Gone are the days when a handful of publishing giants dominated the book industry — say hello to an industry where any author can inexpensively make his or her book available to the world, through a new generation of giants — online retailers of eBooks. But even this new world of eBooks has it’s own set of challenges that keeps the majority of authors and small to medium-sized publishers away from the booming eBook market — until now.

eBookit.com was created by entrepreneur, programmer, and author, Bo Bennett, who realized a major need for this kind of full-service business after struggling with converting his own print book to eBook format in the summer of 2010.

“I started out with a leading service that offers free conversion and publication, promising it’s both ‘quick’ and ‘easy’. Before I could upload the book, I had to format it to the company’s exact specifications, following a very lengthy style guide. It took me several days to finish the formatting. I attempted to upload the text of the book several times, only to find the conversion failed the validation tests each and every time, as I had missed some obscure formatting point,” says Bennett.

“I tried multiple online tools and services that promised acceptable conversions, but none of them produced a converted file that looked presentable. I was continually plagued with errors, inconsistencies, and funky formatting. If a tech savvy author like me had this much trouble, what hope is there for the typical author who may or may not have a technical background?”

Bennett’s eBook conversion nightmare is not an isolated one. The top retail eBookstores are filled with poorly converted books. Many authors will use automated tools that attempt to convert their source book file into the required eBook file format, not realizing how sloppy the converted file looks and how much of the text or images in the book failed to make it in the converted file. This results in returned eBooks, and worse, negative customer book reviews on the retail sites. “As an eBook lover myself, I may be ‘sold” on the content of a book, but if customer reviews report the eBook is not reader-friendly, I’m not going to waste my money,” says Bennett.

“I created eBookIt.com out of my conviction that an author should have an inexpensive, simple, and truly fool-proof way to get their book converted to eBook format, and submitted to the major online retailers fast, so they can start capitalizing on the exploding eBook market,” says Bennett.

For $149, eBookIt.com converts books to all required eBook formats, and submits the converted eBook to all the major retailers of eBooks including Apple’s iBookstore, Amazon.com, Sony ReaderStore, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Borders, the new Google ebookstore and Ingram Digital, which makes the book available to over 32,000 smaller online retailers to sell.

“eBookIt.com combines hands-on review and formatting of the author’s title and the best of automated conversion tools to ensure an overall conversion of the highest quality. We provide peace of mind to our authors and publishers by checking each title on multiple e-reader devices to ensure the eBook looks beautiful,” concludes Bennett.

For more information on eBookIt or to get started, visit http://ebookit.com.

Creative people aren’t usually the most organized. It’s not uncommon for them to have disorganized piles of notes and papers scattered throughout their work area.

But, this won’t work for you when you’re the boss of your own booklet business. You need to be able to stay on top of your writing projects and your customers. If you don’t, your profits will suffer.

The Cost Of Lost Notes
Having to search for notes or information you need costs you time – time that you could be spending doing something else that will move your business forward. And, if that information isn’t able to be found, it can cost you money.

Imagine Mr. Bigwig from XYZ corporation is calling to speak with you about your booklet. You know you’ve spoken to Mr. Bigwig once before, but it was a while ago and your memory is a little fuzzy about what was discussed. You made some notes during the conversation, and you really need them now that Mr. Bigwig is on the phone. But, you don’t remember where you put them.

Not having those notes means you’re starting over from scratch. Mr. Bigwig knows why he’s calling, but without your notes you’ve lost all the history you had with this potential large quantity buyer. And if it becomes obvious to Mr. Bigwig that you don’t remember your last conversation with him, he may feel that you don’t deem his business important. At the very least you could end up looking foolish or incompetent because you don’t remember details that have already been discussed.

This scenario should tell you two things:

• It’s important to make notes during your conversations with potential buyers.
• It’s important to have a place, such as a file, for those notes to go so you can always find them on a moment’s notice.

An Easy Way To Stay On Top Of Your Projects
Even if your booklet business is only a small, part time venture, you need a way to stay on top of what’s happening on a daily basis. One way to do this that works very well is to use a bulletin board and some 3×5 cards.

Divide your bulletin board into sections and place a 3×5 card at the top of each one. Each section will have some relevance to your specific business. You might have a section for booklets you’re creating, and another for clients your working with, and another for promotions you’re working on. Or you might simply have a section for work needing to done, work that you’re in the process of doing, work you’ve delegated to someone else, and work that is finished.

Once you’ve got your columns headed the way you want them, you can use 3×5 cards to write your projects on and post them in the proper section. This way, you can quickly see at a glance what you need to do and where each project is in the creation process.

Get Organized And Be Empowered
There are many ways you can organize your booklet business so that it’s efficient for you, and contrary to popular thinking – getting organized can actually be fun. It’s a way of making progress in your business, and it lifts your mood and elevates your mindset. It’s both refreshing and empowering. Organization is a tool that is free to everyone for creating wealth, but nobody ever talks about it.

About the Author:
Six time author Kim Hillman publishes the Writing For Riches With Booklets blog. If you’re ready to jump-start your writing career, make more money and enjoy the success you’ve been dreaming of, get your FREE tips now at http://www.kimhillman.wordpress.com.

“I tell virtually every self-employed professional, as well as many small-business owners, to define their niche specialty, write a book about it, and get it published,” says Robert W. Bly, who is regarded by some as “America’s Top Copywriter.”

“Having your name on a book can be an immense boost for your business,” says Steven Van Yoder, author of Get Slightly Famous: Become a Celebrity in Your Field and Attract More Business with Less Effort.

“A book provides you with more credibility than anything else you can do,” says self-publishing expert Dan Poynter, author of The Self-Publishing Manual. “The fact is, authors are highly valued in our society.”

Books Are Terrific Sales Tools!
Your book will work 24/7 to promote you and your organization. When you become an author, people see you as an expert in your field. New opportunities open up to you. Customers and clients come to you already predisposed to buy.

Here’s what business coach and consultant Joan Walsh said about her self-publishing experience:

“Writing a book has been the one of the best moves I’ve made at this stage in my career. The impact in terms of visibility and credibility has been huge. Now when I’m introduced to people, I’m not only a business coach and consultant, I’m also an author.

“As a direct result of the book, my speaking engagements have increased almost 50 percent. Many of the organizations who invite me to speak buy my book and give it to the attendees. That, of course, brings in additional revenues and further promotes my services.

“On several occasions, it’s opened doors to profitable new business. In fact, before the first copy of the book was in my hands, it had already brought in two new consulting contracts that more than paid for its cost.”

Associations and other organizations are often looking for speakers. Your credentials as an author will move you to the top of their list of sought-after presenters. Selling copies of your book at your speaking engagements will generate extra income and promote your services.

Writing a Book is Not a Diversion from Your Other Important Tasks.
Indeed, the very process of writing a book will force you to organize and focus your thoughts, and this in turn will help you improve your strategic business planning. Writing a book can also help you focus your marketing message and increase the effectiveness of your marketing literature and sales presentations.

You can use your book to form the basis for a seminar or class you might want to teach. It will give you the credibility you need to get hired as a speaker or teacher.

What Should You Write About?

Here are two rules-of-thumb:

Rule #1: Write about your passion. If you’re writing a book that relates to your business, ideally your passion will be aligned with your area of expertise.

Rule #2: Think about your target audience. What are their needs? What questions do they typically have? What information would be most useful to them? Information that may seem elementary to you can be very helpful to others.

Some fields – like law, insurance, finance, employee relations, and safety – have complex regulations that must be followed in order to avoid substantial penalties. Well-written, easily understood books about aspects of these subjects can be of great benefit to your readers.

If you’re a business owner, consider writing a corporate history to celebrate a company anniversary or other important occasion. It’s a good way to talk about your values, promote your products and services, strengthen customer loyalty, foster employee pride, and enhance your image in your community.

Of course, your book does not have to be about your business. If have an avocation that is interesting to people, consider writing a book that makes that subject come alive for your target audience.

If you’re writing for a substantial audience, you might want to look for a publisher. If your book has a smaller potential audience in a niche market, take the self-publishing route.

The self-publishing industry has made tremendous strides in recent years. Today, printing small quantities – say, 500 or 1000 books – is relatively inexpensive. Print-on-demand (POD) services make it feasible to print one book at a time.

Articles and White Papers
To get even more mileage out of your book, use it as the basis for one or more articles or white papers. Magazines, e-zines, newsletters, blogs, and websites are looking for worthwhile material to publish, especially for niche markets.

“Writing and posting informative online articles to your website as well as submitting them to others is one of the best methods for increasing your website’s traffic quickly and dramatically,” says Jay Conrad Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet.

It’s Easier Than You Might Think
Writing a book is not difficult or time-consuming with the assistance of a professional ghostwriter. But before you start writing your book, spend some time thinking about your goals and your planned approach.

About the Author:
Michael J Dowling is a writer, editor, and ghostwriter of books, articles, websites, and other print communications that increase the visibility, credibility, and profitability of individuals and organizations. He has an MBA from Columbia Business School (NYC), where he was a Harriman Scholar, and is the author of three published books.

Visit http://www.michaeljdowling.com to learn more about his services and to read the following white papers:

-5 Key Qualities to Look For When Hiring a Professional Writer (So You Don’t Make a Costly Mistake!)

-11 Questions You Need to Answer Before You Attempt to Become an Author.

The good news: Sharing your work with the world is not only possible, it’s easy and inexpensive. By harnessing the reach and power of the Internet, millions of people with a passion to communicate their ideas have achieved the dream of becoming a published author.

Take Mike Geary, for example. He earned a science degree at a small college in Pennsylvania and got a good job in environmental consulting. But his passion was fitness, and in his spare time, he became a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. He wrote answers to client questions about weight loss and exercise, then did a little research on the Internet and discovered how many people were searching for answers to the question, “How do I flatten my stomach and lose fat?”

The result was his first book, “The Truth About Six-Pack Abs.” Now, Geary’s e-books and Web site on exercise and fitness gross $6 million a year.

“I never thought I would be an author,” Geary says. “I wrote scientific and technical papers at my old job. In 2004, I got the idea and since then it has taken off.”

How did he do it?

Even 10 years ago, Geary’s book might never have seen the light of day, let alone made him a millionaire. Self-publishing through a vanity press or print-on-demand service requires up-front payment and relies on authors to promote and sell their work. But now, publishing an e-book like Geary’s can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost.

To reach book buyers, Geary tapped into an “affiliate marketing” system to promote his book online. Affiliate marketers operate a Web site, blog or other online outlet devoted to a specific topic — similar to a brick-and-mortar boutique. The commissions they receive on every sale encourage them to seek out the right customers for your book, and give them effective incentives to buy.

One of the largest affiliate marketing networks, ClickBank, provides e-book authors with access to more than 110,000 active online affiliates who reach millions of readers. Authors, software developers, video producers and musicians — anyone with a downloadable product — have successfully used the Web-based platform to connect their products to affiliates, and through them, to buyers.

ClickBank authors retain total control of their work, without relying on agents and publishers. Timely topics can be published right away — without the 12- to 24-month wait of traditional publishing. Want to update your facts or add another chapter? Just do it. An e-book can be revised anytime.

You don’t have to be a business whiz to publish your book and make money. According to Mike Geary, ClickBank manages all of the purchases and financial transactions he needs to run his online business. The company accepts payment by credit cards or PayPal, automatically pays weekly or bi-weekly, and provides guaranteed tracking of sales, customer service and state-of-the-art fraud protection.

It’s the biggest company that connects authors to both an affiliate marketing system and total payment processing services. While ClickBank and its 110,000 marketing affiliates handle promotion and sales, you can focus on writing your next book!

How do you turn your ideas into a book? Here are some tips to get started.

• Focus on something you know well. It should be a subject you’re passionate and knowledgeable about.
• Make time for writing every day. Set a goal — a number of words or a page count — and stick to it.
• Worried about your writing skills? You can hire a freelance editor to clean up your syntax. Find one on Elance.com or MediaBistro.com’s Freelance Marketplace.
• Research the competitive market for your book. Check bookstores, search the Web and visit the library to use publishing industry resources such as BooksInPrint.com and Publisher’s Weekly.
• Google offers cool tools for trend-spotting at google.com/trends/hottrends. Google’s search engine updates the 100 top search terms every hour, with links to news and blog posts.

If you’ve always dreamed of sharing your ideas and knowledge with others, there’s never been a better time than now. Visit ClickBank today to get started.

- Courtesy of ARA

Poorly designed cover. Whether you like it or not, readers will judge your book by its cover. After weeks, or months of intense writing, it can be difficult to turn your focus towards the book’s art. However, if you wrap your professional book with an amateur cover, your sales could be critically hurt.

Unprofessional editing. It only takes one significant mistake to make a reader slam your book shut and return it to the shelf. Even if you’ve been writing or editing for years, it’s very easy for your mind to skim over the same errors over and over. It is critical that every bit of text in your book is seen by multiple sets of eyes.

Lack of online presence. Websites like myspace and facebook have enhanced the online social scene to unparalleled levels. With the millions of people who use these sites and the many opportunities to maintain free or fairly cheap websites, it has never been easier to reach millions of potential customers with such ease.

Lack of a clear audience. When writing your book, it is important to remember that you are writing to spark the interests of a certain type of reader. Always keep in mind that your book needs to be tailored to your readers’ wants, not your own interests.

Lack of marketing. There are many cheap or even free ways to market your book, most of which are implemented by the professionals at Higher Level Publishing. But if you want to see a major return on your book, you need to invest enough money to reach out to as many potential readers as possible.

Danny Stooksbury is a journalist, an author, and the founder of Higher Level Publishing. Mr. Stoooksbury helps independent authors achieve their dreams of publishing profitable books by using modern advances and insider tips to cut publishing costs. To learn more about Mr. Stooksbury or Higher Level Publishing, visit http://www.higherlevelpublishing.com

Have you considered this type of marketing for your Book or eBook?

You might wish to. One famous writer took video clips from his CSPAN Book Channel talk and spliced in the most energetic bytes. Then graphics were added with a close up of the book panning in and panning out. Explanation of the cover and a quick quote and recommendation from an important person of why you should read this book; just like the testimonials usually found in popular books.

How long should your book trailer be? Well, this is up for debate, many say that much over 4-5 minutes is pushing it. Some say just make a 1-2 minute commercial, others say you need more meat in it but if you get close to 10-minutes you’ve lost. Despite these disagreements of how long these trailers should be, all agree they work.

The best advice came from a former editor from “P3″ or Perfect Perennial Publishers, which noted that each author needs to consider their audience, whether it is non-fiction or fiction; who buys this book and cater to their desires. “Too much tease is seen as sleaze, but you will win if you aim to please.” Interesting indeed – so think on this.

By Lance Winslow – http://www.carwashguy.com/lance.shtml

Many self published authors strive to have their works read by others, only to find that the major publishing houses already have a relationship with the major book reviewers. It is highly unlikely that your self published book is going to be featured in the New York Times book review section. However, you can get book reviews for your book and market the book on your own. You may get to the point where your book is widely noticed and a large publishing house offers to publish the book for you. This has happened to many self published authors in the past.

If you want to get the word out about your self published book, you have to be willing to do so yourself. Hiring a book review service is one way that you can generate an interest in your book. Not only can you reflect the book reviews on the cover of the book jacket, but you can also use them to get your foot in the door of some of the book stores.

Book stores will generally sell books by self published authors on a consignment basis. Many bookstores are eager to help new authors get some exposure, especially if they are local authors. There are a great deal of events that are geared towards self published authors where they can display their talents. One of the ways that self published authors get notice is if it appears that others have already noticed them. Those who are going to be buying books will generally read the impression that others have of the books before they make their purchase. This is why book reviews are often on the covers of books. You will notice that dust jackets of books are removable, with the book reviews written on these covers. This is because the book has been sent out to book reviewers before the jacket is printed.

By using a book review service, self published authors can get the same notability given to authors who print comments by book reviewers on their own book dust jackets. A book review company can not only help a self published author gain exposure for his or her book, but they can also help sell the book in the book stores because of the self published book reviews on the dust cover. Self published book marketing depends on using a good book review company and promoting the book through reviews.

Preston Bennett is a consultant with http://www.readerspoils.com/authors.html