upcoming articles will continue to take the mystery out of marketing. Readers will learn:

Top design techniques so their marketing pieces will rival ones created by a professional.

Unique twists on the most popular marketing essentials.

How to create visual branding that will turn potential customers into paying ones.

Tips on creating the right advertising mood that will attract your perfect customers without saying a word.
To view the complete series, go to http://buyappealmarketing.blogspot.com/

Saunders has won awards for her book cover designs, and is recognized as an expert in the field of graphic design. She founded MacGraphics Services in 1990 and is a leading designer of marketing materials such as ads, logos, one-sheets, audio and video packaging, and book covers and interiors. Saunders' award-winning covers can be viewed at http://www.macgraphics.net/

Best Selling Author Wants to Give Away One Million Copies of His Book

Nick Williams is the latest in a growing band of authors to shun traditional publishing in favour of a new media approach.

Inspired by the growth of online social networks, and the power of word-of-mouth, Nick made the decision to make his 6th book freely downloadable - but with a unique twist...

He explains - "I wanted to create something quick and easy to read - something that would take hours to absorb instead of days. But most of all, I wanted an opportunity to encapsulate the nuggets of wisdom I've accumulated during my fifteen years of teaching - and to create a multimedia experience that would reignite the belief that it's possible to work for love AND money."

Having coached hundreds of disgruntled employees - in 15 different countries - Nick has discovered that negative attitudes and beliefs toward work cut across every cultural divide...

"I'm constantly amazed at how many people feel boxed-in, left out, or resentful of the career guidance they've received. I see my role as helping people to unlock a deeper sense of their own calling, and then to support them in making progress toward a new vision of work in their lives. Sometimes this manifests as a conventional job -- but often -- it can lead down the path of entrepreneurship."

Nick's ambitious goal is to give away a staggering one million copies of his book by the end of 2012. He explains - "The idea to set the goal at one million copies represents my belief in the importance of this material and its ability to change lives. Also, I know that setting such a huge challenge will push my creativity into high-gear. It's incredibly exciting!"

There's a long way to go before the finish line, but he's already finding an outpouring of support, and help is flowing in from surprising and unusual places.

"I feel like I'm on a mission to get the message out as widely as I possibly can. I've only just begun this journey, but I'm astonished by the passionate and generous response I'm getting."

Track Nick's progress by following the live counter on his website.

Get your copy of Nick's book at the Inspired Entrepreneur website.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

How to Package Your Book for Online and Offline Sales

Lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com) is the obvious choice because they have reasonable prices and there is no minimum quantity to order – get just one book if you wish.

Once you have your content in PDF format, it's just a one step process to get a physical book printed.

Stop thinking that it's a long drawn out process and a complicated process. It's not.

Go to: www.lulu.com

Lulu.com is a full-featured online Print-On-Demand service that will print one book or 10,000 – depending upon your specific need.

Because there are no minimum orders it's perfect for the Info Product creator whose just getting started and wants to have a physical book to promote.

The book could be sold separately.

The book could be combined with audios and/or videos as a “kit” or Home Study Course.

The book could be used for a “Best Seller” promotion on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Because you can order 1 book or 1,000 books Lulu.com can grow as you and your business grows.