Ebooks have a relatively short production cycle. You write the book, edit it, design a cover for it, and convert it to pdf. If you’re aiming for wider distribution, you can also do Kindle and epub versions so your ebook can also be read on iPhones, the Nook, and Sony’s reader. It’s also pretty easy to get your ebook listed on ebook sites.

Many authors have a bias against ebooks because they’re not “real” books. They want to hold that printed book in their hands. I can understand that. But there’s a growing segment of the population that prefers to read books on an e-reader or their smart phone. You don’t want to miss that market.

Here’s some possibilities for publication you can consider:

• Print a short run – 500 to 1000 copies of your book for the print book lovers and the bookstores and other retail outlets.
• Produce epub, Kindle, and pdf versons of your book to distribute on ebook stores, Amazon, and on your own web site.
• Plan on updating the ebook version more often if the basic information continues to be relevant and you want your book to maintain it’s relevance. Or publish the updates in a sequel to the original book.
• Reprint the printed book combined with those updates – another 500 to 1000 copies – when you need to.

Tutorials:

1. How to Podcast from Jason Van Orden, author of Promoting Your Podcast.

2. Podcasting tutorial from GuidesandTutorials.com.

3. If you’re a Mac user, here’s one on how to use GarageBand to podcast.

4. Here’s a video on how to use Audacity (a free audio recording software) to podcast. (See Equipment below for a link to download Audacity.)

5. How Stuff Works tells you How Podcasting Works.

Equipment

1. Audacity is free audio recording software. Here’s a handy tutorial on how to use it.

2. Microphones for podcasting: Here’s a video from jupiterbroadcasting.

3. Amazon.com had a ton of them. Search on “podcasting microphones” and check the reviews.

4. Guidesandtutorials.com had a nice review of microphones.

5. Podcasting News had a nice video on podcasting microphones under $100

Distribution or Now That You Have a Podcast, What Do You Do With It?

Post them here:

1. iTunes store

2. digitalpodcast.com

3. Here’s another tutorial on voices.com on how to podcast plus how to distribute it.

4. mypodcast.com

5. You can also self-host your podcasts on your WordPress blog

There’s several hundred more resources (at least.) Here’s another thing you might try: download a free podcast for yourself and get a flavor of what’s going on. You, too, might become a fan!

Here’s why:

• The podcast audience is projected to grow from 17.4 million in 2008 to over 37 million by 2013. (source: eMarketer)
• According to a pricegrabber.com survey, some 50% of mostly online buyers say they listen to podcasts
• Media companies are starting to repackage content from radio or TV programs into podcasts with favorable results from consumers.
• Smart phones!  Even though I can’t read off that small a surface (my arms aren’t long enough) more and more people load ebooks and podcasts on their phones and use them as a primary source of entertainment. In fact, the average iPhone user spends 55% of their time on their phones doing something other than talking on it.

Aside from the ever-growing podcast demand, here’s another reason why you should consider adding an audio version of your book:

It’s really hard to get people to read a book by an unknown author. But if they get a chance to sample it in a different format – audio – for free – you have a fighting chance to get their attention. Having your book available on different podcast sites for download is also a great way to add to your book’s visibility. You can also publicize the availability of your podcasts through your social media sites.

Will people buy a printed book after listening to it for free? Chances are some will, as a souvenir. And chances are they will talk about your book and spread the word.

In my next post, I’ll tell you how easy it is to create your own podcasts.

CIPA Workshop: Shows Authors and Would-Be Authors How to Choose the Best Route on The Road Map To Publishing Your Book

Denver, CO –  August 10, 2010 –  New authors wonder: Should they independently publish their books or try and get a publisher?

The answer can be found at The Colorado Independent Publishers Association’s Summer Workshop, The Road Map to Publishing Your Book, on August 28th. CIPA has assembled a group of the finest, cutting edge experts in the publishing industry. They’re experienced and in front of the publishing curve. Whether you’re just beginning to write your first book or you’re a published author this is the place to be for information and education.

Michael Madigan – former Rocky Mountain News reporter and independently published author of “Heros, Villains, Dames & Disasters” will present on the importance of keeping your writing business professional  and how to avoid the bumps in the road. It doesn’t have to be have to be a tedious or dead-end business exercise — if you have a plan and a platform! See how Michael turned a good idea into a great book, and walked away from one mediocre offer from the traditional publishing world in order to produce what would become a Center for the Book finalist and Colorado Authors’ League 1st Place winner!

Trish Moore –  Independently published Trish Moore is the Workshop Keynote speaker. Spend some time with Trish Moore and be inspired to thrive – not just survive in your writing life! Based on the words of such masters as Wayne Dyer, Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay and others, Moore’s  “F.U.E.L. – Focused Unlimited Extraordinary Life” Workbook ranks in Amazon’s Top 350! Sit down, strap in and get ready for this delectable ride on the riled side!

Connie Martin:  The journey of a lifetime starts not only with a single step, but with a level head! Join storyteller, author and mother of five Connie Martin as she introduces you to a highly creative approach to writing. Photo ops and occasional stops along the way…bring your imagination and look forward to a walk-about like no other!

Dr. Cynthia Koelker: Long before Doc Cindy ever met her fairy godmother and was asked to dance with one of the five most handsome princes in the publishing world, she was small-town girl with a plan! Get the inside scoop on  the importance of such valuable travel tools as GPS (Great Publishing Sense), the road less travelled, touring  partners, and sensible shoes.

The workshop will conclude with a audience participation q & a with many of CIPA’s publishing and marketing experts on topics ranging from publishing, printing and editing to social media and websites.

The Road Map to Publishing workshop will be held on Saturday, August 28, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Red Lion Hotel, 4040 Quebec  St., Denver, CO 80216. Cost of the workshop is $99 if you preregister, or $125 at the door. Sign up at http://www.cipabooks.com.

After the workshop, stick around for CIPA’s 2nd annual Book Fair from 3:00-6:00 pm. The Book Fair is fun, informative, and free! Mingle with fellow authors and publishing pros and enjoy free snacks and a cash bar. CIPA members who want to sell their books and Associate Members who want to sell their services can host a 6 ft table for just $50. For more information, go to http://www.cipabooks.com.

No, if you’re just looking for a one time sale. One book, one sale, and you’re done. You’ll never see that person again.

Yes, if you’d like to develop a relationship with ongoing customers who will buy your books (plural!) services, and other products.

A book is sometimes an impulse buy. It’s something someone might pick up after hearing a talk by the author, or at a bookstore, or another venue. Twenty bucks isn’t much of a commitment. But what if the book is a lead-in for a more expensive course or a consultation? You’ll want to stay in touch with that book buyer to broaden your relationship.

Maybe they’ll never buy another thing. But, maybe they’ll pass your emails on to someone else who becomes a client. Or, they’ll buy other expensive services down the line. Or, maybe they’ll become a friend and a cheerleader.

How should you use your mailing list?

Like you’ve been given a gift.

People have been gracious enough to invite you into their lives. Thank them by sending them good information – not just sales pitches.

But there’s an interesting phenomena that happens every time I’ve presented. I get emails and phone calls from people saying, “I can’t make it to your talk, but would you let me know when you’re doing it again?”

One or two people have done this twice.

To which I say, if not now, then when?

Now, I’m not the only person who teaches this stuff. You can Google “social media marketing” and easily get several million hits. There’s lots of good stuff out there that will teach you how to blog, tweet, and Facebook with the best of them.

But you gotta start in order to get good. So, to get you started, I present: 

The Procrastinator’s Guide to Social Media Marketing.

1. Decide why you’re going to use social media for your business. Do you want to promote your book? Get booked as a speaker? Set some objectives. If you don’t have a reason to do social media, maybe you shouldn’t bother.

2. If you do have a good reason, then Just start. Read a blog on social media marketing. (Hey, read this blog!) Watch some videos on YouTube. Go to a class. Come to my presentation when I give it again.

3. Then, pick one social media site and create a profile. Work on getting really good at that one site. I’d suggest starting with Twitter. It’s only 140 characters at a time. Very low pressure!

4. Spend 15 minutes a day tweeting. To really save time, use Hootsuite to schedule your tweets throughout the day.

5. Follow interesting people in your field. Respond to questions, ask questions, converse. Have fun.

There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

So, yes, you do need one if you want to give people a reason to pay attention to you as you sell your book or your services. What makes you different from the other people who write and talk about in your field? Why should anybody care?

Try this exercise is creating your USP:

It’s the age-old quandary.

An author client of mine is deep into his first book. Or rather what could be three books, according to his editor.

He asked what book should he start with?

My reply: What topic are you most passionate about?

His reply: Well, I love topic A. But topic B is more commercial. I think it will sell better.

But, I asked, will you enjoy writing it? I don’t know about you, but if I’m not really into something, I get bored and it’s really a chore.  And if I hate it, I really suck at it.

I’ll be curious to see which book he writes first.

What would you do?

I’ve been working with a lot of people lately who are changing their websites over to WordPress. I changed my whole website over to WordPress a few years ago. I love being able to make changes on my own, instantly,  instead of relying on someone else who knows html and has Dreamweaver.

But, as much as I’m a fan, I know WordPress is pretty confusing at first. So, for anyone who’s new to using it, here’s a list of good resources to help you over the initial bumps. (And when in doubt, Google: “wordpress, yourproblem” and see what pops up.)

WordPress.org Forums – chances are somebody, somewhere has had the exact same problem you have and posted it to this forum.

WordPress.tv – Also part of WordPress.org, WordPress TV features videos of how-to’s and interviews from various Word Camps. (Word Camps are community events put together for WordPress users. There’s one here in Denver in July.)

WordCamp Central – Where to get the skinny on Word Camps near you.

Webdesignerdepot.com – 300+resources to help you become a WordPress expert.

WordPressMax – WordPress guides for the Geek impaired.

WordPressHelp.org

WPBeginner.com – a beginners guide to WordPress.

There’s way more than this out there, but start here and let me know what you learn. Happy blogging!

(Not so much “I am the personal secretary of the Sultan of Brunei and I have a business proposition for you because you are a good person…”) But I digress.

I have 4 email accounts, all overflowing with mail that I don’t always read. I finally realized what was causing some of the logjam.

Blogs. I subscribe to a lot of blogs. Really good ones. But half the time, they just pile up in my inbox, trying to get my attention. Which is unfortunate, since I get a lot of really good information through them. But having that big list of emails to read “someday” drove me crazy. “Someday” never came.

If there’s one sure thing in this world, it’s that there will always be something new to read on the internet. So I decided to stop trying to take big drinks from the Internet Fire Hose and start being a discriminating sipper. I opened a Google Reader account and started to subscribe to the blogs I follow through the reader. Just click on the chiklit (that square orange thingy on the blog site you want to subscribe to ) and the next screen will ask you if you want to subscribe in a reader. Click the Google one and follow the prompts. Then unsubscribe from the email version, if you have one.

Now, I can scan the day’s new blog entries in a few minutes in the morning, or browse when I’m waiting on hold on the phone. Adding new blogs is easy, and deleting ones I’m not reading is also a snap. Best of all, I can stay current with what’s happening in internet marketing and the book world and NOT have it all in my inbox.