Your Nonfiction Book - Using the Mind-Mapping Outline Approach

Since I am not the card-shuffling type, I do not use the old file card approach to create a book outline. Instead, I use another high school English approach, the classic outline with Roman numerals, capital A, B, and C, and numbers in parenthesis. This outline is like a mini thesis and my outline includes every point, sub-point, reference, and page number.

Writing a nonfiction book outline can take months. A new book is rattling around in my head. Before I started it, I decided to research outlining and came across something called mind-mapping. How does it work? Would it work for me?

Judy Collins discusses the outline approach in a Hub Pages website article, "Book Chapters -- Organize and Outline with Mind-Mapping." She defines the process as a "color-coded note taking technique that offers the author a flexible approach." As the name implies, it is a visual plan, with the book title in the middle of the page.

Branches, written in different colors, come out from the title. They include an introduction that has a "hook opener," answering the reader's questions, chapter points, sub-points, and a sample writing format. Fiction and nonfiction books have a slightly different map.

Collins thinks mind-mapping has six benefits. First, it is flexible and accommodates to errors. The approach builds on the mind's ability to remember pictures. Creating a map is faster than writing a detailed outline. The map has key words and phrases, which are also easier to remember. The author sees a big picture at a glance. Organizing chapters is easier. Finally, sales increase because potential buyers can understand the book instantly.

Alan Bohart details the outlining approach in his Search Warp website article, "Writing a Book Outline." The outline is one of the most overlooked writing steps, Bohart says, because "nobody likes to do the prep work and everybody loves to write." If an author has not done the prep work his or her book could fail. While Bohart admits the old-fashioned outline is easy to understand, he thinks the visual approach is better.

Are you thinking about writing a book? According to Bohart, you need to take the time to write a good outline and the result will be work of "higher quality."

Susan C. Daffron discusses the pluses of mind-mapping in her Internet article, "How to Create an Outline for Your Non-Fiction Book.'' An author's outline is a road map of the book, she says, and "the longer a document is, the more important it is to have an outline." Mind-mapping begins brainstorming. General areas are identified first and then grouped into sections. Then narrower topics are added under each section. This approach makes writing a book more manageable, according to Daffron.

I identified general topics, but realized I needed to do more research before I could slot in sub-topics. So my map is on hold. Still, I plan to use this approach and you may decide to use it too. The approach gives us a glimpse of our minds at work and that is intriguing.

Copyright 2010 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 30+ years. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of Health Care Journalists, and Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from Amazon.

Centering Corporation has published her 26th book, "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief" to a New Life" and a companion journal with 100 writing jump-starts. Hodgson is a monthly columnist for the new "Caregiving in America" magazine, which resumes publication in August. She is also a contributing writer for the Open to Hope Foundation website. Please visit Harriet's website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

Show Don't Tell - Vital Advice For Authors

Anyone who has ever wanted to write or tried writing has probably heard the advice, "Show Don't Tell." It's advice that bears repeating no matter how long we are writers. But what exactly does it mean?

When we tell people something, we usually summarize. For example, we might say, "I bought a new bed today." When we show, we go into detail. In this case, we would explain how we decided we needed a new bed because the old one's mattress was sagging. We describe how we went to four stores to compare prices and experimented by lying on twenty-seven different mattresses. We list the price ranges, recall the salesmen who helped us, and explain why we chose the bed we did. Then we relate what happened when the new bed was delivered. We convey our excitement over a new bed, and we conclude with the end result-the good night's sleep we experienced, or perhaps, we did not sleep so well and we tell why. Buying a new bed does not sound exciting, but it can become a humorous and even adventurous story if we do a good job of showing instead of telling.

Nor does it matter whether we are writing fiction or non-fiction in telling the story. In both cases, we need to show rather than just tell to create an effective story. Non-fiction requires great storytelling just as much as fiction because stories are what readers will relate to so they are able to apply your information to their lives.

Below I'll give two examples, a non-fiction and a fiction one, of how to show, not just tell. My examples will show how "showing" makes writing more effective.

Non-Fiction Show Don't Tell

A lot of non-fiction is written with a how-to or self-help style. Other forms of non-fiction such as history or biography obviously require storytelling, but many types of non-fiction may not come to mind immediately as in need of storytelling. Think about it though-isn't the minister's sermon more memorable when a story is told, as is the college graduation speech, and when you ask people for advice, don't you often want them to tell you a story of what they have done themselves-whether it's your investment banker or judo coach. We all love a good story, so whenever it is applicable, tell one.

In this example, we'll assume you're writing a self-help book, the modern day version of "How to Win Friends and Influence People." One of your points is the importance of making people think you are interested in them by asking questions and listening to them. You can simply tell the reader:

When you meet people, remember that they love to talk about themselves. You will win friends if you convince them you are interested in hearing what they have to say, and you can make them think you are interested in them by asking them questions about themselves.

That is good advice, and you, as the author, might even go on to give the reader a list of questions to ask people that will make them like you and remember you. But giving advice and lists is not going to make the reader remember your advice as well as your telling a simple story, and especially, a story that proves your advice works. Furthermore, we can give people all the advice we want, but they aren't going to listen to you unless they have reason to believe you know what you are talking about. Even if you tell readers you are a highly successful businessperson who has done deals with billionaires and you name those billionaires, readers will not be convinced unless you show them how you went about it.

How would you show in this example? After you state your advice and give your list of possible questions to ask people, tell the reader a story from your own life about how listening to someone and asking him or her questions made a difference for you. Your story might read something like this:

I spotted billionaire Joe Schmo at the networking event, and casting nervousness to the wind, I walked over to him. A lot of people would have loved to talk to him but wouldn't have known what to say. Since I knew he would be there, I went prepared with questions to ask him based on doing a little research online about him and his interests, and trying to find out what I was similarly interested in that could lead to a rapport. The result-after I introduced myself, I said, "Joe, I've always been a huge admirer of how you brokered that deal with XYZ Corporation to install your widgets in all their stores, but there's one thing I've always wondered. I spend a lot of time working, but it takes time away from one of my passions, so what I want to know is how you find time to concentrate on your golf game and score so well when you're so busy scoring in the business world?"

Joe laughed, not expecting my question to end the way it did, and I could see he was relieved to talk about golf rather than work. He replied....

From here you could relay Joe's advice to the reader-maybe Joe even told you a story, which is a real bonus since the reader will then get two helpful advice stories. Beyond that, you can go on to show how that first meeting with Joe resulted in his inviting you to play golf with him, which led to a friendship, and later, some great business deals. Rather than just telling your readers about the importance of listening to people, suddenly you have a prime example of how listening to someone talk about something as seemingly innocuous as his golf game can lead to million dollar deals and a win-win situation for everyone.

Fiction Show Don't Tell

In fiction writing, authors usually know they need to "show don't tell" but that can be misconstrued into providing detailed description. Elmore Leonard advises writers to remember to leave out the boring parts, and often, the boring part is the description. Does it really matter to the story that the car is a red 2007 Honda Civic with 67,000 miles on it? Probably not.

What does matter is the characters, including their actions and their motivations behind those actions. Too often, new fiction writers try to sum up their characters with a few lines of description to introduce them, only to miss opportunities of showing not telling to make the characters endearing to the reader.

Here's an example of showing not telling that might be taken from the middle of a novel:

A few years passed away until Matthew was twenty-seven and Rebecca twenty-five. Since the birth of their first born, Rachel, two impish little boys had been added to the family who kept Rebecca busy. Then Matthew was laid off from working at the mine and the family had a hard time making ends meet.

This passage simply informs us that time has passed and sets us up for the family to have future troubles, but it could actually be an effective scene that conveys the characters' emotions. For example:

When she heard the screen door slam shut, Rebecca looked up from the birthday cake she was frosting to see who was home from school. When she saw Rachel trot into the kitchen but the twins not following her, she asked, "Where are your brothers?"

"They stopped because there's a big crowd down at the mining office. Something's going on there."

"Oh dear, not a cave-in I hope," said Rebecca, immediately feeling the need to sit down. Hardly a day went by that she did not worry about Matthew working there.

"No, Mrs. McCarty says she thinks there's going to be a lay-off."

"Oh, what a day for a layoff," said Rebecca, suddenly remembering the money she had just spent for the twins' birthday presents. She knew she shouldn't have spent that much money, but they were six now and quickly growing out of their pants, so she'd had to buy them new ones, and they were such good boys that she couldn't resist buying them a bicycle-she hoped there wouldn't be too much fighting over having to share it. Maybe next year they could afford another-at least she had hoped so, but there wouldn't be a second bicycle if Matthew were laid off-there wouldn't be much of anything, she feared.

"Well, we'll wait until your father gets home to see what he says," Rebecca said, not wanting to worry her daughter unnecessarily. "Go change your clothes and get your chores and homework done before supper."

This passage makes clear that Matthew and Rebecca have more children. It expresses Rebecca's love and fears for her family, and it tells us something about the twin boys through Rebecca's thoughts rather than a straightforward factual description that does not make the reader feel connected to the characters.

Showing not telling is a fundamental aspect of good writing, whether it's fiction or non-fiction. Telling the story is really about "showing" and whenever it's possible, writers should tell stories to win over their readers.

Exercise:

In closing, here are a couple of non-fiction and fiction sentences. Read each one and think about how you can change it from telling to showing:

Non-Fiction

King Henry VIII ordered the monastery to be torn down.

Americans attend church less regularly today than they did fifty years ago.

When installing your new faucet, make sure you first turn off the water.

Fiction

John and Mary were engaged on Thursday.

Hilda was going to go to school at Harvard but then changed her mind and went to Princeton.

Harry loved his guitar so much that his parents would not have been surprised if he slept with it.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

Having Trouble Starting to Write (Or Finishing) Your Book?

The solution is in a phrase you've probably heard a gazillion times: "Whatever you think about all day long, that's who you'll be and how you'll spend your time". I recently chatted with bestselling author and creator of the "Procrasrinator's Guide to Authorship" Rita Emmett who relayed these ideas about how to actually finish (or start and finish) your book.

Rita says if you want to author a book, get your life so full of input about writing that you cannot not help but think frequently, maybe daily, about writing your book. Try one, several or all of the following ideas.

1. Take a Creative Writing Class. Try local Non-credit college classes or ask your local library to offer one.

2. Type up and post signs around your home or office to get thinking about writing. Here are some examples:

"Rita Emmett --- Best Selling Author" "I'm so happy my book, The Procrastinator's Handbook, is on the Best Seller List." "Ahhhhhhh - - the joy of writing a best selling book."

3. Print out your book title or book cover (if you have one) and post it above your computer.

4. Subscribe to Writers Digest (a monthly magazine for writers.)

I don't think anybody ever reads the whole thing, but every month there are articles for writing fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, poetry, children's' books, e-books and so forth. Read what you choose; only what applies to you.

5. Buy MP3's or audio recordings about writing and listen every time you're in the car. Don't play anything else till you start working on your book.

6. Buy a poster about writing and hang it on a wall above your computer. I found one of Snoopy typing away on top of his doghouse. It said: "It's exciting when you've written something that you know is good!" They are available at stores for teachers. I called the local school and got a teacher's catalog and ordered my poster from there.

And if you want a sure-fire way to finish your book, get it published and start collecting fat royalty checks (Rita's first check was for almost $40k) over the next 7 months you've got to get over to http://www.helpwritingbook.com/

Article Writing Tips - 5 Ways to Grab Your Readers' Attention

If asked how many kinds of writing there are, most of us would create a long list, including fiction, nonfiction, educational, sales, marketing, email, self-help, blog writing, and on and on and on.

Although you could make a case that each of these talks to a different audience and has different conventions, all of them have the same inherent weakness or strength. Every single one of them!

They are either boring or interesting.

How many of you have read a novel you could not put down? That is because the author made it interesting. Remember that novel you tossed after reading the first two pages? That author was boring. Same type of writing, different results.

Novels are pure stories. The same techniques that create powerful emotional involvement in a novel will create the same emotional involvement (and impulse to buy) in nonfiction. Jeff Walker (internet marketer, Product Launch guru) says that a good sales message is simply a story and uses all the techniques I give you below (and more).

Your job as a writer, marketer, salesperson, blogger, teacher, and professional, is to make your products and services interesting to your customers. The words you choose and the order in which you write them will either convince the reader to buy from you or turn away. And once the reader turns away, he or she is gone forever.

How do you make your writing interesting? Here are five tips for using fictional or story techniques in nonfiction:

1. Create a memorable headline or first line. This line grabs the attention of your reader in such a way that they must continue reading. You can do this with a controversial statement, an unusual fact, a question, or even a single provocative word. I learned this very early on writing newspaper headlines.

2. Put yourself into your writing. If you are absent, your writing will bore your readers. Remember, you bring experiences, biases, and insights into your subject that nobody else has. Insert your opinions, side comments, your unique style of thinking and talking, and people will eat up your prose.

3. Use vivid imagery. Your reader will relate to your material more if he or she can visualize it and relate it to their own experience. If you use a phrase that jogs a powerful memory or sense in your reader, they will stick with you longer.

4. Use dialogue even in nonfiction. Dialogue puts the reader into a scene where they can experience the events as they occur. It creates suspense, grounding, a sense of truth, and can guide the reader away from consciously thinking about whether or not to buy your product and into an emotional experience where buying what you sell is perfectly natural.

5. Use a strong call to action. If you write 500 pages and then neglect to tell your reader what to do with what they just learned, you have wasted your time. Every piece you write needs a call to action of some kind to tell the reader what to do with your material.

There are many other ways to make your writing interesting. However, if you apply these five, you will find yourself writing far better than most people. To get started, study writers you admire and marketers whose copy works. Look at each section and ask yourself how that writer did the things I outlined above. Then write.

To learn more about how to write interesting books and articles, get a free copy of my e-book 57 Steps to Better Writing and a free subscription to my Vibrant Communication Tips newsletter at http://www.freewritingbook.com

Lee Pound is a writing coach and consultant, book editor and publisher, and seminar producer. He is the author or co-author of eight books.

Interview With Helen Barer, Author Of "Fitness Kills"

Helen Barer is a native of New York City, leaving only to attend Bennington College in Vermont. Even her graduate degree (an MA in English Literature) was from New York University. She now divides her time between the Upper West Side and Water Mill, New York. Helen spent many years as a writer of nonfiction material, ranging from cookbooks to television documentaries, before writing "Fitness Kills," her first in a proposed series of Nora Franke mysteries.

Tyler: Thank you, Helen, for joining me today. First of all, I absolutely love the title for the book. Would you tell us why the title is appropriate?

Helen: Not for the reasons you might think! Men, especially, tend to think of the title as saying something lethal about exercise. And, curiously, are delighted if it's true. More prosaically, the title refers to the fact that the book takes place at a fitness ranch, and two guests die there. My first title, still preferred by my husband, was 'Death on the Spa Plan.' But I wanted something punchier. I'm glad you like it.

Tyler: Tell us a little bit about the main character, Nora Franke. I understand she looks forward to going to the health spa for a couple reasons?

Helen: Nora is a New York City food writer, single, in her mid-thirties. She's just ended a relationship with her soul-mate, and is now overweight as well as heartbroken, having eaten her way through the breakup. She and her ex-boyfriend, Max, were crazy about each other but couldn't seem to live together. They were so very different-in temperament, lifestyle (he's prestigious upper east side doorman building, NY Philharmonic and NY Mets; she's funky upper west side walkup, pop standards and NY Mets), even eating choices (painful for a foodie!). She is devastated by his loss and wants to 'get out of town;' as a freelance food writer and baking instructor she is able to do this.

Tyler: What about the character of Nora Franke do you feel appeals to your readers?

Helen: I think it's easy to identify with Nora (at least I do). She's quite attractive but not beautiful; she's round rather than model-thin; she's short; she's funny; and she's smart (sometimes smart-alecky). And she doesn't take herself too seriously.

Up to that point, I've drawn on my own experiences and personality. But Nora's also more feisty than I am, and more courageous as well. Maybe too courageous for her own good.

Tyler: Where did you get the idea to have a murder happen at a spa, and what was the advantage of it? Were the depictions of the spa intended for a sort of comic relief from the murders?

Helen: Not at all. I love spas. I was actually in an exercise class at a fitness ranch when I got the idea for the book. I looked around and realized that since all of us (mostly women) had arrived on the same day, and would leave on the same day, it was like being on a cruise ship. Trapped together. We all spent time in each other's company at meals, in the lounge or pool, or waiting for body treatments, and shared stories about our lives and our aches and pains that might have otherwise taken years to reveal. We became instantly intimate. I wondered what would happen if there were a crisis-a crime-at the spa, and how we would all handle it.

There were indeed advantages to the setting. So many places for 'accidents' to happen; so many experiences that are intrinsically scary; so many people who are slightly (or more than slightly) eccentric.

Incidentally, I should clarify that when I say fitness ranch, or fitness spa, I mean a destination where exercise, nutrition and health are primary; being pampered is not the main goal, although it's a welcome adjunct.

Tyler: As a former writer of cookbooks, how did that experience lend itself to depicting Nora as a chef at a spa?

Helen: Writing recipes for cookbooks is a very kinesthetic experience: you have to really focus on the texture, appearance and smell as well as the taste of food. And in describing how to cook something, you literally have to walk yourself through the process in your head: What did I tell the reader to do with that sauté pan? Is it still on the burner? Is there liquid in it or will the bottom be history? Did I give the ingredients the reader will need to deglaze the pan? It's really fun, but it's like juggling: you can't let go of one of the balls in the air or you'll do your reader a disservice.

Cooking is a very personal, sensory and sensual activity. And fine-tuning a menu, as Nora has to do, is a wonderfully creative act. The menu items in this book have to be low in fat and calories; taste fabulous; and represent the 'philosophy' of the ranch.

Tyler: I understand while Nora is trying to solve the mystery, an ex-lover shows up. Will you tell us if this is a rekindling of romance, or is he a murder suspect as well?

Helen: Nope. Won't tell. You'll have to read the book to find out.

Tyler: What did you find to be the most difficult part of writing a mystery?

Helen: Integrating the plot with the characters and story line was really tricky for me. There was so much to keep track of. I love to write character, and found it relatively easy to do so: I could see each person quite clearly in my mind's eye, knew their names, where they lived, what they wore, and could even hear their voices. I also knew how the story began, and how it would end, but getting there...wow.

I tried doing plot lines, made charts, and talked it through to myself. The problems didn't end when I finally worked out the sequence of events: then I had to figure out how and where to drop in a few red herrings and clues.

Tyler: Although you have an MA in English literature, your previous writing was nonfiction rather than fiction. Did you always want to write fiction?

Helen: Always. When I was a little girl, and unselfconscious about writing, I wrote stories for my class assignments. I still have-somewhere-a story called "My Life in the Wilderness." It was far more interesting to me to invent a family and their problems and pleasures than write a factual report on the American frontier. I think I was eight or nine. Somewhere along the way, I became very self-critical, and lost my spontaneity.

When I graduated from college, I thought writing fiction was a secret, special talent that I couldn't aspire to. I knew I didn't want to (and undoubtedly couldn't) write 'the great American novel.' But it finally dawned on me, many decades later, that I didn't have to: I could write an entertaining, readable novel without pretensions of 'greatness.' That's not to say that I didn't want to write the best novel I could.

Tyler: What do you find is the most fun about writing fiction instead of non-fiction? And what are the greatest challenges?

Helen: In truth, writing nonfiction for me was great fun. It meant doing research, and I love to do research. I can immerse myself deeply in reference books, newspaper files, old manuscripts. I really like interviewing people, finding out what makes them tick: what do they love, hate, fear, find funny. It seemed very natural to me...after all, I did it for more than 30 years.

Writing fiction certainly is a different craft. You can't rely on external facts and background. It's got to come from your head and heart. However, it is lots of fun to create characters, as I've described above.

The real challenge for me is to ask 'what if?' That's the center of a mystery story for me. What if someone doesn't arrive at the right time? What if a letter isn't delivered or a phone message given? What if he never realizes that she loves him, and she is sure he knows? What if the murderer slips up and leaves an enigmatic clue?

Tyler: Helen, will you give us a hint about what kind of situation Nora will face in your second novel?

Helen: My next book finds Nora back in New York, with a death threat hanging over her head. While trying to resurrect a romantic life, continue her column for MetroScene magazine, and teach baking classes, she finds herself enmeshed in a family crisis, with all of the passion and tension that entails. Who is not familiar with such personal drama? Hurt feelings, accusations of betrayal, fights over money. The tentative title is "Families Are Murder." Or, if it's not too cutesy, "Families Kill."

What's your opinion?

Tyler: Both titles are good, but I definitely like "Families Kill." It has the same ironic note as "Fitness Kills." Thank you so much, Helen, for joining me today. Before we go, would you tell our readers your website address and what further information about "Fitness Kills" they can find there?

Helen: Thank you, Tyler, I enjoyed it. Please take a look at http://www.helenbarer.com, where I've posted some reviews of the book, and a schedule of my forthcoming appearances. I'm even leaving New York!

Tyler: Well, I hope you don't run into any mysteries on your travels, but that your mystery books continue to sell well. Thank you again, Helen.

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to be joined by Helen Barer, who is here to discuss her new mystery novel "Fitness Kills," Thomson-Gale (2007), ISBN 9781594145858.

http://www.readerviews.com/

Fact or Fiction - Here's How to Get Talk Radio Hosts Talking to You about Your Book

Many successful authors and publishers know that talk radio is the perfect venue for promoting almost any non-fiction book. Most authors of how-to books, financial advice books, self-help books, travel books, medical books--even history books-- are welcome guests on talk radio because the hosts like to present their listeners with useful and topical information from an expert.

So where does that leave fiction authors? Facing an uphill battle! To put in blunt terms, it's been tough for fiction writers to land those coveted talk radio interviews and attract other major media exposure. But don't give up hope because it's not a lost cause. There's a knack to grabbing the attention of hosts and producers and getting booked on their shows. You have to know how to throw them the perfect pitch.

Fortunately, over the past 18 years we've developed several innovative and tried-and-true techniques for promoting both nonfiction and fiction authors. I'll share a few of our secrets with you.

· When crafting a talk radio campaign, the first thing we do is examine the author's profession, background/experience, and interests. Is there anything fascinating, glamorous or downright compelling about the author? If there is, we pitch this information in an exciting way that makes hosts feel like the author is a 'must-have' interview.

· Take one of our clients, a former judge on the Arizona Supreme Court. While his nonfiction book was a great behind the scenes look at the judicial system we knew the angle had limited mileage. We played it for as long as we could and then it was time to create some new angles.

· Because we keep a good pulse on what the public's talking about, we knew that his profession alone would make him an 'in-demand' guest. By positioning him as a judge who would comment on legal issues in the news (and there were a lot of big cases at the time) we generated a great 'buzz.' When all was said and done, he appeared on well over a hundred shows across the nation. And, during the course of those interviews, the hosts gave him ample time to discuss his book and plug it.

· After we've scoped out our author's background, we look at the book's key message and how it might tie into current events or hot topics. For instance, we had a client who had written a book instructing people on how to get their "estates" in order...while the Terri Schiavo controversy happened to be raging. So we were able to tie our author's book into the ongoing national debate. Needless to say, this author was a hot commodity on talk radio and got a huge amount of media attention for himself and his book.

· If we can't focus the pitch around the author or a current event, we'll find a theme or 'hot-button' issue in the book that people can relate to. In fact, this is our "secret" for promoting fiction authors. We once had an author come aboard with an interesting fiction title but the story didn't tie into any current or newsworthy events. Nor was our author a celebrity of any sort. But we found a storyline we knew people could relate to and that our author could talk about: "Is it possible to outgrow sibling rivalry?" The subject struck a chord with so many hosts and producers that we ended up surprising the client with the number of bookings.

As experts in talk radio, people often ask us how we can possibly book 50 to100 interviews a week while staying within the strict guidelines of stations and markets we use. The answer is simple: It's the close relationships we have with hosts and producers. Even more basic than that-- we know what the media is looking for in a guest...and, that's exactly what we give them. And now you know what they're looking for, too!

Hope these select tips help you market both yourself and your book to the media.

About Marsha Friedman: Marsha Friedman is the CEO of EMSIncorporated, (EMSI) a leading publicity firm that has represented many well known clients such as Motown's Temptations, Teamsters Union President Jim Hoffa, Jr., National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, Bristol Myers Squibb, Financial TV personality, Jim Rogers and Dr. Barry Sears.

About EMSIncorporated: EMSI is a nationally-recognized publicity firm specializing in arranging interviews on radio shows around the country, appearances on local and national TV and obtaining editorial coverage in newspapers and magazines.

Written by Marsha Friedman, President, http://www.EMSIncorporated.com For more information contact Steve Friedman at 727-443-7115 ext. 202.

Fiction, The Other E-Book

There is an assumption when talking about e-books that many readers make without question. The assumption that all or most e-books are non-fiction. Most even could peg e-books to a certain category, such as "do it yourself" or "industry secrets", e-books however are much more then just advice giving documents, they are also fictional story telling pieces of literature available for the world to enjoy.

Short story e-books are probably the most popular fiction genre e-book. Short story e-books are authored by famous novelists, as well as new comers, and amateur writers as well. The short story e-book allows seasoned writers to reach a new audience, or release new work in a faster way then traditional print publishing. New comers often write short stories to keep the readers attention, and have them give constructive feedback.

Novel e-books exist as well, and offer the fiction genre a powerful tool that can reach millions. Many want to be novelists will release a novel in e-format for no other reason than because they can, or they've given up hope on a traditional publishing deal. Novel e-books do however run the risk of wasting a lot of someone's time if they aren't well written. After all, who wants to read 600 pages of garbage?

The faux nonfiction e-book offers readers a tricky glance into a supposed truthful world. The faux nonfiction e-book is typically written by someone that wants you to think its 100% true, and thus sells the book with that promise on the tip of his tongue. The most common of these books are ones promising outlandish presents for free, like a $2000 laptop for $5, or a trip to the Bahamas for free. Usually these tales are false, and to add insult to injury, often innocent customers had to pay to obtain the false information.

Finally there is the converted e-book; this is the most reliable fiction e-book. Typically referred to as the "digital format", or "digital delivery" version of a paperback, or hardback book, these fiction genre books offer the same text as found in the physical book itself.

Just don't forget when searching for e-books, that if you look in the right place, a great tale, in the category of fiction awaits you.

Nicolas Gremion is President of Paradise Publishers Inc (http://www.ParadisePublishers.com), an online based publishing firm. The company?s flagship website, http://www.Free-eBooks.net, is considered the internet?s top resource for free e-books. Through http://www.Free-eBooks.net visitors can instantly download thousands of title at no charge