Learn how to publish and sell your own E-books.
PUBLISH
YOUR BOOK
Why People Don't Read Online and What to do About It
Before you put up your Free E-Books make sure you understand how your host will charge you for server time/usage. They may charge based on the ninth busiest hour in a month, at a rate that may cost as much as $15,000 for that level of usage (over 200 GB downloaded by more than 10,000 people). Will your host have any bandwidth limiters or warnings in place? Just because the dead tree edition of your book had poor sales doesn't mean the Free E-Book won't be in demand and have instant popularity.
WHERE TO GET FREE AUDIO BOOKS
AudioBooks.org
A few free audio books along with samples to fee-based titles and direct links to sources like Amazon and Audible as well as the Creative Commons. A few non-English language sources also listed.
AudioBooksForFree. It doesn’t get much simpler than this. Browse using the tabs at the top or the lefthand navigation panel. (Note that there are tabs for Music and Ringtones; nothing here yet…content is “coming soon.”) There’s also a search tool that lets you filter/browse or hunt for a particular title. The basic categories are fiction, nonfiction and childrens. If you’re browsing rather than looking for an exact title, use the navigation panel to zero in on categories of interest. Books are in mp3 format; technical help is available, and there’s an FAQ. Free registration is required. You can purchase higher quality files or book “collections” on CD, DVD, or already loaded onto an mp3 player, a hard drive, or a flash memory card.
Open Culture Audiobook Podcast Collection. While the collection itself here is not that large, if you scroll down the page, you’ll find links to a whole bunch of audiobook podcast sites. Bookmark this one; it’s a good fishing hole.
The venerable Project Gutenberg has both “human-read and computer-generated audio books.”
AssistiveMedia is an interesting site that provides “audio access to reading materials for anyone with a reading access barrier.” The focus here is on magazine articles and other short works. Content is eclectic — you’ll find material from a number of well-known, well-regarded publications (i.e., American Heritage, Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, Scientific America).
Podiobooks.com — “serialized audio books which are made available in podcast format.” You can receive episodes via RSS or download them directly. Lots of science fiction and mysteries by authors you’ve probably never heard of — check the “charts” page to find out what’s hot/popular. Users rate the various offerings. Free registration.
If you want to learn a foreign language and can’t afford/don’t have access to something like Rosetta Stone (which you might…check your local public library), try these Foreign Service Institute courses that “were developed by the United States government and are in the public domain.” The audio is in mp3; the accompanying text is in PDF. Note: site is not connected with the U.S. government or any “official” entity.
The Digital Media Locater from OverDrive offers a database the can:
1) Help you determine if your library offers audio e-books and other e-media from Overdrive
2) Provides access to what specific titles are available
The Spoken Alexandria Project
The Spoken Alexandria Project is creating a free Creative Commons library of spoken word recordings, consisting of classics in the public domain and modern works (with permission). AAC, Ogg Vorbis, and MP3 audiobooks available for free download and redistribution.
Literal Systems: Audio Books You Just Can’t Buy
StoryNory -
Stories for kids, ready to download.
WiredForBooks
Interviews with authors as well as several complete texts including The Iliad - Book I by Homer, Milton by William Blake, and The Tragedy of Macbeth and other works by Shakespeare.
Poetry Online (Most Poems Read by their Authors) as well as interviews with the poet.
AudioBooks.com
Rent, download, buy, trade. Useful database to see if a title is available.
WHERE TO GET THE FREE E-BOOKS
RESOURCES
| The Business of Writing | Agents & Editors | Literary Publicists |
content PROVIDERS
THE BUSINESS OF WRITING
The Copyright WebSite
Copyright Society (USA)
Law News Network
The Publishing Law Center
The Writer's Pocket Tax Guide
National Writers Union
UAW Local 1981/AFL-CIO Email Website National Office
West 337 - 17th Street, Suite 101 Oakland, CA 94612-3351
Phone (510) 839-0110 Fax (510) 839-6097
National Office East 113 University Place, 6th Floor New York, NY 10003-4527 Phone (212) 254-0279 Fax (212) 254-0673
The Authors Guild
National Writers Union
Pike's Peak Writers' Retreat
Writers.com
Writerswrite
Writer's Write
BookWire from R.R.Bowker
BookWeb - by American Booksellers Association
Publishers Weekly
Writers Weekly
Writers Digest
Small Press of North America
Publisher Catalogues
Netread - "the publishing portal"
Small Publishers Artists & Writers Network
Bookmarket - everything you need to know about marketing books
List of non-university affiliated scholarly publishers
Extensive list of university presses
Publishers Weekly magazine For the BEA Show Daily. It said the deadline was extended until April 24, however, they will accept late-breaking plans until May 4. Don't know if their advertising deadline is the same. No e-mail addresses were given, just snail mail. Mark all packages "Show Daily" and send to Daisy Maryles (adult) or Diane Roback (children's), PW, 245 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011. Advertising inquiries go to Howard Katz, 212-463-6549.
AGENTS & EDITORS:
Writers who would like to find a literary agent.
- Natalie R.Collins
- Book Talk
- Submit A Proposal
- Talewins
- Agent Research and Evaluation - verify any agent's status
- Booktalk - agent listings
- Absolute-sway - agency listings
- New England Publishing Associates - a full-service literary agency and book packager
- Writer Beware - information, advice, and links on issues such as fee-charging agents, dishonest book doctors, bogus contests, vanity and subsidy presses, and electronic issues
- Scribendi - editing services
- Manuscript Editing & Writing Services - freelance copy editor and the hub of a national editing and writing network.
LITERARY PUBLICISTS
- BookMarket - link to John Kremer's page of publicists
- Rosedog - showcases unpublished writers, engineered to attract agents and publishers; no fees, no commissions
- Writers Showplace Inc - new online agent go-between
- Shel Horowitz, mailto:shel@frugalfun.com, 800-683-WORD/413-586-2388 News releases, brochures, newsletters, ad copy, resumes, etc. Books to save you money on business (Marketing Without Megabucks) and pleasure (The Penny-Pinching Hedonist) - preview them, get free marketing advice, arts/travel zines & more: http://www.frugalfun.com
- Andrea Reynolds, Speakers, Books, Advice How-to presentations by leading authorities mailto:speakers@ExpertsWhoSpeak.ORG http://www.ExpertsWhoSpeak.ORG (814) 774-5070, Fax: (814) 774-9351 PO Box 49, Lake City Pennsylvania 16423 USA
- Ned Barnett, APR - Fellow, ASHMPR Barnett Literary Associates Exceptionally effective book/author/publisher Promotion and Marketing Ghostwriting - Book and Script Doctoring, Editing and Revisions, Book Prosposals, Literary Representation 2875 S. Nellis Blvd., A8-PMB42 Las Vegas, NV 89121 702-696-1200 - FAX - 702-696-1211 Cell: 702-561-1167 - interned@accessnv.com
- Terri Firebaugh Firebaugh Communications "Image Depends on the PR Company You Keep" http://www.yourprteamirepub.com http://www.yourprteam.com
Office: 940.498.04PR(77) Fax: 940.498.0289
JOHN TASSINI
Tassini Win Landmark Lawsuit
From: NWU National Office West <nwu@nwu.org>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2000 Contact: Jonathan Tasini: 212-254-0279
NEW YORK, NY: In another significant victory for writers and all creators, the U.S. Court of Appeals has unanimously denied publishers a rehearing of the landmark electronic rights decision in a case brought by freelance writers.
The defendant-publishers had petitioned the 2nd Circuit for a full court review (ìen bancî hearing) of the three-judge panelís landmark ruling in the lawsuit, Tasini, et al v. The New York Times, et al ., Nos. 97-9181, 97-9650 (2nd Cir. Sep. 24, 1999). The ruling last Fall made clear that it is copyright infringement for a publisher to put a freelancerís work on-line or otherwise reuse or resell it without explicit written permission.
"I am not surprised by the denial because the Appeals Court decision was a one-sided, unshakeable, lucid affirmation of the rights of freelance writers," said Jonathan Tasini, lead plaintiff and president of the National Writers Union (UAW Local 1981). "It is now time for the defendants to stop stalling and using legal maneuvers to deny writers and all creators' their fair share. While they stall, the enormous liabilities the defendants admitted they face will grow, as do the liabilities for all media companies who have stolen the work of creators. The New York Times and the other defendants would be wise to turn off their perpetual infringement operations, which are continuing to this day. We now proceed with vigor to the damages phase of the trial.
The April 6th, 2000 order denying the rehearing, Tasini said, would further undermine the publishers' public relations argument to financial investors that they face no liabilities from the landmark ruling. Recently, New York City Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who oversees $100 billion in pension funds, wrote to 36 media companies, expressing concern about the "potential liability of media companies" because of the landmark decision. "As Comptroller Hevesi and others have suggested, we urge the industry to accept the NWUís proposed solution the Publication Rights Clearinghouse to restore financial certainty to their businesses," said Tasini. The union has also asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate statements made by The New York Times in official SEC filings.
For full details of the lawsuit, the pension fund actions and the SEC complaint, visit the NWU's website
The National Writers Union has 6,000 members nationwide, representing journalists, book authors, technical writers and poets. It is the only union dedicated solely to advancing the interests of freelance writers. The NWU is affiliated with the United Auto Workers
The Bad News
PRESS CLIPS BY CYNTHIA COTTS Times Co. to Freelancers: Sign, or Else! The Boston T-1 Party
Boston Globe/Times e-rights grab
This article describes the current stand-off between the Boston Globe Freelance Association and the Globe. There's also interesting financial data on the value of Web rights -- and excellent reasons why writers ought not to sign the Globe's contract.
" On April 6, just after the new contract arrived, a federal appeals court affirmed Tasini v. The New York Times, the 1999 decision that supports peons' rights. Siding with Jonathan Tasini, president of the National Writers Union, the Second Circuit found that the Times Co. violates copyright law every time it reprints freelance work electronically without obtaining permission to do so. But rather than face what its own lawyers call "enormous potential liability," the Times Co. has chosen to fight. This month, after the Second Circuit denied their request for a rehearing, Times Co. lawyers filed a motion to appeal Tasini to the Supreme Court."
Legal Tips
Any uses of quoted material have to be examined on a case by case basis, not only to determine whether or not the material is in the public domain but also, if not pd, whether a given use is "fair use" within the meaning of the US copyright law. This means that the context has to be examined. And if licenses are to be sought, which is the preferred approach if any doubt exists, then you need to get permission from the source and not from the book in which the quotes appear. Further, the licenses must be examined carefully as well. Read, among other articles, "Look Before You Sign: Restrictive Licenses" and "The Need for Vision" on my site. Click on "Articles for Writers and Publishers." IVAN HOFFMAN, B.A., J.D. Attorney At Law Lawyering With Integrity (sm) Internet Law, Writing and Publishing Law, Web Design Contracts and Law, Copyrights, Trademarks, Business Plans, Web Site Audits, Recording and Music Law. *A Four Times Award-Winning Site.* http://www.ivanhoffman.com
The latest development in Ukita's division is arguably the first successful attempt at a proper electronic book with a display that approximates the look of traditional paper. The ebook reader (the Librie EBR-1000EP) launches in Japan on Saturday, and we met with Sony in Tokyo for a sneak preview. Source 2004