Global Public Articles

Estimates now indicate that ebook sales have surpassed both the audiocassette and the audio CD in consumer preference. Ebooks are also ranked second only to traditional book publishing in current sales.

From an entrepreneurial standpoint, one of the greatest difficulties in looking at revenue producing ideas is to arrive at the party early enough to see the largest return on investment. The truth is ebooks may have been the best entrepreneurial choice in 2004, but as sales continue to climb ebooks are still an incredible investment tool.

Ebooks are one of the least expensive ways to publish and the end result is not reliant on a very fussy editor. You are able to retain an incredibly large portion of each sale; a percentage that far exceeds standard book royalties.

The ebooks being produced today do not conform to a single topic or style. They run the gamut from non-fiction to poetry, and children’s to fiction.

While it is true that anyone CAN develop an ebook it is equally true that not every ebook is a best seller. Many individuals see ebooks as an opportunity for wealth development, but either don’t spend enough time developing the ebook, they lack the skills to write or they have chose a topic that is either overdone or holds little interest in the market.

Many non-writing business owners have worked with freelance writers to develop a product on their behalf. This is done on a write-for-hire basis. In essence an author will draft the ebook contents and the business owner will assign their name to the finished product having purchased all rights to the work from the author.

In this way the business owner can be reasonably assured they have a product the consumer is interested in purchasing and stands the best chance of not only returning the cost of development, but can go on to produce additional and long-term wealth for the owner of the work.

Some authors have seen as much as $6,000 monthly from the sale of popular ebook titles. When you consider that ebooks can be placed on a website and transactions can take place without your involvement it becomes easy to see this type of business opportunity as a great business opportunity with minimal maintenance.

Ebooks can easily be an added feature to an existing business. What’s more, they can also be spun off in an affiliated agreement scenario where your title is available on other sites with a portion of the sale going to the affiliate and a portion to you as content owner.

Make A Website in minutes with the Website Builder at HighPowerSites.com. Start a HOME BUSINESS and Sell Ebooks at BooksWealth.com.

Is your book title the best it can be? I mean, does it do its job effectively? Is it clear and compelling? Or does its focus slink around like the letter “S”. Instead, write a sizzling book title designed to hook your potential readers and draw them in for the read.

One of the most important skills to develop as a marketer of your book is the skill of creating attention-grabbing titles. When you master this skill you may use it in every aspect of your writing to attract more readers, more sales, improve your cash flow and increase your profits.

You will need title writing skill for your book titles, chapter titles, sub-heading. Even the bullet points of your list will have pulling power if they are developed correctly. Don’t forget your website. Your website will need passionate headings to capture the attention of your web visitors.

In fact, all marketing material from your 5 page sales letter, tri-fold brochure or email campaign to the 2 line classified ad needs the attention grabbing power of a great headline.

Titles set the stage for your potential audience. They either work to grab your potential reader by the collar and pull them in for the read or they don’t. Top titles create excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm for more. You want your titles to express the heart and passion of your message. Here are 7 top title templates to help create your grab-you-by-the-collar titles:

1. Command your book readers through your book title.
“Get Clients Now!”
Most will say they don’t like being told what to do. But our human psyche seems to respond in spite of what we like. The command has an immediate effect. Why? It connects with the “Yes, I want that” spot within us all. Also, commands reassure us that helpful advice will follow to help us get what we want from the advice. It tells the readers it’s possible to achieve the benefit the author is claiming.

2. Include a How to in your book title.
“How to Make Your Article Marketing Go the Extra Mile”
People love magic pills, miracle solutions or just plain EASY. They love to learn with simple steps, easy ways and most of all fast. Combine it with a powerful benefit and you will reel your reader in every time. You decide. Does the title above, “How to Make Your Article Marketing Go the Extra Mile” or “16 Ways to Format Your Articles to Go Further” create a pull of interest?

3. Write a book title using a provocative statement.
“7 Book Writing Mistakes that Stamp Loser On Your Self Published Book & How to Avoid Them”
Are you saying I could be making mistakes that stamp loser on my self published book? You would want to know especially, if you’ve been working hard to self publish in excellence. Provocative statements pull at our attention like an electric shock. They make us curious. They sometimes make us mad. They make us feel a lot of different things but most of all they make us read.

4. Ask a question in your book title.
“Are You Getting Enough Sex In Your Marriage?
Most times people unconsciously answer the question you pose in their minds. The key is to provide the answers in your copy including statistics. For example, “Are You Afraid to Go Online ?” Like it or not, many are still cautious about going online and especially buying on the web. A Boston Consulting Group Consumer Survey found that 70% of respondents worry about making purchases online.”

5. Make a big promise in your book title.
“Write a Book and Grow Rich”
People will turn away from hype and never come back. But if you have a big gun promise, don’t be afraid to pull it out and use it. Consider carefully and use sparingly; then make your big promise and deliver. People will remember your promises and come back for more or purchase. Don’t forget to include the specific delivery or ‘how to’ in the content inside your big promise titled book.

6. Perplex your readers with a confusing book title.
“Who Moved My Cheese?”
Develop curiosity into your title. A seemingly opposite simile works like a charm. Use this one cautiously. Even so, sometimes the title that doesn’t make a lot of sense will pull your audience in for the read. Make sure the sub title does the explaining. Would the title above arouse your curiosity? The confusing title can capture the attention of your audience just to see what it’s about.

7. Offer your top benefit in the book’s title.
“Think and Grow Rich”
A winning non-fiction title immediately communicates the benefit readers will gain after reading your book. Benefit-oriented books often use the problem-solution approach. Master (A) this skill or technique and get (B) this benefit. Readers buy non-fiction books for a “benefit” for something that will help them, grow them, profit more, less expense, less trouble, gain more time, less stress, better relationships, better health, less drama, less trauma, more energy and vitality and less fatigue.

Develop the above valuable skill and you add magnetic pulling power and punch to all your marketing documents including your front book cover and chapter titles that will get your message read. Book titles set the stage for your potential audience. They either grab your potential reader by the collar or they don’t. Write a book title that gets your reader’s attention and make them want to read your important message. Title well and prosper!

Earma Brown, 13 year author and book writing coach
Get a free book publishing report when you sign-up for iScribe newsletter on book writing, publishing and marketing. Send any email to selfpublish@selfpublishinghouse.net or visit her at How to self publish a Book for more publishing resources and tips.

Which paper stock you choose when printing your book can have a huge impact on your print pricing. Coated or uncoated? Glossy finish, matte finish, or standard offset? What’s the opacity? What’s the weight? The answer to these questions will determine your paper pricing.

Book paper weights are different than the paper weight measurements you will see in an office supply store. A 20# bond that you would find at Staples is similar to a 50# offset at a book printer. A 24# bond is similar to 60# offset, 28# is similar to 70# offset, etc.

Typically, I would recommend that for a standard book with just black text (no color) and not a lot of images, 50# offset is just fine. If there are a lot of graphics in the book, you might want to bump up to 60# offset to eliminate some see-through from one side of the page to the other.

One thing I cannot emphasize enough - get print samples. There are a couple times when I have had a client tell me they knew exactly what type of paper they wanted to use, but then they were disappointed when they got the final product. Why? A friend of theirs had told them which paper stock to choose, and they ordered their books without ever seeing a paper sample. Don’t make the same mistake!

Children’s books or coffee table books that are printed in full color need a different paper stock than black & white books. You’ll want to think about whether to bump up to a glossy stock to make your pictures really shine on the paper. If you don’t like the glare of a glossy sheet, ask your printer if they have any matte coated stocks that would bring out the color of your images without the extra sheen.

Also, if your book is full color, a thicker paper may be necessary to make your book have a nicer feel to it and justify your sale price. If printing in the U.S., I usually recommend no lighter than a 70# or 80# gloss. If printing overseas, don’t go lighter than 120 gsm.

I can’t say it often enough: No matter which paper stock you think you want, ask your printer for some samples first.

Paperback covers overseas are usually printed using 250 gsm or 300 gsm cover stock. In the U.S. that translates to a 10 pt. C1S or 12 pt. C1S sheet. Also be sure to add gloss lamination to give your cover that extra pop!

It’s a tough question to answer, and one I hear all the time: Which paper stock should I choose for my book? And although it’s a tough question, it is an important one because the paper you choose will tell your potential buyer what kind of book this is. Go too cheap, you might lose some buyers to a different title. Go too expensive, you just wasted your money.

First-time publishers need to understand the difference between the paper they purchase at an office supply store versus what is used by a professional printing plant. While paper weights at an office supply store are measured as “bond,” printing plants use a different measurement called “offset.” I won’t get into the details of why bond and offset weights are different for the same type of paper, but just know that if you multiply a bond weight by 2.5, you get the offset weight. For example, the 24# bond paper you purchase at Office Max is the same thickness as a 60# offset sheet used by your printer.

Most black & white books with no photos are printed on either 50# or 60# offset. Going with 50# is adequate for most books and will save you some money. However, if you want your book to have a nicer feel to it, check out the extra cost for 60#. It might be worth it to you.

No matter what, be sure to ask your printer to send you paper samples. There is no substitute for feeling the paper in your hand to make sure your book has the feel you want it to have.

Children’s books or coffee table books that are printed in full color need a different paper stock than black & white books. You’ll want to think about whether to bump up to a glossy stock to make your pictures really shine on the paper. If you don’t like the glare of a glossy sheet, ask your printer if they have any matte coated stocks that would bring out the color of your images without the extra sheen.

Also, if you are printing in full color, you’ll definitely want a thicker paper stock. You don’t want any see-through for your color images from one side of the page to another. I usually recommend 80# gloss for most color books. If you want a little thicker, step up to 100# gloss. If you are trying to save cost, drop down to 70# gloss - but never less than that.

I’ll say it again: Samples, samples, samples. Don’t be shy about asking your printer for paper samples. It’s probably the most expensive choice you’ll make when printing your book; make sure you get it right!

When it comes to cover stock, for a paperback book a 10 pt. C1S cover is standard. However, it is usually very inexpensive to upgrade to a 12 pt. C1S cover. People do judge a book by its cover, so this might be a cost-effective upgrade.

Which paper stock you choose when printing your book can have a huge impact on your print pricing. Coated or uncoated? Glossy finish, matte finish, or standard offset? What’s the opacity? What’s the weight? The answer to these questions will determine your paper pricing.

First-time publishers need to understand the difference between the paper they purchase at an office supply store versus what is used by a professional printing plant. While paper weights at an office supply store are measured as “bond,” printing plants use a different measurement called “offset.” I won’t get into the details of why bond and offset weights are different for the same type of paper, but just know that if you multiply a bond weight by 2.5, you get the offset weight. For example, the 24# bond paper you purchase at Office Max is the same thickness as a 60# offset sheet used by your printer.

Typically, I would recommend that for a standard book with just black text (no color) and not a lot of images, 50# offset is just fine. If there are a lot of graphics in the book, you might want to bump up to 60# offset to eliminate some see-through from one side of the page to the other.

One thing I cannot emphasize enough - get print samples. There are a couple times when I have had a client tell me they knew exactly what type of paper they wanted to use, but then they were disappointed when they got the final product. Why? A friend of theirs had told them which paper stock to choose, and they ordered their books without ever seeing a paper sample. Don’t make the same mistake!

Choosing paper stock for a book printed in full color is sometimes a little trickier. You may want to go with a glossy paper stock to make any images “pop” a little more. However, glossy stock often feels thinner than standard paper stock.

Most full color books are printed overseas, where a different standard of paper measurement is used - grams per square meter (gsm). To calculate gsm, multiply the offset weight by approximately 1.5. So an 80# gloss sheet in the U.S. would be the same as a 120 gsm sheet overseas. You’ll definitely want a thicker paper stock for your color book versus a black & white book.

I’ll say it again: Samples, samples, samples. Don’t be shy about asking your printer for paper samples. It’s probably the most expensive choice you’ll make when printing your book; make sure you get it right!

Always ask for your book covers to include gloss lamination. Standard paperback cover stock is 10 pt. C1S. A C1S cover means that it is coated on one side for durability and to help the colors “pop” a little more. If your book is on the large side, consider bumping up to a 12 pt. cover for extra durability.