| The Sony Digital Paper has been exclusively available online for the last year. Sony sells it directly, but they also have a number of partners that range from law firms to entertainment companies. One of the drawbacks with any piece of technology is being able to try it out before you make a buying decision. In order to make this possible Sony begun an experimental program to showcase the DPT-S1 in two locations, one in Stanford and one at their flagship store in New York. Sadly, one of them has closed. The Stanford Bookstore Palo Alto California has closed and this was one of the two retail outlets in which the Sony Digital Paper was on display and available for students to purchase. Recently the Sony Digital Paper has been discounted from $999 to $799, which should increase the adoption rate. We have reviewed MANY e-readers since 2008 and this is the best one to edit and create PDF files. Sony Digital Paper Loses Retail Visibility is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Sony Digital Paper Loses Retail Visibility
Libraries Opening to Self-Published Authors
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Which is why it boggles the mind that more libraries aren’t fostering relationships with individuals who can stand to draw in patrons, provide free content for circulation, and offer educational opportunities: self-published authors. While it is obviously not the norm across the country, self-published authors have faced reluctance and even outright scorn when trying to make their way into the library sector. Some libraries have even had to adopt a no-indies policy, even if the material is donated, on the grounds that “if we let one author’s book on the shelf, we’ll have to take them all.” The sad truth is that the same attitudes that prevented a number of authors from publishing before the digital and print-on-demand revolutions still permeate some libraries. Concerns over quality and appropriateness still color librarians’ willingness to take a risk on an author who wasn’t “vetted” by the industry; limitations on shelf space prevent the circulation of even donated copies of authors’ works. Some libraries contacted prior to this article won’t even let a local author have a book signing at the library if he self-published, despite long-standing policies of renting out their space for events. Fortunately, there have been enough pioneering libraries who’ve embraced indie authors–particularly their local authors–that the attitudes are shifting. Colorado’s Douglas County Library System pioneered the large-scale purchase of thousands of titles from Smashwords as far back as 2013, while more recently the Rutland Free Library in Vermont began hosting author fairs that invite any and all authors–regardless of method–to their events. As the attitudes towards authors and the preconceived notions about the quality of their work start to fall away, there are still obstacles to having your book purchased for circulation by libraries, many of which go back to time, budget, and discovery. Librarians simply do not stand at their circulation counters all day, browsing some mythical massive catalog of book titles; even if an author has opted for a publishing route that will include his work in viewable catalogs for library distribution, that simply isn’t how librarians discover titles. The truth is that authors–self-published or traditionally–have to do the legwork of reaching out to libraries. This can be done somewhat effectively through curation platforms like Self-e, but a personal contact of some kind is still far more likely to result in a relationship. Having strong book reviews from well-known sources is also another measure of proof for libraries to take a chance on a book. Finally, maintaining a strong presence in terms of both social media and further follow-up titles lets librarians know this is a serious career and not a passing fancy; the last thing they want is to purchase a book that their patrons loved and then have no other titles to offer those patrons who clamor for more.
Libraries Opening to Self-Published Authors is a post from: Good e-Reader |
First Trailer Teases ‘Boruto – Naruto the Movie’
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The first trailer for Naruto’s upcoming film, ‘Boruto’, dropped this Friday, giving fans a tease of the animation, voice cast, and style going into this beloved series’ eleventh film Almost every fan of anime can tell you that, at some point, they’ve watched Naruto. Whether you’ve stopped over time, or continued to watch religiously until the very end, at least a little piece of your soul has been touched by it. Last November, the 15-year-long manga finally came to a close with it’s 700th chapter serving as a look into the future of the characters. One of these characters, Boruto Uzumaki, the son of Naruto and Hinata Hyuuga, is the titular character and lead of the film. Although a full plot has yet to be released, the story was written by Masashi Kishimoto himself. Hiroyuki Yamashita, who directed episodes of Naruto: Shippuuden and the Road to Ninja movie, will be directing the film. Both Junko Takeuchi and Noriaki Sugiyama, who played Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha respectively, are returning to the film. Boruto will be voiced by Yuko Sanpei, and Sarada Uchiha, another character and the daughter of Sasuke and Sakura Haruno, will be voiced by Kokoro Kikuchi. The film is part of the Naruto Project, a special project created in celebration of Naruto’s 15 year run. It also includes another Naruto movie titled “The Last: Naruto the Movie”, a spin-off book, and a stage play, alongside a sequel mini-series titled “Naruto Gaiden,” and a series of epilogue books. So, while the manga may have come to a close, the legacy of Naruto is far from over. Have a look at the trailer below and see just what we’re up for! First Trailer Teases ‘Boruto – Naruto the Movie’ is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Friday, April 17, 2015
Coca-Cola Unveils Digital Magazine Concept for UK Website
| Coca-Cola has revised their UK website and implemented a very unique digital magazine concept. The company has hired an editorial staff to focus on storytelling in a bid to drive brand engagement by making the site more 'socially enabled'. I kind of dig the new direction that Coke is going in. There is a sense of Buzzfeed infusion that makes you want to click and read the story. In some cases they have done videos that are strangely compelling, like 100 years of Coca-cola bottles. What Coca-Cola is trying to do is appeal to the younger demographic with this new endeavor. They are using Twitter hashtags to get people active and engaged. Celebrities is a big focus such as will.i.am launching a new sustainable fashion line. Stanislas Magniant, digital communications director for Coca-Cola North West Europe said “we want to bring to life the stories about our company, our brands, our employees and our actions around the world. We also want to make our stories more appealing, relevant and engaging to people by using the right multimedia content to bring them to life." This might not be the type of site that you visit to your news fix, but their original content will likely be discovered on YouTube or aggregator services such as Digg or Pulse. Coca-Cola Unveils Digital Magazine Concept for UK Website is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Kobo Will Never Make a Color e-Reader
| Kobo has verified that they will not employ color technology on any of their dedicated e-paper e-readers. Michael Tamblyn the President of Kobo said that color screens and interactive features would continue “on the tablet and app side”, which now accounts for half of Kobo’s business. Color e-paper has really never taken off in the commercial space because both developers and users claim the screens always look “washed out”. E-Ink Triton is notorious for this because of the RGB color filter. Each color pixel is formed with 4 dots which means the end result is always halved. For example the Ectaco Jetbook Color had a greyscale resolution of 1600×1200, but when you viewed something in color it was 800×600. Qualcomm spent a copious amount of money and four years developing Mirasol technology. It was billed as an alternative existing Color e-Paper solutions on the market. It was based on IMOD (Interferometric MODulation), with MEMS structures at its core. This MEMS-based innovation is bistable & highly reflective, meaning the display itself can be seen in direct sunlight. There were only a handful of devices ever made, most notably the Kyobo e-reader sold in Korea. Qualcomm abandoned this tech for the e-reader space and tried to get smartphone and smartwatch companies to embrace it, but failed to do so. The only other color e-paper that might be commercially viable is Liquavista which is currently in limbo after Amazon purchased it in 2013. I spoke to Kurt Petersdorff, the Commercial Director of Liquavista, around a year ago when it still belonged to Samsung. I wanted to find out what made this e-paper different from e-Ink. The essence of Liquavista is Electrowetting technology that is highly scalable. From a manufacturing point of view, it is easy for existing LCD plants to incorporate Electrowetting into its process. It is basically the same entire procedure to create the screen, except instead of using Liquid Crystals they use a different fill. One of the huge benefits of Liquavista technology is that it is flexible, which means it is much more robust. It is similar to the same type of display that LG uses in the Wexler Flex One. If you have ever dropped an iPad or an iPhone, you know the LCD glass breaks rather easily because it is extremely inflexible. I think Kobo is making the right call to basically say they will never release a color e-reader. The technology is too immature and companies aren’t innovating in this sector. Kobo Will Never Make a Color e-Reader is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Professional Development for librarians
| The library field is always changing. With the increase in technology and evolving best practices, it’s vital for library staff to stay up-to-date. One simple way to help your staff stay on top of changes in the LIS community is to add professional development titles to your digital collection. Our team of librarians have put together a comprehensive list of LIS professional development titles. This list is chock-full of titles relevant for librarians, including Crash Cours in Readers’ Advisory by OverDrive’s own Cindy Orr. Click here to view the full list in Marketplace.  |
Off the Page: Age-Appropriate eBooks for Readers with Obstacles
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Have you ever looked at an illiterate twenty-year-old with neck tattoos and handed him a book with a cartoon puppy on the cover, then expected him to learn to read with it? It doesn’t usually end well, and that’s a tragedy that two teachers have set out to change. Rosemary Emery and Anne Russell didn’t venture into digital publishing because they were frustrated authors who couldn’t get any respect from the gatekeepers in the traditional industry. They began Off the Page because they were frustrated teachers who were fed up with the inappropriate titles that the industry continues to make available to entire populations of readers who don’t have the same capacity for reading that mainstream students do. In their case, Emery and Russell have worked in special education in some way for most of their adult lives, but were tired of the childish content and juvenile layout of books for special needs students, specifically autistic and learning disabled students. Those particular learning obstacles are so misunderstood by so many people, including “industry experts” who continue to churn out ridiculous titles with preschool-aged themes. Just because the student’s reading functionality isn’t the same as that of his peers doesn’t mean his interests aren’t the same; this prompted the teachers to write their own content. One of the currently free titles on their website is an ebook about skim boarding (similar to body surfing) that is still written at a grade level for lower ability readers while maintaining a higher interest level. Good e-Reader first wrote about the benefits of ebooks and ereaders for learning disabled and special needs students back in 2010 when the Kindle first appeared on the scene. So why hasn’t the educational publishing industry caught up and produced inexpensive titles that address this specific problem? Emery and Russell are completely accurate in their assessment that there’s just no money to be made in this type of publishing, so the industry basically doesn’t bother. Writing niche ebooks that address a specific issue like this has taken up a lot of their time and personal investment, but it’s provided them with classroom tools that actually work for their students. As successes like theirs reach higher levels in education ministries and government committees, hopefully more publishers will get on board and produce digital titles that actually help students learn.
Off the Page: Age-Appropriate eBooks for Readers with Obstacles is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Recommended Read-Alikes
| Looking to add some new titles to your digital collection? Check out our newly redesigned Read Alike page! Handpicked by our staff librarians, these lists can be very helpful in finding popular, high-circulating content that your patrons are sure to enjoy. To help you navigate easier, the page is now organized into four categories: Book and Author Read-Alikes, TV Read-Alikes, Movie Read-Alikes, and Podcast/Radio Read-Alikes. These would make great curated collections on your digital library homepage. As always, your Collection Development Specialist is available to help create any Read-Alikes or recommended lists. Email collectionteam@overdrive.com for more information today! Some titles are metered access and may have limited regional or platform availability. Check OverDrive Marketplace to find what is available for you. Rachel Kray is a Collection Development Analyst at OverDrive  |
Amazonian rainforest simulation
| Mike “Recantha” Horne mailed me yesterday saying he’d found something that was (and I quote) “ALL KINDS OF COOL”. He also taught me a new word. This project is a paludarium: a created environment that mimics a complete terrestrial and aquatic biome, full of plants and animals that live in water and on land. A bit like a terrarium, but with an aquatic element as well (or a bit like an aquarium with a greenhouse on top). The paludarium in question, created by a team called Poopi and Piter (it seems Piter built the paludarium and Poopi built the system that creates the weather and time-of-day effects), simulates an Amazonian rainforest, with fog, rainfall, thunderstorms and wind; as well as a complete diurnal cycle. The Raspberry Pi is responsible for running:
This is one of the most beautiful projects we’ve ever featured here. It’s a compelling watch: enjoy the video. |
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Amazon Textbook Creator Now Supports Enhanced Media
| Amazon has enhanced their Texbook Creator app with the ability to embed audio and video. Publishers will be able to include image pop-ups and have their final product compatible with the Kindle Fire line of tablets and the Amazon app for Android and iOS. The Textbook Creator is fairly bare-bones right now, it only accepts PDF source files. Amazon is testing functionality for Microsoft Word documents, EPUB, and HTML, but there is no word on when the PC or MAC app will be updated again. I think what Amazon is trying to do is eventually have a robust solution like Apple has for their iBooks Author program. Many of the top publishers use the Apple solution because its easier to sell content on the App Store or via iBooks. Amazon Textbook Creator Now Supports Enhanced Media is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Paid Apps Soon Available on the Good e-Reader Android App Store
| The Good e-Reader Android and Blackberry App store is the largest in Canada and has been gaining solid traction on the worldwide stage. Currently we have over 36,000 free apps and soon will be offering paid apps and an enhanced developers portal. It is our goal to be the best indie app store and we are constantly testing out new features and focusing on innovation. In the last few months we added support for OBB files, so developers can upload large games that require external data files. Unlike Amazon, we do not force developers to host these themselves, instead we do it for you. We also unveiled the first ever e-ink Android app store that is compatible with all e-readers on the market running Android. Within the next few weeks we will be updating the website with some monumental changes. We will be adding paid app support and users can register free accounts, pay for apps and get notified when new versions are available. Users will have the option to pay for content directly on their credit card or elect to use PAYPAL. There are also systems in place for you to view past transactions. For developers we have redesigned our Developer Portal to include financial reports, so you can gauge how many downloads and paid apps you are selling, establish a monthly payment threshold and view all of your activity in CSV for your quarterly earnings. All paid app data will be populated in real time and there is SDK required for app submission. Developers also have to input their billing address in order to have their earnings sent to them via Check or Paypal. Good e-Reader is responsible for all billing transactions, so developers don’t have to worry about fraud, we do our own due diligence. I think paid app support will be a breath of fresh air in our ecosystem and it will really allow users to download more Triple AAA titles and their favorite paid e-reader apps. I will do a followup post in the next few weeks when we launch and show you some videos on all of the new features. Paid Apps Soon Available on the Good e-Reader Android App Store is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Microsoft Turns Your Android Device Into Office Remote for Android
| Multitasking is the name of the game these days, and nobody understands that as well as Microsoft. In support of those pursuits, Office Remote for Android turns your phone into the command centre via Bluetooth for desktop-based Microsoft Office 2013 and 2016 Preview programs (on Windows, Mac support is distinctly lacking at the moment). There isn’t much to it, but there are a few handy features: advance PowerPoint slides (and read your speaker notes), use your fingertip as a laser pointer across the screen of the host computer, manipulate Excel tables, and jump through headings in a Word document. It is another good sign from the Microsoft camp, proving they are abandoning their old platform-dependent ways… plus it makes my smartphone even more valuable as a multitasking tool.
Microsoft Turns Your Android Device Into Office Remote for Android is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Read-Alikes!
 If you're anything like me, you've binge-watched Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt at least five times since its debut on Netflix. My Unbreakableaddiction is seriously becoming a problem, it's even spurred several bouts of Hulkamania. I need more! If you also need more Unbreakable goodness in your life, step away from the TV, grab some pinot noir, and check out one of these books: Dawn and the Surfer Ghost by Ann M. Martin – This book helped Kimmy survive the bunker and put Xanthippe in her place, so you know it's good. C'mon there is a surfer ghost, what more could you ask for?! Bossypants by Tina Fey – Fey's signature humor is what makesUnbreakable so fantastic, so her book is a must-read for fans. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus – If you enjoy watching watching Kimmy's experiences working for the uber-rich Vorhees clan, you'll love this humorous look at Park Aveune nannyhood. Finding Me by Michelle Knight – If the plight of the Mole Women has you interested in real-life kidnapping survivors, pick up Michelle Knight's memoir. It's a heartbreaking but inspiring tale of courage in the face of unimaginable circumstances. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham – Do you crack up watching Titus's attempts to become a famous actor? Then you might like this charming novel about a young woman also trying to find acting success in New York. Click here to view these titles and more recommendations in Marketplace. Title availability may vary across regions and platforms. Michelle Ross is a Collection Development Analyst at OverDrive and hashbrown no filter.
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Scribd Adds Over 9,000 Audiobooks from Penguin Random House
| Today Scribd announced that they’ve just added over 9,000 audiobook titles from Penguin Random House to their subscription service. A number of popular titles are included in the deal. Some of the notable audiobooks being offered are The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, The Buried […] |
Reviewing Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
| I owe a lot to Sarah Dessen. Let me explain. I first began reading her novels back in 2003 when the film "How to Deal" was released. While Mandy Moore may have gotten me into the theater doors, (I was a wee teen, don't judge) I've stayed with Dessen all these years later for her honesty, her wit and the way she creates such real characters that I can relate to again and again. (Additionally, her social media presence is lovely. I urge you to read her Twitter page for daily wit and wisdom.)
It would seem like fate when the Chatham family enters Sydney's world. Sydney befriends outgoing and friendly Layla and Layla's cute brother, Mac. Finally amongst those that really see her, Sydney can begin to deal with the guilt, the loss and the issues that come from her family's turmoil. What captivated me the most about this latest story by Dessen was the depth in which readers can see into the character of Sydney. She's overwhelmingly relatable as she carries the weight of guilt over her brother's actions and struggles to share her desire to be seen as an individual…someone not tied to her brother's shadow. As can be expected from Dessen, the love story within Saint Anything is perfect and charming. The family struggles are heartbreaking and hopeful. The bonds between female friends are not understated. Sydney's friendship with Layla had me missing my best friends in a way that only "girl time" can solve. Teens and adults alike will enjoy Saint Anything and its release, May 5, 2015, is just in time to enjoy during Dessen's favorite season, summer. So grab as many copies of this book as you can from your nearest library and head to the beach (or just outside in the sunshine)! For Saint Anything Read-alikes, check out some suggestions here: http://bit.ly/1Memswn
Emma Kanagaki is a Collection Development Analyst with OverDrive  |
The Crackdown on Fake Reviews Has Begun
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One site in particular, BuyAzonReviews.com, makes no bones about its business model and doesn’t even try to hide its purpose. In fact, the very selection of its domain name and its constant referral to the retailer as “Azon” is a calculated legal move; Amazon’s lawsuit names trademark violations and “cybersquatting” (using a company name to boost your own business) as two of the issues that prompted the suit. The site’s creator danced on the line of legality while still making it quite clear where these reviews would end up. It’s important to note that sending out samples of a product with the purpose of garnering reviews is not a suspicious practice. But according to Lisa Vaas for NakedSecurity.com, at least one review site even gave out advice on how to garner a “verified purchase” review by shipping the reviewer an empty box so Amazon would think the review was based on a genuine sampling of the product. That way, the review went through with the “Verified Purchase” tag on it but the person paying for these reviews didn’t lose any more money on shipping out actual products. While these review sites were geared more towards physical products other than books, such as gadgets that vendors might sell through the Amazon Marketplace, some of the first complaints from the internet community about Amazon reviews centered on self-published authors who were accused of buying reviews of their books. It wasn’t long before authors were accused of also buying bad reviews of “competitors'” books. Once Goodreads was purchased by Amazon, the concept of leaving scathing reviews for authors’ works as retaliation for some perceived bad behavior or insult took off. It was mind-boggling enough that consumers had to seriously call into question the validity of any review, good or bad. Whether or not this lawsuit will put an end to shmarmy review behavior is up in the air, but it might do enough to send a message to other companies offering similar services. Amazon has a fairly solid history of not taking on a fight it doesn’t at least hope to win (looking at you, Big Five publishers who got their agency pricing deals), but this time the stakes are triple damages AND legal fees. For a shady character from California named Jay Gentile–owner of the sites in question–to cough up the cost of Amazon’s legal team on this one seems a little far-fetched, so perhaps this really is just an attempt on Amazon’s part to at least look like they’ve tried to do something constructive.
The Crackdown on Fake Reviews Has Begun is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Raspberry Pi Powered Minion Fart Gun Machine
| The Raspberry Pi Powered Minion Fart Gun Machine. It’s got LEGO. It’s got an ultrasonic proximity sensor. It’s got farts. We loved it. Paul Weeks‘ kids are the proud owners of a Minion Fart Gun. It’s a toy reproduction of a despicable gadget from the movie Despicable Me 2. (You can buy your own Fart Blaster on Amazon – but this project will work with any toy that has a trigger mechanism.) Paul had an ultrasonic sensor kicking around from some other Raspberry Pi projects he’d worked on with his kids (the Scratch Ultrasonic Elephant Cheese-Puff Game is a thing of beauty, and we commend it to you). He also had a box full of LEGO Technic. He brought everything together with his kids to make Paul has created a thorough writeup, complete with code. It’s a fun project; you’ll learn about controlling motors, how ultrasonic sensors work, and how best to annoy family members going to the loo in the dark in the middle of the night. Thanks Paul; we salute you! (Please don’t come near us with that thing.) |
Essential Funimation Anime
| If you’ve just gotten a Funimation subscription, or maybe you're mulling over the idea of acquiring one, it might be hard to decide what to watch first. Here is, in no particular order, a list of the essential Funimation anime: the ones you simply have to see. One of Funimation's top-selling anime, it'll be a surprise if you haven't seen this one already. But just in case you haven't – jump on that train immediately! The story takes place in an alternate universe where demonic creatures are hunted and reaped by teams of human 'meisters', and their partners that switch between human and weapon form. The show is equal parts humour, action, and the supernatural. The three elements blend together well, so you never feel as if one is completely overtaking the other. The relationships between the characters feel real, as does the pain they suffer. You'll be drawn into this one from the start! Don't let the cherry blossoms and pretty boys fool you. This anime is a comedic, often satirical look at the shojo genre. The story follows a young scholarship student attending a school filled with the rich and elite. She stumbles across the Host Club, a group of boys who want to help the girls of the school pass the time by "appreciating beauty" – by appreciating their own beauty, that is. The student finds herself mistaken for a boy due to her short hair and thin stature, and is brought in to be part of the club. Funny and heartwarming at the same time, this anime is already considered a classic. And before you enter, be warned: it will be years before you get that "Kiss, kiss, fall in love!" out of your head. Or the oft-shortened "AssClass," this fairly new anime deals with yellow, octopus-like alien teacher in a classroom filled with students trying to assassinate him. Not hooked yet? What if we mention that this alien teacher asked the students to try and assassinate him, because, if they don't manage it by a certain deadline, he'll destroy the world? Fun and filled with entertaining assassination attempts, this anime is one you may not have seen yet but should be the next on your list. It's only 26 episodes, but those 26 episodes will be filled with all the space-western neo-noir action you can handle. Often referred to as one of the greatest anime of all time, the series follows an exiled hitman who now works as a bounty hunter of sorts aboard the ship Bebop. The series is dark and gritty, with complex multi-faceted characters and an incredible soundtrack. By the end of it, you'll be saying "See you space cowboy" to anyone who will listen. Fullmetal Alchemist/Brotherhood Let's face it, you've probably already seen FMA. You already know it's one of the best anime of all time. You already know about the compelling characters and complex villains. You already know about the comedy and the tragedy. You already know about the world-building and beautiful animation. But no list of the essentials could be complete without at least mentioning it, and besides, who says you can't give it a second (third, fourth?) watch? This one comes from a personal recommendation from the author herself. One of the best anime to surface out of the mecha genre, Eureka Seven deals with underlying themes of religious persecution, corrupt militarism, government testing and love that transcends human nature, all to the backdrop of fighting in giant robots. It's the story of a young boy whose life is changed entirely when a mecha crashes in his backyard, piloted by one of the prettiest (and strangest) girls he's ever seen. While this anime may start out slow for some, and the mythology and world-building may take some getting used to, once this anime sinks its claws in it will never let you go. If you haven't already seen this wonderfully crafted masterpiece, then I have only Funimation's motto to say: You should be watching. Essential Funimation Anime is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Scribd Now Offers Thousands of Bestselling Audiobooks
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Scribd has made it their mission to be one of the leading Netflix for e-books subscription services. They started to focus on audiobooks in November 2014 in order to differentiate themselves from Entitle and Oyster. The company launched with 30,000 audiobooks titles from Blackstone, HarperCollins, Scholastic and Naxos. CEO Trip Adler stated "Penguin Random House Audio is one of the world's most admired publishers, and we are excited to work with them to expand the potential audience for audiobooks by putting thousands of their amazing titles at readers' fingertips," said Trip Adler, co-founder and CEO of Scribd. "Since we launched audiobooks last fall, reading time on Scribd has doubled. This is great news for Scribd and for our publishing partners." The global audiobook industry is currently worth 2.6 billion dollars and part of the reason why we have seen a dramatic increase in profitability is due to digital. In a recent New York Times piece, they said "In the first eight months of 2014, sales were up 28% over the same period last year, far outstripping the growth of e-books, which rose 6%." I think Scribd’s continued focus on audiobooks will hopefully spur further adoption because of the low monthly price. The cost of an Audiobook are often drastically inflated and is a financial barrier for mainstream acceptance. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green costs $4.99 for the Kindle edition, but the audiobook costs $17.99. Max Brooks seminal World War Z – The Oral History of the Zombie Wars costs $9.99 for the Kindle edition, but the audiobook will set you back $28.00. Scribd Now Offers Thousands of Bestselling Audiobooks is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Twitter Advice for Indie Authors
| Indie authors often make the cardinal sin of promoting their latest book and nothing else. Most authors see Twitter as a vehicle to drive sales to whatever new title they are hawking instead of a social media community that builds brand loyalty.The most successful authors often have a Twitter audience that genuinely cares about them. How do they do it? Jennifer Weiner has sold millions of books, spent a combined five years on the New York Times best-seller list, and amassed 109,000 followers on Twitter. Last week, she descended into the basement of New York City's Ace Hotel to share a handful of her self-promotional secrets. The talk, sponsored by the PEN American Center, was titled "How to Be Authentic on Social Media," but its true subject was how to promote your book on the Internet without making everyone hate you. Weiner advised authors to tweet about the things they love (for Weiner, it's the reality TV romance competition The Bachelor); to tweet about the authors they love (Roxane Gay and Gary Shteyngart are two of her favorites); and to tweet about their own projects "sparingly, carefully, modestly, thoughtfully, and absolutely as little as possible"—and let their now-loyal crew of social media followers spread the word. Joanna Penn of the Creative Penn said “You can't join twitter and expect to get a flood of traffic and sales to your site. It is a social networking site and rewards you for time and effort put in. There is a cumulative effect over time. I started with zero followers a year ago and now have over 12,000. This is a slow growth approach based on time, effort and being useful. I have not used any of the so called techniques for quickly getting followers. People find my site based on the tweets I put out there sporadically when I post a new blog article, or when they click through my profile to find out more about me. Then they may buy my books, download the free information and subscribe. This is the only long term solution for getting Twitter traffic and marketing. Give first, and you will receive. Twitter is one of the top 3 traffic producers for this site. That's why it is worth using.” Nicolas Rossis mused that writers should just be themselves. “Are you witty, funny, sarcastic, serious or a combination of any of those? Tweet about everyday musings. People love connecting with people and if you are yourself, people will appreciate it. Don't try to be something you aren't or try to be what you think readers will want to hear. I am myself aka MRS N on Twitter and I tweet about a lot of things. I have met a lot of friends on Twitter and they ALL are excited about my book. Why? Because they are intrigued and like me for me.” I see a large majority of indie authors who simply link to their e-book on Amazon and hope for the best. Did you know you can actually have your followers add things to their shopping cart automatically. Last year Amazon and Twitter formed a partnership for a program called #Amazoncart. This program is fairly simple, users can link their Twitter account with Amazon and then automatically add items to their shopping cart by responding to any tweet with an Amazon product link bearing the hashtag #AmazonCart. The worst thing that a writer can do is just use hashtags like #bymybook. It is important for an indie author to be authentic and engaging. You won’t suddenly get thousands of followers out of the gate, its organic. Twitter Advice for Indie Authors is a post from: Good e-Reader |
