Sunday, May 30, 2010

Creation of New Publishing Group, Issues Call for Submissions

Glen Allen, Virginia: NanoMarkets, an established industry analyst and market research firm based here, has announced an expansion of the firm's coverage and is issuing a call for submissions from authors and consultants. Areas of coverage include, e-book readers, digital signage, next-generation wind turbines, water purification, water desalinization, clean coal and coal liquefaction, solar thermal markets, batteries for electric and hybrid cars, green building materials, management and monitoring systems for electric utilities, next generation biofuels, building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) in Asia and Europe, and consumer medical diagnostic products.

Additional details are available at the NanoMarkets website at http://www.nanomarkets.net/.

Expanded focus:

The new group in NanoMarkets will leverage the firm's substantial knowledge base of emerging market opportunities in advanced materials and emerging energy and electronics markets.

"NanoMarkets is expanding its market research and analysis practice and leverage the marketing capabilities of the firm's upgraded website and sales and marketing channels," according to Robert Nolan, NanoMarkets co-founder. "The coverage will address emerging market segments that market feedback tells us are currently underserved in terms of both quality and comprehensive analysis."

Learn About Self-Publishing and Sell Books Online with jexbo Blog

Today, jexbo.com, the site that helps self-published authors sell books online at www.jexbo.com, announced six, new interviews. Each week, Jill Exler, jexbo Founder, interviews different authors to discover their self-publishing secrets at www.jexbo.blogspot.com/ and the SmallBiz America channel, "jexbo – Help for Self-Published Authors" at www.smallbizamerica.com/jexbo.

"If you want to self-publish and market your books, now you can learn directly from other, successful authors at no charge states Exler. "In our interview series, our guests reveal personal tips and insights on the challenges and rewards of the self-publishing process.

Visit www.jexbo.blogspot.com/ now to check out the recent, self-published author interviews with:

* John Hinds, author of "What's In Your Water;

* Cecile Garcia, author of "In The Company of Elves

* Bob Wolfe, author of "Pins and Tickles

* Lisa Sims, author of "Stretching A Dollar To Save And Make Thousands: An Entrepreneur's Guide To Doing More With Less

* Kennebrew Surant, author of "Life on the Line and

* Carolyn Mosby-Williams, author of "Unflappable

With jexbo and SmallBiz America's channel, now authors and small business owners can:

* Learn the latest, self-publishing trends;

* Save time and money by listing their books for free with no long-term contracts, reach a worldwide audience of potential customers, and opt-in or out at their convenience;

* Market and sell books online with a free Web page, access customized bookmarks and share marketing tips on the online forum;

* Control pricing, change marketing messages at any time and talk directly to customers; and

* Turn a manuscript into an eBook, audio book or both and receive distribution and publicity via major online channels.

"In addition to tips on self-publishing and learning how to sell books online, readers will also find interesting and unique books on the site that make great gifts states Exler.

Need help selling and marketing your book? For more information and to claim your exclusive, no-cost eReport, "The Top 5 Ways to Get Free Publicity for Your Self-Published Book Now visit http://www.jexbo.com/.

Top Children's Book Publishers Using Paper Linked to Rainforest Destruction

America's children's books are contributing to the destruction of endangered rainforests in Indonesia, according to a new report released today by Rainforest Action Network (RAN). The report, entitled Turning the Page on Rainforest Destruction; Children's Books and the Future of Indonesia's Rainforests, finds that a majority of the top ten U.S. children's publishers have released at least one children's book that tested positive for paper fiber linked to the destruction of Indonesia's rainforests, including some books that describe the benefits of rainforest conservation.

"Considering that many publishers have already made public commitments to reduce their environmental footprint, we were surprised by the industry-wide scope of the problem," said Lafcadio Cortesi of Rainforest Action Network. "We don't think that kids and their parents want to choose between loving books and protecting the rainforest."

RAN had 30 colored children's books tested for fiber associated with deforestation in Indonesia and found that 18 of the 30 books (60 percent) contained controversial fiber. RAN's tests point to a growing industry trend toward the overseas printing of children's books, as well as other glossy paper books like coffee table books and textbooks, on fiber that is from controversial and endangered sources.

"There are clear, workable alternatives to printing on paper that destroys the world's last remaining rainforests," continued Cortesi. "The publishing industry shouldn't tolerate printing even one book that contributes to rainforest destruction, species extinction and climate change."

Worldwide, the degradation and destruction of tropical rainforests is responsible for fifteen percent of all annual greenhouse emissions. The carbon emissions resulting from Indonesia's rapid deforestation account for up to five percent of global emissions: more than the combined emissions from all the cars, planes, trucks, buses and trains in United States. This huge carbon footprint from the destruction of forests and peatlands has made non-industrialized Indonesia the third-largest global greenhouse gas emitter, behind only the U.S. and China.

The full text of the report can be downloaded at www.ran.org/bookreport

Accompanying images and b-roll of rainforest destruction can be downloaded for free at http://rainforestactionnetwork.smugmug.com/Rainforest-Free-Paper

Additional information on Indonesia's rainforests can be found at www.ran.org/forests

Decadent Publishing Open for Submissions

Indulge your book fetish! Decadent Publishing, a romantic fiction and erotica publishing house, announces its debut on August 1st.

Heather Bennett, Decadent's Executive Editor, states that "while all genres are currently being sought, we are particularly interested in submissions for our 'Late Escape' line of romances. We want to showcase the more mature generation and their wealth of intimate knowledge. This is love on a different level - less physical, more sensual and psychologically fulfilling. We welcome all authors willing to help us put the decade into decadent."

For submissions information, please visit: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Book Writing - 5 Reasons You Should Plan While Writing a Non Fiction Book by Glen Ford

Good project management says that planning before you start a writing project is a good thing. And many writing systems say you need to plan your writing before you do it. But people seldom come out and tell you straight up why.

So here are five reasons you should plan while writing a non fiction book:

1. Provide focus for your book. If you start off just writing a non fiction book you could end up with just about anything. Your book could go off into a side discussion. You could end up repeating information three or four times from different viewpoints. You could end up with a whole different book than what you started from. While a fiction writer can live with this (but shouldn't) since the story lives only in the writer's head, a non fiction writer can't. After all, a non fiction writer's subject is well known by many people. And they will know where the book should go. Even if the writer didn't.

2. Narrow down the options. There are a lot of options when writing a non fiction book. Even just in the physical form of the book. You need to limit those options or the tasks of designing and writing a book will become overwhelming. Besides, if you don't plan you may find out that your book is outside the parameters your chosen distribution method can accept. Finding out your wonderful tome is too long for a publisher is not a good thing!

3. Ensure there is a market for your book. A book without a reader is a lonely, pitiful object without purpose or value. By determining your market before you begin, and then writing to meet that market's needs, you will ensure that more than just your mother will read your book.

4. Keep your readers coming back for more. Getting an agent, editor and publisher interested is a good thing. But keeping a reader reading until the end is even better. That's what will ensure your agent, editor and publisher talk to you again. The only way to keep a reader interested to the end with a non fiction book is to write what interests the reader from the start. You have to solve their problems or help them avoid a pain point. That's the only way to guarantee your reader's interest.

5. Identify alternatives to this book. Look, you've done all the research. You've spent a lot of time, effort and maybe money up to this point. You've identified your perfect reader. Maybe you've even written your book. And sold it. Wouldn't it make sense to get as much out of this expense as you can? By planning up front, you'll be able to identify where you can write a second book. One that doesn't rehash the same information. Or you can identify where you can present a course. One that will help sell copies of your book. By identifying alternatives to this book, both up front and as you go, you'll be prepared when opportunities knocks.

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com/

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

PubIt! Enables Independent Publishers and Self-Published Authors Access to Sell eBooks and Content to Millions of Readers

Barnes & Noble, Inc. is extending its deep and longstanding tradition of supporting authors and publishers with PubIt! by Barnes & Noble, an easy and lucrative way for independent publishers and self-publishing writers to distribute their works digitally through Barnes & Noble.com and the Barnes & Noble eBookstore. The easy-to-use publishing and distribution platform offers qualified independent publishers and authors of self-published works expanded distribution, visibility and protection that only Barnes & Noble can offer.

The announcement marks Barnes & Noble's latest move to continue to build one of the world's largest digital catalogs, spanning eBooks, journals, periodicals and other types of reading material. PubIt! titles will be distributed through BN.COM and Barnes & Noble's eBookstore, which currently offers more than one million digital titles to millions of dedicated customers in-store and online.

Independent publishers and writers will appreciate PubIt!'s simple and competitive royalty model and compensation process, the details of which will be available in the coming weeks. Content owners' intellectual property will be well-protected with Barnes & Noble's best-in-class digital rights management technology and offered in the industry standard ePub format that allows publishers' works to be enjoyed by millions of Barnes & Noble customers on hundreds of the most popular computing, mobile and eBook reading devices.

Whether online or on-the-go, Barnes & Noble customers will have access to PubIt! titles with the opportunity to browse, sample, buy and download the digital content in seconds to their devices with free BN reader software. Using Barnes & Noble's breakthrough Read In Store(TM) technology, NOOK(TM) customers can also browse the complete contents of PubIt! titles while in Barnes & Noble stores.

PubIt! is a convenient one-stop-shop, allowing publishers to get their content in front of consumers for purchase and reading on the most widely adopted mobile devices and software platforms. By following simple steps to upload their content in an industry standard format for electronic titles, content creators can reach consumers on hundreds of devices including: NOOK by Barnes & Noble, PC, Mac(R), iPad(TM), iPhone(R), BlackBerry(R) and others. For more information on free BN eReader software and apps, please visit www.bn.com/ebooks/download-reader.asp.

More information on PubIt!, which will be available this summer, and the benefits of joining Barnes & Noble's expansive and trusted digital content catalog can be found at www.bn.com/pubit.

Kiwitech Makes 76 Ebook Apps Free

KiwiTech, a leading mobile technology firm that develops ebook apps and provides mobile app development services, announced that 76 ebook apps in the company's Classique reader are now available for free on Apple's iTunes Store™.

Rakesh Gupta, KiwiTech's chief executive officer, said "We are taking this step to make Classics2Go collections and other Classique titles available to a broader market of book lovers around the globe. As of today, we have had over half a million downloads of our apps." KiwiTech's Classique titles are now the most heavily downloaded set of ebook apps in the iTunes Store™ globally. Much of the popularity of the Classique titles can be attributed to the beautiful formatting, custom cover art and broad range of international classics. These attributes were well described in "Incredible iPhone Apps for Dummies."

http://www.classicreader.com/

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Book Proposals - Writing an Outline For a Non-Fiction Book From the Book Itself by Glen Ford

There are times when you need to write an outline for a non-fiction book when you don't have a writing design document. This could be because you don't have a content map or other design document. It could be because you rewrote the book after the design. It could be because it isn't your book. But whatever the reason there will be times when you need to write an outline based on the actual book. This article will show you one technique.

I'm going to start with the presumption, that you are going to use this outline for a book proposal and that you've been a bad author -- your book and your content map, mind-map or design outline is radically different from your end-book. (If this isn't the case, don't worry. I'm only doing it because I want an excuse to do a book proposal).

For a book proposal you need three levels of outline. You need one detailed outline of about three pages. You need another of about 2 to 3 paragraphs. And you need a third of one paragraph.

We're going to start with the detailed outline.

Begin the process by making a list of all the titles and headings in the book. This includes groups of chapters, chapters, topic headings, sub-topics and so on. This will provide the overall structure for your summary. If the book doesn't have formal headings, don't worry. Just use the chapter headings as your headings. If the chapters don't have headings use the chapter numbers. You'll probably be removing them later in any case. You're only going to use them to organize your outline as you write it.

If you've written your book in a normal way, your book is organized into chapters, sections, topics, paragraphs and sentences. You may have some extra groups in there but these are the ones we are interested in for this article.

If you have organized your book in a strict, formal, academic English style, each paragraph is one topic. Each paragraph has an introduction and a conclusion sentence. It probably also has some information in between the two.

If you have used a less formal style some of your topics will extend over multiple paragraphs. There are a lot of reasons you might have done this. But the most important is to keep paragraphs short.

Whichever format you use you need to write a single sentence which summarizes what you are saying for that topic/paragraph. Start by looking at the introductory and the concluding sentence for each paragraph. Based on those sentences write a single sentence that carries the context of the paragraph. As you review look for good candidates to quote.

If you've used a formal style leave a line between each sentence. If you've used a less formal style, leave a line between each topic.

When you've finished, you will have a list of topics and what was said about them. Effectively, you'll have a design outline of the entire book.

For each chapter you are going to write a paragraph regarding the topics in that chapter.

Begin by grouping the topic sentences you've written above. Now write an introductory and concluding sentence for the chapter's paragraph.

When you finish, you'll have a summary or outline which is probably longer than you need. It also probably doesn't really work well on a paragraph by paragraph basis. What you're going to do now is rewrite each paragraph so that it makes more sense and is the required length so the whole is roughly 3 pages. As you work your way through each paragraph check the quotes you've indicated. Add them when you find it appropriate. Just don't overdo it!

You've now finished the first or detailed outline.

Now go back and do the same thing to this outline. The result should be a set of topic sentences for each chapter. Break the topic sentences into roughly three groups. Each will become a paragraph. Write your introductory and concluding sentences. Then rewrite the three paragraphs. This will become your short summary.

Finally, repeat the process for the short summary. This will give you a single paragraph outline of the book which is suitable for the executive summary.

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com/

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

Book Writing - 25 Tips on Getting Started Writing a Book by Glen Ford

Here are 25 tips on getting started writing a book:

1. Before you start know who you are writing for. Spend some time building up a character sheet on your target reader.

2. Before you start, identify what your target reader's pain points are. Seeking to avoid those is the greatest motivation your target reader will have to read your book.

3. Before you start, identify what your target reader's pleasure points are. The desire to reach these will help provide motivation to your reader.

4. Before you start, identify what your target reader's problems are. Solving those will help to keep your reader reading your book.

5. Before you start, write down how your book will help avoid the reader's pain points, solve their problems, or help them achieve their pleasure points.

6. Before you start, identify why you are writing. By identifying your pain points or pleasure points, you'll help to motivate yourself to finish.

7. Make a sign of why you are writing. Use large letters, oversized pictures and whatever else you need. Post it over your computer. Or better still make several! Post them around your home where you can't help but see them when you are doing something else.

8. Know in advance how you will publish book. This will affect the format and length of your book.

9. Know how many pages you want the book to be.

10. Know the style you will use. Do you want to use a conversational style? Or a formal or academic style? The type of book you are writing will help to limit your choices.

11. Have a system for designing and writing your book. This is probably the most important tip. Having a system will help to ensure you have a good book and that you finish it.

12. Use a cognitive tool to develop your outline. It's much easier to build up your outline when you use a tool that works with your mind, not against it.

13. However you create your outline, make it detailed down to the paragraph. You can easily write a hundred words on a point you've already been given. But writing 2500 words on a topic (i.e. chapter) is very difficult.

14. Do your structural editing on the outline. Some of the older systems hold off editing until the whole book has been written. The problem is that you may end up having to make wholesale changes (i.e. rewrites) if you have a structural problem. By editing while the book is in outline form, you can identify and fix structural problems while they are easily fixed.

15. Have a separate space to write in. By having a specific space, you'll train yourself to write when you're in that space.

16. Have a specific time scheduled for writing. Not only does it help stop you avoiding writing, it helps set up the writing habit.

17. Use music to create a mood. Whether that mood is reflected directly in your writing doesn't matter. Baroque music, for example, is known to help thinking. If you're writing romance, Frank Sinatra or French blues may help you get in the romantic mood.

18. Have a comfortable chair. Pain is not conducive to writing!

19. Have everything you need to write always at hand. That way you don't have an excuse to waste writing time.

20. Turn off the phone. Interruptions are a great excuse to waste writing time. Avoid them.

21. Have a user id on your computer that doesn't allow access to games or email. The second most common excuse to avoid writing is reading emails.

22. Set rules for interruptions. You can't expect your family to give you writing time if they don't know when it's appropriate to interrupt you and when it isn't.

23. Start by editing your writing from the previous day. This will get you in the mood to write. And when combined with a detailed outline, will help you to avoid writer's block.

24. Write first, write fast, edit later. If you are always going back and correcting what you do, it will take much longer to write your book. And it will be an unpleasant task. By following this advice you'll find you finish quicker, your writing is better, and you'll enjoy writing more. So you won't be as tempted to avoid doing it.

25. When push comes to shove, there is only one tip that truly matters. Sit down and write! If you never start you'll never finish.

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com/.

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/.

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

Infibeam Launches Books Quiz Contest for Avid Readers

Infibeam.com announces 'The Books Quiz' Contest for book lovers. The contest questions will be posted on a daily basis. Participants are required to post the correct answer to be eligible for the lucky draw.

The Books Quiz Contest will follow the daily quiz pattern. Fascinating questions pertaining to books from diverse genres will be posted on the Infibeam wall on Facebook. Participants that know the correct answer will have to post their replies on the Infibeam wall. One lucky winner will take home a surprise gift that will make him/her come back for more. Yes, the Books Quiz Contest is at its enticing best.

Simple, straightforward and twisted questions will be an integral aspect. So, if you think you are an ardent reader, do participate in the quiz. The Books Quiz Contest is a no frills and full fun platform. Play on and get lucky to be the winner of the surprise goodies in store.

www.infibeam.com/Contest/books-quiz-a.html

Outskirts Press Pays Authors $300 to Publish Books in May

Outskirts Press announced that May is "Mad Money Month" for independent writers. Authors who purchase the Diamond or full-color Pearl book publishing packages in May are rewarded with a credit of $300 applied to their Outskirts Press shopping cart accounts. The $300 of "mad money" can be applied toward any production option offered by Outskirts Press, including official copyright registration or custom cover design, among many others.

"Our authors have never let the economic downturn get in the way of pursuing their publishing dreams," stated Outskirts Press CEO and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Semi-Finalist Brent Sampson during the announcement. "But there is no denying that a penny saved is a penny earned. $300 in additional production options goes a long way toward making a great book a truly extraordinary one. That's what we do at Outskirts Press. We publish extraordinary, award-winning books for extraordinary, award-winning authors."

Mad Money Month also rewards published Outskirts Press authors with free UPS ground shipping within the continental United States for any single-format book order exceeding 50 copies placed before May 15th.

For more information about Mad Money Month, including the necessary promotion code to receive $300 in spending money, visit: http://outskirtspress.com/monthly_promotion.html

Sunday, May 9, 2010

PubMatch.Org - A Revolutionary Online Service for the Publishing Industry

PubMatch.Org is a revolutionary online service for the publishing industry, the main objective of the online service is to "match publishers, authors and agents world wide." It provides a perfect platform that facilitates the creation of business relationships and encourages the spread of ideas worldwide.

The online service -- PubMatch.Org is for all the facets of the publishing industry that deals with the domestic and international rights. It provides information and services to publishers, authors, agents/agencies, illustrators and book lovers.

It is an integrated portal that provides publishers with a readily available database of authors. The newbie writers too get an access to a large database of publishers; their names, contact details and information about the project requirements. Agents play an important role in the publishing industry; they are always on the hunt for new titles and suitable publishers. The portal also helps the publishing agents to link with the new authors and various suitable publishers.

PubMatch.Org is a unique concept, a revolution in the publishing industry; it provides with a world of possibilities to the aspiring publishing professionals.

To Conceive a Successful Nonfiction Book, Create a Pitch Before You Write

If you think that only an aspiring author seeking a traditional publishing contract needs a pitch, think again. Every aspiring nonfiction author should take the time to craft a 25-word pitch--even those thinking of independently publishing their books.

Many people know of a "pitch" as an elevator speech. This is the short and creative promotional speech you have ever ready to offer if and when you happen to find yourself in an elevator, lunch line or cocktail party with a literary agent or acquisitions editor. Having this speech prepared allows you to pitch your book. An effective pitch should elicit one response from the person who hears it: "Tell me more." You should then be prepared with three bullet points that elaborate on the pitch.

However, if you don't plan on pitching to an agent or editor—for instance, if you plan on independently publishing your book—you should still craft a great pitch, says publishing mentor Nina Amir. "In fact, just as an aspiring nonfiction author needs a pitch prior to actually completing a book, any nonfiction writer planning on writing a book should have a pitch before sitting down at the computer to compose a manuscript."

The reason for this is simple she explains: "A book pitch helps you focus your idea. If you take the time to write a pitch prior to writing your book, you'll know exactly what your book is about, which means you'll write a targeted—and more successful—book."

What does Amir, the president of CopyWright Communications in Los Gatos, CA, mean by success? "A successful book by industry standards is a book that sells."

In today's publishing environment, however, a typical nonfiction book may sell as few as 250 copies per year and only 3,000 copies in its lifetime. An aspiring author should want to conceive a "better-than-average" nonfiction book, says Amir.

"It's been said that if you can't write your book's idea on the back of a business card, you don't know what it's about. That's why I recommend writing a 25-word pitch early in the process of conceiving your book," Amir explains.

To write a book pitch, Amir suggests the following: "When writing your pitch focus on how people will benefit from reading your book, how it is unique or its special benefits and features. You want to be clear about what it is about, how it is unique and why someone should read it."

Once you've accomplished this, you can pitch to an agent, an acquisitions editor or a prospective reader. When someone asks you what you're book is about, you won't hesitate to answer. "Plus, when you sit down to write your book, you'll know exactly what your book is about and what promise you must keep to your readers," concludes Amir. "That means you'll be more likely to write a successful book--one that sells to publishers and to readers."

Amir is a seasoned journalist, nonfiction editor, author, consultant, and writing coach and publishing mentor with more than 30 years of experience in the publishing field as well as the founder of Write Nonfiction in November, a blog and writing challenge. Currently, she also serves as the national Jewish Issue Examiner and a staff writer at Grocery Headquarters magazine. She also is a popular speaker on topics related to publishing and writing. She currently is writing a book that will show aspiring authors how to use the step-by-step process of writing a nonfiction book proposal to help them hone and focus their ideas so they can create traditionally published or self-published books that sell.

Amir is available for interviews or to speak to groups, organizations or conferences.

Source: Nina Amir
President
CopyWright Communications
http://www.expertclick.com/9825/9825.aspx

US Book Publishing Industry Has an Annual Revenue of about $27 Billion

The US book publishing industry consists of about 2,600 companies with combined annual revenue of about $27 billion. Major companies include John Wiley & Sons, McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Scholastic, as well as publishing units of large media companies such as HarperCollins (owned by News Corp); Random House (owned by Bertelsmann); and Simon & Schuster (owned by CBS). The industry is highly concentrated: the top 50 companies generate about 80 percent of revenue.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand for books is driven by demographics and is largely resistant to economic cycles. The profitability of individual companies depends on product development and marketing. Large publishers have an advantage in bidding for new manuscripts or authors. Small and midsized publishers can succeed if they focus on a specific subject or market.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Publishers produce books for general reading (adult "trade" books); text, professional, technical, children's, and reference books. Trade books account for 25 percent of the market, textbooks 25 percent, and professional books 20 percent.

About 150,000 new books are published in the US every year; however, most are low-volume products. The number of books produced by major trade publishers and university presses is closer to 40,000.

Operations include acquiring content, managing relationships with authors, editing, designing books, manufacturing, and marketing. Publishers acquire content by contracting with authors to produce new work, buying finished manuscripts offered for sale, or acquiring the rights to existing content through licensing agreements.

Source: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/562085/book_publishers

YUDU Media Launches Self-Publishing Solution

Digital publishing vendor YUDU Media announced that it has launched a cross-platform self-publishing solution that enables users to create their own digital publications that are viewable on the web, iPad, and iPhone via custom-built branded apps. The company also announced that the availability of self-publishing applications for all other major ereaders and mobile devices will follow in the coming months.

YUDU's cross-platform solution utilizes fixed-page layouts as well as "rich view" capability, allowing content to be automatically reflowed and adapted to fit the size of each device.

YUDU Pro supports the Apple iPhone and iPad formats today with the purchase of custom-built apps. Support for the Barnes & Noble nook, Sony eReader, Android, Amazon Kindle, and others will follow shortly.

Website: http://www.yudupro.com/

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Social networking is used by writer to promote new book

Social networking in all its forms is being used by writer Richard Milton to promote his new crime thriller The Glass Harmonica.

The Illuminati, Benjamin Franklin, conspiracy theories, are some of the key ingredients in The Glass Harmonica. The whole book can be read for free at Authonomy – the web site designed by HarperCollins to enable writers to publish their work electronically (http://www.authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=20200)

Says Milton, 'It's nothing new for a writer to publish a blog, to set up a Facebook page or to Tweet about his writing. I'm experimenting with using all social media in an integrated campaign to try to push my book to the top of the Authonomy greasy pole, as a route to getting it published.'

'Writers, and anyone else who is interested in social media, can take a peek behind the kimono during the campaign by following my blog at http://theglassharmonica.wordpress.com/. I'm describing there the various steps of integrating a social media strategy, from website to blog, to Facebook, to Twitter to email marketing. Some of it may work and some of it may not, but it should be an interesting experiment and a fun ride.'

'Sharp-eyed readers will already have realised that this keyword rich press release, posted via online sites and optimised for the search engines, is one strand of the experiment.'

As well as the electronic version of The Glass Harmonica at http://www.authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=20200, Milton has also published a new web site at http://www.free-book-download.com/, a blog talking about social networking for writers at http://theglassharmonica.wordpress.com, a Facebook page on the novel at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Glass-Harmonica/1147513... and a Twitter account at http://twitter.com/freebooksonline.

Opportunities for Budding Authors Just Got Bigger

With the publishing of the first entire novel on the Fraxion Payments system, it's now easy for new authors to get published and earn money

Fraxion Payments (http://www.fraxionpayments.com/), the company behind the plugin that lets bloggers charge micropayments for their content, revealed today a new use for their system: the first publishing of an entire novel.

Chris Wilkins, co-founder of Fraxion Payments, says: "This demonstrates how our system can work for any content and that there are now vast new opportunities for budding authors to get their work published."

He adds that this is important for new authors, because as book shops continue to limit the number of titles they want on their shelves and in their warehouses the harder it's becoming for new authors to become published.

Gone are the days of the publishing industry "having a go" with a new author, he says. "For a new author to be published huge sales must be guaranteed or the book industry isn't interested. This lends itself to block-buster authors and celebrities, and not new authors who might sell a few thousand books." He points out that the first print run of Harry Potter was 1,000.

This is one of the driving reasons he co-developed Fraxion Payments. "I've wanted to get my first book published for some years. After running the gauntlet of numerous rejections from publishers my book is now published and anyone can read it (over the internet)."

"I'm not saying it's a best-seller, but at least people now get to see it and can make a choice. If readers like it they will read it to the end. If they think it sucks, they won't".

Now all the thousands of authors out there the publishing industry has rejected can get their books published in an easy way for readers to buy them directly.

"The opportunities for budding authors are now huge. Any author out there who wants to get their book published and at least start their career can do exactly what I did. And they don't even have to sign a contract."

Fraxion Payments (http://www.fraxionpayments.com/) is a micropayment plug-in for any content running on the free blog software Wordpress. The Fraxion Payment system is already being used for online magazines, blogs and local journalism sites.

New E-zine For Booklovers

Wise Dog Books has launched the UK's first digital e-magazine dedicated to readers and booklovers. The Booklover, launched 1st May 2010, will be bi-monthly, and will be free to subscribers, who will be able to access the magazine at dedicated website http://www.thebooklover.co.uk/ . The magazine in 'flip-page' format will include pages dedicated to book news, features, themed reading lists and competitions, as well as lots more to help readers get the most out of their precious reading time.

The Booklover has something for everyone, including sections dedicated to children, young people, crime lovers and avid readers of biography. Also featured is a section that links the wonderful world of food and drink to the world of reading; features on particular writers and on the literature of travel, so readers can match their reading to their travels.

Editor Victoria Barry explains the thinking behind the launch:

"In a difficult economic climate, books still represent great value. Whether readers are buying, swapping, giving, receiving or borrowing books, and whether they belong to book club or not, we believe The BookLover will offer lots of extra enjoyment, reader participation and inspiration for further reading. The fact that it's electronic means that anyone who can access the internet can enjoy it for free, and refer to it again and again or even download it in PDF format.

"The BookLover will concentrate on the whole world of books, not just the newest or latest, so we're a complement to review sections. We're also committed to supporting the network of local bookshops, both independent and chains, so we really hope everyone in the book world will want to join in"

Bookshops are invited to forward a link to the new digital magazine onto their existing customers and in future issues The Booklover team have plans to feature in focus some of the UK's leading local booksellers. Booksellers wishing to participate can also request a free promotional pack including window stickers and information cards either via email info@thebooklover.co.uk or directly through the website at http://www.thebooklover.o.uk/.

Blogger and Writing Pro Encourages Writers to Blog a Book

As it gets harder and harder for aspiring authors to get their books picked up by traditional publishing houses, more and more bloggers are finding publishers simply coming to them with contracts in hand. If you keep up with books at all, you know that agents and publishers have picked up several author's blogs and made them into books since about 2005. For example, Julia & Julia, PostSecret and Stuff White People Like all appeared as blogs before they became books. Of course, Julia & Julia also became a hit movie.

For this reason, Nina Amir, a blogger, speaker, and writing coach and consultant, decided to begin blogging a book about how to blog a successful book--a book that might be found by an agent or acquisitions editor trolling the Internet for publishable fodder.

When asked why she would even consider blogging a book about how to blog a book she replied, "I'm doing it because blogging a book represents a great idea. In the Internet Age?and given the current state of traditional publishing?writers have to become more creative. They have to take their careers into their own hands. They have to become their own PR representatives and promotion and marketing directors. They have to start their own publishing companies. They have to take advantage of the current technology."

According to Amir, blogging represents just one publishing technology at a writer's fingertips. Indeed, in addition to "How to Blog a Book," she writes three other blogs and an on-line column for Examiner.com. She's also an author and journalist.

Amir wants to encourage other writers to begin blogging their books. Even if their books aren't discovered, she says this provides a great way to actually get a book written. Her blogged book will be completed before the end of May; she began on February 1. She never writes more than about 500 words per day; on average her posts have only 200-300 words.

Plus, the price is right. Some bloggers may choose to have a hosted blog, paying about $100 per year. Others may start out with a free blog.

Additionally, if a blogger writes good copy and promotes the blog well, he or she might actually gain more readers than with a traditionally published book. One of her other blogs, "As the Spirit Moves Me," gets about 1,750 unique visitors per month. While Amir admits many other bloggers get millions of readers per month, she wouldn't likely sell 100 books in a month. "The average nonfiction book sells between 250 and 1,000 copies in its lifetime, let alone in a year. I reach more readers with my blog than I would with a book in a bookstore," she said. "That's a great reason for any aspiring author or writer to want to blog a book or simply to blog."

Blogs constitute one of the best ways to build the coveted writer's platform. "In the past, going out and speaking to audiences provided writers with that platform. Today, you can build one from the comfort of your home. I'm not saying that a writer's platform doesn't benefit from some talks given here and there; it does. However, a blog read by thousands of people each day goes a long way towards impressing a publisher or selling your self-published book," Amir reported.

Amir is the president of CopyWright Communications, a writing, editing, and publishing consulting company located in Los Gatos, CA. She considers herself a writing coach not only in the traditional sense—helping people get their words on paper—but in the nontraditional sense—motivating writers past their feeling that its just too difficult today to get published. Just as some people hire a life coach to help them reach their goals, aspiring authors hire Amir to help them move past their fear and frustration about the publishing process so they can reach their dreams of getting their work into print.

To interview Amir or to hire her to speak at an event, please visit CopyWright Communications