Ebooks are the electronic equivalent to regular hardback or paperback books. The end result is just as portable and extremely versatile.
Ebook readers are developed knowing you may likely wish to read in low light conditions, so the portable ebook reader of choice allows you to read at night – something that is much harder to do with a traditional book.
A simple definition of an ebook is an electronic file that contains literature and accompanying graphics. Ebooks are typically downloaded online in a password-protected environment.
What a brick and mortar store is to traditional books, online ecommerce is to ebook distribution. The method of propagating ebook material is by paid file transfers and then viewed with an applicable ebook reader software program.
You will notice that just as a typical book has cover art, so too do ebooks. Many ebooks are set up to have a similar look and presentation to traditional books. There may be several reasons, but the predominate reason is simply because this is how most people are used to viewing books. It is possible to download an ebook that has sound effects of a page being turned as you advance pages.
Ebook developers have worked hard to blend the familiar with practicality. In the end, readers should find little adjustment is needed in making the switch from paper books to electronic.
Obviously many readers will continue to purchase traditional print books, but will add ebooks as a means tapping into this portable technology. This phenomenon is much like the change from 35mm cameras to digital. There were many holdouts that thought the digital camera was a passing fad, but in time many consumers added a digital camera to their collection and systematically dropped the use of 35 mm. I suppose the biggest difference is that regular book publishing and ebook publishing co-exist a bit better than my camera illustration.
The popularity of ebooks extends beyond portability. In most cases consumers will spend significantly less for the ebook purchase than a traditional book. The primary reason for that is you are not paying to have the book shipped to you and you do not have to pay expenses associated with actually printing the book. In essence this is a win/win for both the author and the consumer. The product arrives when you want it, does not typically require sales tax and can be stored for current and future reading in a space saving electronic file.
What is an ebook? A revolutionary way to publish and distribute ideas through a medium that is more accessible to both consumers and potential authors.

There’s no doubt that in the last few years, there’s been a storm of electronic publications hitting the Internet.

These electronic books or eBooks have grown with such popularity, that there’s been an influx of eBook libraries & stores let along traditional publishers switching to digital print because of easier distribution.

With thousands of different eBook topics on the market, health & fitness eBooks have surged in popularity alongside self-help and get rich publications.

The popularity of fitness eBooks has emerged from the demand of fitness enthusiasts using the Internet.

But it’s not just these hardcore fitness goers that are taking advantage of digital advice, many newcomers with specific goals in mind such as weight loss or better eating habits are exploring the net as we speak to purchase eBooks.

Before discussing more about eBooks with regards to fitness, let’s go over the basics of an eBook in case this is all new to you. If you know exactly what an eBook is, feel free to skip to the next section.

Basically, an eBook is a electronic book – a book that you can read on your computer. It’s NOT a physical book. We’ve had a few people order our eBooks and received an email from them a few weeks later inquiring into why it hasn’t arrived in their mailbox!

An eBook is downloaded from the Internet to your computer as a file. Once this file has been downloaded, you can store it permanently on your computer and access it anytime you want. All you need to do is double click on the eBook file and you’ll be able to view the contents.

Most eBooks come available in Adobe acrobat format where you see a pretty good reproduction of a real book. Including cover, figures, charts, tables, table of contents, etc.

An eBook can also be printed easily from your home computer. If your printer is of sufficient quality, you can print a professional eBook and store it into a binder if you don’t want to read material from your computer.

eBooks have proven very popular over the last few years because of the ability to download and view book quality information instantly.

We often get questions from individuals seeking reasons why publications aren’t in the form of a traditional book, or propositions from hawkers claiming they can make us millionaires if we let them have the rights to publish our book.

We’ll there have always been the temptation to sell a physical book but yet again, there are advantages for our eBook readers who are probably reading this article as we speak.

Here are 12 advantages of eBooks in general:

* They’re convenient – if you just need a page or two “on paper” from a book – for example, a recipe from a cookbook, or a procedure from a fitness manual all you need to do is click print from your computer

* Excellent for research and reference – Print out an eBook on 2 or 3-hole paper and put it in a ring binder. This is a much more convenient format than a regular bound book if you may want to write in it and take notes, or perhaps carry just a chapter or two at a time with you.

* In Adobe pdf format (Maximum Fitness eBooks) you see a pretty good reproduction of a real book. Including cover, figures, charts, tables, table of contents, etc.

* You can easily customize the viewing experience (enlarge font size and style, change orientation on device, modify screen contrast)

* If your computer is a laptop or PDA, then your ebooks are portable. You can travel light; your entire library of ebooks is portable. Much easier than lugging around a stack of printed books.

* You can acquire thousands of eBooks almost instantly via the Internet without spending time browsing book stores with their limited titles

* Clicking is easier than page turning as you may have already discovered.

* You can easily add multiple bookmarks and they stay where you put them

* One click from the table of contents can lead you straight to chapters

* Soon you will be able to have your eBook to you by your computer!

* Popularity – Many recent titles are being published as eBooks only

* They’re easy on the environment – they save trees and paper

For those eBook junkies out there on the net, they have caught on to the fact seeking advice from an eBook can be just as or even more effective compared to purchasing a book from your local store.

When you purchase a book, you’ve got the information in one hit and that’s it! If you like the book and you’re eager to feed on more advice from the author you’ll either have to join the fan club or wait until the author’s next publication is released.

However, on the net it’s a little different. For instance, many authors are offering online coaching with the purchase of an eBook. In the case of Maximum Fitness, you don’t only purchase an eBook but you can have access to ongoing communications and advice from the author himself.

“Who better to talk to about the book than the actual author who wrote it?”

A word of caution there are those who feel it’s necessary to release a “Bible” containing pages upon pages of material. When you’re reading through some of these eBooks it’s like the author has dumped ALL knowledge throughout their entire life to please the general population.

While these authors like to prove that they know the most “You’re getting everything we think you should know” in this eBook… they neglect the single most important question – Who wants to read 500 PAGE book on their computer screen!

Unless you’re looking for fiction, most if not ALL eBooks should be relatively short and to the point (around 100 pages). This is what people are after, predominantly when it comes to self-help info such as how to lose weight or improve your fitness.

A concise, step-by-step eBook will go a long way towards motivating someone to improve their lifestyle or fitness habits than a dictionary full of content based on “you can do this, you can do that” type of fluff talk.

When purchasing an eBook, keep this thought in mind:

“It’s not about the quantity of content that counts, it’s the quality of content and how you can go about using that content”

Make no mistake about it, when you purchase any type of material, you want to know that the information you’re getting is as accurate as possible towards the goal you’re aiming to achieve.

The ebook is a digitally presented format of any printed conventional book which can be read through a personal computer or through a hardware device called a book reader. The inception of such an innovative idea dates back to 1971 when the pioneer Michael Hart, in U.S.A., decided to create through computers storage, retrieval and scanning of texts available in libraries. This resulted in the origin of the first ebook, a copy of the `Declaration of Independence` which later evolved into `Project Gutenberg`. Today it contains over 20,000 free texts and over 100,000 books.
Every month over 3,000,000 books are downloaded. Ultimately this reached mammoth proportions with ebooks flooding the web because of its easy storage on hard drive or disk. Production of ebooks is carried out generally by document scanning or by using robotic book scanners.
Initially the ebooks were confined to specialty topics which were documents, technical manuals or articles on manufacturing techniques with cutting edge hardware. Such ebooks did not create much impact in the market as there was no consensus on packaging, selling or reading. A number of diverse specifications, supported by leading software companies or by independent programmers, proliferated which catered to readers following multiple formats resulted in further fragmentation of the market. At this stage ebook was not a mainstream item.
This, however, did not stop ebook from spreading its domain. It surfaced in the underground markets wherein the ebook publishers distributed those books which were not readily available in the market. Similarly, authors whose books did not find any publishers started offering their books on-line so that viewers were exposed to the literature. Even unauthorized and unofficial catalogues were available in various web sites. And in this manner ebooks began to circulate on-line. Romantic novels were the first successful ebooks as they catered to a large clientele who bought them on-line and enjoyed reading them in privacy.
These incidents caught the attention of major publishers. Around mid June 2001, the acclaimed publishers started delving into this medium and tried to gain from the ebook formats. This led the publishers to establish on-line stores and partnerships with e-reader manufacturers. Today, the electronic hardware manufacturers are also working in tandem with ebook readers to capitalize on the on-line ebook market.
This upsurge of activity by the reputed publishers, electronic companies and independent operators resulted in the development of new selling models. Simultaneously, a more simple and homogeneous format with better reading hardware was created to achieve a global distribution for ebooks. This has unleashed an array of new publishing houses. Today, electronic manufacturers are wooing the ebook readers through new designs while software engineers are developing new reader application for portable electronic gear ranging from hand held computers, smart phones and game consoles.
The twentieth century readers, unaware of the concept of ebook, are now being gradually exposed to this electronic phenomenon. Commuters read ebooks on laptops, hand held computers or on cell phones. Such is the craze of ebooks in Japan that mobile phone novels have evolved where books could be downloaded and read on the cell screen. Sales which were negligible a few years back has crossed 10 billion yens annually (The Economist). At present, consumers can easily access books of their choice ranging from best sellers to new authors or which ever type suiting their reading pattern.
Ebooks reading are advantageous as it is a space saving device of book storage. One CD / DVD can, approximately, store 500 ebooks and are never out of print, which is a common occurrence in conventional books. For researchers such digitized versions are ideal as they display excellent choice of formats enabling speedy cross references. Readers can adjust their reading convenience by adjusting fonts and text sizes and use back lit facility which allows adequate visibility in low light. Unlike traditional books and paperbacks, ebooks need not be hand held, can be reproduced cheaply and are generally inexpensive as it does not consume paper, ink and other resources used in conventional printing.
The basic disadvantage of ebook is that it requires electronic devices for display. The software may not be readily available or free or compatible with the existing computer configuration. Sudden hard disk drive failure or power disruption causes disturbing interruptions. Ebook storage mediums are fragile, the devices are costly and replacement charges could be prohibitive. Finally, and particularly for some publishers, hacking is a perennial danger.

The Ebook is a digitally existing set-up of any printed conventional book which can be read through a personal computer or through a hardware device called a book reader. The inception of such an innovative idea dates back to 1971 when the pioneer Michael Hart, in U.S.A., decided to create through computers storage, retrieval and scanning of texts available in libraries. This resulted in the origin of the first Ebook.At the start the Ebooks were confined to specialty topics which were documents, technical manuals or articles on manufacturing techniques with cutting edge hardware. Such Ebooks did not create much impact in the market as there was no consensus on packaging, selling or reading. A number of diverse specifications, supported by leading software companies or by independent programmers, proliferated which catered to readers following multiple formats resulted in further fragmentation of the market. At this stage Ebook was not a mainstream item. However, did not stop Ebook from spreading its domain. It surfaced in the underground markets wherein the Ebook publishers distributed those books which were not readily available in the market. Similarly, authors whose books did not find any publishers started offering their books on-line so that viewers were exposed to the literature. Even unauthorized and unofficial catalogues were available in various web sites. And in this manner Ebooks began to circulate on-line. Romantic novels were the first successful Ebooks as they catered to a large clientele who bought them on-line and enjoyed reading them in privacy. These incidents caught the attention of major publishers. Around mid June 2001, the acclaimed publishers started delving into this medium and tried to gain from the Ebook formats. This led the publishers to establish on-line stores and partnerships with e-reader manufacturers. Today, the electronic hardware manufacturers are also working in tandem with Ebook readers to capitalize on the on-line Ebook market. This upsurge of action by the reputed publishers, electronic companies and independent operators resulted in the development of new selling models. Simultaneously, a more simple and homogeneous format with better reading hardware was created to achieve a global distribution for Ebooks. This has unleashed an array of new publishing houses. Today, electronic manufacturers are wooing the Ebook readers through new designs while software engineers are developing new reader application for portable electronic gear ranging from hand held computers, smart phones and game consoles.The twentieth century readers, unaware of the concept of Ebook, are now being gradually exposed to this electronic phenomenon. Commuters read Ebooks on laptops, hand held computers or on cell phones. Such is the craze of Ebooks in Japan that mobile phone novels have evolved where books could be downloaded and read on the cell screen. Sales which were negligible a few years back has crossed 10 billion yens annually (The Economist). At present, consumers can easily access books of their choice ranging from best sellers to new authors or which ever type suiting their reading pattern. Ebooks reading are advantageous as it is a space saving device of book storage. One CD / DVD can, approximately, store 500 Ebooks and are never out of print, which is a common occurrence in conventional books. For researchers such digitized versions are ideal as they display excellent choice of formats enabling speedy cross references. Readers can adjust their reading convenience by adjusting fonts and text sizes and use back lit facility which allows adequate visibility in low light. Unlike traditional books and paperbacks, Ebooks need not be hand held, can be reproduced cheaply and are generally inexpensive as it does not consume paper, ink and other resources used in conventional printing. The basic disadvantage of Ebook is that it requires electronic devices for display. The software may not be readily available or free or compatible with the existing computer configuration. Sudden hard disk drive failure or power disruption causes disturbing interruptions. Ebook storage mediums are fragile, the devices are costly and replacement charges could be prohibitive. Lastly, and particularly for some publishers, hacking is a perennial danger.

Browse around the Internet, and you will definitely see how many websites are taking advantage of the literary wave of the future: electronic books. Some websites serve as online repositories of public domain material, offering novels and documents for educational and recreational purposes. Online retailers like Fictionwise and Amazon.com offer downloadable, electronic versions of top selling books, and aspiring writers are taking advantage of the medium to establish readership.
One eBook publisher specializing in erotic romance titles claims to sell thirty thousand eBooks a month! Other small publishers of eBooks are proud to mention how they first published authors who now rank among the hottest sellers today.
For the author struggling to get his foot in the door of the publishing industry, publishing through electronic means may sound appealing. Compared to most traditional print publishers, eBook publishers tend to offer a higher percentage of royalties on net sales and allow for more author input on promotion and cover art. Turnaround time between submission and book release may be shorter, as production may not be as involved. However, as with any industry, there are caveats to consider.
For all the benefits of taking your book to an electronic publisher, there are also disadvantages one needs to realize. Any author preparing to take a manuscript to an editor or publisher should be aware.
Limited distribution
First, let me qualify this section by stating that even if you are fortunate to have a book placed with a traditional print publisher, it is not an automatic guarantee that your book will be on the shelves of every bookstore in the country. True, if your publisher distributes inventory through a third-party vendor like Ingrams or Baker and Taylor, your book will most certainly be available for order by customers and booksellers.
But, given the number of books published each year and the amount of available shelf space in stores, there is sadly not enough room for everybody. When booksellers attend trade shows and study their own sales, they are going to make decisions based upon a book’s salability and the behaviors of their customers. A store that does a whopping business in mystery novels will likely not saturate shelves with computer manuals.
For the eBook author, opportunities for distribution are limited even further. Though some major chain bookstores are dipping toes into the eBook world by offering download versions of books through their websites, it will be years before one finds an eBook kiosk at the local shop. For now, eBook authors must rely upon the online resources available to them. They include direct sales from the publisher, third-party eBook retailers like Fictionwise and Diesel Books, and direct sales of books on CD-ROM at signings and other book events.
The last entry may prove daunting for some authors who must aversion to buying a book on disc, but depending on the event one might be surprised to know how well eBooks sell. The annual book fair connected to the Romantic Times convention, for example, attracts a number of readers willing to make such purchases.
Uphill battle with stigmas
“I would rather read a ‘real book’.”
“All eBooks are poorly edited.”
“eBook publishers will take anything. The books aren’t good.”
“That’s too much to pay for something I can’t touch.”
As somebody who has written and published eBooks, I’ve heard these and many other disparaging remarks about the industry. Suffice to say, it is true that there are a number of dubious eBook companies in existence that typify the above sentiments. Sadly, the shoddy workmanship of said companies threatens to define the industry as a whole, and it is a stigma every eBook author must face when promoting his work.
Let us consider the above statements one by one.
Buying a “real” book: the traditionalist can argue all he wants, but a good eBook is a real book. It is a tangible object in disk form, a visual object that can be read. Most eBook publishers assign ISBN numbers to works and register them with the US Copyright Office and Books in Print, especially if print formats are forthcoming. eBook novels have plots, dialogue, characters, a beginning, middle, and end.
Despite this, there will always exist people resistant to new technology and methods of providing information. It can be argued that curling up with a good book cannot be achieved with an eBook, but it is possible if a person has a handheld reader instead of a desktop computer. As the quality of eBooks rises, so may the number of converts. Until then, eBook authors must face the challenge of selling head-on.
Editing and eBooks: As mentioned before, there are eBook companies that exist mainly as mills, churning out books without thought to editing, formatting, and promotion. Obviously such companies should be avoided. However, as larger companies come to embrace the technology, so comes the careful attention to detail prevalent in the publishing industry. Authors who approach eBook publishers for a possible relationship should research their editing schedules and skills. Yes, most houses do have editors on staff, capable, learned people devoted to polishing a book to perfection. As the industry grows, so too will acknowledgement of this fact.
eBook publishers and acceptance: With some genres, quantity is as important as quality. For the romance industry, it is not uncommon for a publisher to produce twenty to fifty titles a month in order to feed the demand. As romance and erotica are two popular genres among eBook readers, it may stand to reason that publishers will accept everything under the sun in order to meet the demand. Any author published electronically, therefore, may be lumped into an undesirable caste.
This is not always the case. As the industry grows and the demand for books grows, so too will these smaller houses become more selective in choosing works. Already, there are a few eBook publishers that offer low percentage of acceptance. Authors should be aware of this fact, and consider eBook publishing as a “safety net.”
Ebooks and expense: To look at the eBook versions of top bestsellers, one might blanch at the prospect of paying hardcover price for the digital version of the same book. Why fork over twenty-five dollars for what amounts to a computer document when there is something tangible at the bookstore? It should be noted, though, that not all eBooks are this cost prohibitive. Depending upon length and genre, many eBook publishers offer books ranging from two to seven dollars, which is quite a bargain when you consider the rising cost of paperbacks.
Plus, the eBook industry allows for publication of shorter lengths at special prices, which is good for readers who favor novellas over epics.
Though there are many arguments for eBooks in this realm, it may still be difficult to convince new readers to give them a try. Any eBook author should continue to promote the positive aspects of the presentation of their work.
Contract caveats
As with any publisher, it is important to carefully read any contract before signing. An author desperate to sell may only gloss over a contract, and therefore miss some very important items that can affect the future of the contracted work.
A reputable eBook publisher will offer a contract that is friendly to the author and the work. Authors uncertain of contract red flags are encouraged to visit the site of the Electronically Published Internet Connection for detailed information. For an author who is able to contract print rights to a traditional publisher, it should be imperative to research for how long the eBook house has those rights, if they claim them. Often, those rights are contracted in the event the eBook house decides to offer print titles, and some may not be so accommodating if you wish to get out of your contract.
Read every contract you are offered, or have a lawyer read them for you. Ask questions of the publisher if you are unsure of some things.
Regardless of whether or not you decide to take traditional routes in your search for a publisher, always be aware of the pros and cons of every industry. Armed with this knowledge, you will be able to make a smooth transition to publication in any format.

The internet has revolutionized many areas of modern daily life, with information and communication being more accessible and reliable than ever. The world of academia has welcomed the internet, with information including online journals and ebooks being available in a flash. And now the ebook is turning towards the general public, offering a variety of texts in ebook format for the everyday reader.

An ebook is an electronic or digital book. The information is stored in a digital format which is designed to be read by as many different platforms and readers as possible. The electronic book is produced through document scanning using an OCR program which reproduces text electronically to a high quality. Some are only electronically published and so have the text entered into the correct format immediately. The format of the ebook can differ and each format offers its own special features. Electronic books can produce a wide range of effects such as grey scale or colour images, annotations, video and music clips, tables and searchable information. The ebook is an exciting and functional way to produce and read interactive information.

An ebook is made up of e-documents which each make up the pages. It is usually purchased for a low price and is then received immediately. And it is either received through an e-mail or downloaded from the web from a specified link. The electronic book is circulated by publishers, and can be sold in part, in sections or in full. Some publishers provide free samples of them so that readers can familiarize themselves with the format and usability as they are a relatively new concept for the general public.

As with any other product, ebooks are subject to electronic copyright and so can not be copied or passed on to other people. Although they are inexpensive to purchase, they offer many advantages to the publishers. Firstly, the production costs are low as there are no storage or printing costs, and immediate receipt through online delivery means lower prices can be maintained. Also, the sales are direct to the reader and so middle men can be skipped. These advantages make the ebook a cost effective purchase for the reader and so an attractive option.

Ebooks serve a variety of purposes and are produced in a variety of texts such as online magazines known as e-zines, academic journals, comic books, poetry anthologies and novellas. When the ebook first arrived it was initially for non fiction informative texts only, but the popularity and usability has encouraged the ebook to be used much more widely. It is predicted that they will eventually replace the printed book, with book shops only selling celebrity books and independent bookstores becoming obsolete. Amazon is currently leading the way as it holds the biggest ebook library.

The ebook industry is definitely a growing industry. Initially only independent publishers were using the electronic book to publish experimental and new voices in the literary world, taking advantage of the low production costs and simple distribution. This created a wave of expectation and interest and now major publishers are showing interest in the ebook phenomenon. Some electronic publishing is used in addition to printed paper copies for added sales and marketing whilst others are sold solely in electronic format.

The production of ebooks is now subject to the International Digital Publishing Forum which means that a standard is beginning to be set. There has even been an ebook nominated for a literary prize; in 1998 online originals published which was nominated for the Booker prize. ebooks now have their own best seller lists and awards such as the Dream Realm Award for fiction which was established in 2002.

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