Is the Death of Paper Books Real?

ebook_print

So we all know that digital books have come along and basically “destroyed” the print book market.  While this might be an assumption that most of us in 2016 take to be a fact, the statistics don’t necessarily support it.  According to studies the majority of readers still read print books with older groups of people insisting on only reading print books.

While digital books provide ease of access and ultimate convenience, Hylas Publishing believes that books will always have a place in people’s hearts and souls. The feeling of holding a book in your hand bring something timeless that is hard to replicate. Perhaps this is base stated via a recent Mashable article about books ”

book sales“But there’s something about print that I can’t give up. There’s something about holding a book in your hand and the visceral act of physically turning a page that, for me at least, can’t be matched with pixels on a screen.

Yet the writing appears to be on the wall: E-books are slowly subsuming the printed format as the preferred vehicle on which people read books. E-books topped print sales for the first time in 2011, a trend that continued into 2012. Just this month, Bexar County, Texas announced plans for the nation’s first electronic-only library. A recent study from Scholasticfound that the percentage of children who have read an e-book has nearly doubled since 2010 to almost half of all kids aged 9 to 17, while the number who say they’ll continue to read books in print instead of electronically declined from 66% to 58%.”

While E-readers are becoming prolific and some experts believe that our bodies and minds were never even made to read E-books.  Experts are universities throughout the US have posited several ideas based on evolutionary science that humans lack the ability to concentrate properly when reading electronic books.

“Our brains were not designed for reading. Human beings don’t have pre-programmed genes for reading, like there are for vision and language.

Thanks to Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Phoenician alphabet, Chinese paper, and the Gutenberg press we’ve adapted and created new circuits in our brains in order to understand texts and letters.

Prior to the emergence of the Internet, our brains read predominately in linear ways, reading one page at a time before moving on to the next page. Distractions were minimal.

When we read text using e-book devices, tablets, laptops or desktop computers we must juggle multiple distractions (hypertext, e-mails, videos, and pop-up advertisements). In addition, a simple movement like swiping a finger on the screen or readjusting the mouse leads to moving our attention away from what’s being read. These interruptions may seem minor, but they nonetheless adversely affect our comprehension, reading speed, and accuracy.”

Perhaps the evolution to more physical books lies in using better quality material that is resistant to water, damage and the wear and tear of time.  Paper manufacturers throughout the world have looked to Tyvek Based materials and replacements for a paper replacement.

Ebooks might be popular but as readers and lovers of books we hope and know that paper books aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

5 Great Book to Movie Adaptions

Books are an intelligent man’s constant accomplice. However, books demand time. In this day and age, where people are constantly juggling between numerous tasks, it becomes quite impossible to find the time to read books and this is precisely where book to movie adaptations come to your rescue. Since the invention of cinema, innumerable classics have been made into motion pictures. However, there are only a few that have managed to make a lasting impression on the audiences. Here are the top 5 best movie to book adaptations of all time.

1. Lolita

Vladimir Nabokov immortalized himself by writing Lolita and Stanley Kubrick made ‘Lolita’ a household name after he adapted this classic into a film in 1962. Lolita is a revolutionizing film because it pushed boundaries and opened debates on tricky subjects like censorship and the portrayal of human sexuality on the bigger screen. James Mason and Sue Lyon did an excellent job of magically recreating two of Nabokov’s iconic characters — Humbert Humber and Dolores “Lolita” Haze.

2. The Godfather

Since Mario Puzo himself assisted with the screenplay of The Godfather, it was only quite expected that the film resembled the book in every way. The film can be seen again and again for its exceedingly talented cast which includes the name of stalwarts like Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. This mafia movie traces the journey of an immigrant dynasty in New York. Here’s an interesting fact — when The Godfather was released in 1972, it included a coded anti-Vietnam message to stop the war.

3. Fight Club

It is quite surprising that this masterpiece did not fare too well with the audiences when it was released. However, it has managed to create a cult status over the years. The film does an outstanding job of portraying Chuck Palahnuik’s ideas on the bigger screen. Its stand on modern day consumerism and personal empowerment is striking and reverberates with the youth. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt’s acting is flawless and so is David Fincher’s direction.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s modern classic, which won the Pulitzer Prize, has been a favourite of book lovers all over the world. In 1962, Robert Mulligan decided to make this heart warming book into a film. Gregory Peck was picked to play the role of Atticus Finch, a character that has managed to stay with readers ever since the book’s inception. Gregory’s outstanding acting won him won him accolades and an Academy Award for Best Actor. This film should be seen again and again for its exemplary screenplay and flawless adaptation.

5. Schindler’s List

Schindler’s List is one of the best films ever made about the Holocaust. Based on Thomas Keneally’s novel ‘Schindler’s Ark’, this film recounts the story of Oskarr Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust. The film opened to great reviews and managed to win applause from both critics as well as audiences. Not many people know that Steven Spielberg was quite hesitant about directing this timeless classic. Schindler’s List powerfully captures the nightmare that the Holocaust was through its strong screenplay and cinematography. This artistic genius won 12 Academy Awards and is one of the most powerful films ever made.

While these are certainty not the only books that have been adapted into great movies, there remains to be lots of future opportunity for great literature and self published work to be made into movies.

Perhaps one of the best ways to enjoy these movies, isn’t in your living room but rather outside.  We, at Hylas Publishing, have recently discovered the joy of outdoor movies.  Outdoor movies are a great way to enjoy books-turned-movies while getting both fresh air and feeling connected to the earth.  All you need is an outdoor movie screen and you’re good to go.

Have a great summer everyone and let us know which books turned movies are your favorite.

How Writers Can Make Money Copywriting

In a world shortcuts and misspellings – of “lol” and emojis – you have managed to overcome it all and show a passion for writing. We live in an amazing time for writers. It is a time where you can publish a book online in minutes and start receiving sales right away, where information is compiled and shared at an incredible rate on websites and social media, and where advertising has become far more personal and far less mechanical.

This is a great time to be an excellent writer. But writing isn’t necessarily about novels and journalism anymore. Now, more than ever, companies need writers to help them grow their business and improve their ability to reach the public. This is known as “copywriting,” and it has become a critical part of modern marketing.

What is Copywriting?

Copywriting is the writing of words (copy) for both print and online materials. These days, copywriting is almost entirely online. Copywriters write sales pages, blog posts, home pages, find guest posting opportunities social media posts, and much more, all in an effort to help engage with customers, share valuable information, and drive sales.

They are also an important part of search engine algorithms. Search engines rank websites by figuring out how well they are likely to answer a user’s question or needs, and the words on a website help search engines determine whether or not a website should show up higher in searches.

Starting a Career as a Copywriter

Businesses need writers. They need people to write blog posts, create new pages for their site, and help them with writing needs. They need writers like yourself to help them build their website presence.

If you want to become a copywriter, there are many different ways to start. Examples include:

  • Upwork (and Other Freelance Job Boards) – The easiest place to begin is by signing up to job posting boards like Upwork. On Upwork, companies and individuals post writing that they need completed, and writers “bid” on how much it will cost for them to do the work. This is where most freelancers get started.
  • Open Jobs – On websites like StartJobs or Indeed, you can find companies looking specifically for copywriters, and are willing to accept those without much experience. Some jobs are for copywriting companies, while others are for small businesses that need to hire full or part time writers.
  • Blogging – Another great way to start as a copywriter is to start your own blog about a topic that you’re passionate about. Making money while blogging is exceedingly difficult, but one of the benefits about blogging is that you can try to build your name and brand all while you find employment at some other type of career.
  • Write for professional websites. Some copywriters make full-time incomes helping write resumes or cover letters.

Often the best way to begin is to start with freelancing work and blogging, and build a brand for yourself. During this time, continue to read more about the industry so that you understand what employers are looking for, and then either start applying for jobs or continue to grow your freelancing business.

Copywriting is a highly valuable skill that many employers are looking for, and are one of the best ways to make a career out of your passion for writing.

Kindle Keyword Software: The best Self-Publishing Software on the Market

When I first published a book, I was all excited. I’d check my KDP dashboard and update it hoping for sales. At first things were good, but then quickly after a month or two, my books sales dropped.

I’d work hard to breathe life back into them, begging and pleading with friends and family members to buy it and rate it…all the while working on my next book.

This cycle was absolutely maddening.

That was until I met Dave Chesson of http://Kindlepreneur.com. Dave showed me how the Amazon algorithm works, how do book idea research and ensure my idea will sell before writing it and the power in kindle keywords.

In essence, Dave taught me exactly what I needed to know to become an instant and consistent bestseller. And it all started with the best kindle software on the market, KDPRocket.com.

The Power of Kindle Keywords

So, what are kindle keywords?

In their basic form, they are the words that people type into an Amazon search when they are shopping. If someone is looking for a nurse costume, they’d go to Amazon.com and type in “nurse costume” and amazon’s search engine would find products and rank them.

Our objective is that when someone types in something that we think our target market would type in, we want our kindle book to show up first. The product at the top gets more sales than the ones below it.

So, why do we can?

Well to ensure the beautiful bounty of this natural evergreen traffic, you need to first identify what words people are typing into amazon, and then ensure that the competition isn’t so great that you can’t enter the market.

You’d make a killing if your book “How to lose weight” ranked #1 for that search…but what are the chances you’ll beat out the other 400,000 other books that are competing for that term. Nill.

So, the key to kindle keywords is that it has people actively searching using that keyword, that it fits your target market, and doesn’t have two much competition.

How does one find money making kindle keywords?

Well there is a long and tedious method that involves lots of math, excel sheets, time and advil. It works, but not as effectively or efficiently as a certain kindle keyword research software.

The best self-publishing software is one where it tells you, how many people per month type that phrase into Amazon, how strong the book competition is, how much money the other books make, and even gives you suggestions on better terms to increase your profit. And that is exactly what KDP Rocket does.

This amazing kindle software helps self-publishers discover amazing kindle keywords, validates book ideas, and ensures you have a pre-existing market that would be willing to buy your book.

Now, I’m not a scientist like its creator – a prior nuclear engineer, but I can tell you it works. KDP Rocket uses an the Amazon Best Seller Rank to tell you how much money a book is making, and some extra crazy tactics that involve “bot crawlers” to figure out exactly how many people per month type something into amazon.

That right there is some powerful information that can be a game changer for any self-publishing author who needs to find a money making idea.

Conclusion

So, if you are looking for the best kindle software on the market to help you find best selling book ideas and increase your book sales, the KDP Rocket is THE software for you. It’s cheap and is a one time pay deal (he probably could have done a subscription for this bad boy…thank goodness he didn’t).

Besides, look at all the big name publishers who swear by it, and are using it right now. So, make sure to pick up your copy and start gaining a competitive advantage over those that blindly choose their next book idea.

 

 

Book Comparisons Done Right: FSOT Study Guides

As a blogger who covers books and self-publishing, I have done my fair share of book reviews.  However, over the years, I’ve noticed that just writing about a book doesn’t work.  In most cases, the book is too obscure for people to find your post and in other cases, the book is too well known, and your review will have too much competition.

This usually leaves many a blogger mad with rage as they realize that they can’t seem to be able to cover the books they want and get the traffic they so desperately need.

So, where is the sweet spot?

In truth, it’s a little of both and by thinking about your next book review in this manner, you could gain more traffic and even better sales.  In the following article, I will show you one simple trick that will help you compare books like a pro.

Combining the Best of Both Worlds in Book Reviews

Like I said, the best answer is to do both.  I don’t mean write one review on a popular book and one review on an obscure one.  I’m talking about writing an article that compares the two or a couple.  In this case, you are giving someone a known standard, and you are comparing it to an unknown book.  This gives people a reference and ultimately gives them a choice, which turns out, people like that.

Say, for example, you want to write a review about an epic wizard kid.  Why not compare that book to a Harry Potter book?  For those who love Harry Potter books, they might be on the prowl to find books like it.  With your review comparing the two, you give your readers an ability to make that distinction.  But it doesn’t have to stop there.

Study Guide Comparisons: FSOT

But book comparisons aren’t just for fiction.  They can be stupendous for non-fiction.  In most cases, it’s easier to do a comparison to two non-fictions.  In many cases, a non-fiction works to address a pain-point for the reader.  Therefore, as the reviewer, you just need to figure out which book is better at helping the reader solve their problem, be that stop smoking, become more effective, etc.

The FSOTPrep.com did an excellent job of comparing some non-fiction books.  In the list of the best FSOT study guides, they compared 3 of the best Foreign Service Officer Study guides and ranked them #1-3 with #1 being the best.   This is a great method because those who are about to take the Foreign Service Officer Test are probably looking to figure out which FSOT study guide is the best fit for them and, of course, the stumble upon this beauty of a list.  In essence, the writer has made it super easy for the reader to look at all the pertinent FSO exam study guides and figure out which one is best.

Do you think those Amazon buttons are Amazon Associate links?  Of course, they are.

To Sum It All Up

So in short, we reviewers need to stop being so linear in our thoughts.  We need to look for things to compare with.  This, in turn, will give your book review more exposure, more reach, and a set standard in which to help your reader base their thoughts on the book.   This simple tactic will help you to get more traffic and even better sales conversions, which is what we book review bloggers want most, right?

Marketing Your Self Published Book Online

The success of every business usually relies on how you market your products or services. Keep in mind that it is one of the most fundamental elements that keep the business going.

So now, if you’re an author and you wish to make a journey towards self-publishing, aside from being a good and creative writer, you also need to have adequate knowledge when it comes to marketing.

How can you promote your self-published book?

Generally, there are many ways of promoting your self-published book. It can be done both online or offline but for now, let’s focus on marketing online.

According to statistics, 42% of the world’s population has access to the internet in January 2015. See, with that percentage of internet users imagine how many people you can reach when you increase your online exposure.

Here are some of the strategies you can do online:

Build an Author Website

If you’re a newbie author and you have this greatest desire to become an established one, getting a website is a necessity. Why? Because it would be hard for your readers to build trust with you if you don’t own an author website. Also remember that in order to attract more attention and be liked by your readers, see to it that you make yourself reachable to them. In your website, make sure to have your contact details including your social profiles available for their access. Let them know about you, your passion, bits of your life, how you started your career as an authors and a lot more.

Newsletter

Sending newsletters once or twice every month is a good marketing strategy to let your readers/subscribers remind about you. With newsletters your subscribers get easily informed on important updates about your works and upcoming promotions and events. Services like MailChimp or AWeber can help you in the automation procedure of your Newsletters emails.

Social Media Exposure

Most people now have their very own Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts so it would be advisable that you also reach these people through their social media profiles where they spend some of their time (or perhaps to other people most of their time).

You may create your personal Facebook profile then create a Facebook page to brand yourself as an author. But remember, when you create your social media profiles DON’T just let it rot in the corner but devote at least 25 minutes of your daily time and engage with your readers. See to it that you regularly post some pieces like tips, inspiring quotes, related videos, hold a contest or giveaways, or anything that is interesting to your target readers to increase your page likes.

Be a Guest Author

This is another way to increase your online exposure. Guest blogging is one of the most effective online promotion strategies that work in almost all business niches. With guest blogging, you get to know other authors and they are able to read your ideas.

These are just few of the online activities that you can do to promote yourself as an author and of course your work. Other than these strategies, you may also engage with other authors through forums or through commenting to other authors’ website post. You may also post videos on YouTube like interviews or tips, or start a podcast. The most important thing is that you never limit yourself to just one medium but try various things to increase your knowledge and improve your brand and increase your connections.

Is Self-publishing for you or not?

There are growing number of authors who are getting interested into entering the world of self-publishing. Most of the time, the word “self-publishing” sounds very easy to most authors considering that it’s the greatest hype in the literature industry and lots of authors are achieving success in this field. However, they didn’t know that there are many elements involved and hard work needed even after your book goes live, just like the marketing part. And because you are a self-publisher, YOU got to do a lot of work on the marketing phase if you wanted to get noticed and sell more.

Whether you choose to self-publish or traditionally publish your book, these two ways have their respective pros and cons that relies on the author’s standing in terms of finances, connections and a lot more.

Here are two interesting info-graphics that will give you a quicker look into self-publishing vs traditional publishing and a flowchart that will help you decide which publishing path to choose.

 

traditional-vs-selfpublishing

Courtesy of: Pressbooks.com

 

Self-Publishing or Traditional Publishing: Which Should You Choose?
Courtesy of: The Write Life

Now, seeing these two infographics about self-publishing and traditional publishing, do you have a general idea on which route to choose?

If your answer is “YES!” then, good to hear that and good luck to your decision.

Self-publishing Guide – Pre-made Book Covers vs Custom-made Book Covers

Whether you’re an author or a typical reader, when looking around the books and eBooks being sold at Amazon or in any book shops in a local area, the first elements we commonly look at is the book cover then the title or the title then the book cover. Normally, we never look directly on what’s on the back description or who the author is. Usually these last two things are noticed after reading the title and glancing the book cover. This is the main reason why self-published authors and publishers should really do their best into coming up a great book cover and a title.

In the world of self-publishing, you as a self-published author can either choose pre-made book cover design or custom made covers but this decision relies of course on your personal choice and your budget.

Why choose custom-made book covers?

If money is not your problem and you really don’t care spending $70 or $500 or more just for the cover, then this option perfectly fits you. Most authors or critiques would really recommend hiring a design professional who can do a custom-made cover for your book. This is to make sure that the output is entirely unique, excellent and can truly give you and the typical readers a wow factor.

Couple of custom-made book cover designers:

  • BookCoverCafe
  • eBookLaunch
  • Marsdorian
  • CreativIndieCovers

When to choose Pre-made book covers?

Pre-made is less-expensive that the custom-made ones. Usually, authors who are on a tight budget would choose designers who do pre-made covers. Although this option is not really recommended by most authors and established authors, yet this option is still better than doing a book cover design on your own or the DIY approach.

Here are couple of pre-made cover designers with impressive designs.

  • ExtendedImagery
  • BeauteBook
  • CoverMyBook
  • CoverTopia

Finding a design professional to do your book cover design

coversThere are thousands and thousands of graphic designers around the world but not all of them are skilled enough to make a professional and great-looking book covers. Although some of them may be considered professional graphic artists, yet are they knowledgeable about the important elements of an ideal book cover in various genre?

When choosing a certain designer, see to it that they have wide experience in designing eBook cover or book covers from various authors and clients. Check their website, their portfolio, about page, client’s testimonials

Lastly, before you commit to them, make sure that you carefully read their package offers and don’t forget to ask questions if anything is not clearly stated on their offer.

Cinderella

Fairy Tails™

Keith Harrelson

Cinderella Fairy Tales™ Keith HarrelsonISBN: 1-59258-100-5
$7.95 US
Hardcover
8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″, 32 pp
25 images, 4-color

Fairy Tails™ is a whimsical new series of the world’s most beloved fairy tales, retold in an adorable, dog-eared fashion that any animal lover will find impossible to resist.

Each of the three volumes of Fairy Tails™-Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Sleeping Beauty-is fully illustrated with color photography featuring favorite breeds in leading roles. These classic stories gain new meaning when portrayed through the eyes of man’s best friend, and just looking at the pages of these unique books will surely make any reader chuckle.

About the Author

Writer/photographer Keith Harrelson has worked as a commercial writer and photographer for 30 years. In addition, he has acted as principal photographer for a number of published books, including DK’s Ultimate Mustang and the McKids series of children’s books for Golden. He has also been the principal or contributing photographer on numerous cooking and craft titles for Oxmoor House/Time Warner. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Snow White

Fairy Tails

Keith Harrelson

Snow White Fairy Tales™ Keith HarrelsonISBN: 1-59258-101-3
$7.95 US
Hardcover
8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″, 32 pp
25 images, 4-color

Fairy Tails™ is a whimsical new series of the world’s most beloved fairy tales, retold in an adorable, dog-eared fashion that any animal lover will find impossible to resist.

Each of the three volumes of Fairy Tails™-Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Sleeping Beauty-is fully illustrated with color photography featuring favorite breeds in leading roles. These classic stories gain new meaning when portrayed through the eyes of man’s best friend, and just looking at the pages of these unique books will surely make any reader chuckle.

About the Author

Writer/photographer Keith Harrelson has worked as a commercial writer and photographer for 30 years. In addition, he has acted as principal photographer for a number of published books, including DK’s Ultimate Mustang and the McKids series of children’s books for Golden. He has also been the principal or contributing photographer on numerous cooking and craft titles for Oxmoor House/Time Warner. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama.