Selling E-Books to Earn Extra Cash
With low production costs and little hassle, creating an e-book can help boost your income and reputation.
By Lisa Gerstner, Kiplinger.com |
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Tara Jefferson spent a year and a half on a book proposal for traditional publishers before she decided to just write the book. Last May, she produced an e-book titled Make It Happen: The Young Mommy Guide to Creating the Career You Crave using Amazon's CreateSpace, at no cost. Jefferson, 26, has sold some 650 copies, pocketing about $840. "It exceeded my expectations," she says.
As e-books become mainstream, authors are taking advantage of low do-it-yourself costs. Self-published titles at e-book publisher Smashwords more than tripled in 2011 to 92,500, up from 28,800 in 2010.
Anyone can create a digital book free with such publishers as CreateSpace, Lulu and Smashwords. You'll keep a percentage of your sales, often in the range of 60% to 90%; the publisher or distributor takes the rest. If you're serious about selling, invest in professional design, editing and marketing, says Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing. Basic services from self-publishing sites or outside sources run as little as a few hundred dollars. Top-of-the-line services could run $10,000 to $20,000. Be aware that you may not recover your costs.
Jefferson, who is making a career of writing for young mothers, has widened her circle of connections and landed speaking gigs. And successful self-publishers sometimes snag traditional publishing deals.
Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2012 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Kiplinger.com.
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| Eight Yard Sale Tips |
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The weather is getting warmer, which makes this a great time of year to hold a yard sale. Here are eight tips to help make your yard sale a success:
- Start your yard sale earlier than other yard sales in your area so shoppers will start their shopping day with you.
- Don't schedule your yard sale on a holiday weekend or during a big event in your area (like a sporting event or festival).
- If it rains, consider taking down your signs and rescheduling your sale so you can maximize traffic on the day of your sale.
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- Before your own yard sale, visit other sales in your neighborhood to get an idea of typical prices.
- Place all of your items (except for large items) on tables so shoppers don't have to bend.
- If you plan to sell electrical items, have an outlet and extension cord handy so you can show shoppers that the items work.
- If you want to sell larger ticket items, look for those items in a local circular and then attach the ad to your item so shoppers can see that they are getting a great deal.
- If you have a variety of items that men would like, place them on their own table.
And remember, a successful sale is also a safe sale. Keep money in a pouch around your waist instead of in a cash box (which could get stolen while you are helping shoppers), don't accept checks (which could bounce), and never allow strangers inside your home to use the bathroom or telephone. |
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| Got Rewards? |
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These days, there are many different types of credit card rewards out there. Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding which is best for you.
Airline Miles: If you travel frequently, then maximizing your airline miles may be the very best reward. And if you primarily fly on a single carrier, you will do the best to take their affiliated credit card, as they typically offer 'bonus' opportunities to earn extra miles.
Cash Back: There are several items to consider when focusing in on cash back cards, most importantly being the fine print. For example, some cards have tiers – which means, you won't earn the most cash back until you reach a certain amount of spending for the year.
Store Cards: Cards issued by particular merchants can be some of the most valuable cards if you are a frequent shopper at that store.
Points Cards: Many rewards cards offer general purpose points that can be redeemed for a wide variety of items, including airline miles, cash back, gift cards from a variety of places, gifts to charity or simply merchandise. These cards can be very beneficial due to the flexibility that they offer.
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