Ebooks and discounts drive 98 publishers out of business | Books | theguardian.com
The growth of the internet has accelerated a dynamic that started with the end of the Net Book Agreement," he said. "The rise of Amazon and other discount sellers with massive buying power means the pressure on publishers' margins is now immense. While publishers might be able to sustain relatively small margins on a bestseller, it is much harder for niche publishers."
Niche academic and educational publishers are particularly vulnerable, because their model is being undermined by digital piracy and online secondhand book sales on sites such as Amazon Marketplace. Cork said: "The arrival of Amazon has transformed the secondhand book trade from a fairly minor nuisance to a serious threat. Where once you had to trawl the secondhand bookshops if you wanted to get hold of a cheap hardback or academic book, you can now be fairly certain of getting hold of what you want at the click of a button, and the publisher will not make a penny."
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Friday, November 01, 2013
Media Liability Insurance Explained
Media Liability Insurance Explained: Media Liability Insurance provides very valuable coverage against defamation and invasion of privacy claims as well as copyright and/or Trademark infringement.
Media Liability Insurance can be categorized as Errors and omissions in the written or spoken word resulting in claims alleging financial loss as a consequence. Media Liability Insurance can also be called Communications Liability Insurance and can be synonymous with Multi Media Liability insurance.
Media Liability Insurance can be categorized as Errors and omissions in the written or spoken word resulting in claims alleging financial loss as a consequence. Media Liability Insurance can also be called Communications Liability Insurance and can be synonymous with Multi Media Liability insurance.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Google Changes to the World of News Release Distribution | Paul Krupin's Trash Proof Marketing and Publicity Blog
Google Changes to the World of News Release Distribution | Paul Krupin's Trash Proof Marketing and Publicity Blog: Paul Krupin’s Trash Proof Marketing and Publicity Blog
Google Changes to the World of News Release Distribution
September 30th, 2013 by Paul Krupin
Discusses the latest Google algorithm changes and how the impacts on news release distribution
Google Changes to the World of News Release Distribution
For many years now marketing practitioners have been advocating people use news releases to improve their placement on search engines. The theory was that you could write and post a news release at a web distribution service and the optimized use of keywords and the links included in the release would result in oodles of incoming links all of which would help capture people’s attention and increase your page ranking on search engines as a result.
Google has decided to clean up the search results and do what it can to rid organic results of press release content that is really not bona fide news, but are instead, paid advertising in disguise. The requirements also have significance to sites that rely heavily on user-generated content.
The latest Google algorithm changes, known as Penguin 2.0, modifies how Google analyzes the role and utility of news releases posted at news release distribution services in a very significant way.
Google Changes to the World of News Release Distribution
September 30th, 2013 by Paul Krupin
Discusses the latest Google algorithm changes and how the impacts on news release distribution
Google Changes to the World of News Release Distribution
For many years now marketing practitioners have been advocating people use news releases to improve their placement on search engines. The theory was that you could write and post a news release at a web distribution service and the optimized use of keywords and the links included in the release would result in oodles of incoming links all of which would help capture people’s attention and increase your page ranking on search engines as a result.
Google has decided to clean up the search results and do what it can to rid organic results of press release content that is really not bona fide news, but are instead, paid advertising in disguise. The requirements also have significance to sites that rely heavily on user-generated content.
The latest Google algorithm changes, known as Penguin 2.0, modifies how Google analyzes the role and utility of news releases posted at news release distribution services in a very significant way.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
More Profitable Publishing
Consulting | More Profitable Publishing: Get innovative suggestions and time-tested techniques combined into solutions that help you make money, create new opportunities and avoid problems.
Gain the skills and knowledge to help yourself, for a price that suits your budget.
What exactly can she do for you? That depends on what you need, as every client is different. But some of the more common questions asked include:
What can I do to increase my publishing profits? Should I focus on sales? Marketing? Cutting overhead? All of the above?
Which marketing techniques cost more than I can get from them?
How do I estimate the sales of this book before I publish it?
How should I launch this company?
What types of distribution best fit my books and my operation?
What contract terms are fair to authors and to me?
I'm buying/selling this company. Help me evaluate it, and negotiate a fair deal?
How can I manage this difficult person, whether an employee, a vendor, or an author?
That's just a sampling, of course. If your dilemma involves money, or some aspect of the business side of publishing, the chances are very good that you've just found the short cut to your solution. Ask Marion what she can do to help you, and get a free quote.
Gain the skills and knowledge to help yourself, for a price that suits your budget.
What exactly can she do for you? That depends on what you need, as every client is different. But some of the more common questions asked include:
What can I do to increase my publishing profits? Should I focus on sales? Marketing? Cutting overhead? All of the above?
Which marketing techniques cost more than I can get from them?
How do I estimate the sales of this book before I publish it?
How should I launch this company?
What types of distribution best fit my books and my operation?
What contract terms are fair to authors and to me?
I'm buying/selling this company. Help me evaluate it, and negotiate a fair deal?
How can I manage this difficult person, whether an employee, a vendor, or an author?
That's just a sampling, of course. If your dilemma involves money, or some aspect of the business side of publishing, the chances are very good that you've just found the short cut to your solution. Ask Marion what she can do to help you, and get a free quote.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Tennessee River: Sparkling Gem of the South by Ron and Sue Lowery — Kickstarter
Tennessee River: Sparkling Gem of the South by Ron and Sue Lowery — Kickstarter
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/634130/photo-main.jpg?1377115582
Tennessee River: Sparkling Gem of the South, is a eye-opening view of one of America’s great, but under appreciated rivers. This river is 652 miles of lakes and tributaries; it begins high in the Appalachian Mountains and ends in a merger with the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky. The book is 144 pages, hardback with foiled and embossed cover, 11.75 x 9 inches, with beautiful color images throughout.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/634130/photo-main.jpg?1377115582
Tennessee River: Sparkling Gem of the South, is a eye-opening view of one of America’s great, but under appreciated rivers. This river is 652 miles of lakes and tributaries; it begins high in the Appalachian Mountains and ends in a merger with the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky. The book is 144 pages, hardback with foiled and embossed cover, 11.75 x 9 inches, with beautiful color images throughout.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Amazon KDP Support: How To Use KindleGen ...
Amazon KDP Support: How To Use KindleGen ...
http://ebookpioneer.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-to-use-kindlegen-to-make-mobi-book.html
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I must see a dozen posts per month asking about using KindleGen. Here's how to use it although I highly recommend just dragging and dropping your book file onto Previewer's face instead. (You can also drag and drop your file onto "kindlegen.exe" to convert it.)
1) Download the kindlegen_win32_v2_8.zip file to your desktop. You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000765211
2) Open your C-drive directory. The easiest way to get to your C-drive is to double click on Computer on your desktop (or My Computer if you're using an OS older than Windows 7.)
You'll see other folders in there such as Program Files, Users, Windows etc. Make a new folder in this directory and call it KindleGen.
3) Shrink the C-drive window down and go back to the zip file on your desktop and double click to open it. (There's no need to extract it.)
4) Copy the file in there called: kindlegen.exe and paste it into that new KindleGen folder we just made in the C-drive directory. While you're still in the new KindleGen folder, make another folder inside it called: Book
5) So now you have a KindleGen folder on your C-drive and inside is the kindlegen.exe file and the Book folder. Find an HTML, ePub, or OPF file that you wish to convert into a Mobi book and paste it into that Book folder. Of course, if it's an OPF file you're pasting, then you'll also need all the other folders and files that go with the making of the book such as the NCX, ALL HTML files, all images, any embedded fonts etc.
6) Go to All Programs\Accessories and open Command Prompt.
7) Copy the following and then right-click beside the cursor in Command Prompt and paste it in. (Control V doesn't work in Windows 7.) Make sure to change "your_book" to whatever the name of the file is you have in the Book folder along with the correct suffix (epub, opf, or html.):
C:\KindleGen\kindlegen.exe C:\KindleGen\Book\your_book.epub
8) Hit the Enter button on your keyboard. KindleGen will convert the book and place the new Mobi file inside the Book folder.
9) KindleGen will use the standard c1 compression unless you tell it otherwise. The other choices are c0 (no compression) or c2 (the most compression.) To use c0 or c2, paste in one of the following:
C:\KindleGen\kindlegen.exe -c0 C:\KindleGen\Book\your_book.epub
C:\KindleGen\kindlegen.exe -c2 C:\KindleGen\Book\your_book.epub
The other commands available through KindleGen simply aren't worth messing with because you can do them better and easier without KindleGen. For instance, you can force KG to change all your jpg images to gif. Or you can force it to give a new name to the Mobi file it outputs. And honestly, the three compression schemes produce files that aren't very different in size at all. It might be worth using c2 compression once in a great while if you have a large book that's just barely over (let's say) 2MB in size and you'd like to keep it under 2MB in order to avoid an extra 15-cents in Amazon's delivery fees.
And obviously you can name your Book and KindleGen folders something else and put them somewhere other than the C-drive once you have this directory stuff down. You can also delete the zip file now and all the files inside it. They're all useless except for the kindlegen.exe file that we already copied.
That's about it. Now really, isn't it a lot easier just to drag and drop the file you want to convert onto Previewer?
~~~~
http://ebookpioneers.com
http://ebookpioneer.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-to-use-kindlegen-to-make-mobi-book.html
~~~~
~~~~
I must see a dozen posts per month asking about using KindleGen. Here's how to use it although I highly recommend just dragging and dropping your book file onto Previewer's face instead. (You can also drag and drop your file onto "kindlegen.exe" to convert it.)
1) Download the kindlegen_win32_v2_8.zip file to your desktop. You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000765211
2) Open your C-drive directory. The easiest way to get to your C-drive is to double click on Computer on your desktop (or My Computer if you're using an OS older than Windows 7.)
You'll see other folders in there such as Program Files, Users, Windows etc. Make a new folder in this directory and call it KindleGen.
3) Shrink the C-drive window down and go back to the zip file on your desktop and double click to open it. (There's no need to extract it.)
4) Copy the file in there called: kindlegen.exe and paste it into that new KindleGen folder we just made in the C-drive directory. While you're still in the new KindleGen folder, make another folder inside it called: Book
5) So now you have a KindleGen folder on your C-drive and inside is the kindlegen.exe file and the Book folder. Find an HTML, ePub, or OPF file that you wish to convert into a Mobi book and paste it into that Book folder. Of course, if it's an OPF file you're pasting, then you'll also need all the other folders and files that go with the making of the book such as the NCX, ALL HTML files, all images, any embedded fonts etc.
6) Go to All Programs\Accessories and open Command Prompt.
7) Copy the following and then right-click beside the cursor in Command Prompt and paste it in. (Control V doesn't work in Windows 7.) Make sure to change "your_book" to whatever the name of the file is you have in the Book folder along with the correct suffix (epub, opf, or html.):
C:\KindleGen\kindlegen.exe C:\KindleGen\Book\your_book.epub
8) Hit the Enter button on your keyboard. KindleGen will convert the book and place the new Mobi file inside the Book folder.
9) KindleGen will use the standard c1 compression unless you tell it otherwise. The other choices are c0 (no compression) or c2 (the most compression.) To use c0 or c2, paste in one of the following:
C:\KindleGen\kindlegen.exe -c0 C:\KindleGen\Book\your_book.epub
C:\KindleGen\kindlegen.exe -c2 C:\KindleGen\Book\your_book.epub
The other commands available through KindleGen simply aren't worth messing with because you can do them better and easier without KindleGen. For instance, you can force KG to change all your jpg images to gif. Or you can force it to give a new name to the Mobi file it outputs. And honestly, the three compression schemes produce files that aren't very different in size at all. It might be worth using c2 compression once in a great while if you have a large book that's just barely over (let's say) 2MB in size and you'd like to keep it under 2MB in order to avoid an extra 15-cents in Amazon's delivery fees.
And obviously you can name your Book and KindleGen folders something else and put them somewhere other than the C-drive once you have this directory stuff down. You can also delete the zip file now and all the files inside it. They're all useless except for the kindlegen.exe file that we already copied.
That's about it. Now really, isn't it a lot easier just to drag and drop the file you want to convert onto Previewer?
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http://ebookpioneers.com
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Thursday, June 13, 2013
The Digital Nirvana » Blog Archive » Adobe’s Cloud Move: Really That Big a Deal?
The Digital Nirvana » Blog Archive » Adobe’s Cloud Move: Really That Big a Deal?: Adobe’s Cloud Move: Really That Big a Deal?
By Heidi Tolliver-Walker on June 7th, 2013
A few weeks back, CNET ran an article on Adobe’s decision to stop selling the Creative Suite and move exclusively to the cloud. All of designers’ favorite software will now be cloud- and subscription-based under the name Creative Cloud.
It was the roar heard round the industry. As of this moment, the CNET article has 527 comments, and in one LinkedIn discussion group, the link has sparked 98 comments — almost unheard of for LinkedIn. There are a lot of fired up print shops and designers both concerned about the ramifications of the move on their business and offended by what seems to be a Big Brother decision over which they have no control.
By Heidi Tolliver-Walker on June 7th, 2013
A few weeks back, CNET ran an article on Adobe’s decision to stop selling the Creative Suite and move exclusively to the cloud. All of designers’ favorite software will now be cloud- and subscription-based under the name Creative Cloud.
It was the roar heard round the industry. As of this moment, the CNET article has 527 comments, and in one LinkedIn discussion group, the link has sparked 98 comments — almost unheard of for LinkedIn. There are a lot of fired up print shops and designers both concerned about the ramifications of the move on their business and offended by what seems to be a Big Brother decision over which they have no control.
Sunday, June 02, 2013
What is Content Curation? - EdTechReview
What is Content Curation? - EdTechReview:
http://edtechreview.in presents:
Content Curation is the act of discovering, gathering, and presenting digital content that surrounds specific subject matter.
In other words, Content Curation is the process of sorting through the vast amounts of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful form.
Image Source
Content Curation Process:
Aggregation: Pulling the most relevant information about a particular topic into a single location.
Distillation: Most simplistic format- only the most relevant/important ideas are shared.
Elevation: Identify a larger trend insight from smaller, regular of musings.
Mashup: Merging existing content to create a new point of view.
Chronology: Organize historical information by time to show how understanding has evolved.
http://edtechreview.in presents:
Content Curation is the act of discovering, gathering, and presenting digital content that surrounds specific subject matter.
In other words, Content Curation is the process of sorting through the vast amounts of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful form.
Image Source
Content Curation Process:
Aggregation: Pulling the most relevant information about a particular topic into a single location.
Distillation: Most simplistic format- only the most relevant/important ideas are shared.
Elevation: Identify a larger trend insight from smaller, regular of musings.
Mashup: Merging existing content to create a new point of view.
Chronology: Organize historical information by time to show how understanding has evolved.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Copyright exceptions for teaching | Scholarly Communications @ Duke
Copyright exceptions for teaching | Scholarly Communications @ Duke: Copyright exceptions for teaching
By Kevin Smith, J.D. On December 26, 2006 · 2 Comments · In Copyright in the Classroom, Fair Use
There are three exceptions to the exclusive rights in copyright that help serve educational needs:
Face-to-face teaching – Section 110(1)
Allows performance or display of protected material in a face-to-face teaching setting.
Must be in a classroom and at a non-profit educational institution.
Does NOT allow copying. This is an exception to the exclusive rights of performance and display, but not the right of reproduction.
Copying may still be allowed by fair use, however.
Performance and display in the classroom must employ a legally obtained copy – no “bootleg” copy is eligible for this exception, but borrowed copies are OK.
“Transmission” to registered students – Section 110(2), a.k.a. The TEACH Act
Allows digital copies in course management systems under a specific set of conditions.
Text and images may be transmitted (displayed) in amounts comparable to in-class teaching.
Music and video may be used in portions; entire songs may be used if “non-dramatic.”
Access must be restricted to students registered in the course, and notice that the material is protected must be given.
Technological measures to prevent the material from being retained after the course is over or copied to others are required. Streaming of music and video is a good way to meet this requirement.
The institution should have policies and educational programs about copyright in place to take advantage of this exception.
Fair Use – Section 107
By Kevin Smith, J.D. On December 26, 2006 · 2 Comments · In Copyright in the Classroom, Fair Use
There are three exceptions to the exclusive rights in copyright that help serve educational needs:
Face-to-face teaching – Section 110(1)
Allows performance or display of protected material in a face-to-face teaching setting.
Must be in a classroom and at a non-profit educational institution.
Does NOT allow copying. This is an exception to the exclusive rights of performance and display, but not the right of reproduction.
Copying may still be allowed by fair use, however.
Performance and display in the classroom must employ a legally obtained copy – no “bootleg” copy is eligible for this exception, but borrowed copies are OK.
“Transmission” to registered students – Section 110(2), a.k.a. The TEACH Act
Allows digital copies in course management systems under a specific set of conditions.
Text and images may be transmitted (displayed) in amounts comparable to in-class teaching.
Music and video may be used in portions; entire songs may be used if “non-dramatic.”
Access must be restricted to students registered in the course, and notice that the material is protected must be given.
Technological measures to prevent the material from being retained after the course is over or copied to others are required. Streaming of music and video is a good way to meet this requirement.
The institution should have policies and educational programs about copyright in place to take advantage of this exception.
Fair Use – Section 107
U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use
U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use: One of the rights accorded to the owner of copyright is the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords. This right is subject to certain limitations found in sections 107 through 118 of the copyright law (title 17, U. S. Code). One of the more important limitations is the doctrine of “fair use.” The doctrine of fair use has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years and has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law.
Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair.
The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
The nature of the copyrighted work
The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work
Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair.
The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
The nature of the copyrighted work
The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work
Monday, April 08, 2013
Flipboard is a giant iceberg lurking in the path of the media
Flipboard is a giant iceberg lurking in the path of the media: When Flipboard recently announced it was opening up its platform to enable users to create their own magazines, I was surprised by the low-key reaction by the publishing industry. It wasn’t a particularly busy news day but still there was a fairly neutral vibe throughout the coverage – as if it was of no particular consequence. Yet after I plowed through what little there was, visions of icebergs began forming in my brain. The publishing industry should have no doubts that big trouble is lurking directly in its path.
In case you missed it, here’s Flipboard’s explanation and demonstration of its new capabilities:
In case you missed it, here’s Flipboard’s explanation and demonstration of its new capabilities:
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
If you want to get something done, you've got to do-it-yourself...together! - Pages from Freelancers Union
If you want to get something done, you've got to do-it-yourself...together! - Pages from Freelancers Union: If you want to get something done, you've got to do-it-yourself...together!