How to Use the Internet for Self-Publishing Your Books and Make Money

English: A Picture of a eBook  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There has never been a more exciting time to consider writing and earning from a book!
Gone are the days of mailing a manuscript to a publishing house and waiting for months to get a response. Thanks to the huge success of Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform and many more self-publishing services, it's possible to publish a book and start making money in next to no time.

How it used to be

Prior to the digital publishing explosion, many authors who were rejected by traditional publishers made the decision to collaborate with a "vanity publisher" instead. It typically cost each of these writers thousands of dollars to have their books edited and published by these so-called publishers. A large portion of the fee went towards the purchase of a pre-determined number of books that the authors were then responsible to try to sell themselves.

How Internet Can Help

Now, writers can utilize print-on-demand services offered by sites such as blurb.com or createspace.com to print their books as needed, or in small quantities. These merchants typically offer additional assisted self-publishing services (individually or in different packages) such as:

• Cover Design
• Editing
• Formatting
• eBook Publishing
• Promotional Materials
• Book Fairs
• and more…

That’s the reason that we can see more self-published books being released as compared to their traditionally published counterparts. According to a rough estimate, more than half of the total numbers of books released are self-published. These numbers represent astounding figures, which is wonderful news for writers and authors of all genres.

The Advantages of Self-Publishing

In addition to the speed at which a book can hit the virtual shelves (print books can take up to 2 years before they are actually available) there are many advantages to self-publishing. They include but are not limited to:

• Total control of content. There is no specific word count to adhere to, no need to make unwanted editorial changes and writers have the option to add elements such as numerous photos and interactive links.
• Total price control and a higher per book profit margin. Books sold online typically net the author a royalty of 30-70% per book. Traditionally published titles typically net the author a royalty of 5-25% per book, minus agent commissions.
• Ability to retain exclusive rights to content. This includes movie rights, foreign language rights, television rights and digital book rights.
• Total control of promotional efforts. This includes everything from creating a blog and/or Facebook page, tweeting about a book, joining general author forums and forums relating to the subject of the book, giving away free books for review, book fairs and more.
• World-wide readership. In the past, many traditionally published writers considered themselves lucky to have their books displayed in stores in their local area. However, publishing with the help of the Internet allows authors to promote to a global audience.
• Indefinite availability, regardless of sporadic sales. The majority of brick and mortar bookstores remove books that aren't selling well, after a period of four months.

Whether an author decides to publish completely on his or her own or work with an online company that offers self-publishing assistance, there are many options to choose from. Before making a final decision in regard to this type of outsourcing, it is crucial to research each vendor, and go through the reviews, to ascertain what will be the best service for the job?

Is it the real deal?

Well-known authors who have recently taken advantage of self-publishing and the Internet include J.K. Rowling, who exclusively markets the digital versions of her books from her website Pottermore, Catherine Cookson, and Deepak Chopra.

Of course, like any other accomplishment in life, successful self-publishing holds no guarantees. Many authors sell a few copies of their book and then simply decide not to pursue it further. However, with patience and due diligence many individuals manage to generate a reasonable, if not insanely big income from their writing efforts. There's absolutely no reason you can't do the same.

In particular, authors who take the time to learn all that they can about publishing and marketing their own work will generally prosper the most. But given the wonderful marketing opportunities offered by internet in general, and social media to be precise, there’s no reason why you cannot earn substantial profits by writing and self-publishing books.

This is a guest post by Farah from http://verybestsoftware.net/. 

The Best Methods to Teach Your Grandchildren to Save Money

Too many people in society today live beyond their means. The economy has left people who had a good job trying to juggle their finances while earning a lower wage. People need to learn a new way of making ends meet. As a grandparent, you can help your grandchildren learn to save money. 

Tiny Feet Change the World

Creating a generation of savers can help protect your grandchildren against a future financial crisis. When the economy was growing rapidly, banks were willing to lend money and credit cards were easy to obtain. This led individuals to believe that they could obtain anything they wanted without having to work for it.

Changing the way people think about money and how to handle it can help your grandchildren understand that even if they want something they don’t necessarily have to have it. Sometimes it is important to save for a desired item, while other possessions are out of reach. 

No Longer a Disposable Society

For many years people would replace broken items instead of repairing them. The state of the economy made certain goods inexpensive, and repairs often cost more than buying a new product. With the decrease in wages and increase in prices, goods are often too expensive to replace.

It is important to teach grandchildren the benefits of repairing certain products. Cars are often expensive to replace but can be repaired. With the wide variety of resellers of auto parts, a person can find replacement parts for many different vehicles online and replace them on their own. Whether a person is looking for Ford Mustang parts, Chevrolet parts or foreign auto parts, repairing a car can often be cost effective.

Open a Savings Account

A good way to help teach your grandchildren to save is to open a savings account in their name. If your grandchildren are still minors, you can be custodian of the account. Many banks offer special programs for young children to make saving a fun prospect. If you start them while they are young, saving money may become a habit as they age. 

Reward them for Saving

Positive reinforcement is often a good way to encourage specific behavior. If your grandchildren save consistently you may want to offer a reward for their thrifty ways. Another idea is to set a monetary goal. When your grandchild reaches a specific amount in their savings account you can give them a gift, take them out for a meal, or even let them spend some of their money.

Grandparents are good role models for their grandchildren. If they see that you make saving money a priority they will be more apt to become savers. Encouraging them by open a savings account for them will allow them to have a good vehicle to save money. Rewarding your grandchildren when they save will help reinforce this behavior and create a potential saver.

This is no longer a disposable society, and people need to learn that they can’t buy everything they want. Instructing grandchildren in the benefits of saving will help them when they become adults and are providing for their children and grandchildren.

Adrienne is a blogger with an interest in personal finance. When she’s not blogging, you might find her practicing her French, whipping up some recipes she found on Pinterest, or obsessing over vintage postcards and stamps.

Are Payday Loans Really a Bad Choice?

Loans (Photo credit: zingbot)

We all have heard horror stories of friends and family taking out short term payday loans and ending worse off in doing so. But are payday loans really so inherently-evil and problematic for borrowers? Is borrowing a short term loan with no financial guidance from the lenders more of a problem than the actual loan itself? I would argue and say yes it is, and that lenders need to provide better and clearer information on the loan itself along with the repayment schedule for the financially illiterate.

Arguable, it’s even more likely that you’ll fall into the bank overdraft trap which is seemingly harmless, given how you can do so without any prior warning at all – it’s not like you have to visit your bank’s website first and request to borrow money from them, as this is something included automatically with most current accounts.

Emergency Borrowing When You Need It

Emergency lending is sometimes necessary – to generate some cash you need to dip in for emergencies, or unexpected accidents that are inevitable around the home. For example people taking out fast payday loans to fix a broken boiler in the middle of winter. Its quick cash when they need it and the companies based in the U.K and U.S providing them with these short term loans on average only make around a 9% profit margin per loan according to the government run Consumer Focus UK. This does not accurately reflect the negative public image attached with payday loans.

Wonga is one of Britain’s fastest growing payday loan lenders, and they argue that unplanned overdrafts can have up to 53,000,000% APR which, for short term borrowing, is a colossal jump up from a payday loan’s relatively-small 4214%. Not only does this highlight the risk of dipping into your overdraft, but it raises a more important and often-missed question – why for so long have we relied on our overdrafts when the APR can be so ridiculously inflated and not be complained  about as publicly as we do with  payday lenders?

A Negative Public Image - Dispelled

So why then do the general public shudder at the phrase ‘payday loan’ and bow in defeat to the banks?  It’s quite simple; a payday loan gone wrong receives more exposure through the press and media in comparison to someone who is dipping in and out of an unplanned overdraft and incurring higher costs – banks just don’t get the same reputation as “loan sharks” because they offer lots of other services. Word of mouth hatred for payday loans spreads seamlessly like wildfire through society as a whole. Compare this experience to someone who is financially organised and able to pay it back without any problems - we never hear about good payday loan experiences. The irresponsible use of these loans by members of the public who should never have taken a payday loan in the first place is the very reason the public views them to be somehow dishonest and misleading.

Payday loans are professional and readily available to people on a short term basis. If you are financially prepared and meet your repayment schedule, then there is nothing for you to worry about. You cannot be excluded from a payday loan regardless of any financial scores or assessments that would otherwise restrict you from the main stream credit world.

Making Your Own Mind Up

Consider why payday loans receive such negative press, and who is making these accusations; when you start seeing the patterns of people borrowing to pay for cars, widescreen TV’s and to pay off credit cards, you will begin to understand that the negative press associated with a payday loan is unjust.

Perhaps symptomatic of this irresponsible use of payday loans is the average age group involved – 33.2% of 18-24 year olds have, at some point taken out a payday loan according to the site Open Wonga. So even if this age group tends to have lower incomes, they also haven’t yet developed, arguably, a sense of financial responsibility. Payday loans are like any other good – there is clearly a demand for short-term lending, so it seems wrong to blame companies taking advantage of this. Whilst the government could just ban loans over a certain APR, given the tiny actual profit margins of the involved firms, the market would die off instantly, and many more people would be left with broken down cars, flooded living rooms and frosty temperatures with broken-down boilers. A lender naturally is not incentivized to give money to someone who will not pay it back, so perhaps the media is being unduly harsh on this popular industry that really does provide a useful service – it’s a classic case of buyer beware.

Daniel Hilsden is a personal finance journalist. He provides audiences with ways to cut their spending and blogs on a regular basis for Payday Angels – a company which reviews loan companies, like Payday Express, to make sure you know exactly how much it will cost and what the conditions are, if you’re looking for short-term borrowing in the UK.

Wish: How an Affiliate Marketer and a Conversion Rate Optimization Expert Found Success in Simplicity

Richard and Stephen are the rare breed of business partners. They don't quarrel, they don't have firm delineations of duties in their business, and they somehow managed to start and grow an incredible business alongside an existing successful venture. How did they do it? Answer: they kept things simple.

An Expert in Conversion

Stephen Pavlovich started out in SEO. From his humble beginnings, and working with a photo printing company, he established his skill in Internet marketing - getting the company ranked very well for its desired keywords. Still, the rankings weren't good enough for the printing company to rank #1. Stephen had a choice. He could attempt brute-force tactics that could diminish the ranking of the company over time, go after broader, less-relevant keywords, or he could focus on increasing conversion.

He chose the conversion route, and understandably so. Within three months, the company's revenue had increased six times over. From that point forward, it was obvious what Pavlovich should be doing for clients.

An Expert in Affiliate Marketing

Richard Kershaw's background is in affiliate marketing. Yes, affiliate marketing. When companies want traffic, they don't always pay up front for it. Sometimes, they seek out the services of someone like Kershaw, and pay a referral fee for delivering sales. It's a win-win relationship since the company saves money on the front-end, but someone like Kershaw can command ever higher referral fees for good performance. As a business model, it's solid. So solid that Kershaw became a top affiliate for a major supplier in the UK. Eventually, he decided it might be better (and more interesting) to be on the other side of the fence.

When Kershaw Met Pavlovich

Pavlovich and Kershaw met in 2007, thousands of miles away from their home. Ironically, it was Las Vegas that kicked off a rock-solid relationship that would eventually turn into multiple successful business ventures. Ironic because both lived near London, but it took PubCon to bring them together. Their first successful business venture together was The Conversion Factory. Harnessing the lead generation skills of Kershaw, and the conversion acumen of Pavlovich, the company focuses on taking existing traffic and increasing conversion without increasing traffic. Next, they turned their eye to a truly unique business idea.

To Wish Upon A Star

You can't commoditize a zombie hunt. That's part of the magic behind Pavlovich's and Kershaw's new business venture Wish.co.uk. They offer unique experiences that are difficult to replicate and, even if you could, no one can touch them on pricing.

Want to learn how to fly a plane? Want to see what it's like to be thrown into a full-on riot? How about romantic getaway for three? Wish.co.uk plunges you into some of the most exotic and thrilling scenarios. In some ways, it's like those "daily deals" you get from Living Social or Groupon - except that Wish doesn't have an expiration date on coupons and its pricing allows vendors to perpetually offer deals without going out of business.

Companies that agree to do business with Wish agree to discount their services, but both the customer and the offering company walk away happy with the deal. The key to making the business work is partially in the business structure. Much of inner workings of the company are outsourced - from marketing, to lead generation, to fulfillment - Pavlovich and Kershaw have kept things really simple.

That's a good thing because, in a way, Wish has had to compete with other heavyweights in the "daily deals" industry - heavyweights with a lot of cash and full-time employees. The founders do admit, however, that their choice of name allows them to "punch above their weight." Incredibly, the two landed the website name in a Sedo auction for about $12,000. It was serendipity. Wish was just the right word for their unique service. Going forward, it looks like blue skies for the two partners. The name has real market appeal, it's ridiculously easy to remember, and it has a high resale value if things ever come to that.

Jack Harding is a marketing analyst with more than a decade of experience under his belt. He spends his time exploring the world of online marketing and reporting his observations on various blog sites. To see affiliate marketing and CRO in action, visit Wish.

The Benefits Of A Mortgage Payment Calculator

A mortgage payment calculator can help a person easily and effectively calculate their mortgage payments, and they can customize the prospective mortgage using the calculator to tweak certain aspects of the mortgage. 

Before signing for a mortgage, it's always important to first calculate your payments, and this calculator provides the most comprehensive and effective tool for calculator your mortgage payments ahead of time. 

The Interest Rate 

A person can customize the interest rate of their prospective mortgage when using the mortgage calculator, and as a result, they can easily determine how different interest rates will affect their monthly payments. 

The Overall Length Of The Mortgage 

The duration of the mortgage is an important aspect of any mortgage. While a shorter duration may provide a slightly lower interest rate, the monthly payments are likely to be higher due to the short duration. 



In contrast, a longer duration will likely provide much lower monthly payments because the monthly payments are more spread out. A person can easily determine which type of loan duration will be best for them by utilizing the mortgage calculator. 

The Down Payment Amount 

By using the mortgage payment calculator, a person can decide how much of a down payment they would like to make. While a lower down payment can give a person much more money in the bank, it will likely lead to higher monthly payments. 

A higher down payment may save a person a lot of money in the long run, and it can significantly lower a person's monthly payments and lower the overall amount of the mortgage loan.

Tips for Choosing a Rewards Programme

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many schemes out there that reward customers for buying a certain product by offering a discount on their next purchase or by making a charitable donation to a chosen good cause, or indeed both. Here are some tips of what to look for in a rewards programme to ensure your money is put to the best possible use. 

What to look for in a Rewards Programme 

There is probably no specific answer to this question as it depends on the individual as to what they are look for from getting involved in a specific scheme. Some people want to buy a product that is promoting the fact that a percentage of the money will go to a chosen charity or a worthwhile project, so that they know some of their money is going to be used in a very positive way whilst they still get to enjoy the product that they have bought. Other people want to make their money go as far as possible and like to find offers where a discount or points for future use are going to be offered to them if they buy a certain product or specific quantity. Some offers will be more attractive to you than others depending on personal preference and lifestyle but in general, any scheme or programme that supports a good cause or offers a benefit of some kind will be winning combination and hopefully prove to be an attractive and worthwhile proposition.

What to expect from a Rewards Programme 

This again will vary according to the type of offer being made but most people have to be attracted to the rewards being offered or the purpose of the scheme or programme in order to fully embrace each particular offer and actively take part or contribute financially. There are some companies who offer you a one-stop shop scenario where you can see a range of offers suitable to your interests in one location rather than having to trawl around for individual offers. There are schemes for example that follow a particular mission statement such promoting sustainable resources and reducing the impact of climate change. If this is a subject that is very important to you then you can find companies that actively pursue this goal and reward you in several ways, not just financially, for helping them to pursue these ideals. 

Developing a relationship 

If you feel strongly about climate change as an example, then you can find a company that will identify and put you in touch with a wide range of retail partners who can meet your ethical demands and supply you with anything from everyday essential items to gifts and treats which all qualify as sustainable or environmentally friendly goods from verified sources. It makes it far easier for you as a customer to find your ideal supplier who meets your ethical needs when you go through one of these one-stop shops where everything on offer is all in one place. It gives you the chance to develop a relationship with like minded companies and also benefit financially by being rewarded for your purchases with points or discounts to be used the next time you go shopping.

If there is a strong incentive for you to get involved with a rewards programme whether it is for ethical or financial reasons, sometimes a combination of the two, you want to be sure that the company you have chosen to develop a relationship with is able to back up their promises and verify their credentials. You can of course choose to investigate each offer and the company behind them yourself, but by using a one-stop shop solution you can be sure that they will have been thoroughly vetted and therefore you can shop and enjoy rewards with a good degree of confidence that everyone involved is benefitting in some way or another.

Gina Newberry is a financial consultant and advisor. She enjoys blogging about personal finance issues and ways people can save money. Signing on to a rewards program is one good way to save money.