How to Create a Cover for Your Finished Kindle eBook

Well, they say that you can't judge a book by its cover however we know that everyone does it anyway. Indeed, I think this is something that I have recently relearned. You see, as an online article author with a number of articles posted online, I thought I would take my writing skills and put together some e-books and offer them to Kindle users. Indeed, at first it was slow going, and I could understand why, but it gets right back to the fact that people do judge a book by its cover even an electronic book. Okay so, let's talk about this for a second shall we?

You see, if you have Microsoft Word creating a cover for your Kindle e-book may not be as hard as you think. That's because your Microsoft program also has a component program called; Microsoft Paint. Did you know that you can take the first page of your e-book along with any pictures on that page, and copy that onto your clipboard, and paste it into Microsoft Paint? It's true, and it is really easy to do. That is once you have the perfect cover created in word, which is already part of your completed e-book.

Once you have copied and then pasted it into Microsoft Paint, then you should press; Control A, which will expand the borders to all edges of your Microsoft Paint file. Next, you should close that out and save it to the same folder where you have your e-book. Once you have that saved, then you can re-open it as a picture, or a JPEG. This is the file type that is required when posting an e-book cover into Kindle or Amazon. Once you open it you can then modify this picture by pressing; "FIX" and then reformatting the picture to your liking.

You will be able to modify the borders, change the contrast and brightness, and play around with the color a little bit. Best of all, you can do this without buying any more software programs to load on your computer. Why not try this right now, while you are still reading this article?

Take the first page of your e-book, and copy that single page into your "paint program" on Microsoft. And then go ahead and save it to whichever folder you wish. Now go open it again and play around with it, making slight modifications. Do you see how easy this is? I'm glad I was able to learn this the hard way so I could bring it to your attention.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative eBooks on E-Books. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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How to Design a Good eBook

There are some eBook designs which are really worst looking and I sometimes wonder if the authors make any sale out of it. Even it comes free of cost; it may fail to appease the buyers. It may not be so easy to create good eBook design but with certain tips, you will surely fare well in the market.

You may argue that you lack in creativity and so less likely want to dabble in eBook design. But believe me, in spite of poor design skill, it is possible for you to come up with something of your very own. And it will not be so bad that you have expected. What you really need is to follow some useful step-by-step guidelines.

Knowing the taste of your audience is the first and foremost condition of a successful eBook design. The design must be appealing to your customers otherwise they will not waste their money to make a buy. Before starting with design creation, take time to do a little bit of research on your competitors' eBooks, especially those who have curved a niche in this business. It will help you understand which types of designs are a current trend and favorite with the eBook readers.

Do you find their eBook designs quite interesting and inspiring? If it is 'yes' then pay attention to every detail such as images, colors, headlines etc. which when harmoniously blended result into a good design. Make sure not to copy the style as these designs may be copyrighted. Try to create something on your own. Everyone is endowed with creativity only in varying degrees and make the most of it.

There is a large pool of eBook readers and in coming days, the number will only shoot up. The readers belong to different brackets on the basis of their taste and age group. Crime thrillers and romantic novels are favorites of the teenagers while books on serious issues go well with the taste of the aged booklovers. Sell for books and manuals for weight loss, diet and healthy living is on the rise. The most popular niche is off course the make-money fast niche. There are thousands of eBooks in this category and the designs really matter for the success of the product. The whole point of this saying is that there is not one-fits-all solution in case of eBook design. However practice makes a man perfect and once you spend some valuable time in this field, you will know what the customers find attractive.

S John is a skilled designer himself and have created hundreds of eBook cover designs for his clients. You can check some of his sample designs here: http://www.ecoverexpert.com/portfolio.html

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Writing an eBook - The 5 Most Important Tips for Newbies

So you've decided you want to have a book. Good for you. Books and eBooks are amongst the best tools for marketing. Whether you are intending to sell them to make money, or giving them away to gain customers. Books and eBooks are amongst the best tools that you can get to build your business around.

But then comes the problem.

How do you write an eBook?

There are a number of different methods for writing an eBook or writing a book. Or more correctly for getting a book. Some are good. Some are not so good. However, for this article I'm going to focus on actually writing an eBook yourself.

Writing an eBook or any long work can be difficult. And working one's way through all of the advice out there can be just as difficult. So in this article, I'm going to give the newbie writer a hand up with five of the most important tips.

1. Always start with the end in mind

Yes, I know I've just quoted Stephen Covey. But the advice applies even more to writing a book or eBook. The effort you are about to undertake will vary considerably depending on the nature of the product. Many traditional eBooks were only 20 pages in length. Or even less. And people do continue to create report-sized eBooks despite the influx of longer Book-length versions. What you are going to use the book for will greatly affect the size and style of the book or eBook. It also affects how much, if anything, you are going to charge. Which in turn also has an effect on the size. Even the format (print or electronic) will be affected by what you are going to do with the book.

2. Always write with a system

Writing is a process. And like any other process, there are two major ways to do it. The successful way and the unsuccessful way. Writing a book length piece -- regardless of its form -- is not a trivial exercise. It's not like writing an essay or writing an article like this one. You need to follow a system based on the type of book you are writing. An attempt to just sit down and write will almost inevitably lead to failure.

3. Know your reader

Writing a book without a reader is like taking a trip without a destination. It can lead to some glorious surprises -- but more likely to a sad conclusion. There is no point in writing an eBook that no one will read. But to be read, a book needs to interest the reader. It needs to draw them into it. To accomplish that, a writer must know before they start what will interest the reader. And then they must write that book. Not the one they started to write.

4. Have a writer's hole.

Every writer has a set of conditions that help him create. Every writer has a set of conditions that prevent her creating. Most writers have multiple sets depending on the task. You need to have a place for each of the tasks in the process. It's easiest if they are all the same place, but they key is that you need to be able to start immediately without any inherent delays.

5. Have a set schedule

Motivation is probably the biggest issue that a writer has. With motivation, they will overcome anything in their quest of writing an eBook. However, it is a great deal easier if you have a specific chunk of time allocated for writing. Be firm. No interruptions. No disturbances. No intrusions. This is your writing time and you need to produce.

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com/

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

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15 Tips for Finding Someone to Write Your eBook

So you've decided to get into the internet marketing business. And of course, you've decided that you need an eBook in order to drive your opt-in page. Or maybe you've been hearing about the Kindle and Amazon. And you've decided to make a quick couple of bucks by putting your own book up. Or maybe you have a company and want to encourage pre-qualified customers to call.

There's only one problem -- you can't write! So what can you do?

One of the best techniques is to hire a ghostwriter to write your book for you. But hiring a ghostwriter for the first time can be a scary proposition. In this article, I'm going to give you fifteen tips to help you negotiate the moors and actually produce a useful book. Before you start, I want to qualify my article somewhat. We're talking about a high quality book that you can be proud of producing. There is a world of difference between a proper book (eBook or print) and a ten-page report.

So given that caveat:

1. Don't use same person you would use to produce search engine marketing articles. SEO articles are articles you use for article marketing or blog marketing. Their purpose is to drive traffic to your site. The current price you pay for a 500-word article marketing or SEO article precludes quality.

2. Know what you want before you go out looking. There is a big difference between a 25-page PLR quality book, a 200 page executive book, and a four hundred page textbook.

3. Know what style you want. There is a difference between formal, informal, and "try to sound like me". While most ghostwriters can switch between formal and informal, imitating your speech patterns can be difficult.

4. Know what rights you really want and need. The more rights, the higher the cost will be. Although it's not as straight forward as in traditional publishing, since ghostwriters typically sell all rights. For example, will their name be on the eBook or just yours? Can they use the book for their own promotion? Can they disclose that they wrote the book or is it a secret?

5. Be clear & upfront with all ghostwriters about your requirements. You're more likely to get what you want without later arguments. Remember that these people are freelance contractors. Copyright laws favor them as the creator.

6. If you know someone who has used a ghostwriter, ask him or her for a recommendation.

7. Do a web search (in other words a Google search) for ghostwriters, or use a Writers' Union or Guild to find professionals.

8. Try using Kijiji or Craigslist. However, be very clear with your ad as to what your expectations are.

9. Do not use freelancing websites such as eLance or Guru or similar. They tend to focus on lower priced talent. Save these for article marketing writers and similar quality products.

10. Ask for samples of previous work (ghostwritten or otherwise). If possible, these use the same type of style as you are looking for.

11. Check for spelling mistakes & grammar mistakes. Some mistakes on a website are for SEO reasons. However, most writers hate spelling and grammar mistakes. Books and commercial articles should have no spelling errors and few grammatical errors.

12. Look for a native speaking writer. Someone from China or India might be able to write sufficiently for an SEO article. However, a real eBook or a book is another issue.

13. Pay as you go (progress bill) or use an escrow service. For example, 10% on acceptance, 10% on outline, 10% after each chapter (presuming eight chapters). If you pay up front, there is always the chance that your writer will disappear with your money. Just one more reason to deal with a professional ghostwriter.

14. Be prepared to pay from $5,000 to $10,000 or more, for a quality eBook. Professional ghostwriters charge anywhere from 20 cents to $1.00 a word or more. So prices can spiral quickly. Don't forget to set a budget and be prepared to negotiate your expectations. Don't forget to include the cost of editing, reformatting, and graphic design in your budget.

15. You get what you pay for.

Do you want to learn how to write a book in 24 hours? Take my brand new free course here: http://www.learningcreators.com/

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

View the original article here