A copyright is legal protection of a piece of music, literature, photo or other piece of creative printable matter.  A copyright determines who has the rights to print, copy or distribute a work.  This protection is issued by a government and normally has a time limit.  A copyright is notated by the symbol that looks like this ©

 Anyone can register their work, you don’t need a lawyer  nor do you need to speak alot of money. Works can be registered in the US by visiting the US Copyright Office online.   Please note when registering a work as copyrighted in one country, it may not be protected in other countries.  The United States has a variety of countries that honor their copyrights and are honored by.  The government has created a website that has a complete list.

  A common question in regards to copyrights, is how long is the work protected? Work that was created (fixed in tangible form for the first time) on or after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is ordinarily given a term enduring for the author’s life plus an additional 70 years after the author’s death.

Authors today have the option of printing on demand rather than printing hundreds of copies of their books that they will ultimately have to store somewhere. Print on demand (POD), sometimes called publish on demand, is a printing process in which new copies of a book (or other document) are not printed until an order has been received.  This form of printing became possible after digital printing began, due to the fact that it was not economical to print single copies before using traditional printing technology such as the offset printing method.

There are many benefits to this option of printing: you can print as many or as few books as needed or ordered thus eliminating any need for inventory. For many aspiring authors this is the best option because there’s no major risk.

In addition, another benefit is that the cost of printing the books is relatively inexpensive. With the author saving money from the printing costs, they will receive a higher profit on the book!

Plagiarism is defined by Wikipedia as the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work. The availability of material in electronic format has made plagiarism easier than ever. If you are a writer you can imagine how devastating it would be to have someone steal your hard work. Preventing plagiarism isn’t as difficult as one might think. The following are some simple strategies that you can use can use to prevent plagiarism:

• It is important that all writers and publishers take steps to protect their content. The first step is to copyright all written material. This can be done by submitting your documents online through the U.S. Copyright office for $45 per submission.
• If you have your content on the web you do have options to protect it. Coypyscape is a service that allows you to search the web for possible copies of your content as well as automatic web monitoring.
• Another popular site Plagiarism.org which, for a fee, will let you upload your text/manuscripts and within 5 days they will email you results.

You may have noticed a set of numbers (usually 10 or 13) that are separated with dashes and are located toward the bottom of the ‘copyright’ page and wondered, what exactly is an ISBN number? It stands for The International Standard Book Number, or ISBN (sometimes pronounced “is-ben”), is a unique identifier for books, intended to be used commercially.  The ISBN system was created in the United Kingdom in 1966 by the booksellers and stationers W H Smith and originally called Standard Book Numbering or SBN. It was adopted as international standard in 1970.

You can obtain an ISBN number through Bowker and there is a service fee to process all ISBN applications and it typically takes 15 business days. For more detailed information visit the 
U.S. ISBN Agency, the official source for ISBNs in the United States.

There are many reasons why audio books are increasing in popularity. Many people simply dont have the time to read a book and listening to one while they exercise or commute makes sense. However if you are new to the whole concept and are not exactly sure what an audio book is, it is a recording that is primarily of the spoken word. It is quite simply a new way to receive entertainment, information, and knowledge.

In 1995, American consumers paid more than 1.4 billion dollars for audio books, and the rise to that figure had been steady since the mid 1980s. In recent years with the popularity of MP3’s and ipods and the ease of downloading accessibility, audio books that can be downloaded are not only easy to access but cost effective as well. In fact there are even places where you can download free audio books!

So while the traditional book is not going anywhere, we still love the feel of curling up with a good book, it is good know we have options that can fit into our busy lives. Being ‘on the go’ is not the only reason for audio books, thousands of people who are visually impaired or have difficulty reading can still enjoy books-learning while listening!

The Audio Book market is expanding exponentially. At the moment, there are only about 10-20,000 Audio Books published each year in the United States, while at the same time, there are nearly 300,000 “paper” titles written each year in just the United States. We can help you explore this opening market, and find your niche, brand, and success!

Distribution for your Audio Book can go through iTunes, audible.com and dozens of other digital sites online, and can help to broaden your traditional audio book base to Web 2.0 as well. Market and media research, continual contact to the online media, website marketing, internet advertising methods, internet networking, weekly updates on developments and progress, and expenses for phone calls, mailings and research materials are included as part of the consultation.

We work with you at the close of audio production to develop a marketing strategy, and can continue to walk you through the process of getting exposure and publicity in advance of the audio book’s release.

Just as people judge a book by its cover, they also judge a book by its title. It must be clear and catchy so that the reader is compelled to pick up the book and read more. While some long titles are successful, typically it is best to use a shorter title–keep it short and sweet! Because the title is part of your cover design, you will want to make sure that the two blend together to make an attractive package that makes the reader grab the book off the shelf.So how do you come up with this title that does all these things? Follow the below tips to help you brainstorm for the perfect title that fits your book perfectly!

• Find intriguing aspects of your story that your readers can visualize and use those words in the title.
• Don’t overlook keywords. Think about what someone might type into a search engine to find a book similar to yours and the subject matter and try to incorporate those words into the title.
• Try to incorporate the benefits that your book has to offer within the title. You want to create a desire within the reader so they feel they HAVE to buy the book.
• There are millions of books and millions of titles, and because they are not copywrited, you may need to choose an alternate title. Check out a wonderful comprehensive tool called Global Books in Print to research book titles.

You may have heard of the latest buzz term ’social networking’, otherwise related to such site as Facebook, Myspace, Tagged, Twitter and there are several more and new ones enter the scene all the time. Social networking sites can help to promote your book by providing interaction with readers and potential readers.

Most sites are free and easy to use, and can be a wealth of endless possbilites for online promotion. The best part is you can do all of this from your home or office! Many authors find great connections from these sites as well as use the opportunity to spread the word about their book and causes.

Explore these different sites to find out which ones fit you best. Below are some options to get you started!

Facebook - Facebook is made up of many networks, join one or create your own!

Twitter - a place where people follow each other’s day-to-day activities in short bites.

MySpace - Popular networking site that offers complete profile options with various groups.

Linked In - offers an opportunity to network with other publishing professionals from a diversity of backgrounds.

What better way to tell the world about your book than radio interviews, whether they are local, national or internet shows.  Having an interview on a talk radio show, like Sound Authors is a great way to gain national recognition and promote your book. In addition, there are several other benefits to being a guest on a talk radio show…..

IMMEDIATE EXPOSURE. Talk radio is a great way to get your name ( and your book) out there right away. If you plan to be a guest on several shows,  create new angles for your topic that reflect current events, that will help to keep you on the air and in the news on an ongoing basis.

COST-EFFECTIVE PROMOTION. Most talk radio interviews are all done by phone, so you can be a guest on shows around the globe without leaving your home or office. Radio interviews are one of the best ways to promote your book and get your message out there to a large amount of people at one time. Talk shows not only have a large captive audience but many times they are a loyal following!

YOU HAVE THE TIME. With talk radio shows you will have anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to tell the world about yourself and your book. Where else can you spend this amount of time with a captive audience?

These are just a few of the benefits that being a guest on a talk radio show…many authors don’t take advantage of this wonderful medium, being a guest is one of the best-kept marketing secrets out there!

Launched in November, the Amazon Kindle is an electronic book reader. A convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. 

This amazing device features electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology that makes reading Kindle’s screen  as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

In additon, it is completely mobile and simple to use for everyone and it is wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, content is delivered using the wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—they take care of the hassles so you can just read.

With Whispernet, you can be anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you, wherever you are. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands.  Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand.

Kindle’s paperback size and expandable memory let you travel light with your library. With the freedom to download what you want, when you want,  you’ll never again find yourself stuck without a great read.