Category: Ebook

 
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The rhyme and reason behind ebooks

Discover why ebooks are the way to go. Earn and learn with ebooks with resale rights

To everything there is rhyme and reason

So your thinking, why ebooks?

First of all lets explain what an ebook is. An ebook is a downloadable, electronic digital version of information or a book. These digital versions are also sometimes referred to as etexts. The etext versions are usually text versions.

An ebook can come in several formats. The two most popular formats are listed below

– PDF An ebook that is in PDF format created with Adobe Acrobat and readable using Adobe Acrobat Reader available free of charge from Adobe. The format There are also a few other software products that can create PDF files as well. PDF Creator is a good example of software that can be used for digital format distribution.

– Executable There are many compiler that can create ebooks in executable format using text or html pages. Just like a webpage it can show the images and text properly formatted leaving a professional looking ebook with links.

Now the answer to the question ìWhy Ebooks?î

What are the advantages to ebooks?

– The text within the ebook can be searched by using keywords
– Loss is limited if a backup copy is kept, especially in cases of physical disaster.
– Does not require much space for storage. Compilations of ebooks are usually small in size, depending on how much content you have, of course.
– Ebooks are inexpensive to create. There are many software creators that can be purchased for $30 or less.

What are some of the disadvantages?

Some formats of ebooks do not run on all computer systems. Especially the executable files. They sometimes may not run on Mac systems.

Many ebook authors prevent copying and printing of material contained within the ebook due to theft of material. There are people who plagerize.

It is sometime difficult to find the downloaded ebook file on a computer hard drive.

Use of a computer to read these ebooks for a prolonged amount of time can be harmful to the eyes.

There are many people who have made a fortune in selling ebooks online. Even though there are disadvantages the demand for digital versions of books is very high.
Many ebooks have been created and sold with resell rights, allowing you to pocket 100% of the money.

Now you’re thinking how can I do this?

The best way to start is to find ebooks with resell rights. In this way you can earn and learn at the same time. Read the ebooks yourself to get information on how to market, how to setup a website, how to build traffic and much more.

Make it easy for me. Tell me where the ebooks are.

One of the largest sources of ebooks on many subjects is GoldenStarEbooks.net
It contains ebooks on business, cooking, self-help and much more.

Packages are the way to go though for more ebooks and low start-up.

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Writing Your Own EBook for Sale on eBay

Those who sell eBooks on eBay generally focus their efforts on the sale of material authored by others. The eBook seller purchases resale rights to other eBooks and then offers them for sale in an effort to generate a profit. However, some sellers also write their own eBooks and the results can be very impressive.

Writing your own eBook for sale on eBay can be a great way to make your eBook project more profitable. Self-authored titles have a few advantages that warrant consideration.

First, in an increasingly crowded market, fresh new products really stand out. A new eBook on a hot topic can post impressive sales numbers right away, as customers are clamoring for new information and fresh perspectives on a number of topics. By producing oneís own eBook they can insure they are the only seller offering the product and that they are selling an eBook custom-built to match their understanding of the marketplaceís needs.

Second, self-authored eBooks provide a chance at making every sale a long-term residual moneymaker. One can include links back to commercial sites operated by the author as a means of directing qualified traffic to the site. A well-crafted eBook can also serve as a wonderful place to introduce a series of affiliate links that may result in later sales netting the author a commission. When you sell an eBook written by someone else, you usually do not have an opportunity to take advantages of that impressive form of revenue creation.

Third, self-authored eBooks can give you a boost over the competition by building your personal credibility. There may be a score of people offering an eBook on widgets, but if you are the only author personally offering your take on the topic, you will have a significant advantage in terms of credibility over your competition. This increased perception of expertise will often directly translate into sales.

Of course, the eBook can also be sold in a variety of other venues, increasing its value to the seller even more. Ebay sales may be only one of many potential areas in which the self-authored eBook is offered.

Authoring an eBook is not an easy task. There is research, writing, compiling and a variety of other skills and time-consuming measures involved. It is also not necessarily a perfect fit for every eBook seller on eBay. Some sellers are not interested in writing or simply do not have the requisite skills required to author their own eBook. These people may want to consider hiring a freelance writer or ghostwriter to produce an eBook or to pursue different avenues within the eBay eBook selling marketplace.

However, if one has the skill to produce, or the willingness to commission, a unique eBook they can profit tremendously. Selling eBooks to which you and others have resale rights can be profitable, but exclusive ownership of your own title gives you an advantage over eBay competitors.

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When all else fails, give the gift of books

My mother used to tell me, “When all else fails, give the gift of books.” When I was growing up, a book was a big deal. By today’s standards, less than half of Americans consider a book a big deal. The truth is, that many people don’t think much about books throughout their life. Between working, the kids’ soccer games, taking care of home, and the nine hundred and seventy two other things that sit patiently on a list waiting for their due attention, books do not cross the minds of many these days. That is, at least, until they receive the perfect book as a gift.

The perfect gift giving book isn’t a title, it’s about paying attention to the recipient and knowing instinctively what they enjoy and what they crave. Many stay at home parents state that they crave one of two things, intellectual stimulation or more passion in their lives. There you have it. You can either get the craving stay at home parent an intellectual masterpiece that gets their brain function kicking in high gear or you can grab them up a steamy romance novel that will knock their socks off. This little principle applies to giving books as gifts to every man, woman, and child out there. And if you do it well, you might even be able to inspire a book worm in the making to delve into the world of books they have forgotten about.

So, how do you pick the perfect books as gifts for those who aren’t so vocal about their potential reading interests? Gift giving books come in two categories. The reading category is buying a book that they will read cover to cover and hopefully enjoy the opportunity to delve into someone else’s life for awhile. Emotional or inspirational books are usually hard cover (although the trend toward soft cover is shifting) that are filled with something unique such as poetry, inspirational sayings, or other creative forms of “life’s greatest gifts” notions. Knowing which category to gravitate toward can be a challenge, especially when giving books as gifts to men.

Simple coffee table books that enlighten, inspire, or make someone laugh can be excellent gift giving books. They are usually not gender specific and can introduce someone to a new concept or thought process without any heavy reading. By using basic interests as your guide, giving books as gifts that send a message (such as inspirational coffee table books) can allow you to say things to someone you care for without ever having that awkward uncomfortable moment that makes people stumble. For instance, if someone is struggling with a significant loss in their life, it is very difficult to find the right words to offer comfort. An inspirational coffee table book as a gift can offer that comfort without being direct. Your point, however, will be well taken.

Giving books as gifts to children is always a joy and a pleasure. Hunting out the perfect book that teaches them something new or offers them a new perspective is always fun. Kids don’t always get all that excited about receiving a book as a gift initially, but usually appreciate it later on when they open it up and start reading it. Whether you’re looking for gift giving book for a three year old or a ten year old, hunting down something new and creative along the children’s books section is almost as much fun as coloring Easter eggs with them. It allows you to consider them carefully, to think about how they relate to the world and what interests of theirs are really starting to develop. You don’t have to hit it perfectly on the head when it comes to kids books as gifts. Most kids will find books engaging as long as there some meat to the story line. Very few children are too terribly picky about topics. After all, so much is still brand new to children.

Often, something as simple as giving books as gifts can open up someone to the forgotten joys of sinking into a great novel and escaping the world for awhile into a land of their choosing. The greatest successful measure of giving books as gifts is knowing that they went out and purchased another book when they were finished with the first. Reading offers something that television, DVDs, and other forms of electronic entertainment can’t even begin to offer. Books stir the imagination in ways that are healthy and long lasting. We imagine that characters, we can imaging their surroundings and their lifestyle, and we can imagine the way the story unfolds. When it is not done for us via electronic imagery, the imagination becomes so much richer.

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Ebooks Are Raking It In

Have you always wanted an unlimited income that you didn’t have to leave the comfort of your own home for? Have you ever thought about becoming a writer, and publishing books? Well, many people have become well-known authors, and have made quite a bit of money writing books, but it seems that even more are making a lot more money writing ebooks.

Ebooks can be a very valuable asset. Let me just list a few of the reasons why they have become so popular. First of all, paper books take what seems an eternity to get published, not to mention that it costs quite a bit of money in printing, and postage, and handling, and stuff. Ebooks do not have a publishing cost, plus ebooks are digital. They can be emailed to your client directly, or they can download the ebook from your website, giving them instant gratification, which everyone loves. They are also digitally stored, so you don’t have all kinds of books cluttering up your house.

Ebooks also stay there, on the internet, indefinately, if you will, making money for you, while you sit back, on the beach, contemplating what you will be writing your next ebook about. That’s right, you can just relax while your ebook sits on your website, making you money. Many people are just raking in the dough from ebooks today. But, you will need to use some tools (there are links on my website to access these tools) to make sure that there is enough traffic being directed to your site.

There are all sorts of ways to bring traffic to your site, like writing articles, (like the one written here), using autoresponders, and buying mailing lists. My mentors, whom I have links to on my website, offer many tools and tips for driving traffic to your site. One tip is to build the customers trust, by offering plenty of free stuff. Free PDF files are a hot item to offer for free, because people can pass them around freely, appealing to more of a mass market. And any computer with Adobe Reader, (which can be downloaded for free), can read these types of files.
PDF files are also considered valuable to search engines, thus making it easier for customers to find your site.

There are many other ways to get traffic to your site, and many other methods of making money online, but writing ebooks is one of the easiest, and most profitable ways. For more information, please go to my website, and check out my links. If you register with my site, I will send you some simply amazing reports, with tons of invaluable information, all for FREE! Go there now! Take the step, learn something new. Learn something proven to make money!

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Information at What Price? Exploring fee-based e-content

In pursuit of a paid model for content, many businesses offer newsletters for a fee or ebooks. These models offer pros and cons. Some organizations send out two newsletters: fee and free. The free version has the basic, watered-down contents found in the fee version to entice readers into wanting more and paying for it. But is it worth the time and energy to do this?

Ebooks are also a way for businesses to make money. But do they sell when it’s been proven that people prefer reading printed copy to electronic text? Read on to hear from several experts in the field about what people are willing to pay for and whether or not offering fee-based content is right for your organization.

<strong>Too much information!</strong>

Considering there are so many free newsletters and information out there, why should readers shell out the dough for these premium newsletters? Reading online is harder on the eyes because of the light emitted from the monitor. People overcome this by printing out the newsletter.

I can’t hazard a guess on how many free newsletters are out there. So why would a person pay for a fee-based newsletter? Jenna Glatzer, editor-in-chief of AbsoluteWrite.com, says, “You have to offer something different and better than what the free newsletters are doing. Personally, I wouldn’t pay for newsletters that are just for entertainment, but I do have paid subscriptions to a handful of newsletters that are specific to my line of work and appropriate for my level (not beginner). A paid newsletter that has all the same sorts of free-reprint articles that all the other sites have won’t work. You must find a corner of the market that no one has claimed yet and be the most reliable source of information on it.”

Joan Stewart, publisher of The Publicity Hound, started her subscription newsletter seven years ago, long before there was as much information on the Internet as there is today. She says, “Content must be king. If you can supply good content that can’t be found elsewhere, and it’s well-written and easy to read, and leads readers in other directions where they can find even more info than they could possibly need, you will keep your customers happy.

“If I had it to do over again, I would have never started my subscription newsletter. It started as an 8-page print newsletter, but the postage and printing costs were killing me,” she says. “About two years ago, I reverted from a print newsletter to a PDF document. It’s in the same format, but it’s now emailed to customers. My free ezine, The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week, is still far more profitable, several hundredfold, than the subscription newsletter.”

<strong>Charging for ebooks</strong>

Considering there are no printing and paper costs to the publisher for ebooks, how can they charge as much as they do for them? Higher prices equal higher perceived value. However, I’ve seen many ebooks cost more than a paperback, and the content isn’t always better quality than print. Yet, they sell.

What justifies the higher cost of ebooks when there are no printing costs involved with them? Christopher Knight, publisher of Ezine-Tips, says, “What justifies the higher cost of ebooks when there are no printing costs involved with them? Christopher Knight, publisher of Ezine-Tips, says, ‘That would be a fallacy in perception logic because the printing cost is not relevant to the market perception of a paperback versus an ebook. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that some people even value an ebook as higher value than a paperback because they can take their data with them on a personal notebook computer, whereas it’s hard to travel with a pile of paperback books.'”

Glatzer points out that whether a piece is written in print or ebook format, it is the same amount of work for the writer. “Of course, ebooks have a smaller market, so the problem is that if the ebook is priced very low, it won’t be worth it for the writer to spend the time writing and promoting the book.”

If it is worth it, however, ebooks provide many benefits to those who download them: The readers aren’t taxed, don’t incur shipping costs and don’t need gas money to go to the bookstore. As soon as people buy your ebook, they instantly download it and have it in their “e-hands.”

Stewart says, “The biggest justification is that the information is immediate. If a customer wants information NOW, they can get it NOW, and they’re often willing to pay the hefty price. My ebook, How to Be a Kick-Butt Publicity Hound, sells for $97. The most I could expect to get for the same book in hardcover is about $25. Another justification for the higher priced ebooks is that live links in the ebooks take visitors directly to Web sites with related content.”

<strong>E-format versus print format</strong>

Research on ebooks indicates people still prefer paper over ebooks. What’s the point of pursuing ebooks and fee-based newsletters? Glatzer shares her experience.

“I’ve written two ebooks and 14 print books, so that shows you where my bread and butter comes from. However, I had my newsletter first. It was thriving, yet I had nothing to sell my readers. I was barely breaking even with advertising costs and often paying hosting fees out of pocket. I’d received so many letters from readers asking for advice about how to do what I had done — make a living writing for magazines — and finally decided to write a book about it. I knew I had a built-in audience among my subscribers. The ebook sold well, but my goal was to take it to print. When a publisher made an offer on it, I took it out of circulation as an e-book and expanded it for the print publisher. That became Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, and the print book has far outsold the ebook.

“The second was a niche book for greeting card writers and artists. It contained market info for just that field, so it was such a specialized book that I didn’t go after conventional publishers for it. Plus, the time factor was crucial: contact info changes so often that I wanted to get the book out ASAP, and I wanted to be able to update it when needed. I briefly had it out as a print-on-demand book, but I took it off the market as soon as it became dated and just continued selling it as an ebook.

“Since then, I’ve stuck to conventional publishing and just a few giveaway ebooks for publicity. But I think the market for ebooks is decent if you have a specialized topic and a built-in audience.”

Based on Glatzer’s experience, when you have a free newsletter, you already have an audience … unless you try to sell a book on home makeovers to your audience that subscribes to your pets newsletter!

<strong>Timely matters</strong>

Ebooks have an advantage over print in that their content is up-to-date and piping hot. If something changes, it’s quick and easy to modify the ebook and put the new version up for sale. The publishing process for printed books can be a lengthy one.

Time can impact content depending on the topic. Some industries such as sports and history have experienced little or no change in over a decade, while others like technology are moving at megahertz speed.

By the time an author of a book related to software writes it, and the publisher prints it, a new version of the software is available, rendering the brand-new book outdated. However, many users don’t upgrade every version, as this stings the cash flow. Often, tips and steps given in books covering earlier versions of software are applicable to the newer version.

Knight suggests selling in both formats (print and ebook); that way all your bases are covered and you reach more channels for the same product.

<strong>eContent = lower quality?</strong>

M.J. Rose, Wired columnist and author of both print and electronic books, has commented that people thought she wasn’t a real author when she published her ebook. For some, ebooks are “bottom-feeders” in the world of publishing. They see such content as lower quality and without prestige.

I have a folder of all the books I’ve collected through reviewer duties and as free downloads. I haven’t read 10 percent of them. However, it could be a different story when you pay for an ebook. Knowing that you bought the book might force you to read it. But then again, I have shelves of printed books that I have yet to read.

Why would I want to buy ebooks and let them rot on my hard drive where I naturally save them after downloading them? Same reason for printed books? I don’t think so, because you can see and touch them. It’s easier to scan printed pages than to scroll electronic books.

<strong>Fee-based newsletters</strong>

Most of the fee-based newsletters I’ve seen have a free newsletter distributed by the same people. Organizations use the free newsletter to entice readers into subscribing to the fee-based newsletter. Like Glatzer says, you’re establishing credibility with your audience through the free newsletter, and when they see another offering from you, they might jump at it. Glatzer publishes Absolute Write, free Absolute Markets and Absolute Markets Premium Edition newsletters. Free Absolute Markets comes out every other week and the premium edition comes out in between those issues.

Glatzer explains the difference between the free and premium editions. The free markets contains a small sampling, about 10 markets covering mainly magazine-related work plus contest listings or an article in alternating issues. The premium edition has many jobs and lists markets for various types of writing including international markets. It also includes interviews with magazine editors and an in-depth look at a high profile magazine on a monthly basis. She also lists calls for writers from editors who know her and those calls won’t be found anywhere else online.

Glatzer decided to offer the fee-based newsletter because there wasn’t anything like the Absolute Markets Premium Edition with its 50 pages of markets. She believed that a $15 fee for a yearly subscription more than pays itself if writers land one assignment from the newsletter’s resources. Furthermore, it saves the writers’ time spent searching for job listings. In determining what to charge, Glatzer and her colleagues researched what publishers charged for similar newsletters in other fields such as casting calls for actors.

In determining how much to charge for her fee-based newsletter, Stewart asked herself, “How much would I be willing to pay?” The Publicity Hound, her eight-paged, bi-monthly, fee-based subscription newsletter costs $9 per issue or $49.95 for a one-year subscription (six issues) and has more single-copy buyers than subscribers.

<strong>Selling ebooks and fee-based newsletters</strong>

If you decide to sell ebooks and newsletters for a fee, Glatzer recommends getting lots of reviews and interviews for ebooks. For newsletters, she says, “I think you need to establish credibility by offering free samples first. Make it easy for people to subscribe by offering multiple payment options.”

Joan Stewart promotes articles in the fee-based newsletter in almost every issue of the free ezine. She also uses auto responder messages for people who buy single copies. About a week after the purchase, they receive a message thanking them for their order and asking if they would like to subscribe. Stewart shares her list of what works and what doesn’t work when selling ebooks and fee-based newsletters:

<b>What works:</b>
<ul>
<li>The product must be content-rich.</li>
<li>It must include lots of links to other resources.</li>
<li>Even if it includes hotlinks to other products, it must cover topics that readers would be interested in.</li>
<li>The product must be top-quality, which means free of typos, and it must be easy to read. (16-point type for ebooks.) </li>
</ul>

<b>What doesn’t work</b>:
<ul>
<li> Information that’s outdated. Special reports and ebooks must be updated at least once a year. I have a special report called “Fly High with Publicity in In-flight Magazines.” It includes contact info for 30 in-flight magazines. It’s a real pain to update this annually, but readers will jump down my throat if I don’t.</li>
<li> Products that are little more than sales pitches for other things the author sells (consulting services, etc.).</li>
<li>Products that don’t promise what they deliver.</li>
<li>Lousy customer service. Buyers expect a human being to reply to their email messages or answer the phone if they have problems downloading the product, or other concerns. I have bought ebooks from some well-known Internet marketers who refuse to return my phone calls when I call them for help. I no longer buy from those people. </li>
</ul>

Steer clear of joining discussion groups solely for spamming the list about your ebook or newsletters. “It irritates the heck out of people,” Glatzer says.

She promotes her fee-based newsletter through advertising in other writing-related ezines and some paid Google ads; she also advertises it in her own free newsletters, and she sponsors writing contests and conferences in exchange for newsletter mentions. Glatzer says, “We do a lot of promotion for the site and all newsletters in general; people subscribe to our free newsletters for a while, so they can determine we’re worth the bucks!”

Fee-based newsletters are out there and won’t go away soon. Authors churn out ebooks every day in spite of data supporting that people heavily prefer print over electronic versions. Ebooks prices continue to equal or surpass printed books.

Knight ends the discussion. “The best will survive and rise to the top as they always naturally do, while those who don’t step up to the plate and innovate like mad will get left in the digital dust.” Amen.

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Old Reference Works Revived

Why are people so interested in outdated and outmoded reference, typically rendered obsolete by subsequent research?

There is no source of reference remotely as authoritative as the Encyclopaedia Britannica. There is no brand as venerable and as veteran as this mammoth labour of knowledge and ideas established in 1768. It numbered the likes of Einstein and Freud among its authors. Dozens of classic articles written by such luminaries are available on the Britannica’s Web Site and included in its CD-ROM and DVD editions.

This is the tip of an iceberg of revival of old reference works.

The full text of the venerable 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica is now available online and is in the public domain. Regrettably, there is no CD-ROM or DVD to be had of this opus magnum written by the best minds at the turn of the 20th century. Nor can one download the Encyclopedia as separate compressed files. Additionally, the transcription is far from perfect with many an article either truncated or mysteriously divided. Still, it is a grand and welcome undertaking.

Another sorely needed contribution is the Jewish Encyclopedia online. The only other project of this scope, the Encyclopedia Judaica on CD-ROM will be withdrawn from the market by January 2006 and is anyhow incompatible with any operating system later than Windows ME.

Exactly like the Britannica, the Jewish Encyclopedia was compiled at the turn of the previous century and, therefore, lacks any coverage of the important events that took place in the life of the Jewish people – from the Holocaust to the State of Israel. But, with 4000 years of history to go on, the Jewish Encyclopedia is still a vast, indispensable, and deeply researched resource. It is also better adapted to the technological constraints of the Web. Still, it, too, offers no way of acquiring the whole work: no CD-ROM or DVD, no downloadable compressed files.

By far the best among the three is the Catholic Encyclopedia. The 1904 edition of this magnificent work of reference is fully and freely available online. The commercial CD-ROM includes all 11,600 articles (which I found to be surprisingly objective and free of religious bias). But both the Web site and the CD contain reams of additional material: from the writings of the Church Fathers to numerous foundational texts in the history of Catholicism.

The Web site itself is rich, easy to navigate, expertly done – but not cluttered or cutesy. The CD is a faithful rendition of the Encyclopedia’s Web presence – yet not a mere mirror. It takes advantage of search and other CD-only features and is user-friendly, not resource-hogging, easy to install and to run even on the Windows 98 SE 1996 laptop I used as a worst-scenario test bench.

Why are people so interested in outdated and outmoded reference, typically rendered obsolete by subsequent research?

Nostalgia is part of the answer. These works of reference are refreshingly direct, politically incorrect, opinionated, and innocently naive. They are reminiscent of another, more promising, age. Curiosity is another reason. What did our forefathers know or thought they knew about heredity, nationalism, the atom, the Jews, and germs? It is startling to discover both how far we have progressed and how much we have forgotten.

Then there is the trivia. Mountains of little-known facts about long-forgotten people, countries, politics, arts, and crafts. It is the closest we can get to time-travel and, so it seems, equally exciting. By exploring our roots, we get to know ourselves and in this narcissistic age and civilization – who can resist such a proposition?

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