E(merging) Books

E(merging) Books

by: Sam Vaknin, Ph.D.

A novel redefinition through experimentation of the classical format of the book is emerging.

Consider the now defunct BookTailor. It used to sell its book customization software mainly to travel agents but this technology is likely to conquer other niches (such as the legal and medical professions). It allows users to select bits and pieces from a library of ebooks, combine them into a totally new tome and print and bind the latter on demand. The client can also choose to buy the endproduct as an ebook. Consider what this simple business model does to entrenched and age old notions such as กoriginalก and กcopiesก, copyright, and book identifiers. What is the กoriginalก in this case? Is it the final, usercustomized book or its sources? And if no customized book is identical to any other what happens to the intuitive notion of กcopiesก? Should BookTailorgenerated books considered to be unique exemplars of onecopy print runs? If so, should each one receive a unique identifier (for instance, a unique ISBN)? Does the user possess any rights in the final product, composed and selected by him? What about the copyrights of the original authors?

Or take BookCrossing.com. On the face of it, it presents no profound challenge to established publishing practices and to the modern concept of intellectual property. Members register their books, obtain a BCID (BookCrossing ID Number) and then give the book to someone, or simply leave it lying around for a total stranger to find. Henceforth, fate determines the chain of events. Eventual successive owners of the volume are supposed to report to BookCrossing (by email) about the bookกs and their whereabouts, thereby generating moving plots and mapping the territory of literacy and bibliomania. This innocuous model subversively undermines the concept legal and moral of ownership. It also expropriates the book from the realm of passive, inert objects and transforms it into a catalyst of human interactions across time and space. In other words, it returns the book to its origins: a time capsule, a time machine and the embodiment of a historical narrative.

Ebooks, hitherto, have largely been nothing but an ephemeral rendition of their print predecessors. But ebooks are another medium altogether. They can and will provide a different reading experience. Consider กhyperlinks within the ebook and without it to web content, reference works, etc., embedded instant shopping and ordering links, divergent, userinteractive, decision driven plotlines, interaction with other ebooks (using Bluetooth or another wireless standard), collaborative authoring, gaming and community activities, automatically or periodically updated content, ,multimedia capabilities, database, Favourites and History Maintenance (records of reading habits, shopping habits, interaction with other readers, plot related decisions and much more), automatic and embedded audio conversion and translation capabilities, full wireless piconetworking and scatternetworking capabilities and moreก.

About The Author

Sam Vaknin is the author of กMalignant Self Love Narcissism Revisitedก and กAfter the Rain How the West Lost the Eastก. He is a columnist in กCentral Europe Reviewก, United Press International (UPI) and ebookweb.org and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory, Suite101 and searcheurope.com. Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.

His web site: http://samvak.tripod.com

This article was posted on February 2, 2002

by Sam Vaknin, Ph.D.

Digitalize It! : (Modification of images with tool

Digitalize It! : (Modification of images with tools such as Adobe CS and Corel)

by: Grannyกs Mettle

Then it was a choice among crayons, paints and palettes for an artist and designer to create art. It was a box of crayons that make one happy designer during his early years of formation.

Nowadays, designing has gone to the new age of advanced technology that utilizes computers and programming. As a designer used to handling tangible products such as the ever reliable crayons, computer technology is oftentimes scary and heart palpitating. With all that computer code and HTML tags and styles, itกs no wonder that most designers break out in cold sweat every time they are forced to put computer code around a text in a Word document to get the layout they want.

To help designers and artists alike to make their lives simpler, Adobe offers a complete package that brings designs straight from concept to the online world. On the other hand, Corel has also introduced new programs to help ease the burden of creating works of art with the use of the computer.

The new applications ensure that every designerกs nightmare will be gone, helping him/her to sleep more soundly at night. These programs can help designers utilize simple sites quickly and effectively.

The CS Advantage…

The new Adobe Creative Suite combines Adobeกs graphics applications and an efficient workflow that answers the needs of nearly every creative professional, from conceptualization to implementation, from print to Web. Not only do designers get one program at a time; rather, a whole suite of the latest versions of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and GoLive software. It also includes the new Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional software to Acrobat Professional.

The Creative Suite is Adobeกs attempt to bind the applications together. Now, Adobeกs creative products use not only the same graphics engine but also the same type and colormanagement engines. Files that are created in one application can open easily in others with all their features intact. With a consistent user interface, moving from one application to another is easy.

And holding it all together is the new filemanagement and versiontracking technology Version Cue. The Version Cue lets you create and publish content for print and the Web faster, more easily, and more affordably. Thatกs why Adobe is introducing this one whole package as ‘the complete design environment for print and Web publishingก.

Adobe Photoshop for image editing easily manage your images with the improved File Browser, quickly share design variations with Layer Comps, and instantly improve contrast with Shadow/Highlight correction; perform more precise editing and retouching with expanded support for 16bit images and monitor changes to your image in the Histogram palette, which dynamically updates as you make adjustments.

Adobe Illustrator for drawing and vector graphics with powerful new 3D features, advanced typographical controls, and a host of groundbreaking new design tools, this powerful upgrade from Illustrator 10 delivers the performance you need to make the most of your creativity; import Photoshop image compositions directly to Illustrator or create drawings in Illustrator and import them directly into Photoshop; create native Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files using settings and options consistent with Adobe Acrobat Distiller software and get fast, consistent print results with features like Fit to Page, Print Preview, and support for Print Settings.

Adobe InDesign for page layout and design, and Adobe GoLive for Web layout import your native vector and bitmap artwork directly into InDesign CS software for sophisticated print layouts or into Adobe GoLive CS software for powerful web pages. With the support of Adobe PDF and XML, you can easily output your pages to both print and the Web.

The Corel Advantage…

With the introduction of Corel Painter IX, commercial designers, photographers, and professional artists are able to use their natural talents and techniques to create breathtaking works of art. Corel ensures that the new program is a musthave software for creative professionals, whether they’re in film making, game development, commercial design, illustration, photography, or even fine arts.

With regards to performance and productivity, the Corel Painter IX boasts of significantly improved speed, new and enhanced Brush Control Palettes, FramesperSecond Control, and Customizable Shortcut Keys. Professional users can extend their creative possibilities with new enhancements that include Artistsก Oils Painting System, SnaptoPath Painting, improved Digital Watercolor, and Quick Clone.

What is exciting about this new software is that the Corel Painter IX is more compatible with other professional technologies, providing enhanced support to Adobe Photoshop, Wacom (including the Wacom Intuos3), and Color Management.

Whatกs more, getting started is easier than ever. Corel has provided various support guides to help endusers control their fear of tackling a seemingly intricate world of softwares and programs. Corel has provided a revitalized User Guide, the Painter IX Handbook that includes tutorials from leading creative professionals, access to free training videos, and academic courseware specifically designed for educators.

With powerful applications such as the Adobe CS and Corel, artists and designers alike can now combine both worlds of traditional art and sophisticated technology. The intricate tones of traditional art skills and techniques theyกve developed during their formation years as artists can be integrated with the incredible benefits that digital media can provide. Every creation can now be worthy of the exaltations and awe reserved for those found in galleries and exhibits. In addition, these art forms are now made at a faster and quicker rate than their original counterparts.

About The Author

For questions and comments about the article you may contact Grannyกs Mettle through The Digital Printing Company Moderator at 310 575 4440 or visit http://www.digitalprintingcompany.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on January 20

by Grannyกs Mettle

A Closer Look at Image Resolution

A Closer Look at Image Resolution

by: Nashville

Image resolution refers to the size your image appears on a computer monitor rather than the physical dimensions an image will print. The pixel dimensions of an image identify the resolution. Many digital cameras let us change image resolution. So, before we take a picture, we must determine the quality of an image first by using the highest quality setting available on the camera. Therefore, set your camera for the best image quality if you want to obtain high quality photos.

According to the article ขImage Quality – An Explanationข by Julian Foster which was posted at www3.teleplex.net, a truly highresolution digital photo can be anywhere from 12MB (for a 4by5inch image) to 70MB (for a twopagespread photo). The CD ROM photo collections currently on the market have files ranging in size from 500K22MB. He added that image resolution, the amount of information in a digital file, is measured in dots per inch. Screen frequency, the density of the lines of dots used to print a continuoustone photograph, is measured in lines per inch. Newspapers typically use a coarse line screen of 85 lpi; inhouse publications, 100 to 120 lpi; and glossy magazines & good quality offset lithography, 133 to 155 lpi.

Proper resolution is truly important for good printing. And to achieve this, you must always remember some rules that include the following: the text must be 400dpi at the final size in the layout; the images must be 300dpi at the final size in the layout; the dimensions of the resolution and size are inversely proportional to each other so, if you enlarge an image, you lower its resolution and if you reduce an image, you increase its resolution; how an image is originally acquired will determine its resolution and thus, the size it can print at for clear and crisp printing; and low resolution images print with jagged edges and appear fuzzy.

Indeed, when deciding on the print size of your image, you must choose a size that is appropriate to the resolution of the image you are supplying. The size to which your image can be printed without a loss in quality depends on the resolution of your image. Remember that the higher the resolution of your image is, the better the quality of the image when printed.

Most digital cameras allow you to select a combination of resolution and quality from the settings menu. In order to obtain an optimal print out, you must set your digital camera at the highest possible resolution and quality. Always remember that the higher the quality, the larger the image file will become. So folks, make sure you have sufficient room on the memory card!

About The Author

Nash Ville

Well, I must say that I am not a born writer. I didn’t acquire this gift hereditarily either. However, I’m an adventure book lover and used to read everything that I come across in the Internet that sounds interesting. I think, I only developed it through constant practice and exposure to numerous writing stuff. I was chosen to compete in press conferences that showcased my needsowelldeveloped writing skills. I became part of our school publication staff. I started as a news writer and photojournalist of the school paper. Soon, I was appointed editorinchief. It was during this time when I realized that I needed to be more efficient in writing because duty called for it. I should say that this event in my life opened me wholly to the wonderful world of writing.

With all these, I can’t say that I have mastered writing because of these writing experiences. I believe that this craft is also a continuous learning process. I’ve been working hard to become amore efficient and competent in writing, most especially now that I’m working as a content writer for this company. I’m doing articles for printing companies, medical sites, legal sites, and many more.

For additional Information about the articles you may visit their website at http://www.brochuresprintingonline.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on February 09

by Nashville

The Advantage of Printing Software

The Advantage of Printing Software

by: Kristine Llabres

As the world advances in its way of living plus the invention and innovation of different technologies, almost everyone are using various facilities that would enhance their out put and they could get their desired result.

This printing software allocate the users coming from different ages to create and craft all kinds of tickets, greeting cards, business cards and invitation cards using their own artistic talents.

For instance with the tickets, it has been available only from various stores and ticket booths for many generations. However, with the latest technology that we have tickets can also be customized that are available with selected areas for a steep amount.

But with continuous hard work, dedication and perseverance of the different software companies now, you can already opt for the shape, color, size and other features of your ticket at a haggle basement amount.

This printing software includes all the ordinary layouts in addition to other designs that are carefully created that you would have never seen before. Once you downloaded the software you can immediately print your tickets from your very computer. This is very serviceable for special occasion and for cramming print out of tickets needed.

One of the best assets of this software that drawin users is its facility to customize family photos, illustrations, images and decorations. Festivities like wedding, christening, birthday and anniversary are well highlighted with the use of portraits in the cards and other print outs.

This software is so easy to use once you downloaded it plus you can even print out up to 10, 000 cards, tickets, invitations and many others in a year. Not to mention that it is so manageable to use with the popup toolbar that makes the program simple to use and there are small printable marks appear on the ticket templates in the software.

Most of the software publishers endow with websites so, suggestions and tips are available for use. Technical support is also accessible that can handle your questions that you may have. Make sure that you are abreast with the latest printing technology to experience a funfilled and prolific printing all by yourself.

About The Author

Kristine Llabres is a fresh graduate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts major in English. Being a writer, she is also fond of joining organizations that would give her additional information about things that she’s interested with. Adventure, traveling and extreme experiences are some of her inspirations in writing.

A devout reader of classical novels and Marxist books that boost her stand with regards her philosophies in life and a young lady who wants her life to be documented in every single detail of it. A diary and photograph addict, a young writer who wants to grow and excel in her writing career.

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 25

by Kristine Llabres

Internet: The Companies’ Way To Digital Four Color

Internet: The Companies’ Way To Digital Four Color Printing

by: Marlon D. Ludovice

Maybe you’ll agree with me if I say that the introduction of internet to our society had grasped a greater impact in our everyday living. It almost changed the whole system in the long run. From communication up to business the services of internet is much deeply appreciated.

Let us try to figure out what the internet had brought to the printing industries and in the business market a like. How does it make a difference?

Before printing companies provide you only with on demand black and white, but today full color printing is also available via the very best in todayกs digital and offset printing and binding technologies. With the digital and offset presses more printing companies possess, you can be sure to find a company that will handle most all of your printing needs. And vice versa a more customers for the online printing company at hand. In view of this, internet service has opened its door for a wider reach of business operations not just with online printing companies but also with other businesses that highly dependent to internet access.

In today’s competitive and fast paced world, competitive success is often tied to the speed of your response and the capacity to use the latest in information technologies offered in the net. With highly spirited with the response in the aid of the internet, printing companies will help you design the most effectual sales literature and set your company apart from the all the rest. Whether itกs on demand, 1day turnarounds of 100 copies or longer runs that still require a quick turn, printing companies will deliver the quality you need, on time and at highly competitive prices.

On the latest scenario, in like manner the Internet is changing the way commerce is operating. The possibilities of the Internet are endless and printing companies have embraced the best of these possibilities to better meet the customer’s satisfaction to print communication needs. You will be surprised that you can receive an online custom quote, instant online pricing for he many standard print products, order online, and receive an online proof, all of which result in your print project being easy to order and quick to be delivered without further time to consume. Isn’t it great for the business industries!

Indeed, through the magnificent service of internet connection, the four color printing of the on line company is just in a various click a way. The bridge of market connections all over the world has just been troublefree for either of a company in larger or smaller scale of operations. No need to have a flight reservation just to acquire the service of a internationally based printing company for it is now obtainable right before your fingertips… Click it a way!

About The Author

Marlon is a graduate of BACHELOR OF ARTS, major in POLITICAL SCIENCE. Well actually iกm not fun of writing, i dont write at all. i am not expecting that i will be in this field. But i love to read books…almost everything interest me. reading is my passion! but now that i am in an article writer team, writing gives me an additional thrill in myself…Before i love to read books but now im also in a writing stuff. I can’t say im a good writer but i am trying to be one.

For additional information and comments about the article you may log on to http://www.digitalroom.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 29

by Marlon D. Ludovice

How to Write Your News Release

How to Write Your News Release

by: George Torok

Follow this stepbystep process to write and expose your news.

Format

Call it a กNews Releaseก, กNews Bulletinก or กAnnouncementก. กPress Releaseก sounds like propaganda.

Add, กFor immediate useก. This implies urgency. It also allows them some choice on when to run it. If the news is date sensitive state กfor use beforeก or กfor use afterก.

Fax or mail? If urgent fax. But to get noticed mail it. They get a lot of junk mail and junk fax. The fax junk looks too much alike. If you mail it you have a chance to get attention with the colour and feel of the paper. Send it on good quality paper with your logo. That could be your letterhead.

Don’t address it to กnewsroomก or กeditorก. Thatกs the same as กoccupantก. Instead address it to a person. Get their name.

Make it easy to read. Maximum one page. Use easy to read font. Twelve point size Times Roman works well. Add a little spice by bolding key names but sprinkle lightly. Italics draws attention but is hard to read. Use capitals and small letters don’t print the whole thing in capital letters. That is extremely difficult to read. Keep paragraphs and sentences short. Double spacing is best.

Make it clear whom the release is from. Lead with city and date of the release. This gives perspective. At the bottom of the page state, ‘the endก or ก 30ก Show contact name(s) and phone number(s) clearly at the bottom or top of the page.

Make sure those contacts receive a copy of the release and that they will be available and prepared to talk to the press when called. Impress on those contacts that the press need speedy responses to make their deadlines.

Content

Start with a strong title. A subtitle is not necessary if the title is strong. Study newspaper headings for ideas. Examine the style of the target media you are trying to reach to get ideas.

You have only one chance to hook them with the title. If you do not, they will not read any further. One glance at the headline is how they preview the release. There must be words, themes, companies, personalities or issues in the title that slows their glance enough to invite them to read the first paragraph.

The first sentence must grab them. Rework that first sentence until the first few words or even the first word pulls the reader in.

The first paragraph is important. It should contain your most important message. If they read that far it is what draws them into the story. Write that first paragraph as if that might be the only paragraph they print.

Follow with the next points in order of decreasing importance. Assume that they might chop it after any paragraph. Write each paragraph applying the same approach to your sentences. If they only print one sentence make that the first sentence.

Good news releases are not written , they are rewritten and rewritten.

Make it easy to read. Maximum one page. Use easy to read font. Twelve point works well. Add a little spice by bolding key names but sprinkle lightly. Italics draws attention but is hard to read. Use capitals and small letters don’t print the whole thing in capital letters. That is extremely hard to read. Use many short paragraphs and short sentences. Double spacing is a very good idea.

Proof read before you send it. Journalists are especially sensitive to poor grammar and typos. It hurts to read garbage so they won’t.

The media will read your release thinking, กWill this interest my readers, listeners or viewers and is it unique?ก It doesn’t have to be กveryก unique just a little. Every January we get news about the first News Yearกs baby. Because the first one is unique at that time, the second is not news.

Relate the news to the reader. Why is it important to the readers, listeners, or viewers of the media? Test for significance by asking, กSo what?ก

Answer a reporterกs key questions: who, what, why, where, when and how. You could even use these questions as sub headings or as a summary. Use these questions as a quality test before you send it.

Quotes are good and more interesting. You might use quotes from company officials, community leaders or customers. When you use a name always state who they are, e.g. National Sales Manager, President and Founder, author of… Use quotes that evoke emotion, create controversy or present a position.

Don’t introduce too many new names. This confuses readers. Talk about one or two.

Write the name in full the first time you use it. After that you can use only the last name. If you want a name to be remembered use it several times in the release.

After the Release

The reporter(s) may call for more information or to arrange a photograph. Be available. If you are out of the office check your voice messages often. The press has tight deadlines.

Don’t expect to review the reporterกs article before publication. Occasionally they will run the article exactly the way you wrote it but not often. Once you give them the information they have control. It helps if you have read other articles from the reporter and know their slant and hot buttons.

If they use your news release, send them a thank you note.

Keep and file all your news releases in sequence even the ones that did not get action. Clip and save the articles that ran with the release. Study them to find what works with whom and when.

See you in the news!

About The Author

© George Torok is coauthor of the national bestseller, กSecrets of Power Marketingก, Canadaกs first guide to personal marketing for กnonmarketersก. He delivers seminars & keynotes to corporations and associations across North America. You can reach him at 8003041861 For more information about seminars and more marketing tips visit www.torok.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on February 17

by George Torok

Making Direct Mail Work for Small Businesses

Making Direct Mail Work for Small Businesses

by: Sky Maya

If you own a small business, then you know the value of affordable and effective marketing. Unfortunately, many traditional and online advertising methods are becoming quite expensive. This article will explain direct mail guidelines and methods.

Direct mail is an often overlooked method that can be very effective if executed properly. There are three guidelines to follow when conducting an effective direct mail campaign:

1. Catch the readerกs attention immediately. You only have a few seconds to do this before your mail ad is thrown away as junk mail. Therefore, opt for postcard mailings instead of sending your offers in an envelope. If your business is relatively small and unheardof, the reader will never open it unless your companyกs name is familiar to the reader. Envelope advertising is cheaper than postcard advertising, but is only effective if you have already built up name recognition.

When using the postcard method, you will need to be able to print images on the card. I highly, highly recommend investing in a quality home photographic printer. You will end up saving money in the longterm, and your printer will be right where you need it whenever you need it. Whenever you have materials printed professionaly, you pay for labour, expensive inks, and expensive equipment.

When searching for images to print on your postcards, remember the the point of this first guideline: catch your readerกs attention. Of course you don’t want an offensive image for your cards, but you do want one that is slighly กcontroversialก. When choosing images for your cards, ask yourself these questions:

Does it stand out among the rest?

Does it contain bold colors (but isn’t an eyesore)?

Does the image relate to my business or current offers in some way?

Does the image request user interaction? (ex. a face staring directly at the reader, someone pointing at the reader, etc.)

Does the image have enough whitespace for some large text?

2. Offer the reader an incentive for responding. Unless the reader is and has been genuinely interested in your services/productsfor a period of time before receiving your postcard ad, they will never repspond unless you offer some sort of incentive. For instance, you postcard could also serve as a coupon; tell you reader to bring in that post card for a discount. Also, you could use the postcard ad as an announcment for a storewide sale. Be creative when offering incentives to your readers.

Be sure to make your incentive very visible on the postcard. Letกs say, for example, your postcard is also serving as a coupon for 20% on your products/services. Print that ก20% offก in large text with the image, along with your product type, such as ก20% all dog bedsก. Then, on the other side of the card, usually with the recipientกs address, print the discount again with any terms that may apply.

3. Target your readers. The best way to waste advertising money is by sending your direct mail to random people, paying no attention to whether they would actually buy something from you. This is much easier when dealing with businesstobusiness advertising. When it comes to consumers, find out their interests is a little difficult.

Test out the waters first. A good place to try first is InfoUSA. They sell mailing lists of consumers and businesses and may provide targeted consumer lists. You may be able to create interest in someone who has never heard of your products before, but when you are starting a new direct mail campaign and you have a very small budget, keep your list targeted. You don’t want to try to sell a web site to a business that already has one, or try to sell a dog bed to someone who only keeps cats.

I hope this article has given you some ideas on making your next direct mail advertising campaign more successful.

About The Author

Sky Maya is the author of Best SEO Tactics an excellent guide to optimizing your web site for high search engine rankings using proper and ethical tactics. Proven techniques! Buy it today and watch your site traffic explode!

This article may be reprinted freely as long as this resource box with all active hyperlinks remain intact.

[email protected]

This article was posted on July 11, 2003

by Sky Maya

Do Not Business Cards

Do Not Business Cards

by: Florie Lyn Masarate

This is assuming you already know what to do with business cards. There have been tips already focusing on what to do with business cards to make them look professional even if the owners are not. To make them appear interesting to make people not throw them away the minute they are put in their hands.

This is about what not to do with business cards.

Do not print prints smaller than an ant. You may have the good fortune of having a great sight but others are not that fortunate. Take those into consideration and give them something they can read.

Do not choose colors that clash with each other. Think back into your school days and you will realize that in one way or another, you have been taught about the color wheel and about what colors partners with which.

Do not use someone else’s business card. Handwriting your information on someone’s business card is amateurish and makes you look too cheap or poor not to afford one for your own. Once is acceptable but certainly not twice.

Do not print out wrong information. Whether typographically or innocently, there is no excuse for sending out misleading and otherwise wrong information about you. Checking them out before printing is an easy task compared to having to print and pay over again.

Do not print your business card large format style. Your card may look unique this way but it would not fit in the filing system that people have. Do not think that they would make their filers bigger just to keep your card. Stick to the standard size.

Do not print important information on the inside or at the back of a folded business card. People may want to contact you instantly and they want done with just a quick glance at your card. Business card is not a game of hide and seek. It is more like seek and seek.

Do not print on thin materials. Just shows how cheap you are by using the cheapest paper there is. Besides, they will not be able to withhold the environmental factors to which they are exposed to. A drop of rain would melt them easily.

Do not chew bubble gum while giving out your business cards. Your cards may appear all the appearance of a professional company or business, but not you. The moment they chance upon your card in the future, they would remember you looking smug as a street bystander.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.uprinting.com

About The Author

Florie Lyn Masarate got the flair for reading and writing when she got her first subscription of the school newsletter in kindergarten. She had her first article published on that same newsletter in the third grade.

This article was posted on September 11

by Florie Lyn Masarate

Ebooks Are For Amateurs

Ebooks Are For Amateurs

by: Willie Crawford

How do you get paid more for everything that you know and do? You become known as THE expert on a given topic. How do you do that? One very good way is to write a book. No, not an ebook an actual print book. กWhatกs wrong with an ebook?ก I hear you asking.

The answer lies in the fact that anything that is too easy is not considered very valuable. Thatกs why doctors and lawyers get paid more than taxi drivers and waitresses. The กbarriers to entryก make it more กexpensiveก to become a doctor or lawyer, which makes being a doctor or lawyer a scarcer skill, which allows them to charge more for that skill.

Anyone can write and publish an ebook. To do that all you really need to do is:

Write your book (or short report) in ® Microsoft Word.

Convert it to PDF using a free program such as PDF995.

Announce to the world that youกve published an ebook.

It really is THAT easy, and therein lies the problem.

Thousands of people have published กjunk ebooksก that aren’t worth the electrons they’re กprinted on!ก If you’re like me, you probably have dozens of these on your harddrive right now. You know… free ebooks that sounded great, but when you downloaded them, you quickly discovered that they were worth exactly what you paid for them. These ebooks often contain outofdate, inaccurate, or commonly known information. The very worst ones are those written by people who have no idea what they’re talking about, so they repeat inaccurate information that they found elsewhere.

Don’t get me wrong. Ebooks are a great tool. I use them for viral marketing, as a handy training tool, and even as forsale products. Since ebooks are cheaper to produce, you will sell them to people who don’t want to pay the higher price for a print book, or to people who simply don’t want to wait to get them in the mail.

The big difference in writing a print book is that people perceive someone who has written a ‘realก book differently. People assume that writing a book is hard work, so when they hear that youกve published a print book, they attribute lots of great qualities to you. They reflect back upon when writing and publishing a book was a BIG challenge.

My friend, Elsom Eldridge Jr., author of กHow To Position Yourself As The Obvious Expert In 90 Days Or Less Without Spending A Fortune On Advertising,ก taught me all about why writing and printing a book is a very powerful way to firmly establish yourself as an expert on a topic. Being considered the expert on a topic does mean that you can charge more for what you do, say, and produce.

I recently did a teleseminarinterview with Elsom on this very topic. You can grab the MP3 recording and/or the PDF transcript of this interview from my website at: http://WillieCrawford.com/writearealbook.html

Itกs my free gift to you 🙂

If writing a real book allows you to better brand yourself as THE EXPERT, then why don’t more people do it? I think many people simply think that itกs too expensive. Iกll let you in on a secret…

… My first physical book was a cookbook. Itกs 184 pages, and contains 250 of my own recipes. I simply made a list of recipes, typed them out, had a cover designed, found a few graphics/photos, and had it printed. I now sell this cookbook from my website at http://Chitterlings.com/cookbook.html for $16.95 per copy plus shipping and handling. The secret…. it costs me less than $1 each to print these books.

I simply went on the Internet and found a number of printers, then I compared prices. Since one of the least expensive ones I found was a short drive from where I live, I scheduled an appointment to go over and discuss my project. In volume, these books were so cheap that I ordered a miniwarehouse full. You don’t have to visit your printer to setup your project I did just because they were so close.

I chose a cookbook as my first project because I couldn’t think of anything else at the time. A cookbook is easy to write, and if itกs on the right type of cooking, it should sell well. You can find more information on how to easily write and produce your own cookbook at:

http://WriteACookbook.com

Thatกs where I have the transcripts and MP3 from a teleseminar I did with two other cookbook authors on that very topic.

If you don’t want to order lots of copies of your print book, you don’t have to. There are companies that do printondemand. They will print as few as one copy at a time, and then dropship your order right to your customers. A printondemand printer that I work with a lot is at:

http://WillieCrawford.com/printondemand.html

Ok, so itกs not that expensive to write a ‘realก book, or to turn your ebook into a print book. However, you need more reasons to go through all of that ขtrouble.ข

Well…

Print books have a longer shelf life. People download ebooks and may never go back to them again. With a print book, they’re atleast going to have to look at your book while dusting the bookshelf. Every time that they look at your book, they will be reminded of you and your products or services.

I think of a book as a glorified business card. My books all mention my websites inside them and on the cover. I put things in all of my books to drive people back to my websites. You should do the same. I sometimes actually give copies of my books to hot prospects. When you give someone you meet a copy of your book, they are likely to be very impressed AND to go check out your other offerings.

Every book that you write can, and should, have backend sales built in. You should have a page or coupons for your other (bigger ticket) products. If you mail the books yourself, you should also include package inserts in EVERY package. If you have the books dropshipped, you should have the dropshipper or printondemand publisher, include your flyers in the package or inserted in the books. Consider having a tearout insert printed right into the book!

Many offline stores and specialty shops may want to sell your book. Unless they’re Internetrelated, they’re not very likely to want to feature your ebook. This exposes you to a whole new audience that would have never discovered you if you stuck to ebooks. Many country stores carry my cookbook.

As you can see, ebooks are กokก but the real professional also publishes his books in print form. Hopefully, you see that itกs not very difficult or expensive. Now that you know, you can separate yourself, in the mind of the consumers, from the perception many may have of ebooks. Youกll brand yourself as a serious professional and an expert.

Copyright 2005 Willie Crawford

About The Author

Willie Crawford is a corporate president, published author, seminar speaker and host, teleseminar speaker and host, retired military officer, karate black belt, Master Network Marketing Trainer, and lifetime student of marketing. He shows people how to actually generate substantial income online using very simple, easily modeled systems. An example of such a system that you can study and duplicate is at:

http://ProfitMagician.com

This article was posted on March 16

by Willie Crawford

How Do I Print Images I Snagged Online?

How Do I Print Images I Snagged Online?

by: Paul Hood

People who want to print images from the internet but are not familiar with the resolution differences between said images and the requirements of printing presses will find comfort in the knowledge http://printing.lifetips.com has to offer. It offers helpful information and tips that is sure to be of valuable help to the readers.

As the site discusses,

ขJpeg and Gif files are internet images, saved with a compression process designed to remove color and visual quality to achieve small file sizes. Internet images are usually saved at a resolution of 72 dpi for quick screen loads and will not print clear and crisp on a printing press. Since the physical dimensions of an image and resolution are in direct proportion to each other, shrinking the physical dimensions of an internet image by 4x will achieve decent printing results.ข

With this fact in consideration, we can identify a way where we can resolve the problem and come up with a desirable result and that is to convert the images into a format that is compatible with the resolution requirements of the printing press of choice. Well, not everybody may be familiar with what this means but Lifetips suggests that ข… to calculate the size you must reduce (shrink) an internet image to get it to print well: reduce the size to 24% of its original size (because 72dpi is 24% of the 300dpi resolution you want). For example, if an internet image is 3 inches x 3 inches, at 72dpi you want to shrink it enough to get it to 300dpi for crisp printing (72/300 = 0.24, 3 inches x 0.24 = 0.72 inches).ข

The idea here basically here is to comply with the set resolution format of the printer for satisfactory results. Of course, it should be noted that your printing needs will ultimately be determined by your particular need and it should be catered towards that end. Have a clear vision of what you intend to do to help you prepare everything that is required for your print job.

About The Author

Ariel Velasco goes by the author alias of Paul Hood. This author is into books and writing. Reading is an essential part of his life and this has lent a considerable influence in his writing. Well traveled and would always want to travel more. He loves learning more about people and their ways. Took up a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology to further this fascination and had a fulfilling educational experience having been exposed to a wide spectrum of people. Always ready for new opportunities to learn and have a great deal of interest in different fields of expertise.

For additional Information about the articles you may visit their website at http://www.brochuresprintingonline.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on February 04

by Paul Hood

Inkjet Printers: How Much Do They Really Cost?

Inkjet Printers: How Much Do They Really Cost?

by: Larry Andrew

There are inkjet printers for every budget. At the low end, you can pay less than $50. At the highend, you can pay several hundred dollars. However, the purchase price of an inkjet printer is not the best way to determine how good of a bargain you are getting.

The truth of the matter is, printer ink is not cheap. An inkjet cartridge for your $50 printer can cost you $30. That means that the cost of two inkjet cartridges will be more than the cost of your purchase price.

A much better way to determine if you are getting a bargain on your inkjet printer is to try to figure out what it will cost you over the period of one year. That means you have to add the cost of your inkjet cartridges to the purchase price of your printer. To give you an idea of your cost, here’s a simple way to estimate your cost.

First, look up how many pages you inkjet cartridge will print. Then, make a rough estimate of how many pages of print you print each week. Multiply your weekly estimate by 52 to get the total pages for the year. Finally, divide the total number of pages per year by the number of cartridges your printer is rated to print. This will tell you how many inkjet cartridges you will need to purchase in a year.

For example, suppose your ink cartridge prints 200 pages and you estimate you print 20 pages per week. That means you’d print 1040 pages in one year. If you divide 1040 pages by 200 pages, you’d have to buy 6 cartridges to cover your printing for one year.

Now, how much does each cartridge cost? Multiply that by the number of cartridges you’ll need for one year and you have your answer. This simple exercise may surprise you. If an ink cartridge cost $30 each, you’ll spend $180 in one year on ink. If you only paid $50 for the printer, that’s over three times the cost of the printer.

If it cost you $180 to print 1040 pages and the printer costs $50, you’ll pay $230 for your oneyear printer cost. That comes to 22.1 cents per page. Now do the same thing for a different printer and compare. You just might be surprised.

One more thing… go online and look at some reputable printer companies. There are several recommended on this site. Check out the cost of their discount inkjet cartridges. These are brand new ink cartridges that are guaranteed to be as good as the original ink cartridge. They just don’t have the ขbrand nameข on the box. You’ll probably be able to cut your printing cost in half. Now, you can make an informed decision on your next inkjet printer. You’ll at least have an idea on how much it really costs.

About The Author

Larry Andrew is an educational consultant, author and publisher of www.ezprinterink.com. Purchasing printer ink, toner and inkjet cartridges on line should be fast, convenient and costeffective.

This article was posted on January 21

by Larry Andrew

Print Ads – Alive and Still Selling to Readers Nea

Print Ads – Alive and Still Selling to Readers Near You

by: Julia Hyde

The print ad is not dead. Although some people will tell you otherwise. If they do, they’re wrong. In 2003 advertisers spent nearly $60 billion to place ads in magazines and newspapers – more than five times the amount spent on Internet advertising in the same year. And if that’s not confirmation that the print ad is alive and still selling, I don’t know what is.

So how come many business owners shy away from print advertising? Part of the problem is that they mistakenly believe people don’t read much anymore, and that a print ad will be a waste of their time, and their money. They’d be wrong, again.

If you don’t believe me, consider the following:

63 million newspapers are distributed in the U.S. every day. In fact more newspapers are published today than at anytime since World War II.

In the first half (January to June) of 2004 the top 10 magazines in the U.S. reached a total circulation of more than $72 million.

And a recent survey by the Magazine Publishers of America shows that the proportion of Americans with a favorable opinion of the magazine industry is much higher than for any other media industry, including the Internet.

With facts like that you’d be a fool not to rush out and spend some of your advertising budget on a targeted, print ad today. So what are you waiting for? Get started now. These stepbystep guidelines will help you produce powerful a print ad that sells.

1. Have a Plan

I know I’ve said it a thousand times before but without a plan you risk spending thousands of dollars on a useless, ineffective and costly campaign that fails to bring you any new business. I get a creative plan for every job I take on. That way, I make sure I write an ad that’s targeted to the right people, written in the right tone of voice and published in the right media.

Here are the main points a creative plan should cover:

Objectives: What is the ad trying to do? Sell more products, generate awareness or launch a new product or service? First, determine the ad’s objectives. Then quantify them. For example, I want to attract potential buyers who don’t have an immediate need for my product, or I want to achieve 50% more awareness among my target group.

Target Audience: Who buys the product? For years advertising agencies have based their client’s advertising campaigns on demographics because certain approaches appeal to different groups of people. I won’t start trying to explain the ins and outs of demographic profiling but before you start your campaign you should consider whether your target prospect is a man or a woman, young, middle aged or old, rich, poor or average. Because determining this will drive every aspect of your ad.

Proposition: What is the main benefit you want to convey? If you’re selling insurance the main benefit could be peace of mind and security. If you’re selling a car the main benefit could be sporty yet economical. It’s important to find the right benefit for your target market. Value for money may be a great benefit for someone on a tight budget but if your target market is more concerned with quality it will have a negative effect.

Supporting Evidence: Can you justify your proposition? Do you have facts, figures and research to back up your claim? You have to give people a reason to believe in your product. You can’t just say ‘Our socks will keep your feet warmer’, you have to prove it. Perhaps your socks are hand knitted with wool shorn from sheep that roam free on the Scottish highlands. If so, use facts and figures, market research, testimonials or endorsements from people who are experts in their field to prove your claim.

Other benefits: Apart from the main proposition, what are the other benefits the ad should mention? Here’s where it can get a little tricky. But there’s always more than one benefit. There’s always more than one. Try making a list of benefits and ranking them in order of importance.

Tone of Voice: If the ad were a person, would it be young or old, efficient, whimsical, happygolucky, highpowered or homely? You must write the ad in a language that appeals to your target audience.

Media: Where will you place the ad? Your choice dictates the style of the ad because each media is read by a different demographic group of people. An ad designed for a science magazine is going to look different from one placed in a parenting magazine.

2. Create the Concept

Once you have a clear idea of the ad’s focus it’s time to move on to the next important step: the concept. A concept is essentially an outline or rough idea of the ad that helps you get your ideas down on paper. I like to draft about 15 concepts for each ad I write because each one triggers an afterthought that may just produce the concept I’m looking for.

Once you’ve decided on a concept that works, you need to ‘work it up.ข In other words begin working on the three main components of the ad: the headline, the visual and the body copy.

3. Write the Headline

The headline does two very important jobs. First, it attracts the reader’s attention. And second, it persuades him or her to buy. You can use a headline to get your reader’s attention in several ways:

Make it big and bold. And make the words jump off the page yet be simple enough for a passing reader to understand.

Make the reader stop and think.

Offer an important benefit

Promise a reward for reading the copy

Make it newsworthy

There’s a tendency when writing a headline to try and make it amusing or clever. Or place it in smallish print low down on the page. This is particularly true of some corporate advertising you see in magazines and newspapers today. Don’t be fooled by this ‘corporate chic’ approach. A straightforward informational headline works better. There is absolutely nothing wrong with ‘20% off all bedding now’.

3. Write the Body Copy

There’s a chance that if your headline and visual have attracted the reader he or she may be compelled to read body copy. Consider this a bonus because if people read the body copy, you’ve got a better chance of selling them your product or service. To encourage people to read the copy, try breaking it up with small illustrations and sub heads. Or lay it out in a visually interesting way.

Writing the copy itself presents its own challenges, especially if you’re not accustomed to writing in a friendly, normal tone of voice that shows your natural enthusiasm for the product. Try to imagine someone has asked you about your product. How would you talk to him or her? You’d probably speak with a quiet conviction, telling him about the product’s benefits and demonstrating how it works.

Whatever you do don’t try and explain every little detail about your product. Keep it simple and benefit oriented.

About The Author

Julia is an independent copywriter and consultant specializing in print advertising, search engine optimization and search engine marketing services . To learn more about how Julia can help boost your companyกs profits visit her site at www.juliahyde.com. Or email [email protected]. You may also like to sign up for Marketing Works! Juliaกs monthly ezine. Visit www.juliahyde.com/form.html to sign up.

This article was posted on April 08

by Julia Hyde