Click
Here
for more articles |
|
|
Audio
and E-book Opportunties |
by:
Ruth
Marlene Friesen |
I joined
a Christian Writers' Group a few weeks ago,
and the email exchanges of those members
is quite
exhilarating. Browsing and skimming them
last night I
came to one where a writer who has vision
trouble and
can't read regular print books challenged
the others
to produce more e-books.
E-books are read on the computer, and the
greatest
thing about them, as I've discovered myself,
is that
one can enlarge the text so it is easier
to read. For
those who find even that too difficult,
it is possible
to get software in your computer which will
read the
text to you. I'm not sure how digital it
sounds, but
I believe in many places that software is
free to any
who are legally defined as blind.
What shocked me about the exchange was that
a number
of writers had admitted a bias against e-books
when
this other member first asked who all offered
their
books in this form. The mindset still seems
to be, a
book is not really published until it comes
out in
paperback or hardcover.
I confess I've learned too, that fiction
doesn't sell
as an ebook yet, though all kinds of marketing
manuals
and self-help books do.
Fortunately, when this writer explained
herself, the
others rallied around with offers to help
out. One
said she'd gladly offer her books to be
read on tape
if anyone could be found to do it. Another
urged that
we all consider producing our books in digital
at the
same time as in print.
Thinking about all this today, I suddenly
see wide
open doors of opportunity for ministry and
perhaps a
business.
Here in Canada, I believe the Canadian National
Institute for the Blind (CNIB) is on the
lookout for
volunteers to read books on tape. They have
a lending
library by mail. The US has similar organizations.
All you would need is a good clear voice
for reading
without stammering or hesitation, and with
a lively,
instead of monotone voice. It wouldn't matter
if you
sat in a wheelchair, or had no use of arms
and legs.
The same reading could be put on tape or
CD. Besides
the audio, the CD might have a graphics
or flash
movie version as well.
If you know, or could learn some web design
skills,
you could volunteer or make small paying
arrangements
with various authors to turn their books
into e-books.
If they have a website they might be happy
to pay you
a small commission on each downloadable
copy sold
alongside of their print book.
If they don't have a website - guess what
- you have
the skill, so offer to build that author
a simple one
or two page website to sell her books. All
it needs
to be is a terrific sales letter with ordering
links
at the bottom. You'd think the writer could
write up
that effective sales letter, right? You'd
just copy
and paste it into the web page.
Should it happen that you have more advanced
skills,
or they grow on you, why not set up a library,
or
bookstore of ebooks? Market it specifically
to those
who need the benefit of being able to read
a book on
their computer.
Hey-hey, before too long even those with
20-20 vision
will come snooping around, praising the
advantages of
digital books. You'll be a trend-setter.
The whole publishing world is like it's
just had an
earthquake, and the after-shocks haven't
all hit yet.
The dust hasn't settled on all the changes
coming.
Be a Mover and a Shaker.
About the Author
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ruth Marlene Friesen, makes friends everywhere,
just like her alter ego, the heroine of
her novel,
Ruthe's Secret Roses. Discover the secrets
of
intentional friendship that transforms
lives
at http://Ruthes-SecretRoses.com. Subscribe
to
RoseBouquet to drink refreshing rose dew!
mailto:RoseBouquet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
[Article may be reprinted only with resource
box].
|
|
