Students Of Success

This review of books is a little overdue but has come to fruition as a result of three convergent but independent factors: space, time and knowledge. Space, or rather the lack of it, is a direct consequence of sharing my home with four other people who strangely confine their books to the available shelving.

My children are yet young and can gradually be converted to the cause but I fear that my wife may be lost to it already. Don’t get me wrong, she loves books too but she particularly loves books that are attractively arranged on the shelf. There is a beauty to this symmetry but I find it a cold beauty as they sit all in a line shelf by shelf with, god forbid, their spines bright and buffed. Luckily, her influence in this respect only applies to the drawing room.

My influence applies elsewhere. One garage has metamorphosed into a repository for the spillage of books, accompanied by a big, old fashioned table football, a huge papier mache starfish mirror, a self confessed aberration by my wife, various cartoons which, for good and various reasons, didn’t make the cut in the house itself and a general sense of disorderliness. We’ve reached a sort of quid pro quo whereby she utilises the space beside the door for excess storage, immaculately packaged as usual, and averts her gaze from the relative chaos at the other end of the room. There is one area that is indisputably mine, however, and that is my study.

There is only one thing wrong with my study and that is its size. This inner sanctum contains, in general, those subjects I am especially interested in but, much as I have tried to classify them, the sheer wealth of material has progressively rendered this a most difficult task. The categories covered in my study range from philosophy, Judaism and counterculture to essays, humour and bibliophily but, equally, through want of space, exclude passions such as football, art and business, all demoted to secondary locations.

Nevertheless, a pile of 22 business books presently sits in my study, completely obscuring my view of the bottom shelf of biographies and partially so the one above. The column to its right comprises a random 16 strong selection, the next a further 12, plus 4 pamphlets, and you get the idea. I shall be reviewing in pretty short order every incumbent on my shelves, whether horizontal or vertical – that’s books, not me - and, by the time I’ve finished, auditing the books will take on an altogether different meaning. I shall thus be pruning my collection to ensure I have what I know and know what I have. Who knows what hides behind the column?

The very mention of time reminds me of a quite marvellous book which I have just plucked off the shelf beside me. This is “Time and the Art of Living” by Robert Grudin, an American academic, which I bought in 1988 and have only occasionally dipped into since. The author is a noted authority on both Shakesperean and Renaissance literature but is evidently a man of formidable erudition and lightness of touch, not dissimilar to Robertson Davies. Grudin’s exploration of time, through wise and pithy observations, is an absolute treat. Recommended. Also recommended is actually finding the time to read all these books. Many have lain untouched, unopened and unloved for years and, hopefully, this exercise will bring them to a new audience. I don’t pretend that I will ever read half the books I own but then many are designed for a dip rather than full immersion.

The real problem is that I buy books fairly frequently. Moreover, I find it exceedingly difficult to buy only one book when surrounded by so many. Most people have mastered the modest art of, broadly speaking, leaving with what they came in for. I am far too distracted, however, even in bad bookshops. Bad bookshops tend, alas, to be the rule rather than the exception. Most of the dominant retailers are conspicuous by poor signage, predictable display and a complete absence of what I would best describe as a comfort zone. Yet these disadvantages are insufficient to deter me from a quick gander from time to time, if only to draw upon their breadth of stock, so you can imagine the state I’m in when I enter a bookshop, replete with gaps, surprises and architecturally challenged shelving. There are some quite wonderful bookshops in both London and beyond but that’s a subject with numerous diversions, in more ways than one, which I must leave for another day.

I have frequently ruminated over what I have collected and why. Certainly, I am conscious of how little I know of so much and one might view this accumulation of books as a natural form of education. However, it would be a misconception to consider me well read. Widely read perhaps, but well read? No. I would struggle to name five classic works of fiction that I have read. I can safely say that in adulthood I have not granted daylight to a single page of Dickens, Tolstoy or Wordsworth. Darkness has similarly shrouded such titans of ancient civilisation as Socrates, Plato and Cicero. The great political, economic and social tracts have been largely dispatched to forgotten shelves and I have but a nodding acquaintance with classical music, opera and ballet and other such cultured pursuits.

So what have I got? On balance, I own a pretty eclectic collection of books acquired from charity shops, antiquarian dealers, unlikely places, second hand booksellers, village tearooms, overseas, unpromising situations, in the country, frankly, anywhere and everywhere. I’m fascinated as much by design or provenance or eccentricity as I am by the raw content. Of course, within that, I own innumerable mainstream titles, some perhaps a little unfashionable now, that may be regarded as a diverse barometer of public and critical taste. I also possess some extremely rare and unusual items but the key for me is to mix them up wherever possible. I simply enjoy the juxtaposition of an 1863 edition of “Memoirs of Remarkable Misers” alongside “Purple Cow” by marketing guru Seth Godin. I’m sure there’s a medical term for my condition but, unfortunately, I can’t reach the necessary dictionary just yet to confirm it.

I aim to pick up every single book on my shelves over the coming weeks and months and I hope will open my eyes, and indeed your eyes, to the multifarious pleasures of books. If a book I mention should appeal, please let me know if you wish to borrow it. My next missive will concentrate on 13 outsize volumes atop one of the main bookcases in my study. One or two lean towards coffee table territory but overall they represent a handsome selection of books that I look forward to sharing with you shortly. Onwards and upwards, as they say, or, perhaps, in my case, onwards and sideways.

Howard Lewis,
Chairman, Invaluable group of companies.

http://www.invaluable.com

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Find art, antiques and collectables. Try our Keyword search, register at http://www.invaluable.com for a free 14 day trial.

With today’s advanced technology it has never been easier for someone to start their own publishing business.

You can create and market your own ebook (electronic book) for an unbelievably low price (sometimes free). Furthermore, because the ebook is not a book but a computer file, you can offer it for immediate download once the purchase has taken place. The computer file is then downloaded (or copied) to the purchaser’s home computer, but you still own the original (or copy).

You have a continual inventory, night and day, without having to re-stock. There is no office space required, no staff other than yourself, and a fully automated payment and delivery system which requires very little maintenance. This really is the perfect business. The ultimate business.

Consumers are hungry for information. And they want it now! Electronic products provide the information and have immediate access.

Here are four key points that I wish to make here.

1. The information is out there, and it seems that everyone is trying to sell it. The same information, sometimes packaged differently but not always. I’m sure you’ve seen the adverts. The identical adverts selling the exact-same-identical product. One of the ways to be successful in this virtually new arena is to provide “niche” products. Information that no-one else is selling.

I could not even begin to do the subject justice in a small article such as this. I have (quite literally, whilst searching for inspiration) just found a gem of an ebook on the subject of “niche” ebook publishing. I am not affiliated with this ebook in any way, shape, or form. I simply offer it to help you, and because the information contained within is just too good. http://www.ebookresource.info/pages/downpages/business.html#n.

2. Duplicate your efforts. It is unlikely, but not unheard of, that you will stumble upon a product that everyone wants and will pay you huge sums of money to get their hands on. Duplication, or multiple streams of income, is the sure-fire way to success when it comes to selling information products online.

Write your first ebook and market like crazy, but don’t lose sight of the longer term. Have one eye focused on your next ebook project. For example, I had my first sales page up and working within a few short days, complete with affiliate scheme and shopping cart. I marketed my ebook like crazy. A few days later, I had my second ebook online and ready to go. I marketed my second ebook like crazy. Do you see where this is leading? It is highly unlikely that you will hit a winner with just one ebook, but multiply your efforts over a number of products and sell a few of each every week, and soon you will be reaping the benefits.

3. Offer something for free. On all my websites I offer a free ebook to download. I make sure that it is of the highest quality, because if it isn’t my customers will assume that the product I’m selling is of the same standard. A good place to get free etext to turn into an ebook is Project Gutenburg at http://www.gutenberg.org. Most of the etext here is out of copyright, but check the license of anything that you “borrow” from this site. The license is always included within the text file. For example, on my UFO Report site I am giving away a free copy of Jules Vernes’ “Around the Moon.” I downloaded this as a plain text file and converted it to a pdf file, making sure I had a link back to my website at the beginning and end of the ebook. I have also offered my free ebook to a number of ebook directories to give away. Not only am I giving away something free on my website, but I have my ebook listed on other websites across the web. With links back to my own site included, of course.

This is viral marketing, and it works incredibly well. On auto-pilot. Put a few hours work in at the beginning, then just sit back and reap the rewards. For years to come, with no more effort on your part. Let your free ebook guide people to your site. Another point to make here is that you should offer something free that is closely related to what you are selling. Thus, the people downloading your free ebook will already be predisposed toward the product you are selling.

4. Cross-promote your products/websites. However many products/websites you have, link them all together. Put a banner at the top/bottom of the page. Put a small, unobtrusive button down the left-hand side of the page. I always create a “Links” page for my websites, and try to gain exposure by linking to other websites in this way. It is important to remember that links to websites with similar subject material to yours will be of far greater value than links to unrelated websites. These are called “quality links” and most of the search engines love them.

I’m off to start work on my next project now. I wish you every success in your “niche” ebook venture.

This article is free for re-publishing.

Ian Basford is a successful ebook publisher. You can visit his free ebook website at http://www.ebookresource.info. He has associated with another hugely successful ebook entrepreneur, Jonathan Street. You can visit Jonathan’s niche ebook publishing website at http://www.ebookresource.info/recommends/protege.

1. Allow other e-zine publishers or web site owners
to republish small nuggets or excerpts of information
from your ebook with your byline or ad included.

2. Make extra profits from selling monthly updates
of your ebook. You could also back end sell the
extra never released chapters of your e-book.

3. Give away a free ebook and then give people an
option of buying the paid version of the ebook. Also
let others give away the free version of your ebook.

4. Divide your ebook content into reports then give
people the option of just purchasing the info they
want.

5. Purchase reprint rights to other people’s ebooks
an combine them with your in a large package deal
or private ebook library web site.

6. Change the benefits on your ebook ad copy into
links. When people click on it take them right to the
order page. It’ll give them a urge to buy your ebook.

7. Charge people a cheap price to read half of your
ebook. If they like it, they can pay full price to read
the other half.

8. Offer freebies that are related to the ebook your
selling. It could be free monthly ebook updates,
free e-zine, free consulting, etc.

9. Show your prospects a sample page out of your
ebook. Just black out some of the important info.
This will make your prospects curious to buy.

10. Provide a low and high priced version of your
ebook. Show benefits of each version side by side.
People usually spend a little more for extra info.

11. Offer the reprint rights to your ebook. You can
sell the rights with the regular purchase price or as
a separate higher price.

12. Make your ebook available for offline people.
Your could turn it into a print book, report, video,
audio book, print newsletter, etc.

13. Redesign your ebook for specific niches. You
can create multiple profits with very little work. Ex:
Turn a business ebook into a craft business ebook.

14. Give your prospects discount coupons on other
products when they purchase your ebook. It could
be your products or others that you made deals with.

15. Divide your ebook into online newsletter issues.
You could charge a reoccurring monthly subscription
for people to view each issue.

About the author:

Rojo Sunsen is a specialized bounty hunter who prefers to work quietly/confidentially for the benefit of her clients.

Baseline Selling: How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know About the Game of Baseball
By Dave Kurlan
Authorhouse (2005)
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (1/06)

Baseline Selling was written by a man that knows sales. Dave Kurlan started selling while still in his childhood years. Greeting cards, knives, pots and pans - he ran the gamut. Kurlan’s sales career paralleled so much of my own that I could relate to him immediately. When he spoke of the Wearever incident it brought fond memories of my own Wearever days (burning apples in the “Waterless Cookware”). Kurlan has truly paid his dues in the sales profession. Now, he passes on his many years of knowledge in these 203 pages.

Baseline Selling is so much more than just an instructional book on sales and closing techniques, it is an in depth book on the business of sales. From First Base to Home Plate, Kurlan makes you a player. He explains the “Five ways to get to first base”, “The Seven Challenges” of getting there, and everything in between. Topics such as goal planning, how to reach decision makers, phone manners and prospecting, just to name a few, are covered.

Then on to “Second and the Quality,” “Cause and Effect” and a very important one, “Too Much Empathy ” and many more items of interest. Kurlan shows how to overcome prospect problems by learning to anticipate them.

As I continued running to Third, I was shown how to demonstrate added value in a presentation to a prospect. I was shown how to present my company as a solution to the prospects problem and how to help the prospect make a decision, as to his present vendor or my company.

Finally, rounding third and heading for Home Plate, Kurlan hit this reader with, “The Six Biggest Presentation Challenges.” Things to say, do, not say and not do. My favorite was, “Mouth Marbles,” where the author suggests a course in speech therapy. Kurlan goes further into dealing with objections and shows the proper close. At Home Plate he stresses the theories of closing and how it is all in the timing. He concludes the book with a very interesting chapter on, “Account Management,” and what to do after the sale.

Baseline Selling is definitely a Homerun for Kurlan. His presentation of this very informative volume made for an enjoyable experience. In my usual manner with a great book, I give Kurlan and Baseline Selling an A+ (Must read).

William Phenn is a reviewer for Reader Views
http://www.readerviews.com

How does this eBook writing process actually work for an individual? It is truly a unique experience for all of us. I will share with you some personal thoughts about my process.

The start of the process is the idea. That’s never been a problem for me. I consider myself an “idea” man; a person who can brainstorm both real and fanciful ideas that I hope others will recognize as important and ‘run with them’. I don’t have the time or energy to pursue all the ideas myself nor would I want to. Most people have marvellous ideas for eBooks. We’ve all said to ourselves, “Some day I would like to write a book about _____________.”

Assuming you have the idea for an eBook, what happens next? Ignoring the formatting and research and gathering of resources and all those myriad of other things you must physically do to write the eBook, what is the process really like? I keep an expandable file folder for ideas. My optimism says it must be expandable! I also keep small notepads or scraps of paper handy at all times to record my wonderful ideas! One thing I’ve learned is to put enough detail into these notes so they make sense several days, weeks or months later. Too often I’ve re-read my jottings only to find out they don’t make any sense at all and I wonder why I even bothered to make a note in the first place. Or I frustrate myself because that gem of an idea is gone!

Certain activities are more conducive than others for getting those little brain waves. I find driving the car or riding my bicycle on long rides produce most of my ideas. Waiting in doctor’s offices is inspirational. Talking to others about the topic also elicits good ideas which I promptly write down and thank the person to whom I am speaking for providing me with a good idea. So does going to bed and reading a magazine. I think it’s the nodding off that does it!

I also like to play around with titles for my eBook. It’s great fun and gives your more creative side of the brain a chance to do something useful. Let you imagination loose on the job of a title. The more of these you write the more you are also painting that ‘big picture’ of envisioning your eBook in print. Think also about what graphics or pictures may appear on the cover. You will have many options when the time comes to choose a title. Enjoy the process.

Everyone has some specific time of the day when she/he is at her/his best to write. Ideas may come at any time but writing and organizing thoughts require a special time for most people. My most productive time is early morning especially if I wake up early (even 4:30 a.m.!) and my brain has ideas flowing! I get up and write. If I have little time I will jot down ideas in point form under a heading so I have enough details to flush it out later. Whatever your time, you will probably, like myself, need some quiet time. Quiet makes me more productive and since I only write when I am ready to do so, I don’t want to waste any time. I let my ideas flow during these sessions. I handwrite my notes using short cuts for words. I also keep an outline of topics handy to jot down ideas under the appropriate topic so I don’t forget them.

I use the computer and word processing software to produce the draft copies from my handwritten notes. I do this ‘translation’ of my notes to the keyboard ones during those times when I am not at my creative best like late afternoon or early evening. I still keep note pads handy for any ‘flashes of brilliance’ that may come my way.

Once I’ve got the draft copy done I print it off with double or triple spacing and in a print quality as low as I can get to preserve my cartridge. The spacing is for corrections and changes which I do in red. If someone else is also going to proof your material he/she can write their suggestions in a different colour on the same draft copy. I also do this same thing using a red font directly on the document on the computer. I sometimes make a duplicate of the document and use the duplicate for editing.

I also produce a “data sheet” for longer documents or projects that outlines what technical information I may require another time. The data sheet includes font types, sizes, colours for diagrams, special formatting used, tab settings, margin sizes, types of borders, location of graphics I used, … This is particularly a good idea if you plan writing a sequel to the material and is also much easier than going back to the original document to get the information. I store this information with the finished document in the same folder for easier reference. Something to think about!

I usually read the draft document after I’ve printed it and carry it around with me for several days or weeks. Any opportunity I have to read it I can do so and make changes or add ideas. This is also a way to subconsciously be working on the document just by reminding myself it exists every time I look at it. The subconscious does good work! Make sure you jot down what the subconscious tells you, though, because this part of the brain isn’t too good at memory! I have a theory that you should only try to remember those things that are absolutely essential. Everything else should be written down for reference. If something is important to remember that with continual or repeated use it will make its way to your permanent memory. I marvel at ‘trivia’ experts but can’t figure out why they would keep so much stuff in their brain when so little of it is of much use. In any case, it is important that you leave the document alone for a while so you can move on to other things and return to it when the mood strikes or the deadline looms! Being ready to do the re-writing process is important. This necessitates something else in terms of planning. You can’t leave things to the last minute. You must write early, let the ideas percolate in the brain, write, re-write and edit then publish well before it needs to be ready.

As soon as I know I must write something or have a deadline for completion of a project I immediately write out a “skeleton” of the finished product. You almost invariably have ideas come immediately to mind or have questions you need answered. Write something down. This may include a fanciful title and possible topics or chapter titles. This again facilitates the subconscious brain working on the project in the background of your busy day. I also jot down any ideas that may be worth exploring, any people who readily come to mind who could help me, and any past experiences I’ve had or material I’m aware of that would help with the finished project. These initial notes I find the most helpful of all. The real value comes when I finally get back to being serious about working on the project. I’ve got that ‘kick-start’. I’m not starting with a blank slate but with something already written. A blank piece of paper or blank computer screen can be intimidating. It is so much easier to begin the writing with something already done.

I also tend to work in spurts. I have a long period of time when the writing stage is paramount in importance. I “feel” like writing. I don’t want to work on the computer. Then I have a time when my brain just doesn’t cooperate and the creative writing isn’t coming. That’s when I do the technical stuff or transcribe my scribbled jottings on to the computer monitor. I work hard for a few days, get bored or tired, leave it for a while then come back to it with enthusiasm. That’s probably why I like to set an artificial targeted completion date well before the actual one. That gives me time to stop and start or start and stop whichever way you want to look at it!

Much of what I’ve said here isn’t earth-shattering stuff. In fact, none of it is! But understanding how you operate best is important. Teaching others to understand how they operate is important too. There is no magic formula for doing work and accomplishing tasks. I work best in spurts. I do the thinking when I am ready to do it. I do the creative writing and jotting of ideas when I’m ready. I do the formal writing when my creative juices aren’t flowing but I have some energy. I do the editing and re-writing when I’ve had plenty of time to leave the project for a while and return to it, sometimes several times, when my mind is fresh or when I’ve had input from others. It works for me.

What’s your personal story about producing written work? I’d be interested in hearing it.

Know what works best for you and keep repeating it, refining it, massaging it…
Perfection in your own mind! There is no better feeling than a job well done.

© 2005 Paul Jackson

Paul Jackson is a published eBook author who has worked with hundreds of eBook authors helping them reach their dream of writing a book. His experiences with writing eBooks, conducting Book Camps, hosting teleseminars, doing workshops and coaching wannabe and published authors means eBook Authoring Services at http://www.ebookwritingandpublishing.com
is a good source of information for all eBook authors.

What do you do when you spend your valuable time and energy on creating an ebook? Do you start selling it online and then spend a lot of time to create another ebook from scratch?

What if I told you that you can create an ebook once and easily multiple your profits from it? Would you be interested to discover these profit-pulling ideas?

If you’ve read Part 1 and Part 2 of this article, you’ve discovered 8 hot ideas on how to multiple your ebook profits. Now here are 3 more creative ideas…

Hot Idea #9: Turn Your Publication into Software

You can create a software program that automates or simplifies what you teach in your ebook.

For example if you sell an ebook on how to write profit-pulling sales letters, you can create a tool that offer sales letter templates and people can simply fill in the blanks and have their own killer sales letter ready in minutes.

You can sell your software as a backend to your ebook and also a new stand-alone product. Since using software is easier than learning to do it yourself from scratch, many people will buy your software.

Hot Idea #10: Turn Your eBook into an Audio Course

You can create an audio course simply by recording your voice while reading your ebook text. You just need to add a little emotion and excitement to it to make it feel more live. You can also add a part to it whenever you feel is needed.

After you finish creating your audio course, you can sell it on CD or as downloadable audio.

Since audio courses offer a higher perceived value, you can sell your audio course for a higher price. For example if your ebook costs $37, you can sell your audio course for $97.

So why would people pay the extra money to buy the audio course?

Because some people learn much better by listening than just reading. What’s more, listening to someone talking to us with excitement is much more fun than staring at the white screen for a long time.

Hot Idea #11: Start a Success Stories Membership Website

When you sell your ebook for a while, there must be some of your customers who have followed your teachings and have gotten amazing results by doing what you told them.

You can create a membership site and each month, interview one of your successful customers who has gotten the results your other customers want to achieve.

Your goal should be helping him reveal his secrets to success the way it’s easy to understand and follow for other people. Then you’ll publish that interview on your membership site for other members.

This will be a great backend for your ebook because your ebook customers would love to see how they can get results in action.

Also seeing how other people just like themselves have reached what you promise, gives them hope and motivation which will also reduces the number of refund requests.

Final Thoughts

Let me share a secret with you…

To become more and more successful online, you need to be creative and think outside the box.

Millions of people have their own website and try to make money online.

To stay above the crowd, you need to be “unique”!

The 11 creative ideas that you just discovered are very valuable and will help you make multiple your profits from the ebook you create once.

But you shouldn’t stop at these 11 ideas. Try to find more and more ideas to multiple your profits with the minimum amount of time and effort.

You can do it!

So what are you waiting for?

To your success,

Ladan Lashkari

About The Author: Ladan Lashkari is a respected Internet marketing expert and the author of How to Find Best-Selling Product Ideas and also many Internet marketing articles that show you killer tips and tricks to create your own profit pulling products and newsletters.

To grab a FREE copy of “Best-Selling Ideas” Master’s Course, simply visit her website at: http://www.FindProductIdeas.com

You only have to do a quick search on Google to see how popular Ebooks have become: and the main reason is not the literary prowess of Ebook authors, but rather the ability to make your Ebook available to a niche market. The publishing costs of producing a paper-and-ink product are prohibitive - unless of course you’re aiming for the large commercial market.But the costs of producing an Ebook are minimal. All you need is an idea, a computer, a little software and access to the internet.

But I have never written a book before.

This is the cry of many would-be authors. And they couldn’t be more wrong. There are only 2 main points you need to keep in mind:

Firstly, write about something you know, something you are passionate about. And if you need to expand your ideas simply use the internet. A search on Google (or any other search engine) will bring back a plethora of resources for you to use. (This doesn’t mean to say you should copy information verbatim - but taking the general flow of a particular article and translating it into your own particular style is quite acceptable).

Secondly, keep it simple. Don’t try to write for a large audience - imagine you are talking to one person, having a conversation with a friend maybe, and try to convey your interest in a simple and straightforward style.

What Ebook software to use.

There was a time when all Ebooks were in PDF format. Although many Ebooks are still written using this format, a huge industry has grown up whose sole aim is to make Ebook creation as simple as possible. Personally, I use Ebook Generator which allows you to compile a series of web pages, along with all the associated links, into an Ebook with just a few clicks. But searching on the internet you can find a variety of software packages at reasonable prices that will do just the job you need. My advice is to start out small and only when you feel more self-assured (and perhaps have had a little commercoal success) should you invest in something a little more advanced.

Marketing.

This is probably the hardest part (especially if you have no experience in any kind of marketing). But again, a lot of the hard work has been done for you. Companies like clickbank are set up to allow you to distribute your Ebook without having to bother about the technical side of Ebook delivery. And most companies offer some sort of affiliate scheme which recruits other people to sell your Ebook for you (for a modest percentage of course). But since you don’t have to pay anything until you actually make a sale, you’ve got nothing to lose.

So why not give it a try - you’ve got nothing to lose (except a little of your time) - and there’s nothing more satsfying than making that first sale.

Phil Marson has been interested in natural living and ebook writing for many years. You can visit him HERE

It’s not true that everything that has been said has already been written. Since that unfortunate axiom came into use, the whole universe has changed. Technology has changed, ideas have changed, and the mindsets of entire nations have changed.

The fact is that this is the perfect time to write an ebook. What the publishing industry needs are people who can tap into the world as it is today - innovative thinkers who can make the leap into the new millennium and figure out how to solve old problems in a new way. Ebooks are a new and powerful tool for original thinkers with fresh ideas to disseminate information to the millions of people who are struggling to figure out how to do a plethora of different things.

Let’s say you already have a brilliant idea, and the knowledge to back it up that will enable you to write an exceptional ebook. You may be sitting at your computer staring at a blank screen wondering, “Why? Why should I go through all the trouble of writing my ebook when it’s so impossible to get anything published these days?

Well, let me assure you that publishing an ebook is entirely different than publishing a book in print. Let’s look at the specifics of how the print and cyber publishing industry differ, and the many reasons why you should take the plunge and get your fingers tapping across those keyboards!

Submitting a print book to conventional publishing houses or to agents is similar to wearing a hair shirt 24/7. No matter how good your book actually is, or how many critique services and mentor writers have told you that “you’ve got what it takes,” your submitted manuscript keeps coming back to you as if it is a boomerang instead of a valuable mine of information.

Perhaps, in desperation, you’ve checked out self-publishing and found out just how expensive a venture it can be. Most “vanity presses” require minimal print runs of at least 500 copies, and even that amount will cost you thousands of dollars. Some presses’ minimal run starts at 1,000 to 2,000 copies. And that’s just for the printing and binding. Add in distribution, shipping, and promotional costs and - well, you do the math. Even if you wanted to go this route, you may not have that kind of money to risk.

Let’s say you already have an Internet business with a quality website and a quality product. An ebook is one of the most powerful ways to promote your business while educating people with the knowledge you already possess as a business owner of a specific product or service.

For example, let’s say that you’ve spent the last twenty-five years growing and training bonsai trees, and now you’re ready to share your knowledge and experience. An ebook is the perfect way to reach the largest audience of bonsai enthusiasts.

Ebooks will not only promote your business - they will help you make a name for yourself and your company, and establish you as an expert in your field. You may even find that you have enough to say to warrant a series of ebooks. Specific businesses are complicated and often require the different aspects to be divided in order for the reader to get the full story.

Perhaps your goals are more finely tuned in terms of the ebook scene. You may want to build a whole business around writing and publishing ebooks. Essentially, you want to start an e-business. You are thinking of setting up a website to promote and market your ebooks. Maybe you’re even thinking of producing an ezine.

One of the most prevalent reasons people read ebooks is to find information about how to turn their Internet businesses into a profit-making machine. And these people are looking to the writers of ebooks to provide them with new ideas and strategies because writers of ebooks are usually people who understand the new cyberspace world we now live in. Ebook writers are experts in Internet marketing campaigns and the strategies of promoting and distributing ebooks. The cyberspace community needs its ebooks to be successful so that more and more ebooks will be written.

You may want to create affiliate programs that will also market your ebook. Affiliates can be people or businesses worldwide that will all be working to sell your ebooks. Think about this? Do you see a formula for success here?

Figure out what your subject matter is, and then narrow it down. Your goal is to aim for specificity. Research what’s out there already, and try to find a void that your ebook might fill.

What about an ebook about a wedding cake business? Or an ebook about caring for elderly pets? How about the fine points of collecting ancient pottery?

You don’t have to have three masters degrees to write about your subject. People need advice that is easy to read and easily understood. Parents need advice for dealing with their teenagers. College students need to learn good study skills - quickly. The possibilities are endless.

After you’ve writtten your ebook

Getting your ebook out is going to be your focus once you’ve finished writing it, just as it is with print books. People will hesitate to buy any book from an author they’ve never heard of. Wouldn’t you?

The answer is simple: give it away! You will see profits in the form of promoting your own business and getting your name out. You will find affiliates who will ask you to place their links within your ebook, and these affiliates will in turn go out and make your name known. Almost every single famous ebook author has started out this way.

Another powerful tool to attract people to your ebook is to make it interactive. Invent something for them to do within the book rather than just producing pages that contain static text. Let your readers fill out questionnaires, forms, even crossword puzzles geared to testing their knowledge on a particular subject. Have your readers hit a link that will allow them to recommend your book to their friends and associates. Or include an actual order form so at the end of their reading journey, they can eagerly buy your product.

When people interact with books, they become a part of the world of that book. The fact is just as true for books in print as it is for ebooks.

That’s why ebooks are so essential. Not only do they provide a forum for people to learn and make sense of their own thoughts, but they can also serve to promote your business at the same time.

Jane runs the website www.home-industry.com - a work at home directory which regularly reviews and updates details of the latest internet home business ideas and opportunities.

To get your own money making website set up free visit: www.home-industry.com/pips.html

To receive a free email marketing course send a blank email to: home-industry@getresponse.com

There is no argument that information products will continue to be a hot seller on the internet. People surf around looking for information on every topic imaginable. If you have, or can research and gather information on a hot topic, you can make huge sums of money selling it online.

Many people, just like you, have made massive amounts of money by selling their information products on the internet. And so can you.

Every day more and more people use the internet to search for the information they want. They want information that will help solve their problems. And they want it instantly.

With ebooks, you can deliver the information they want instantly. Ebooks are books in electronic format. This means your customers can instantly download your ebook from your website. No need to wait days waiting for the ebook to arrive. Your customers can be anywhere in the world. They can still download your ebook once their payment has been processed.

You can make money whether you’re sitting in front of your computer or not. Your website does the selling for you. Your website takes the order and delivers the product without any involvement on your part. You can go on vacation, anytime you want without having to worry.

You don’t have to have special training to be able to do this business. This is a simple business anyone can operate. It is a business where you can start with little investment, and still become hugely successful.

You can always find a hot subject to write about and people will always buy information. Especially when they can get it instantly.

From my own research I have determined that it is more profitable to write in the areas of wealth, health, and happiness. People want to know how to save money, how to make more money, how to start a business. They are interested in information on how to lose weight, how to gain muscle, how to improve their sex life, etc. People will always pay to read information covering hobbies.

Before you start creating your information product, research your market to see if there is a demand for this information. You can use keyword tools, such as, Wordtracker and Overture’s keyword suggestion tool to find out what people are interested in. You can also visit online booksellers and take a quick peek at their best- sellers.

Once you’ve determined that your ebook will be a winner, it’s time to write it. You just need to create the pages in a word processor, then convert it into an ebook using appropriate software and make it available for download from your website.

If you don’t have the time or desire to create your own ebook, you can make money by purchasing resale rights to someone else’s products.

Obtaining resale rights to successful products is one of the many ways that you can make money without having to create anything. Then, you can get to keep all the money from each sale. You never have to pay any royalties. Instead of getting a percentage as you would from an affiliate program, you keep 100% of the profits from every sale you make.

It lets you start selling the product right away. All you have to do is make the necessary changes to the sales page, upload it to your server and start making sales.

To sell your product online, you’ll need a domain name for your business. Next, you need a website dedicated to selling your product. Make sure that your business has facilities to accept online payments. Once you’ve created your website and have set up a system to process payments, you need a reliable web host.

Now you’re ready for the advertising campaign. You can have the best looking website online. You can have high quality, high demand information products, have your payment processing system set up to process all of your orders. But if you don’t have customers, then you won’t make money.

So, you have to advertise. You have to drive traffic to your website. If you don’t advertise and drive traffic to your website, no one is going to buy your ebook. Advertise your ebook through search engines, ezines, articles, forums and any other means available to you.

Selling information on the internet is a very lucrative business. People will always seek, and pay for information that will enrich their lives. This business has made a lot of people very rich. You too can make a fortune in this multi-billion dollar industry.

Conleth C Onu is the author of “How To Make A Fortune Writing And Publishing Your Own Hot Selling Ebooks.” This ebook takes you step by step through brainstorming, writing and marketing your own high-demand ebook. Visit http://www.howtopublishebooks.com and http://www.conlethonupublishing.com

Today we are talking with Betsy Durkin Matthes, author of “Dressing the Man You Love.” Welcome to Reader Views Betsy.

Betsy: Thank you. I’m delighted to be here.

Juanita: “Dressing the Man You Love” is a thoroughly detailed compendium of information. How did you go about researching and compiling the information into book form?

Betsy: Actually I compiled the information in very much the same way I wrote term papers while I was in college. I poured through massive amounts of material, filling out index cards with information, always making sure to list their sources and page numbers. Later, when I began my actual writing, I was able to divide my subject matter into chapter headings and could always refer back at any point to double check facts. I also spent a great deal of time talking to women, taking notes on their ideas and suggestions. I think you could say that I assembled the book piece by piece much as a brick layer constructs a building.

Juanita: Betsy, what inspired you to write “Dressing the Man You Love?”

Betsy: Initially it was my desire to support my fellow actors. Three years ago Joan Jaffe, an actress and a lifetime friend, told me about a class in “on-camera techniques” that she was teaching at the Screen Actor’s Guild Conservatory. I volunteered to do some research for her on various aspects of dress. It was at that time that I became fascinated with men’s classic clothing.

Juanita: Why do you think there is such a lack of knowledge regarding classic men’s clothing?

Betsy: I wouldn’t say that there is a lack of knowledge really. It’s more that it’s spread about in many diversified locations. During the course of writing, I discovered many wonderful sources of information written by some of the acknowledged giants in the world of men’s fashion. What I felt was needed was to bring it all together for women in a form that would be easily accessible as well as enjoyable to read.

Juanita: What can readers expect from your book “Dressing the Man You Love?”

Betsy: They can expect to find down-to-earth information on men’s classic clothing. I have tried to present useful facts in a non-intimidating way with a lot of easily understood illustrations. Some of the topics I cover in the book include, assessing a man’s clothing needs, the best suit cuts for major body types, color considerations for different complexions, recognizing the important elements of quality and a great deal more.

Juanita: Tell us a little of your thoughts regarding how successful attire can equate to success in life?

Betsy: I think we would all like to believe that our various talents are all we require to win the opportunities for success in life that we seek. Whether we like it or not, first impressions open the door to these opportunities. When we don’t take the time to care about how we look, we send the message to others that we approach our work in the same haphazard manner. Is this a fair assumption? Possibly not; but it is a fact of life.

Juanita: Why focus on ‘classic’ clothing for men as apposed to fashion and trends

Betsy: Classic is forever. Like a great movie we can experience it over and over again and never cease to appreciate its value. And buy the way, classic dressing for a man doesn’t necessarily mean up-tight and conservative. What it does mean is tasteful styling that has stood the test of time. Trends come and go. Classic dressing for men will always be around.

Juanita: What could be the biggest stumbling block or challenge a woman may have choosing a new wardrobe for the man in her life?

Betsy: Getting his cooperation. Shopping, as every woman knows, is not a man’s favorite thing to do. Still, when you love someone, you enjoy doing things together; so why should shopping for his new wardrobe be the exception? In my book I give women a few simple rules to follow that will not only get the job accomplished, but will allow her to do it in such a way that it becomes enjoyable for both parties.

Juanita: What advice do you give women that can not afford to immediately purchase a whole new wardrobe? Any tips on essentials or how they can integrate new pieces as the budget permits?

Betsy: When shopping for a new wardrobe especially with a major change of career involved, a few standard core pieces should be selected initially. After these purchases he can then move on to expand his inventory. For example, a young man graduating from college and moving into the world of corporate business is going to need the “ultimate power” solid navy blue suit with complimentary shirts and ties for a start. His second purchase should be a charcoal gray suit. Once he gains a foothold in his new profession with the accompanying salary increases, a lighter gray or navy pinstripe is in order. Buying selectively, and knowing what to purchase first can help him to look his very best on a limited budget.

Juanita: Do you talk about dressing different body types in “Dressing the Man You Love?”

Betsy: Yes, I do. The entire first chapter is dedicated to assessing men’s various body types and the best suit cuts for each. I also discuss the most appropriate fabrics, patterns and colors, not only for his suits, but for his accompanying dress shirts, ties, belts, shoes and pocket squares. For example, a shorter, heavy set man will look best in a dark, solid or vertically striped suit, made up in a smooth woolen fabric, with side vents in the jacket, and cuff-less trousers. For him the object is to create a long un-interrupted line from his jacket collar to the floor. This in turn will help him look taller and slimmer.

Juanita: You talk about the triangle of interest. What is that exactly?

Betsy: The triangle of interest is the area just below a man’s chin. It includes the labels of his jacket, the collar of his shirt and his tie. This is the most important area to focus on when putting together a man’s outfit. The color, angles, and proportion of the items in this triangle will either enhance or detract from his facial features making or breaking that all important first impression.

Juanita: “Dressing the Man You Love” is geared towards women dressing the men in their life. Is it also written in a way that a man without a significant female in his life could read it and change the direction of his wardrobe?

Betsy: Absolutely. Although my original intention was to direct my book to women shopping for their men, I have been delighted to find that men are reading the book as well. It seems that men know less about their own classic wardrobes then I had thought, and they are anxious to know more. From my point of view this makes “Dressing the Man You Love” a more than useful resource for women; it makes it a resource for single men as well

Juanita: Betsy, you have had a significant and successful career as an actress, singer/ dancer and as a lyricist. Your work has included Broadway, off-Broadway, touring productions, day time dramas, over 100 television commercials, and songs that have been recorded by major artists. What has this impressive life experience taught you about the importance of “dressing for the part you want?”

Betsy: As a young actress, I learned very quickly that “dressing for the part” gets you the job. As you have so kindly pointed out, I have done a lot of television commercials over the years. I don’t believe for a moment that I was always the best actress auditioning; but I certainly did take the time to present myself as the character for which I was being considered in each of the winning commercials. I think that holds true in any and all professions.

Juanita: I understand that you went back to college and received a degree at the Marymount Manhattan College in 1996. Tell us about your scholastic history and what led you back to college at this point?

Betsy: Much to my parent’s horror when I graduated from high school I decided, instead of heading off to college, to accept a scholarship to The American Theatre Wing in New York City. After attending the wing for only one year, however, I obtained my first professional job as Polly in “The Boy Friend” with the Cherry Lane Theater. From there I went on to have a long and rewarding career. Still, I always felt very badly that I had never received a real college education. So later in my life, I decided to enroll at Marymount Manhattan College. I wasn’t even sure that I was college material, but I was determined to give it a try. It was a tremendous experience for me. I even graduated in 1996 as the class Valedictorian. Aside from all that I learned from getting my degree in both International and Women’s Studies, I discovered that there is never any one time in person’s life for doing anything. If you are willing to put in the effort, wonderful and surprising things can happen to you at any stage in your life.

Juanita: Well Betsy, with a whole new audience evolving from your writing talents, you will continue to be an inspiration for many years to come. Thank you for talking with Reader Views today. Your book “Dressing the Man You Love” is a classy, definitive, easy-to-follow guide that is not only highly informative, but a complete joy to read. Please let your readers know how they may find out more about your endeavors, and do you have any final thoughts for us today?

Betsy: I have really enjoyed sharing this time with you. For any of your readers who would like to obtain more information on “Dressing the Man You Love,” they can visit my website at www. dressingthemanyoulove.com. I have included a little peak into my chapter on men’s shoes, some additional tips on selecting men’s classic clothing and a listing of any up-coming events including book signings where I hope women will join me in sharing their own unique experiences. There are many expressions of love, but I believe that helping your man feel better about himself by assisting him in looking his very best is a kind of love that men never fail to recognize and truly appreciate.