Ebook Authors: Travel Guides are the Ultimate eBooks

Do you want to create a travel guide that is the centerpiece of your reader’s travel experience? You know an ebook that is the foundation of their travel decisions. A travel package that they have at their fingertips. One that will help them with every part of their journey.

You can do this but you need to look at your ebook differently. You cannot create just a copy of your bound version.

Last week I got involved in a discussion on Linkedin which was started by Nola Lee Kelsey of ‘The Voluntary Traveler’ about creating travel guides as eBooks.

This brought back a memory of an experience I had last November. At the time I thought that ebook authors were missing the boat on the opportunity to create a living, breathing guide that took advantage of a digital book. It has linking ability. It is convenient and portable. You can add notes and highlights.

I think travel books could be the ultimate ebook. The information in paper travel guides become inaccurate over time and the Internet links become quickly out of date.

Ultimate eBook

So what is the ultimate ebook? Right up front I suggest it should not be just a reproduction of the paper book. For starters, it must contain a live link back to the author, publisher and even the cover designer, editor and so on. I shouldn’t even have to mention that one.

But we are discussing the ultimate ebook here.

It should include links to the Internet for special references. The rendering process should create real links here not just the written URL for the site. This is a problem in many ebooks today.

It should allow a path to the Internet for the reader to find an updated link when one goes bad and as they always do.

In-book links should be inserted pointing the reader to extra material to assist them in defining special terms.

The ebook should have color pictures that fit on a small device screen. Eventually all devices will have color. Video clips will be common place.

It should be created so that it is easy for the author to update and change information.

The ultimate ebook should allow notes and highlights that can be copied to other applications like copying a paragraph to a Word document.

Keywords should be inserted at the appropriate place to allow easy searching.

The content should be written in snapshots, or chunks of information rather than a long dissertation.

So where does the Travel Guide fit into this and why do I claim it can be the ultimate ebook? Because it can be the complete deal. It can not only present valuable information but it can be the center point for your travel experience using the digital world. Let me explain.

Trouble in Paradise

I am a frequent traveler either by car, by bus or by plane. I am not picky. Just say let’s go and I am ready. Hawaii was calling so I started planning for my 10 days in paradise. This should be easy. I went online to purchase a Travel Guide about beautiful Hawaii. I thought an ebook version would be my best alternative, being portable and all. I downloaded a sample and I stopped right there.

As with many ebooks today, this was a very poor reproduction of the paper version. The table of content was one of the very worst I have seen. The book’s price ($12.95) was completely out of the question for what I was getting. So reluctantly I purchased the paper version. ($14.95)

Now I was stuck with over 750 pages of very good information that I could highlight and use to make my plans. As you can see from my picture at the start of this blog, I had no room to pack the guide in my luggage so I had to take a lot of notes.

How could a Travel Guide ebook and an ereader or tablet solve my problems? I started brainstorming how this experience could be improved and this is what I came up with.

The Travel Guide

Let’s start by saying the Travel Guide needs to be a package of information that will guide me through the planning and the sightseeing and leisure time with my being able to control the costs as much as I can.

A travel package, unlike a lot of Google searches, puts all the information and references I need under one roof so to speak or at least on my tablet. I recommend a tablet for convenience and portable and the extra apps benefit.

The author needs to use color pictures to sell his ideas. There is nothing like a gorgeous photo to spur interest in a location.

He should bundle apps with his ebook. Make apps available for the convenience of the reader. The free ones get the most interest.

The Travel Guide should be turned on for Kindle public notes. The author can use this vehicle to update information until the guide can be republished with updated information. Besides it is a good opportunity to hear what reader’s think about the content. In the past I sought used travel guides because former users would usually highlight things they were interested in. Sometimes you could catch a gem like a unique restaurant or night club. Others experiences speak volumes.

Another opportunity is to reference other books in the guide that are about the destination. Throw in a link to a travel game as an incentive to buy.

Paper travel guides have some problems that can be overcome with a well done Travel Guide package. The paper version’s biggest problem of course is the information is cast in concrete. The ebook can solve this problem big time.

Planning the Trip

So the ultimate Travel Guide armed with great descriptive content and color pictures starts the planning process. Now the traveler’s big money decisions need help from the author.

Budgeting and expenses/costs

Displaying a range of prices to assist in the budgeting is a big help. A spreadsheet or a template for tracking the budget is a good giveaway plus you have the opportunity to capture the reader’s name and a communication avenue like the email address.

Planning and Itinerary

The format for a digital plan could be incorporated like the budgeting above.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Now that I am here, how do I get around? Transportation information links can be invaluable for a tourist including subways and trolley data, where needed.

Hotels and Accommodation

A digital matrix of possible selections can help the traveler better organize the trip.

Appointments and Tours

A schedule app can help the reader organize their stay more efficiently. Bundle it in the complete travel package.

Paradise Cove Beach

So I am off to Honolulu armed with the ultimate travel package and a library of ebooks for my reading pleasure. I like the tourist traps so they are highlighted in my Travel Guide and I have added extra notes to jog my memory.

I have all the tools loaded on my tablet that I need to survive the island. But I have more in my package. I have a calendar with the special events I have scheduled like my luau at Paradise Cove, my Island tour and my visit to Pearl Harbor.

I have photo gallery software to keep my pictures organized. I use the tablet camera and note the location and time as I take them. I have software to keep track of the current weather and the forecast. I even have a currency calculator and a language guide loaded which I hope I don’t need.

And for those who enjoy the night life too much and need to ask the question. ‘Where in the world am I?’ I have Google Earth and Maps installed and a GPS locator to help me get back to the hotel.

Back Home at Last

All good things must come to an end. Back home I now have a record of my trip. I can compare my budget to the expenses I have been tracking as well as checking my credit card charges when the bill arrives.

I have a permanent record of the great time I had, all thanks to the Travel Guide package.

So What Makes the Travel Guide the Ultimate eBook?

1. It is a digital package and can be stored on an electronic device for easy carrying.
2. It is convenient and easy to update and add information.
3. If the authors rendering process is complete, the links will be there to access current prices, phone numbers, street addresses and web sites.
4. Turning on public notes can help in the planning as well as a record of the experience.
5. The Travel Guide ebook becomes part of the travel experience. It makes the content unique.

It makes the ebook a total experience not just a reference book.

Other Opportunities

Other opportunities for authors are publishing the Travel Guide in parts, being more specific to a location. I was headed to Oahu and information on the other islands was overkill. A smaller edition about Honolulu would have been just fine.

A frequent traveler may want a special version created for them or maybe a paid serial publication for travel destinations with updated information.

You may even want to include ads specials to various locations and link into affiliate sales to increase revenue.

The author must try to drive the reader to his home website. Updating the information must be an ongoing process. A path for the reader to access updated ebook links is a large opportunity.

We should take lessons from what you can do with a Travel ebook and carry it over to other kinds of ebooks.

You say this is all on the Internet. It is all about time and convenience. A complete package can save the reader hours of surfing and put dollars in his pocket. It would be the ultimate choice.

What do you think about my choice for the ultimate ebook? Can you think of any other candidate for the ultimate award?

Related blogs:

Rendering Your Ebook
Use the Power of Links

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com
Author: Call Off The Dogs, a rendered ebook
LinkedIn Profile: James Moushon

Ebook Industry: Where Is Microsoft?

As the ebook industry progresses and the major players compete, it seems we are headed in several directions at once. Self-publishing authors are confused where to start with all the various formats and devices and platforms to publish on.

The major players are bent on keeping control of their domain as they clash with each other for control of the industry. You have Amazon and Barnes and Noble in a struggle for control of the online distribution business and the sale of low end ereaders.

Then you have Apple and the ipad and ibooks positioned a notch-up in price.

Following is Google with their great exposure and Adobe with their brand in the PDF format. As these major players battle it out, one question begs to be asked. Where is Microsoft?

A lesson from the past

We have been through this same type of industry fragmentation. The PC industry in the early 1980’s was in just as much disarray as the ebook industry today with major companies fighting for control.

I know. I was at ground zero on this one. When the PC industry started, the Phoenix area was a hot bed of PC development. Motorola was building the 68000 processor for Apple/MAC and Microage was franchising computer stores across the country. DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) was entrenched in the minicomputer industry and had a large presence in the valley.

In 1980, I started a custom software development company in Phoenix to try to jump on the bandwagon. But like the ebook industry of today, the PC startup industry lacked standards. There were lots of different microcomputers. Each one had a different programming language and operating system. It wasn’t anything to be working on three custom projects with three different makes of microcomputers and three different programming languages.

At that time Digital Research was the leader in operating systems (CP/M) for the PC industry and Apple and Radio Shack (TRS-80) had begun their PC hardware adventure.

In 1980, IBM entered the PC industry and everything changed. They needed an operating system so they contacted the leader, Digital Research. They promptly refused because they wanted to control the process. Sound familiar.

Microsoft to the rescue. Microsoft agreed to IBM’s terms plus they added a Basic Programming language. Now software developers had something to hang their hat on. That one decision made Microsoft the leader in the software industry. MS-DOS made it a standard playing field for all the players.

IBMs next move was to try to control the startup of the PC industry. They licensed Computerland and Sears Computer Stores to sell the IBM PC exclusively. They put together MS-DOS(really PC-DOS), Lotus 1-2-3, and their PC and sold them through the stores. The PC wars had begun. This is similar to the confusion in the ebook industry today.

The PC needed software to make it useful. Lotus 1-2-3 started the ball rolling with the first spreadsheet written especially for the IBM PC. Following right behind 1-2-3 was the WordStar word processor and the dBase database system. These were the “big three” as someone once said. These were indeed killer apps.

These were great tools but users wanted them to work together. The parts were greater than the total product in this case.

Lotus Symphony was the first attempt at combining the three functions together with mild success. Again users were accustomed to the killer apps and the Lotus database and the word processor fell way short. It was not really designed for joint tasks.

Again Microsoft to the rescue. In 1989 they introduced Microsoft Office. It combined Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint with Visual Basic for Applications scripting language. Later they added Microsoft Access. Now users had the interrelationship they were looking for. Ebook users are looking for the same interrelationship. They want to do more with the information than just read it once.

Back then, the marketing was done by computer store. Prospects could easily touch and feel the products and the sales soared.

I will only mention COMDEX briefly because of the major part it played and as a segue into my ‘needs’ takeaways on this blog. It was a computer trade show held in Las Vegas every November. It started in 1979 and continued for over twenty years. This is where major product announcements and releases were made. It had been a “must attend” event in the industry.

For the last few years of existence of COMDEX, Microsoft kept the show going taking up a considerable amount of the convention floor. It was a place where small companies could display their wares and hope to catch on with dealers across the country.

Microsoft and the eBook

Being entrenched in the digital conversation world since 1994, I started changing my focus to ebooks in 2003. One of my clients wanted to put together a system using a PDA. So off to the computer store I went to buy a Palm Pilot V with its syncing ability.  At the same time I purchased my first ebook reader, a RCA REB1100.

I thought I would put their technical manuals on one to help them with the information overload they had developed. Immediately a problem arose that still plagues the industry. The REB1100 had a proprietary format which did not allow documents to be created in-house. Calibre has solved this problem now.

Ebooks were not new. The Project Gutenberg had been going on for years and most computer technical manuals included a CD with text, html or PDF files but no one had tackled any main stream novels or anything like that.

I started working with Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader (now called Adobe Digital Editions) and the Microsoft eBook Reader. I had been using the Adobe’s PDF files for a while but the free Microsoft ebook software seemed to be the best choose.

Most ereaders had screen problems, especially in bright light, but Microsoft’s Cleartype display technology solved the on-screen reading problem. Also, they had an add-in program that let you take a document in MS-Word and create an ebook automatically. (LIT format) A very simple process.

Their software included bookmarks, notes, a library function, online ordering and the ability to create free-form drawings or margin notes. You could zoom in on pictures and highlight text. It ran on any Windows platform including Windows Mobile.

It seemed like the best choice because Microsoft was entrenched in the computer industry. It seemed to be where the expansion was going in the new ebook industry. Wrong. Microsoft dropped the ball for some reason.

Now the ebook industry is fragmented with numerous formats and proprietary ereader operating systems with no path upward to the next level of devices. For example, you cannot insert notes and highlights on an ereader and do anything with that information on a PC without a lot of work.

What do we need?

We need standardization. Not necessarily one format but devices that can read the most popular formats. A tablet like the ipad can read the popular formats but the cost rules out many readers from ever going digital.

We need a place for a hands on experience like a computer store or a bookstore. Recently I visited an Apple store and I could not believe the activity the store was experiencing. Of course they are limited to the Apple offerings. Bookstores are positioned to push this concept forward because they are not tied to one solution.

The ebook industry needs a ‘SHOW’ presence. You know. A must attend show for readers and authors and device manufacturers with product displays and workshops. Maybe the computer electronics show held in Las Vegas every January would be a good start. At the CES show this year, ereaders were ‘the thing’ at the show but ereaders were a small fraction of the total activity.

We need a device with an upward capability to be able to do more than just read the ebook but use its content in other meaningful ways. Tablets will be the key here but the need for the low-cost device that just allows a good read will not go away.

We need an even lower cost color device to appear that is aimed at the children’s market. You know the kind that is made out of hard plastic that can be dropped and the content can be controlled by the parents. No need for WIFI or 3G here. A USB or Simm card will work just fine.

So where is Microsoft?

We know they are up in the clouds. Will this be our answer? In the future, will all ebooks be up in the clouds, ready for us to snag, read and go on our way? Maybe we are talking about paying a small charge to view an ebook but not necessarily downloading it to a device like the Netflix model.

We need a company to smooth out the process. It is going to be fun watching how all this shakes out. At the end of the day, new software and digital devices will lead the way.

To read a related article, ‘Lessons For the eBook Industry – Study the E-Forms Industry Beginning’, click here.

Another blog came across my desk, forwarded by Dominique Raccah via Linkedin,  about Booki.sh, a cloud eBook distributor, that is good reading on the cloud distribution topic.

Let me know what you think about where the ebook industry is going? What else do we need to do to push the process forward? Who out there wants to start an ebook only oriented convention?

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com

Or goto my blog: The eBook Author Corner

Author: Call Off The Dogs, a rendered ebook

    

Ebook Authors: Do You Really Want To Be An Old Time Author?

Do you really want to be an old time author and publish your book traditionally or do you want to be an eBook author and self-publish your content on-line? That’s the question.

An old time author! Are you one of them? You know the traditional author that has beat his head against publisher’s front doors for a long time and hasn’t gotten in. Or the writer that creates good content but has to do all his own marketing and his book is just not flying off the shelves. Or the one who has heard about ebooks but is not tech-savvy and doesn’t know where to start. Or the author that has a garage full of POD books that are good but things just didn’t work out for him.

Self-Publishing Story

Self-publishing is a major step to take. It is much more than writing good content. There is no gatekeeper to stop you but there is no guidance to assist you. All the tasks they perform are left to your control. You either learn now to do it yourself or you get outside help.

I have been down this road. I have done the whole nine yards with a little help in the editing department. Actually a lot of help in this area.

I was fortunate to have over thirty years’ experience in the computer part of the conversion. Call Off the Dogs was written for ebook publication only, so a conversion service was not required. It included in-book links and external links along with color pictures and term definitions. I even did the cover thanks to Photoshop and Google Earth.

I just followed the guidelines from Amazon guidelines - Kindle, Barnes and Noble Publisher and Author Guidelines for the Nook and Smashwords Style Guide. Sounds simple.

Now the Games Began

With copyright in hand and the ever needed ISBN number registered, my ebook was ready for publication. Lookout readers. Here comes the story of what really happened the day Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

I already had developed a website. It was easy to update my site to market my new ebook. I was ready to go. My ebook was going to be in the two biggest on-line bookstores and on all the mobile devices. I tagged my book with all the related keywords so the search engines could fine the book easily.

I didn’t need to get printing quotes to produce a start quantity. I didn’t have to send out query letters trying to get my ebook in the pipe. It looked like I was home free. All I had to do is set back and watch my 70% royalty start being deposited in my checking account. I even leveraged my marketing by signing up for the Amazon Affiliate Program. (an extra 5% if they went through my site to purchase my ebook)

Now I could concentrate on my next ebook featuring my main character, Jonathon Stone.

Stop the Presses

I realized quickly the marketing task to sell Call Off the Dogs was going to be time-consuming. Even though my computer knowledge is extensive, my social networking was completely missing. Oh I use email all the time and I surf the Net but Facebook and Twitter were completely foreign to me. I had a brand in the digital forms area but that wasn’t going to carry over here. So I setup a Facebook account and quickly learned that this was a very time consuming venture. And the thing I wanted to do with it (selling my ebook) was lost in the vacations and pictures of my friend’s pets. I am still working on this one.

I have joined Linkedin and Goodreads and I get to communicate with other authors but where is my readers?

My ebook falls in between genres it appears. At first I had a problem figuring out whether it is in the fictional mystery or alternative history genre. I still haven’t found the niche my ebook falls into.

Attack plan

I decided to become proactive. I setup a Google Alert system which emails me every time my keywords appear on the Internet. This does free up time trying to keep up with the Internet.

Next I started researching other author’s sites and blogs to see what they were doing. Again I resorted to an automated system. I setup Google Reader to alert me of all the blog information that relates to the ebook industry and writing in general.

I setup a blog specifically for Call Off the Dogs. The jury is out on that one. I have tried to engage readers on the main theme of the book but that seems like an uphill battle.

I started a research project including a database to keep track of what was going on. I have recently blogged a list of great sources that I find helpful. (eBook Authors: 17 Great Information Sources) Maybe it can save you some time and give you some ideas to get your ball rolling.

The main takeaway here: Research is the thing if you need HELP like I do.

As you can see from this blog, I didn’t plan for the giant tasks ahead of me. I wrote my ebook first without a clue where I was going. There I was outlining my book, checking my facts, and trying to develop interesting characters with no plan of attack once I was done.

Once Call Off the Dogs was out in the marketplace, I quickly realized I needed help. So I did my homework and developed the list I referenced above to research and follow the ebook industry. I know my research is not complete but this got me started.

So do you what to be an OLD TIME AUTHOR or do you want to embrace the ebook experience. I would be interested to hear what experiences you’re having trying to tackle this shift in the playing field.

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com

Ebook authors: 17 Great Information Sources

I have been asked several times this month what I think are the best current sources of information for the eBook author and how do I use them. I think research is a key element in an indie’s quest for success so I spend a lot of time reading blogs and books on publishing and writing.

I did a little research on my research and this is what I came up with. These are my favorites. You may not agree or I have left a good blog out but at least this list could be a starting point for the would-be author.

I have over 100 blogs queued up in Google Reader. I started with a modest list and as I saw what kinds of content they were providing, I adjusted my list. Some of the blogs I follow are related to libraries and education and or not included in the following list.

I skim the title and if it is something I am interested in, I either read it quickly, print it out for future reference or bookmark it.

You will need to prune your list to your needs. For example, some blogs that are rated highly by some list sources, I don’t follow. I am looking for information and ideas not at how good they are or how successful they have become. One successful writer was recommended and I bookmarked the blog. After a month or so I deleted that blog from my list. The writer’s sales numbers was not the type information I was looking for.

My List

The following is my list by topic of blogs and books I have found the best sources of information.

Blogging

Cats Eye Writer - Judy Dunn

Judy’s blogging advice is a must read if you’re going to market your ebook through the blogosphere.

Book Design and Covers

The Book Designer - Joel Friedlander

His Goal: “To help publishers and authors who decide to publish their own books get to market with a great looking, properly constructed book, on time and on budget.”

Book Making - Michael N. Marcus

Michael byline: “He discusses writing, editing, publishing and sometimes none of the above. Sometimes he draws attention to inept publishers and writers. It's his duty and his compulsion.”

General

Book Trends Blog - Bob Spear

Bob’s blog is always a good read. It is directed to the ebook author. He seems to touch all phases of the ebook experience.

Marketing – how to

Author Marketing Experts, Inc. - Penny Sansevieri

Her bio states “I started Author Marketing Experts, Inc because I’m an author and I wanted to give authors a company that understood them, knew the publishing industry and knew what they wanted.”

Marketing Tips For Authors - Tony Eldridge

Tony’s blog is one of the most helpful blogs in the ebook industry from the marketing point of view.

His site states: “He … shares his book marketing tips with fellow authors through his blog and through his free video marketing tips for authors.”

Writing and Publishing Assistance

A Book Inside - How to Write and Publish a Book - Carol Denbow

Her by-line: “How to Write a Fiction, Non-Fiction Book, or Novel, find a Publisher or Publishing Option, and Market Your Book for Free. Tips and Expert Advice.”

Indie Author - April L. Hamilton

April’s by-line: “I'm now offering professional services to self-publishers: editing (developmental, copyediting & proofreading), formatting for print or ebook publication (Kindle, iBook, Smashwords, epub, etc.), ebook conversion/setup, cover design, and general publishing and author platform consultation by phone or email.”

Our Little Books - Julia M. Lindsey

Julia has been nice enough to use me as a guest blogger on her blog site. Her blog features snapshots of information for the authors of small books.

Her site says: “we are dedicated to producing educational, inspirational and fun little books for pocket or purse… We're also dedicated to helping you publish your own little book.”

Self-Publishing Resources – Sue Collier

This is a great source of information for self-publishing authors.

Her blog states: “We know the challenges self-publishing authors face, and we’re experts at guiding them to success.  From initial book development through winning promotion and sales, we know how to assist authors to surpass their personal and professional publishing goals.”

The Creative Penn - Joanna Penn

Joanna is an author and blogger with great ideas for the indie ebook author.

She states: “I wanted to share this information with other people who want to become authors, because I found the traditional publishing route confusing, too difficult and slow when I first started. I also made a lot of mistakes that I want to help others avoid!”

The Publishing Maven - Christy Pinheiro

Christy’s blog always has great information and ideas on publishing. She has a small press that publishes nonfiction books.

Workshop and Training

All Smart Cookies - Emily Hill

She conducts workshops and seminars in the northwest. She stresses coaching for indie authors with a section on the Self-publishing guidelines with Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.

    

Helpful books I have read recently

A Self-Publisher's Companion - Joel Friedlander

Joel does a great job in discussing self-publishing, blogging and the social networking part of the book business. This is a great extension to his blogging site, http://www.thebookdesigner.com/.

Since most publishers have deserted the ebook author in the marketing task, you need the knowledge Joel presents to get started in the right direction.

All Smart Cookies Can Self-Publish - Emily Hill

This is a quick guide which discusses the step-by-step list of elements necessary to self-publisher an ebook with lots of linked references. Best advice to a new ebook author: “When your first book comes out, be prepared for nothing much to happen. That’s normal.”

Two other good books I have read recently that are directed at self-publishing authors are:

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing – Sue Collier and Marilyn Ross

The Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit! Start Your Own Home-Based Publishing Company and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book with CreateSpace and Amazon - Christy Pinheiro

All the blogs on my list I follow religiously. The books on my list I have read recently and I have taken away something from each one of them. I know my research is not complete but this got me started.

Let me know what you think of my list. I found them very helpful. Please add to the list other valuable references.

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com

Ebook Authors: The Kids Are Coming

One of the great opportunities ahead for ebook authors is the wave of new readers entering the digital book world. These gadget centric-readers are kids and young adults. You know the ones that don’t shy away from a computer screen or the digital world. With their cell phone or ipad in hand, they are going to drive the ebook industry to new heights in the near future.

This wave of new readers is going to create a new wave of authors. These writers are going to write directly to the ebook platform, bypassing the current paper to digital conversion process. This new author will take advantage of the ebook software; adding links, sound, video and multimedia.

This young group of readers will be gamers, Internet surfers and two-thumb typist. They are ready for the ebook experience and the ebook author must deliver.

So what is going to happen?

New devices

New devices targeting young kids are starting to appear. Hard plastic, low cost ereaders will start to appear in toy departments with packaged ebooks. They may not have a wireless connection or many keys and you may have to update the content via a USB connection (may assist in parent control) but the inconvenience will be worth the trouble.

New software

New software with more powerful features will be developed. This software will drive the acceptance of ebooks. It will be software that is more than just a text display of an ebook. It will be software that lets the reader interact with the content.

You are starting to see laptop software that makes studying easier and more productive. For example, one of the new tools released recently is NookStudy from Barnes and Noble. This free software download shows great potential. NookStudy is available for your PC or Mac.

Text to speech is a great tool to help kids learn while reading ebooks. We may even want to add children’s voices to the voice characters. Kids will probably accept other kids reading to them rather than a strange adult voice.

New ebooks

Recently I have read about the problem publishers are having converting kids two page layout books. They are using the old school conversion process. Authors and publishers need to think outside the box. Kid’s flipbooks seem to fall into that same category.

One thing we do know is kids have shorter attention spans than the adult novel reader. They need to see ideas and absorb them quickly. The current children authors have the knowledge and skills to pull this off. They just need to learn the new technology and charge forward.

Comics are another great ebook opportunity in the kid’s market. With color and sound they can be a great educational and entertainment media.

Barnes and Noble has a great website for kid’s book that takes advantage of the Color Nook. It’s called NookKids. If you are looking at this market, this is a great place to start your research.

Education

Education will be transformed into a digital world. Along with a new generation of readers, a new generation of ebook authors will appear. Authors who can see the youth market needs and fill that need. I recently blogged about this opportunity, e-Textbooks: How do they stack up against traditional textbooks?

E-textbooks are a great opportunity to improve the quality of education, especially at the lower levels of education.

Ebook Author’s challenge

The children ebook author will write in small screen snapshots They will render their ebooks with colored pictures and enhanced features. The young readers are going to be looking for links like they encounter when they are surfing the net so they need to be included in the content.

One opportunity may be to create a series of short reads that the reader will be coming back for more. Although several of the experiments of serial writing in the adult category have mixed reviews, a well done kid’s series could be a hit with automatic downloads. Who knows, you could have your own Dr. Seuss series going on some day.

One thing for sure, the new ebook author must study the new technology and take advantage of it.

My Crystal Ball

There will always be novels but my crystal ball says that non-fiction will change. Ebooks will not just be a copy of a paper version but an interactive media.

Many ebooks will be written directly to the ebook platform with no paper version.

All players will need to get on board: authors – publishers – bookstores – libraries and education/teachers.

Remember. The kids are coming. You know the gadget-centric generation that will be right at home with ereaders or tablets. These devices will fall right in with their social networking and their cell phones. Just walk through a mall and watch the younger generation. They are all doing something with a digital device. The ebook author must take advantage of this opportunity.

What do you think? How can ebook authors take advantage of this opportunity? Have I left out anything in the kid’s market?

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com



eBook Authors: Use The POWER of Links

One of the first things an eBook Author must learn to use is the power of links. Whether you’re creating your ebook, setting up your web site, writing a blog or joining a group on the Internet, hyperlinks are what make things happen. The more clicks, the more chances of your success. The synergy created by links is a powerful thing.

With that said, where should you put links? The following is a list of possible opportunities for linking.

Your eBook Author Page

Let’s start with your ebook. You should always have an author page with links to everything in your arsenal. This page is different than the title page or the copyright page. You should have links to your website, your blog, your social network and your email address. Make sure to link to your other ebooks buy-pages to help the reader go directly to your other writings.

Your In-Book Links

Another link possibility is links imbedded in your content. These links can be added in the ebook rendering process. Whether the links are to Internet sites or to information in the back of your ebook, the links can be very valuable to the reading experience.

In my ebook, Call Off The Dogs, I included brief definitions of uncommon terms and locations in the back of the ebook. For example, the reader could click on a link imbedded in the content and see a brief description of the pier in Seal Beach, California. Then they would press the BACK key and continue reading.

Other Link Opportunities

You should link everything you do digitally. For example:

Website – Your site is a great place to include links to your ebooks. Include a blogroll on your home page to link to other sites you visit. And then ask those sites to link back to you. The more the merrier.

Blog – You should establish a blog to keep in touch with your readers. Your followers will follow the links you insert into your blog like a page for your upcoming ebook. Also, you can use links to get them involved in the writing process.

Social Network – You should use Facebook and Twitter and link away every chance you get.

Email - All outgoing communications should include a link even if it is just a link in your email signature line.

Link Maintenance

One of the important things to remember is that link maintenance is great an opportunity to keep in front of your reader. Links change and become invalid for one reason or another. You should maintain a current, up to date list of links you have used in your writings. Then point the reader to your site for the latest link information.

Another example. Let’s say you have an ebook with a lot of internet links imbedded in the content or the ebook has a list of links associated with source material. As the links turn bad, and they will after time, you could add Amazon Public Notes in the ebook to assistant the reader in finding the updated link or an alternative one.

You are maintaining the value of the reading material by updating the content without republishing the ebook.

Link Power

So what does linking everything do for you?

1. It will build traffic to your ebook buy-page, to your Internet site, your Facebook page and your Blog.

2. Links are what drives Internet Search Engine Optimization. The more links you have on the net, the more chances you have for readers to find your offerings. The most prized link is one that is an incoming link from another site. This can be your site or blog or one from one of your peers.

3. Connections through Social Networking, links your friends and followers to your site and your ebook. You cannot have enough of this. The more ebooks and blogs you put into the pipe, the more action you create.

Takeaway

Think of this as a little web page with the power of communications.

A general rule: Never publish anything without a link or two. That includes your ebook, your Internet site, your blog, your email or comments on other people’s blog.

So what do think? Be sure to share with me other link opportunities that I have overlooked.

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com

How to create a Kindle ebook? Anyone can make this stuff up.

The following is a recipe for the creation of a Kindle ebook.  The results can be viewed on a Kindle ereader or by any of the ‘Kindle for’ software apps including MAC, iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android Phone.

Starting Ingredients

1 Windows PC

1 Microsoft Word

1 Kindlegen Software app from Amazon (Download)

1 Kindle for PC Software app from Amazon (Download)

Instructions

Write your content in a Microsoft Word document (merge text, links and pictures as needed)

Save content as a Microsoft Word DOC file format (DOC is preferred for best results)

Save content (Save As) again as an html file format using Microsoft Word (extension .htm)

The Kindlegen Creation Process (This process creates a file in a MOBI file format)

Access: Windows Start Menu

Select steps: All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt

A Black dialogue box will appear with a > prompt

(Older versions of Windows: Start > Run > enter CMD and depress enter)

Next you’re going to switch to a new directory by entering the directory location of your html file. Then depress the enter key. There is a space between the CD and the directory location.

Example:

CD c:\blogging\posts

The prompt in the black dialogue box for the example above should look like this: >c:\blogging\posts

If you have installed Kindlegen direct from the Internet your directory should be: C:\kindlegen and the conversion program should be Kindlegen.exe. (change directory as needed)

Let’s assume for the following example your html file is named: cookbook030711.htm. You would substitute your file name for the example.

You would enter the following and depress the enter key. There is a space between the exe file and your html file name.

Example:

c:\kindlegen\kindlegen.exe cookbook030711.htm

This process should have created a MOBI file in the directory: c:\blogging\posts

Example:

c:\blogging\posts\Cookbook030711.mobi

If you have Kindle for PC installed and associated to the MOBI file format, you can access the ebook by going through Windows Explorer to the MOBI file and double clicking the file name. Kindle for PC will startup automatically with your new ebook displayed.

If you have not installed Kindle for PC, when you double click on the MOBI file name, Windows will prompt you to select the program associated with the MOBI format. Select Kindle for PC. This process will only occur the first time through the process.

Review your document format in the Kindle for PC app

Redo the process as needed

Transfer the MOBI file to your Kindle ereader via a USB cable by copying the file from your PC directory to the Kindle ebook library directory. Your Kindle has detail instructions on this process.

Review your ebook again

Add more content if you wish

Redo the process as needed

Your ebook Usage

Students: This is ideal for accumulating class notes, reference materials and excerpts so you can have information at your fingertips.

eBook Authors: This process can create a full blown ebook for ebook publication if you choose. I use it to check the progress of the ebook I am writing to make sure I am formatting the ebook properly. Then I unload the mobi file to Amazon DTP for publication. There is no emailing back and forth.

Teachers/Professors: This ebook can be used to create study guides, sample test questions,   assignment outlines and extra reading material. This is a great opportunity for educators to create their own e-textbook for publication as a reference.

Business: There are many ways businesses could use ebooks like instruction and user’s manuals, contracts and business transaction logs. They have been using PDF files for a long time to do this very thing.

Libraries: They could publish library rules and special catalogs via ebook. They need to learn this process and this is a great opportunity.

Real Estate: Realtors could summarize transaction history, including pictures, contracts, agreements, comp information and all communications into simple little ebook with an index and links.

e-Site books: Web sites could merge their website content into an encapsulated format with search capabilities and in-book links.

The list could go on and on.

This procedure is not magic and mirrors. It is a simple process that anyone can master. There are many advantages to ebooking your notes and miscellaneous information. One right off the top. Once created, the ebook can’t be changed by the reader. However the reader can add notes, highlights and bookmarks.

What do you think?  Can you think of any other thing we could add to our ebook recipe? Let me know. Let’s build a list of ideas.

View my website: HBSystems Publications

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com

Or goto my blog: The eBook Author’s Corner