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.

If you’ve ever thought about becoming an author or professional illustrator, a new contest could be good news for you.

More than 600 novels have been published by the winners and over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually through the Writers of the Future contest. The most successful contest for aspiring writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged, it has the highest success rate in launching careers of any writing competition.

The contest was started by L. Ron Hubbard, himself one of the most successful writers of the Golden Age, and other famous science fiction authors have praised it.

What Authors Say
For example, Neil Gaiman, author of dozens of books, including “Coraline,” said, “Writers of the Future has a record of nurturing and discovering writers who have gone on to make their mark in the science fiction field. Long may it continue.” While Orson Scott Card, who pens the “Enders” series, among many others, said of the contest, “It’s what keeps sci-fi alive.”

About Writing
As for how to write the story, here’s some advice that Hubbard himself gave an interviewer at the time of the first contest:

“There are some activities that are simply so much fun that one can’t give them up. Writing is that for me. I love every opportunity to write.

“Many young writers are told to write in order to learn how to write. That is good advice. I used to find any excuse to write because I loved to do it. If I didn’t have a typewriter, I wrote in longhand.

“I chose science fiction because there is great versatility in this genre. A writer must pick his medium as carefully as a painter must pick his brush and colors.”

According to Joni Labaqui, contest director, there are no entry fees. All the judges see is a number assigned to a submission.

Where To Learn More
To enjoy fine sci-fi and to get an idea of the type of work that wins, you can read previous collections, available online and at bookstores. For more information, go to http://www.writersofthefuture.com.

In recent years, the entire landscape of the publishing industry has changed, and now thousands of authors whose books might otherwise never have seen the light of day are getting published.

“The indie publishing revolution is all about providing opportunity and expanding the options for both writers and readers,” says Kevin Weiss, CEO of Author Solutions, whose imprints include AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris and Trafford. “You no longer need to wait years for the chance of being published; becoming an author is no longer a privilege, and the literary world is now accessible to everyone.”

Indie book publishing has also expanded the reasons people write and publish a book. Books are now being used in genuinely new ways — from raising awareness of important social causes to adding to a businessperson’s marketing arsenal and providing significant leverage to attract the attention of a major publisher — books are now multi-faceted “tools.”

Reg Green is an example of the wonderful power of a book to raise awareness of a pressing social issue. After his son Nicholas was tragically murdered, and he and his wife chose to donate his organs, Reg became a leading advocate for organ transplantation. He turned to the pen, too, publishing “The Gift that Heals” through AuthorHouse, which chronicles inspirational stories about organ donation.

Another example, Lisa Genova, was told that nobody would want to read her book “Still Alice,” a novel about a 50-year-old Harvard professor’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

After repeated rejections from traditional publishing houses, Genova chose to self-publish through iUniverse. A literary agent told her she would be basically committing literary suicide if she self-published, and that no publisher would touch her book once she published it independently.

To put it mildly, the agent was wrong.

After a few months and positive reviews, “Still Alice” was picked up by Simon & Schuster and became a New York Times bestseller.

“If you believe in your book, I think you should give it a chance,” Genova said. “Still Alice was a book that people already identified with, and a major publisher saw the book’s potential in a very real way.”

To learn more about indie book publishing visit, http://www.Authorsolutions.com.

You know what hard work is.

You may be thinking about what else you can do to get the news of your products or services more broadly known within your target market. Or, you might be brainstorming future steps to expand your business and make it even more successful.

In either case, one immensely valuable marketing strategy can be summed up in two words: get published!

Now, you may be tempted to dismiss this out of hand…after all, you have a profession, and very likely it isn’t “writer.” But there are many ways to be published and each, separately or in combination, can be incalculably valuable in terms of its contribution to your marketing efforts.

We’re talking about:

• Articles written about you, or by you, which are published in newspapers and/or magazines. They provide great credibility to your position as an expert in your field.

• Op Ed (opinion-editorial) pieces you’ve written that get published. It’s a great way to take a stance on an issue important to your business and get published, and it positions you as a thought leader.

• A book with you as the author-my favorite!

Getting published opens the door to the media and provides a powerful platform that is magnified a million-fold when you subsequently get invited to appear as a radio or TV guest, or are quoted in the press.

Furthermore, when the press publishes an article about you, it is really a public relations coup! A paid advertisement is always seen for what it is-an attempt to persuade more people to buy your product or service. Don’t get me wrong…there is definitely a place for advertising. But the power of PR is that when the press writes about you, they are giving a tacit endorsement of you and your business. It lends credibility which is absolutely priceless!

And, let’s face it-being published sets you apart from other CEOs and distinguishes you as a leader in your industry. Not only does it boost your status above that of your peers in the eyes of the public, it also makes them aware of what your company is about, who its leader is and helps them to form a positive opinion about your company and its product.

If you decide to be the author of a book or article but don’t have the time or expertise to write, there are droves of professional writers who freelance as ghostwriters (and are easily found on the Internet). For many a busy executive this is the best and only way to go. There is no shame in employing a ghostwriter-their job is to translate your own thoughts into an enjoyable and clearly-understood form. It’s no different than hiring any other professional who helps you run your business more smoothly.

The bottom line is that getting yourself in print can have a very positive impact on the success of your business. You can invest as much or as little of your own personal time to bring it about-it’s entirely up to you. But you will reap great benefits whichever path you take.

About the Author:
Marsha Friedman is a 20-year veteran of the public relations industry. She is the CEO of EMSI Public Relations http://www.emsincorporated.com, a national firm that provides PR strategy and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. She also hosts a national weekly radio talk show, The Family Round Table, and is author of the book, Celebritize Yourself.

Author Solutions wants writers to make “publish a book” their top 2010 New Year’s resolution.

To help authors achieve this milestone, the ASI family of publishers — AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford Publishing and Xlibris –are offering free expedited service with the purchase of a publishing package through Jan. 31, 2010.

“In most cases, expedited service will allow authors to see their books available for purchase one to two months after submitting their final manuscript,” said Keith Ogorek, Vice President of Marketing. “With free expedited service, authors can save up to $500, depending on the brand, and their books get to readers faster than ever before.”

In 2009, ASI publishers helped more than 20,000 authors bring 24,000 new titles to market. Overall, more than 85,000 authors of all genres including fiction, biography, self-help, business, children’s books, and poetry, have trusted ASI’s industry-leading publishers with helping them realize their dream of becoming published authors.

For more information on how Author Solutions is making indie book publishing accessible to authors of all genres worldwide, please visit http://www.authorsolutions.com.

If you’ve got a manuscript, there’s never been a better time to get published. This video from Author Solutions will tell you how to get started on your publishing journey.

Have you been thinking of writing a book this year?

A New York Times survey accounted that 81% of people feel that they have a book inside them and should write it. Don’t let your dream and message fade away. Write your book and release it to the world while it’s still in your heart.

Writing a book is a great way to position you and your business to increase your fees, create additional income streams and take more time to be with your family. A book will elevate your name, add credibility and increase your travel opportunities. Still not convinced? Here are 9 more extraordinary reasons to write your book:

1. A book creates a professional image. After writing your book, you will gain an instant professional image. You will be perceived as a professional person.
2. A book expands your referral source. Your completed book becomes your new referral source. More people will want to do business with you as an author. Your book readers will more readily refer you as well.
3. A book makes it easier to up sell to your customers. After reading your book, your customers are easier to upsell to other products. They get to know you and trust you faster for any other products, including higher priced ones.
4. A book gets media attention. Your book can open the door to getting the media’s attention. You will have to have other things in place to seal it. But with a book, you are more apt to gain the attention and respect from media personnel.
5. A book builds your name and brand. You become famous with a book. Of course, you will grow your fame as you promote your book effectively. Your book travels so quickly from place to place. It will grow your name much faster than most any other product.
6. A book gives you the ability to live anywhere. As book author, you can live anywhere and work. You don’t have to settle in one place for life, unless you want. Many successful authors live in one place for the summer and another for the winter.
7. A book raises your status. The title book author is still a prestigious title. So, after you have completed your book your status is immediately elevated. You are respected among the community as a local author. As your name grows, your status will grow beyond your community even unto the world.
   
8. A book makes you important. You will receive special treatment as an author. In all the end of the world movies, they select important and special people to save and start society over again. They choose artist, teachers, authors and musicians, etc. Your book will make you an important person in society.
   
9. A book gives you the spotlight. Your fifteen minutes of fame will come sooner with a book in your list of achievements. You never know when someone has heard of you because of your book and the spotlight swings over to you. Be ready; stay prepared to offer your thoughts. A close friend complained not long ago about always being put on the spot to speak. She said her husband gently reminded her you are an author and speaker now; you may as well get over it and stay prepared.

Are you ready to join the ranks of successful authors? You don’t have to let your message slip away. I can’t think of a more opportune way to change your status, grow your brand, and even change your life than by writing a book. Go ahead; write your best book now and become extraordinary.

About the Author:
Earma Brown, 14 year author and business owner helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Author of ‘Write Your Best Book Now: 12 Week Book Writing Course’, she mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine ‘iScribe’ Visit her for FREE mini-course ‘Jumpstart Writing Your Best Book.’

In spite of what you hear about publishers accepting submissions only from agents, and about what an agent can do for a writer, there are still many instances in which you don’t necessarily need an agent.

This is good news at a time when it seems fewer agents than ever are open to new talent.

Small or Specialized Publishers
The smaller publishers-and today there are more than ever, most of them outside New York City-are usually perfectly happy to accept submissions directly from writers. In fact, I have found that many of them are intimidated by literary agents, and prefer to work directly with writers.

You can find the names and addresses of smaller publishers, from regional presses to university presses, in Literary Market Place (LMP). This expensive volume can be found in almost any library’s reference department. It includes a listing of publishers by subject matter. If you believe that your novel has a niche audience that makes it right for one of these publishers, or has a regional appeal that makes it a good bet for a local publisher (an example would be a story based on a local historical incident), try submitting directly. Unless you have a good reason to do otherwise (for example, instructions from the publisher), begin with a query letter and follow up as appropriate.

Major Publishers Willing to Work Direct
There are still some major publishers that state openly that they are willing to receive material directly from writers. This does not mean they are happy to receive unsolicited manuscripts. It means they are willing to receive query letters from writers, and will ask to see manuscripts that sound promising. When you submit your manuscript in response to an editor’s invitation to do so, it becomes solicited.

In directories like Writer’s Market, you can learn whether a publisher is open to unagented submissions. You can also visit the website of a publisher you have in mind; often you will find submission guidelines. Submission policies differ greatly; a company’s preferences always supersede traditional practice.

One notable example of a publisher that not only is open to unagented material but even encourages it (by periodically holding writing contests and competitions) is Harlequin, the world’s largest romance publisher, whose divisions include Harlequin itself as well as Silhouette, Spice, Mira, HQN, Kimani Press, Steeple Hill, Red Dress Ink, Luna, and Worldwide Library. Within these lines are imprints that publish contemporary romance in all its variations, historical romance, romantic suspense, mainstream women’s fiction, “chick lit,” fantasy, inspirational fiction, African American fiction, and even erotica. The company does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, but requires a query letter containing specific components, as well as a brief synopsis of your novel. Visit their website at http://www.eHarlequin.com and read their author guidelines.

Helpful Hint: Most publishers of genre fiction (romance, mystery, horror, men’s adventure, etc.) are open to queries directly from writers.

Special Circumstances
There are other ways to get editors to consider your work without having an agent, even if the editors work for publishers whose official policy is not to accept unagented material.

You may know someone, or know someone who knows someone, whose books are published by one of the major publishing houses. If so, as that someone for a referral. If that’s not possible, as for permission to use this person’s name and send a query letter with SASE (a self-addressed, stamped envelope), mentioning that name right up front. Chances are good the editor will agree to look at your manuscript, if only out of politeness.

If you attend a writers conference or convention and meet an editor who publishes the kind of book you’ve written, ask him or her for permission to send your manuscript. If the editor agrees, mail your manuscript the minute you get home, being sure to mention where you met the editor and that he or she agreed to read your book. Put this information at the very beginning of your cover letter, so that an assistant screening submissions will be sure to see it and place it on the “Look” pile!

Helpful Hint: When you send material in response to an agent or editor’s invitation mark the outside of the envelope REQUESTED MATERIAL. That way your package won’t work itself into the dreaded slush pile-the stack of unsolicited manuscripts, which receive little or no attention.

Perhaps you happen to know an editor who publishes what you write. If so, simply ask if you can submit your manuscript. Few people put on the spot in this way have the guts to say no. You’ll get a reading, and if your novel is as good as I hope it is, your friend, relative, or acquaintance will be happy he or she said yes.

Oh, What the Heck!
Don’t tell, but despite their “official policies,” many major publishers that claim to be closed to unagented material do open query letters, and do ask to see manuscripts. If you’re certain a particular editor at a particular publishing company would be perfect for your novel, what have you got to lose by sending a query and SASE? The worst that can happen is that you will receive no response.

On the other hand, a few weeks ago I got a call from a woman whose first approach to an editor at one of New York City’s largest publishers was by means of a query letter, without any special recommendation or connection. She and this publisher have just signed a healthy, two-book contract. If you don’t have an agent but are eager to get your writing career going, try one or more of the above techniques. I see them work for a large number of writers.

About the Author:
Evan Marshall, president of The Evan Marshall Agency, is a former book editor and packager. Recently, he and coauthor Martha Jewett released The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software, based on his bestselling The Marshall Plan (R) writers’ guides. Evan is also the author a number of popular mystery novels including “Death is Disposable” and “Evil Justice.” Visit http://www.writeanovelfast.com and download Evan’s free 77-page Fiction Makeover Guide with tips and ideas on writing a great novel.

They realize that reviews on Amazon and other online bookstores can make a huge difference in book sales. They also realize they need sales pages to promote their books.

These days, publishing a book can be affordable. Many companies will do all the work, allowing you to pay a single lump sum. It’s very tempting for independent professionals (including coaches, consultants, therapists and others) to produce a book that reflects the wisdom they’ve accumulated painfully over the past five to ten years. Alas, without planning, too many books end up piled on the floor of someone’s garage.

Ideally, the time to show your book to a reviewer or copywriter is before you publish your book. By the time a book is ready for review, you can’t make changes even when you discover fatal flaws. Here are 3 checkpoints before you send a book for review (or, ideally, before you publish).

First, Is your book truly original? Believe it or not, many authors simply repeat popular guidelines and aphorisms when they publish. One self-help author wrote, “When I worked with Ginny on her career change, we reviewed her strengths and values…” Nothing new here. The author needs to add a couple of extra steps to show how her unique approach got Ginny propelled into a new career. If Ginny’s been attempting a career change for three years, and only now succeeds, the author’s got a basis for a book.

Second, does your book have a consistent theme? If your book promises to help readers deal with emotions, you need to work the emotional challenge theme into every chapter. When I wrote my book on relocation, my theme was, “Moving changes your identity.” Every chapter shows how geographic relocation influences your identity.

Third, choose just one genre and stick to it. “Genre” refers to the category of your book. It’s where bookstore patrons go to look for your book. Fiction genres include horror, sci-fi, mystery, and literary fiction. Within each genre you can have subgenres, such as “cozy mystery”" and “police procedural.” Occasionally a successful book mixes genres; Kate Atkinson combines literary fiction with murder mystery, for instance. But usually publishers are very strict about genre and I recommend that self-published authors do the same.

Non-fiction genres include self-help, memoir, history, and biography. When you mix genres, reviewers and readers feel uncomfortable. Often they don’t know why.

Independent professionals often make the mistake of mixing memoir and self-help. They write out their story and then they write the lessons they want to teach others. Unfortunately, the results often ends up as neither compelling memoir nor insightful self-help. Authors justify their choice by saying, “I want to tell the story my way.” That’s fine – but readers will read your book through their own lenses and you can lose them.

And now I invite you to discover 101 essential truths about writing and promoting your self-help book. Discover how other professionals have found success (and why so many fail).

How To Write Your Self-Help Book.

And learn how book reviews can build your business and increase book sales. Book Reviews for Marketing.

“Still Alice,” written by Lisa Genova, is a novel about a 50-year-old Harvard professor’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also a book, Genova was told, that nobody would want to read.

Thankfully, Lisa didn’t listen to her critics, and decided to self-publish the novel. Months later, after receiving positive reviews on Amazon.com and a favorable review in the Boston Globe, Genova’s book was picked up by Simon & Schuster and is in its 12th week on The New York Times Bestsellers List.

“If you believe in your book, I think you should give it a chance,” Genova said. “Still Alice” “was a book that people already identified with and [Simon & Schuster] saw the book’s potential in a very real way.”

Genova is not alone. As the economy takes its toll on traditional publishing houses — HarperCollins dropped its Collins division in February, losing major executives and editors, and Random House continues with cutbacks — more authors are looking to online self-publishing companies.

Read the entire article…

The publishing houses are slow and cumbersome. They use cheap editors only interested in ripping your manuscript to shreds (because they know best!). And the publisher ALWAYS take the lion’s share of profits – you end up with a measly few percent, AT BEST!

But MOST IMPORTANTLY – publishing houses do NOT spot best-sellers.

There are literally hundreds of amazing manuscripts that go ignored each and every month (think Harry Potter!). And ALL because the person opening the mail didn’t have the sense to REALIZE the genius behind your work.

However that’s ALL changing…thanks to new innovations in self-publishing.

Discover the BIG NAMES Using Self-Publishing TODAY – And How To Copy Their Tricks to Earning Thousands..