Print on Demand
Many of our ebook authors who self-publish are building their websites and starting their marketing campaigns.
Congratulations!
Many of our ebook authors have had their websites live and in some stage of marketing for quite a while.
If you haven't considered it yet, you may want to add a print version of your ebook. It's easier than you think.
The Globe and Mail piece on print on demand gives an in-depth look at print on demand and identifies some excellent resources for you. (sorry, URL removed due to the Globe and Mail removing the URL)
Like with electronic books, print books demand that YOU do your marketing and promotions. There is no easy lunch and there are very few Bob Woodward's among us who can instantly gain sell-through in the retail bookstores.
No matter. Getting your ebook into print is probably a smart move, especially if you are moving toward becoming a speaker, coach or giving teleseminars. There is still something magic about print books.
After all, whoever finished a keynote speach with an ebook giveaway?
;-)
eBook Website URL Choices
Well, I've finally come across something that I never in my wildest imagination would have thought of.
This article from news.com tells of how Google and other search engines are applying filters that may harm your chance of gaining search engine referred visitors.
The idea is that Google's filter is designed to exclude websites who have the letter combinations that represent porn, gambling or other illicit trades.
The first example is PartsExpress.com. Contained in their domain name are the letters "sex".
Apparently that is cause enough for Google to exclude PartsExpress.com from the Google database entirely.
That's pretty harsh, but one must understand how / why something like this can happen.
Simply put, computer software is nothing but a set of "rules". Meaning, a line of code in Google's filter may say:
If "letters" = "sex"
Then *exclude*
Well, you can pretty quickly see how your choice of a domain name could possibly eliminate your prospects of ever getting traffic from search engines for your ebook website.
If you haven't selected your domain name yet, be careful. If you have a domain, be sure to examine it in light of that article. You may need to buy a new domain and start over.
But I can tell you that such an effort is worthwhile. Nearly 80% of our business comes from search engine referrals.
Blatent Promotional Request
Every now and then I ask you, my reader, for a favor.
Since this blog displays no advertising and charges nothing for the free ideas, tips, articles and more, I'd like to ask if you would be so kind as to put a link to this blog on your site.
It would mean a lot to me and cost you only a few moments of your time.
The description in the above left corner would be welcomed, but feel free to use any description and anchor text that you like.
That description is: Blog for eBook Self-Publishers
The URL is: http://www.knowledge-download.com/blog/weblog.php
I would be more than willing to entertain referrals to link my blog to sites you may refer to me. You can Contact us here.
In fact, more than simply linking, if the product, service or website is good, I'll write a piece on it.
Thanks for your support.
Blog Tools
A couple of days ago, I opined on how I think blogs may fit with ebook and self-publishing.
Obviously, blogs are a form of self-publishing. What I was referring to was how blogs as tools will be used to help self-published authors of ebooks and print books.
As promised, I told you that I would post some links to blogging tools, software and systems so that you can experiment with them.
Movable Type - software to install on your server
Type Pad - a hosted version of Movable Type
Userland - Manilla software or Radio hosted
Pmachine - software to install on your server
Live Journal - hosted service
Blogger - hosted service
One additional resource for you is Open Source CMS, which provides hosted trials of lots of software, including blog tools.
So you don't get confused, sroll down and look on the left nav bar for "CMS - Blogs". The fellows who run this site have done an awesome job of installing and configuring open source content management systems, including blogs. There are live demo versions you can run right from their site.
Do some research, pick one and get busy with your blog. Make sure you choose your theme as similar to your ebook or print book theme or topic.
Good luck!
Fiction eBooks
As most of my regular readers know, the primary goal of this site is to help non-fiction authors and writers of ebooks. That is likely due to my single dimension mind, but it is what it is. It was an early decision as to who I was going to focus on.
However, we do have our share of fiction authors using the KD system to produce ebook websites.
I don't often find much valuable info for fiction writers and simply don't understand how they are able to conjure up the ideas and concepts of their works.
None the less, from time to time I do come across some good info that I like to post so as to be helpful.
Here is a good article about fiction and a new fiction publisher that may be of interest to you fiction ebook writers and authors.
I'm not going to quote anything out of that article (on Fox News of all places), but if you are interested in getting visibility of your work into the print publishing world, that article points you to a publisher who sounds willing to take a look.
Best of luck!
Web Logging (Blogging), eBooks & Self-Publishing
The culture of blogging, which is short for web logging has emerged as a force for freedom of speech, among myriads of other purposes and benefits.
This article by Nico Macdonald in The Register is an excellent piece discussing the rise and reason of blogging.
You are reading a blog.
How do blogs, ebooks and self-publishing fit together?
Well from what I see, they don't; yet.
I feel somewhat alone and perhaps early in the coupling of blogs, ebooks and self-publishing and take some regular "hits" as a result. There are more compliments than critisisms, and that helps.
I moved away from doing an email based ezine to this blog about 6 months ago. My motives have been explained previously, but largely, I do this because it gives me a purpose to write, practice at writing, giving a voice to and for first time authors and capture ideas, thoughts, analysis and tips for future reference (for both you and myself).
I see blogs replacing ezines in the future. Whereas in the past, authors who excelled at copywriting and self-promotions could use email to build their "brand" and a following and to generate sales.
Today, that is near impossible due to the growing spam problems on all fronts.
To add to the spam problem, the use of affiliates to market your products online is diminishing for partly the same reason, and partly due to the penalties that search engines like Google and Yahoo place on affiliate link laden sites.
My belief is that blogs and RSS feeds are the future of building your brand, your expertise and a following. Promoters won't be able to get away with only crafty headlines and body copy or clever use of email and web pages.
I feel that successful ebook and self-published authors in the very near future will have to have a blog and write in it regularly, as a key strategy to generate sales, consulting work, speaking and teleseminar fees.
The requirement that end users are placing on their trusted experts to "prove themselves" as worthy, knowledgeable and valuable is growing. The maturity of buyers and consumers of info products are now wise to the tricks and are only interested in substance.
My tip to you is this: if you haven't investigated blogging, get busy. In future articles, I will post several resources to help you get started.
eBook Readers
One of the most challenging aspects of self-publishing your own ebook is deciding on what format(s) to publish your ebook on.
The options abound.
As written previously in this blog, the dominant format today is Adobe's PDF.
For reasons that are waaay beyond me, the Mobipocket format is gaining steam.
This article discloses how the Cleveland, OH Public Library has added the Mobipocket format to their digital ebook library.
This MUST be a classic example of why you are not your own best judge of a market.
Why?
Because I have a hard enough time reading small print with my reading glasses on. Never in my life can I imagine using a cell phone or PDA to read an ebook or even parts of an ebook.
The movement of ebooks on portable devices, as I've previously reported, is very prevalent in Europe.
However, I believe the Cleveland Library, and others like them who are adding or expanding their digital ebook libraries are simply taking advantage of production and licensing deals they already have with Overdrive Systems, who has emerged as the dominant digital rights management platform and delivery vendor.
At any rate, good for them all! And their customers who may want such a tool.
I don't begrudge any of these organizations at all. I wish them best of luck. Just because I wouldn't personally use something doesn't make it unworthy.
The fact is: the more platforms, tools and systems to get our ebooks to market, the better.
Let this article be a possible warning to you, that you may want to consider adding a Mobipocket format of your ebook(s) to your offerings.
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Non-Fiction Self-Publishing
As most of my readers know, the main theme of my writings, help, tips and advice lean largely to subject matter experts who are self-publishing an ebook on a non-fiction topic.
On somewhat irregular basis, I post some comments and analysis on success stories in the self-published world.
This story about a Flagstaff, AZ Doctor is just such an example of real world expertise and experience reduced to writing.
Dr. Shrader isn't likely to get rich, nor make the NY Times Bestseller list. But....who knows? Stranger things have happened.
I don't know Dr. Shrader, nor am affiliated with him or his website How To Be Your Own Doctor, but I'm sure he is genuine in his mission of trying to share his experience to help people, help themselves.
Since his medical work is his life, he clearly has passion, which I wrote about the other day. That passion will sustain him regardless of the volume of his book sales. His endurance with regards to his book will likely be long, as the book is merely an "add-on" to his life's work.
Most likely, Dr. Schrader isn't expecting to get rich with this book.
Relative to my article the other day, if you are a person of lifelong expertise and experience in your subject matter, you have passion for that subject and want to help people, then you are a great candidate to self-publish an ebook or print book.
I applaud Dr. Schrader. My only tip to him would be to make an ebook and add that to his website for those people who may want his valuable info right now.
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Test, Test, Test
Many first-time ebook authors are not very technical, which is what attracts them to the Knowledge Download software system and hosting.
Since most authors are not technically oriented, they often overlook some very basic fundamentals in the "pre-launch" phase of building their websites. Namely:
Test everything!
I'm not going to take time here to outline each and every thing you should be testing and checking, but among the more basic testing tasks are:
- test your page titles and meta info
- test each and every link on your site manually
- test each email link
- test each form
- test every email address round trip
- test your site in Netscape and Internet Explorer
- test your ecommerce mechanisms
- test your autoresponders
Take nothing for granted. Why?
When visitors start rushing to your site due to your promotions efforts, the first thing you want them to notice is that everything works. Period.
If a visitor cannot see a graphic in their browser, you're done. Click. Off to another website or search engine they go.
Today's web user has very, very little patience or tolerance.
Be bold and go forth confidently. Do not let fear grab you and prevent you from launching and promoting (I've seen authors terrified nearing their first site launch and never get it done).
But be smart and test everything so your user has a quality experience.
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eBook & Self-Publishing Motives
As my reader mentioned in the email he sent me yesterday, he's having trouble staying motivated.
It is not unusual for any of us to remain motivated, never mind excited, when our endeavours don't seem to bear fruit. This is true whether you are an author, consultant, employee, government employee; whatever it is that we do.
Some measure of success is needed to sustain our efforts.
However, in my experience with the hundred of authors using Knowledge Download, I see a very short window of opportunity that a prospective author permits themselves. I'm talking usually less than 6 months.
This is certainly not long enough, especially with ebooks and websistes. It is very normal for it to take one to two years before your ebook may catch fire. I won't go into all the reasons here today, as my message has to do more with motivation than means.
As an author, whether in print or ebook, one of the very first questions you should ask yourself before you even get started is: why am I writing this?
1. Are you writing and producing your ebook to make money or to help your reader?
2. Are you writing to educate and inform or to raise your status in your market?
3. Are you writing to help solve problems or to show off how smart you are?
4. Do you love your subject material or is it a passing fancy?
These questions and more will help you determine your potential for success.
If your motive is selfish or for personal glory, you are likely doomed to fail.
But if your motive is to help your readers, educate and inform them and help them solve problems (or entertain them), you have a much higher chance of success.
There are two reasons for this:
1. Your love of the subject and an honest motive to help solve problems will give you "staying power" in times of "trouble".
2. People see through selfish acts and motives. This transparency yields little in sustained sales or support.
The solution is simple: select a topic you love and are passionate about.
This by itself won't guarentee you success, as you still have the need to have your topic in a market where there are willing and needful buyers, conduct the necessary marketing activities, have a website and perhaps more.
Keep your chin up!
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