Successful Blog

The Mic Is On: We’re Talking About eBooks!

by 320 Comments

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Let’s Talk eBooks

The Internet almost drowns us in information. Savvy folks know that, with the right search skills, we find the answer to almost any question. Does it make sense to publish information in the form of eBooks and other information products? Tonight it’s about eBooks:

  • Do we read them?
  • Do we write them?
  • Do we buy them?
  • Do we sell them?
  • Has an eBook changed your life in any way?

    • ahem . . .

eBook Sample

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey . . . and flamenco dancing (because we always get off topic, anyway.)

Oh, and bring example links to share —

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Comments

  25. Hi all – thought I’d wander over and see what’s new. eBooks are great, but I’ve neglected them the last two years or so. I used to read them more when I had a non-wireless PDA! πŸ˜€

    Reply

  36. Hi all. Can’t stay long tonight, but wanted to chime in to congratulate Liz on her latest eBook and share that I read 1-2 a month, mostly on professional topics (marketing is a biggee).

    Reply

  37. Must also confess that I often print eBooks to read – can’t seem to lose the habit of writing in books!

    Reply

  39. As one of those anti-social IT geeks that liked hardware just a little too much, it was mostly just to explore the technology than anything.

    Read some Zane Grey’s and a few others and got tired of reading screens of 40 words at once.

    It’s changed drastically since then of course!

    Reply

  41. It’s been a while since I visited comment night (mainly because it’s actually night here: 2.15 am now). Anyway, I’m awake today and the topic is very appealing too!

    Yes I read e-books. I’ve read a great share of them. My opinion on them differs a lot, and I tend to like the ones I bought more than the ones that are for free.

    There are some great free e-books out there, but the majority is low-effort copy-paste save-as-pdf garbage that you pay for with an email address.

    I have also written an e-book (not a free one). And I took great care to make sure that it’s worth its money. So I had it proofread, it has a proper cover, it has nice graphics and a good layout.

    I’ll stop now, since I have the longest reply so far…

    Oh…and hi Liz!

    Reply

  50. Hey Liz (long time no talk!);

    I write ebooks and read them.

    In fact, I even paid $99 for an ebook that I found just OK.

    The best one I ever purchased and the one that really changed my business was by Andrew Goodman about PPC advertising.

    Mike

    Reply

  52. I’ve been finding it interesting on how many bloggers have started writing eBooks. A good fit for sure. I just hadn’t thought much on it.

    Of course, one should keep there blog current too though eh? πŸ˜‰

    Reply

  57. Hello to Michael A. Stelzner.

    – – –

    I don’t think I could bring myself to spend a lot of money (more than $25) for an e-book. Do y’all think there is a “tipping point” on price that turns a lot of customers off?

    Reply

  59. You’re right Rick, the blog needs content too πŸ™‚ But I started the e-book for another reason. It grew from blog posts that became too long to publish, or that needed more context to be effective. And for that the format of the e-book was better than that of a blog.

    Reply

  61. I don’t mind reading online, but I know a lot of people don’t care for it. I’ve even heard you should use sans-serif fonts for online books. Supposedly the little feet on serif font is good for print but annoying online. I never noticed much difference, I just remember reading that somewhere.

    Reply

  64. @Michael Stelzner: You said: “The best one I ever purchased and the one that really changed my business was by Andrew Goodman about PPC advertising.” How much was that e-book?

    Reply

  66. Lodewijk, excellent point. I was mostly referring to myself being in that classic blogger catch 22 situations of “being to busy to blog” πŸ˜‰

    eBooks are an excellent way to publish those works that require more space and time than a post!

    Reply

  69. @Lodewijk If it makes you feel any better (probably not), when I am working out of Hawaii, I’m caught in peak work hours (my 2PM is Chicago 7PM) to participate.

    Reply

  71. Actually, this is a timely topic because I have “Creating Accessible Ebooks” on tap for the Accessibility 100 series. What are most people using to create ebooks? Is Adobe still as popular? Or, are there more attractive alternatives?

    Reply

  73. Ebooks are also good for gathering together a larger body of work that people would have to travel all over your blog to find and read.

    Think about it. would you rather read 32 pages edited into a book, or 32 blog posts in a row. Now imagine those 32 posts are related but spread out across a blog.

    Reply

  74. Lodewijk – there is a site called e-Reader that specializes in e-books, and they use lower case e with a hyphen (I think…I’ll feel really silly if I misremembered that)

    Reply

  78. I don’t know, Liz. They carry big name authors like Stephen King and James Patterson. Hang on and I’ll see if I can find the link, I get their newsletter…..

    Reply

  84. See, now I couldn’t see reading a novel as an ebook. Shorter works that fill niches like most here are working on, but not full novels… I like the feel of an analog book for that.

    Reply

  86. Part of what turned me off on early ebooks was the attempt of pushing specialized readers just for the task. Since PDFs are nearly ubiquitous, it really changes that perception for me.

    Reply

  87. No Glenda, on this one Marti’s got it the right way,
    The serif fonts improve readability on paper by almost 70 percent. Times Roman is the most usual choice. That’s why most books use serif type and why typefaces that have “book” in their name, such as Bookman or Century SchoolBook are serif fonts. πŸ™‚

    Reply

  98. Lori, you could try to Google eBook reviews – I don’t know of any right off the bat, although many of the blogs that review POD will read your work if you send it to them in a PDF.

    Reply

  99. @Linda missed your comment. Those are awkward times too. Being awake knowing that you miss the conversation might be worse than sleeping through it. But Hawaii would make up for it!

    Reply

  101. Yeah, hand-held readers… I used to have some on my PDAs over the years, but they only had one font size and I was constantly scrolling. Things like the Kindle make it easier, but I find that just having my laptop with me 98% of the time is more useful to me. I just like that big screen I guess.

    Reply

  102. ebooks just don’t do it.. they’ve been way over pushed by people trying to make an extra buck off their website, and feel good about how many people download them… but they don’t have any interaction with those ‘downloaders’ (maybe maybe ‘readers’) I’d rather see the world of well written wiki’s explode onto the scene.

    My all time favorite online book: The Django Book

    best format
    best execution
    best collaboration

    just plain hawt

    Reply

  108. You’re more than welcome, Sheila!

    I read the blog of literary agent Nathan Bransford, and he said he recently got a Kindle and was very pleasantly surprised at how much he likes it.

    Reply

  111. @Sheila We’re still here. Trying to keep our feet dry (although not in the town I live in, we’re above sea level).

    And we’re noticing the effects of changes in the climate. Mild winters, warm spring, wet summer and nice autums. No more snow though…

    Reply

  112. I just checked and I see eReader.com doesn’t yet have a review/voting system.

    An IMDB or Amazon type aggregate of votes would go a long way to popularizing ebooks by making people feel safe about value for money. Don’t you think?

    Of course word of mouth or already trusted author (like Liz) works.

    Reply

  119. I’ve read a few–the whole market has changed in recent years (for the better I think) with actual mainstream books

    Reply

  121. Linda, I agree – reader reviews are always a help. I suppose since they carry “big name” books, maybe they think folks will have done their research already, but it’d still be a nice feature.

    Reply

  122. Liz re 102,sorry, with my background and experience, accessibility is always on my mind. People don’t realize how it runs through every facet of life. Sometimes it does stop a conversation tho – wish I could shut it off at times!

    Reply

  126. @Glenda re:122 & 102: You’re right about the just-in-it-for-money effect…

    Cool thing is the same “marketing techniques” can and should be used for beneficial books..

    Reply

  128. I’m back! Computer is ok again! It was weird – no matter what I copied when I pasted it just kept pasting the same thing again and again. And it was some link to update xp/vista – kind of made me nervous. but everything seems ok now!

    Reply

  133. Hi everbody!

    I have a love/hate relationship with ebooks. It’s such a convenient way to carry books around, especially since I usually have my laptop, but I haven’t found anything that matches the interface of a physical book.

    Reply

  135. Glenda, no worries about reminding us about accessibility issues. Since my husband’s stroke, I have been stunned at some of the places that don’t have handicap access. It doesn’t cross most people’s minds until it gets personal. It is personal for you and I commend you for your courage and strength.

    Reply

  137. @Sheila True. It’s been 11 years since the last Elfstedentocht, but it hasn’t even come close to it in that time. And it’s more endurance than speedskating…200 kilometers πŸ˜‰

    Reply

  140. @marti I went over to Twitter to alert Connie Bensen @cbensen that we are talking about ebooks because I know she likes to useful ebooks on social media. Trouble is I think she may be mostly on Plurk these days, and I’m not there.

    Reply

  142. @Rick I thought it might be a good idea to do a chapter or two that stand alone as ebook, then have printed book for anyone wanting more info. Your take on it?

    Reply

  144. Hi Rick,
    I think the benefits are that some books are meant to be held and read. Some are meant to be passed out at a presentation. Some are for personal consumption of information. Everyone decides which is which for themselves. πŸ™‚

    Reply

  148. Rick, I’ve got all my books at Lulu available as both print and download. I think one advantage (for buyers) is that eBooks are cheaper

    Reply

  149. Delaney – I’ve been wanting to ask you about something I saw on your site about critical thinking skills – can’t find it now though.

    Reply

  150. You’ll get no eBook from me
    I can’t write that well you see

    I can barely make up a rhyme
    And it always takes too much time

    But best of luck to all you writers
    conquer the baddies and smite the smitters.

    Burma Shave

    Nite Liz
    Nite All

    Reply

  168. heyo, sorry… I’ve got 8 things going at once, so just hoping back in. (I’m @thomasknoll on twitter, fyi) And I still stand by my first comment (#102) when it comes to ebooks. I wish I had more to say, but that’s it so far.

    Reply

  169. Sorry, I missed the question about my eBook sales. Hmmm? What’s selling well. I think it’s doing really well.

    2-3 a day and already 3 really wonderful clients. πŸ™‚

    Reply

  172. Delaney – Thank you!

    I’ve completed one, putting the series on notescript into handbook format, but it languishes as I waffle between self-publishing and trying to find a publisher.

    Reply

  173. Steady sales…I would say that’s good. I don’t expect my book to make me rich but it does attract universities that then want me to do a workshop for their faculty.

    Reply

  177. Jeff, I have read some pretty awful eBooks – I suspect you could do better!

    Thomas, I friended you at Twitter.

    I think the best use for an eBook is as instruction. You can include links and photos or graphics that might actually be more useful being read ON a computer.

    Reply

  178. I have downloaded and read every free ebook I can about SEO, social networking, Web 2.0 and anything I can that is related. I appreciate that they are out there.
    As I get a better hold on things and the learning curve starts to level off, I suspect delving deeper will require longer, more involved and likely paid for ebooks.

    Reply

  179. Thomas —
    Why do you write “but they donÒ҂¬Ò„’t have any interaction with those ΓƒΒ’Γ’Β‚Β¬Γ‹ΒœdownloadersÒ҂¬Ò„’ ?

    Reply

  181. Huh, I duck out for a few minutes talking with my wife Amy and so many great people join in! Hi there Thomas buddy – how’s SF treating you? We miss you in MPLS you know.

    Reply

  185. Hi, everyone:
    I am also writing an eBook, but it is taking me forever to finish it. I have it half done on paper, need to transfer it to my laptop.

    I plan on using Lulu for self-publishing, and the hard part is marketing.

    I do read them as well. Not too many, but an occasional one here and there. The last one i read was on the topic of blogging.

    Nice to meet everyone. Name is Missy.

    Reply

  193. Recently I found an eBook of interest. I read through a few chapters online, slowly wearing out my eyesight. Has anyone else noticed that staring at a monitor reduces your blink-rate? Yes, that’s right, you don’t blink as often. Consequently, the human eye ‘drys out’ quicker. Blinking, as I understand the principle, allows our eyes to ‘wet’ themselves, thereby allowing free movement to the eyeball against the skin it’s held within.
    Upon noticing that the Author of the book had a comments area, I asked if the book was available to purchase. Apparently it was not, but he had seriously considered the option.
    I indicated that if it were, I would purchase it at the next available opportunity.
    Within one week I had a response that he had discovered Lulu.com, and that I could make my purchase.
    A few days later I became the proud new owner of Mortal Ghost by L.Lee Lowe. Want to download the free version? Yes, you can!

    Reply

  202. My ebook is on the topic of blogging. It is called “101 Random Blogging Tips For Newbie Bloggers”, and covers the gamut from picking a domain name to writing content to blog platform, and everything else in between.

    I need to get it done, but procrastinating all the way to the bank.

    Reply

  206. Riuck, I like to continue to edit my books, (plus I’m poor – LOL) so I have never purchased ISBN’s. I was able to sell on Amazon because I had a Marketplace account. (No longer doing that though since husband’s stroke and grandma’s Parkinson’s take up most of my time)

    Reply

  207. Char!
    You could write about
    being a work at home mom

    going from print to online design

    all of those fabulous organizational tools you’ve made

    ways to work successfully with clients.

    Reply

  208. Hi Liz, great questions! I agree with Marti in #177 that they are a great place for instruction and including links to further information. So far, I have encountered a couple of patterns: 1. Those I have downloaded seem to written with the intent of truly helping; and, 2. There seems to be enough left hanging to get you back to the site, blog, or possibly to purchase (I personally think that is smart).
    Early on I got one or two that were primarily advertising…if I could ask them to get one thing right it would be to save the advertising, my downloading the book with your links, name, logo etc. and sharing with my colleagues and friends is great WOM in and of itself. I don’t tend to pass those on.
    Oh, and thank you for the warm welcome!

    Reply

  209. Well darn. Daughter just called from the mall and she and her friend need a ride home, so I am going to have to leave. I have no poetry like Joe, but it certainly was delightful to get to chat with all of you. May you have much peace joy and success in your lives!

    And I see I mis-spelled Rick’s name – so sorry!

    Reply

  212. @Missy
    According to Technorati, the number of blogs had grown to 112.8 million by July 2008, with 175,000 new blogs being added each day (Technorati website, 2008).

    (I’m working on a journal article on using blogs in the classroom)

    Reply

  214. For those who want to print their books, I discovered yesterday that many POD companies use the same printer, Lightning Source (LSI). From an article I read:

    “The reason both legitimate publishers and subsidy presses use Lightning Source is simple. LSI is owned by Ingram, which is the world’s largest wholesale book distributor. Getting your book into the Ingram database via LSI gets your book into Amazon and other online booksellers. It also means that bookstores can order your book, even if they don’t stock it on their shelves.”
    The article is here:
    http://newsletter.logicalexpressions.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=157

    Reply

  216. Glenda, I used to have an Amazon storefront. As a storekeeper, I could list items even if they didn’t have an ISBN. But I am just too busy with caregiving right now to take care of it. It’s quite a bit of work to keep and mail the inventory of used books.

    Gotta run now – bye everyone!

    Reply

  219. Liz & Rick – I guess those are things I just do, but never really considered writing an ebook about them.

    Now I have one more thing to add to my ever growing to-do list.

    Reply

  221. Good morning from Makati, Liz and everyone in the room!

    Just checking in and will be reading the thread for a while… haven’t read or finished an ebook, can you believe that???

    Reply

  231. Hi folks. Sorry I’m late. We are trying to be healthier, so wife dragged me out for a couple of laps around the mall. (no ice cream either) Just got back a short bit ago. Going to start gathering things for my e-book.

    Reply

  235. Liz,
    I’ve decided that since the service related posts are such a big hit, I’m going to work on a lessons learned book. I like my idea for a title, Time on the Pond, with a subtitle, Life Lessons from the Navy.

    Still a work in progress. At least I’ve got a couple posts thrown together in one page. Will work for an outline.

    Reply

  236. Hi Trisha,

    I think you were one of the first to comment and/or link on my BootsnAll Family Travel blog (thanks!) and I bet we did meet when I spoke last summer at BlogHer in Chicago.

    Reply

  241. Delaney:
    Blogs are incredibly popular for several reasons, but i think one main reason they have shot through the roof, in recent years is the fact that they are SEO magnets. Word is finally getting out, on how very powerful blogs are.

    Kelli:
    Hi, you can review my ebook anytime, but i must finish it first. LOL.

    Would love a review from you. (and anyone else, for that matter)

    Thanxs! for the lovely feedback, and ideas.

    Reply

  249. @WendyPerrin just figured out how to tweet from her cell phone, thanks to a link I put on Facebook to a Sunday newspaper article that had me in the “Austin Twitter Starter Pack.”

    I love the Long Tail!

    Sorry, totally irrelevant to ebooks….

    Reply

  260. Sheila:
    I have yet to figure out how to tweet from my phone. (so shameful) Im about to get stoned now. (covers head)

    Liz:
    Thanxs for the follow, i found you and Delaney and Marti. Cool you’re from Chicago. (my hometown) Love those Cubbies! They’re doing good this year, too. Finally!

    Reply

  261. Thanks for being an Every Dot Connects fan, Todd!

    Hmmm, we ought to write a social media marketing ebook, come to think of it….I’ll tell Connie Reece that I volunteered her for the first three chapters. πŸ™‚

    Reply

  269. Rick:
    Lol. But you can’t be anti-social, you’re on here socializing. You’re having an off day, it seems. Maybe tommorrow you will be anti-social again.

    Todd:
    I’m @m38967 on Twitter. If that’s what you meant.

    Reply

  273. Hi. I’ve read bunches of ebooks, some better than others, and am right now writing one of my own. (Like how many other people??)

    Reply

  288. I read somewhere 100 pages, is good enough. But im sure, it varies. There is no right answer here.

    I’m off to put the cats to bed. See ya all again soon, maybe here.

    Is this open mic done every week?

    Reply

  296. My ebook? On writing efficiently. It’s still in the first-draft stage and only about 3000 words at the moment–but considering I only started writing it on Sunday, that’s not bad, right?

    Reply

  304. Liz, in fact, it IS! The rough title is “Roadmap for Efficient Writing” and the whole point is to plan for what you want to write. It’s like writing about how to use a keyboard–doing and explaining at the same time (grin).

    Reply

  305. Deb,
    I’ve been writing for a while, I’m glad to hear you say that. I’d hate to think that only now I’ve found the efficiencies that I used were the wrong one.

    Reply

  308. OK. I’m wilted right now. I’m dropping out of this conversation for tonight, but you might can still catch me online if you try. πŸ™‚
    Been great following all of this conversation and inspiriation.

    Reply

  309. Liz, well, what’s efficient for one person might not be for another, but at least I can try to point the way (grin).

    And, yes, it’s getting late in NJ, too. I wish I’d gotten here earlier!

    Reply

  313. This is too late for anybody but maybe Liz herself (yourself). I ordered this book that will teach me how to put all kinds of features and media into a PDF, for a sort of super eBook. Might be really interesting. I’m thinking of just doing a sort of capabilities book, and let it go viral.

    Reply

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