Book Description
So You'd Like to. Become An Amazon Bestseller!
Don't wait. Publishing insider and CEO Brent Sampson reveals revolutionary advice guaranteed to increase your book sales on Amazon. Learn the powerful secrets used by successful Amazon authors every day. This informative and practical "how-to" guide shares new techniques that are proven to work.
Solutions Revealed!
Discover step-by-step methods for improving your exposure on Amazon and increasing your authority.
Secrets Exposed!
Increase your profitability by learning the secrets to
short-discounting Amazon with just twenty percent.
Success Discovered!
Learn top-secret tactics that earn authors tens-of-thousands of dollars in royalties every month.
Amazon Approved
Find, understand, and control every Amazon possibility for maximum book sales.
Hi, I'm Brent Sampson.
Are you holding a manuscript in your hand that you wish Amazon was selling? Or do you already have a book on Amazon that
you wish was selling better? In either case,
Sell Your Book on Amazon will help you.
You will experience what I have seen first-hand as the president of Outskirts Press - that marketing success on Amazon can be the difference between hundreds and tens-of-thousands of dollars a month.
Amazon provides a phenomenal and global platform from which to sell your book. In fact, the opportunities may seem almost too colossal! But now,
Sell Your Book on Amazon unveils it all for the first time. This book provides an easy-to-understand approach to increase your book sales on Amazon by exploring the steps you can take immediately.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Dan Poynter
Introduction
Get Your Book Listed
AuthorConnect & Author Profile Pages
Book Sales Page
Listmania!
So You'd Like to. Guides
Additional Amazon Possibilities
Pricing & Profitability
As Penny C. Sansevieri of Author Marketing Experts says,
"Finally! A book that helps you demystify Amazon. If you have a book to sell, you simply must own
Sell Your Book on Amazon."
Want proof? How did
you get to this Amazon sales page? Maybe you clicked on it from a competitor's page or received a personalized email. However you got here, here you are!
Sell Your Book on Amazon shows you ALL the ways to increase your book's exposure and make the tactics working for this book work for you, too.
Authors who know how to use Amazon's own system to their advantage simply sell more books. Once a book finds success on Amazon, it appears higher in the search results, leading to MORE exposure and more sales, and so on. It's the Amazon
"virtuous circle" and the key to unlocking that brass ring is in your hands.
Introducing the exclusive TACTIC RANKING SYSTEM!
Marketing tactics are only as valuable as the profits they generate.
Sell Your Book on Amazon ranks every technique so you can quickly and efficiently locate the marketing secrets that will lead to superior results:
***** Highly recommended. Receive the greatest exposure compared to time spent.
**** Very recommended. An acceptable investment is required for a profitable return.
*** Somewhat recommended. Check your profit margin. The expenditure may exceed the benefit.
Do you know how to
beat Amazon at their own game? Do you know how Amazon Marketplace listings can offer "55 used copies" of your book when you haven't even sold that many? Do you know how to remove a 1-star review from your listing and get more 5-star reviews?
This book tells you how to do it all, plus so much more. It's a tremendous value with a wealth of information at your fingertips. Start increasing your book sales instantly by ordering today.
Customer Reviews:
I never knew about any of this!.......2007-10-21
I love it when a book comes along that points out web site functions I never realized existed. This book packs a lot of information into a compact read, which makes it easy to get through but steers you in exactly the right marketing direction. The way he assigns ratings to the various marketing techniques helps one decide what to tackle first.
A solid looks at the basics.......2007-10-14
As the author of the recently self-published Hokie Games: Virginia Tech Football Game by Game 1945-2006 I devoured the contents of this book to try to jump-start my Amazon sales. I can't speak to the results just yet as the portion of the suggestions that I have implemented has only been in place for a week or so.
In fact, part of the appeal of the book is that it's not supposed to show results yet. It's not a quick "make you book an instant Amazon bestseller" plan. The book has tips and techniques that grow your presence over the long haul. That's exactly what I was looking for and this book delivers.
The steps were easy to follow and the "why's" were well laid out. Obviously, the author did his homework on the subject of Amazon.
--Rich Tandler, author of Hokie Games: Virginia Tech Football Game by Game 1945-2006
Great asset for POD authors.......2007-09-23
When I purchased this book, I was really quite skeptical. I figured that it was just a promotion of Amazon.com and not really any useful advice.
Then my wife and I published our first children's book, Santa and Sam's Big Secret through Outskirts Press. Although OP did a wonderful job of publishing the book, the major portion of publicity for the book was left up to us. We have been following some of the advice offered by Brent Sampson and we do believe that it is helping with the promotion of our book.
Sell Your Book on Amazon is an easy read. You can easily skip over chapters that you do not feel interest you, and still come up with many ideas that will help you to promote your book.
I would recommend this book to any authors who are using a Publish On Demand publisher. It will surely enhance the sales of your book.
Selling a book? Then BUY "How to Sell Your Book on Amazon,".......2007-09-15
Buy this book!
"How to Sell Your Book on Amazon," by Brent Sampson has invaluable information for anyone who wants to sell books. If you are trying to sell your book, buy "How to Sell Your Book on Amazon," by Brent Sampson.
If you are writing or wish to write a book, buy this book, "How to Sell Your Book on Amazon," by Brent Sampson. Brent Sampson's book is the guide every new author should have.
Buy this book if you want to sell books too!.......2007-09-12
I wrote a book called, "Letters to My Friends: A No Guarantees Guide to Awakening." It took three years to write. I spent another year sending it to publishers before I finally found a small publisher willing to work with me.
The Great Day came. I held my baby in my hands. I knew the world would proclaim her beauty. I was wrong, very wrong. A few friends and friends of friends bought the book. I was stunned and hurt too. But I kept trying to market my book the old fashioned way. I contacted the major book chains. To them I did not exist. I sent over 100 books to bookstores, and I never got a single order. I sent about 100 books to major newspapers, and I never got a single review.
One local bookstore, New Renaissance Bookshop in Portland, Oregon was very helpful. But the support of one local bookstore was not enough. I was almost ready to give up, but instead I went to Amazon and joined the Amazon Advantage program. I sold perhaps 20 books. Victory at last! Amazon loved me and I loved Amazon! And then I did not sell another book on Amazon for about a month.
I was ready to give up. But I knew my book could help readers feel better about themselves. I had received dozens of touching letters that left me feeling happy that something I had done made a difference in the world. Besides, I needed the money. Family illnesses had depleted my bank account and my debt was mounting. So, instead of quitting, I did an Amazon search for books on marketing books, and I found, "How to Sell Your Book on Amazon," by Brent Sampson.
I wish I had found this book a year ago. If you have a book you are trying to sell, or if you want to write a book, buy this book. Unless you are that rare writer who pens a bestseller, you will find yourself alone in a big jungle. Amazon gives you a path out of the jungle, and Brent Sampson's book is the guide.
Honestly, I have just started implementing his suggestions. So I have lots of work to do. After I finish this review, I will ask him to be my Amazon friend. I might ask him to review "Letters to My Friends: A No Guarantees Guide to Awakening." He said to mention my book as often as possible without being obnoxious. And finally, he said Amazon friends are important. You see, if you become my friend, whenever anyone goes to your Amazon profile and clicks on my picture in your Friends section, there's a chance I will sell a book. And if someone clicks on your picture in my Friends section, you might sell a book. So, do you want to be my friend? Good heavens, I feel like a little kid again.
I will make a deal with you. In a year, I will write another review of "Sell Your Book on Amazon" and let you know how I am doing. Thank you, John C. Conley, author of "Letters to My Friends: A No Guarantees Guide to Awakening."
Book Description
This course is designed to teach the basics through advance reporting techniques and skills. Students taking this course should have experience using some sort of reporting tool. This course provides over 30 different examples that help students to understand how to use BusinessObjects to provide solutions to corporate reporting demands. The topics are introduced in a logical and simplified manner, enabling students to grasp concepts and techniques in a more relaxed style.
Customer Reviews:
BusinessObjects XI: Web Intelligence XI Course.......2007-05-15
Our company is in the process of upgrading to BusinessObjects XI. I gained valuable BusinessObjects information from a previous book that I purchased by Robert D. Schmidt, so I thought I would purchase another book to help me with the learning curve of a new version. The best part about the book is the database that is provided to help the user work through the key concepts that are covered in the book. As in the first book that I read, this book also offers valuable tips and explanations that people in our company do not have the time to share. I would recommend this book to any level of BusinessObjects user. I had a question about one of the exercises, so I thought I would email the author to try to gain clear understanding. I received a personal, prompt response from the author within the same business day! I was very impressed with the author's commitment to help his readers gain as much as possible from his books.
Look elsewhere for help.......2007-03-30
I was very disappointed with this book.
I was overwhelmed while reading of the feeling that someone who may know this topic well, had spent an afternoon dictating and transcribing his lecture into a word document then shipped it off to a publisher hungry to have SOMETHING on the subject available to potential buyers.
The sheer number of poorly worded phrases, incorrect spellings, and outright unclear thoughts was staggering.
If you're looking for a book which has 1/2 the page taken up with a slide from a power point presentation, and then a few sentences describing the slide (in many places, nearly verbatim reading the slide), this might indeed be the book for you. I, however, have wasted money and valuable time with this poor choice.
The BEST BO Tutorial on the Market !.......2006-11-26
It shortened my learning curve.
The lessons in movie format on the companion CD are so efficient !
Heard the same author is about to publish a Universe Toturial, hope it has the same format. It will be the first book focus on universe.
What impressed me is Robert's teaching/presentation skills, he knows how to make thinks look easy.
Thanks Robert for sharing your BO intelligence with us !
This Web Intelligence XI course manual is a must have for anyone learning this tool!!.......2006-11-12
It really doesn't get better than this folks! I'm so impressed with this Web Intelligence XI Course. It is a very clear and concise approach to learning a tool that can be very complicated for some. I've had a few years of experience developing analytical reports using other tools and I've never learned so much about report development in such a short period of time and without having to spend a lot of money. The reason I purchased this course is precisely because I needed to learn the tool within a week of an upcoming project. I didn't want to deal with having to read through cumbersome 2-inch+ hard to read manuals that are out there. The Web Intelligence XI course in this book doesn't just teach you how to create reports but it also covers best practice in dealing with real business scenarios. I am a lot more confident working in the upcoming project than I was a week ago.
The reading in combination with the video tutorials is like having a personal trainer next to you...but it's even better than that. For instance, if there was a particular task that I wasn't too clear on or was having problems figuring out, I just instantly set the video back to go over the task as many times as I needed.
I also took advantage of playing with the actual tool the author has available as an optional service. For an additional fee, the author, Robert Schmidt, has setup an online sever where individuals can actually use the Web Intelligence XI product online just as one would us it at their workplace but from home. Because BusinessObjects XI is an expensive enterprise software that requires professional installation and configuration, it's usually not feasible for one to have it readily available (unless you have access of the tool from work or other means). Having access to the tool from home has been of great benefit for me to acquire the hands-on experience of the product. To tell you the truth, the benefits of using the actual thing are priceless. I feel that having access to the WEBI is a wonderful added value to the training manual. The videos in the CD are fabulous but being able to actually get the hands-on experience and understanding and going over the smallest little details are priceless. Overall, I would highly recommend the use of this course for individuals needing to learn Web Intelligence XI in a short period of time. As I mentioned before, I know it would have taken me a lot longer to learn this application if I had been using some other form of reference.
Online Access and Videos on CD.......2006-11-07
I bought this book hoping that it would help me to learn Business Objects XI. This book has plenty of helpful examples. Many of the examples are supported by videos that came on the CD. The videos have to be access through a presentation, which was a little awkward. I later found a way to access the videos directly on the CD by opening them in the Videos directory. The presentation looked good, but I think I won't use it, maybe someone could teach a class with it. I do not own Business Objects, but I was still able to practice with the examples on Schmidt Ink's web site. For $40, I can use the site for one day. This was very helpful and worth the money. Buying this book was a good experience for me and I would recommend it to anyone to learn Business Objects.
Book Description
How to write and publish your own OUTRAGEOUSLY Profitable eBook in as little as 7 days even if you can't write, can't type and failed high school English class! Discover the secrets to having your own, outrageously profitable ebook written and published as quickly as ... only 7 days from today!
Customer Reviews:
a waste of time and money.......2007-10-18
Here is a bunch of sales pitchs for Joe Vitale books and stuff, and no real value when it comes to publishing your own book. You will learn more from the instructions for the software you use to write documents than you can learn from this book. This book is a total waste of time and money.
should be called "Create eTrash in 7 days".......2007-10-14
Creating eTrash is not something we should be encouraging. As far as creating books with word-processors like Adobe or Word, this book is a waste of time and money.
publish your own ebook in one hour!.......2007-10-12
Here is the secret of "How to Write and Publish Your Own eBook in as Little as 7 Days" in one sentence: Slop SPAM togeather as a PDF and upload it to a web page!
Why does Joe Vitale say it takes soo long? Does he type with one finger? If he does - I'm Twice as good a writer!
Easy To Read How To Become An Author Book.......2007-08-25
I had the first 40 pages down and already had the first 3 chapters of my new e-book.
Easy enough read, inspiringly simple steps.
Used Car Salesmanship (part 2).......2007-08-16
I purchased this book in April of 2007, right off the printing press. I must say that I am almost complete with my own ebook for sale, but this book by these two authors deserves no credit.
This is a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, and most of the book is advertising for people that have already created other ebooks and want to sell theirs via this book.
One thing disturbing is the fact that the book spends almost no time preparing the would-be ebook author on how to use Adobe Acrobat Professional for creating the ebook. Almost nothing!!!! That was one of my biggest fears. I solved that by buying the Professional Acrobat program and purchasing a video tutorial with it.
When I am done with my book, I'll be sure to write my own "how to make money selling your own ebook" one day. And when I do, it will put this piece of junk to shame. Sorry to be so negative, but save your money.
Oh, by the way, Mr. Joe "fire" Vitale is one of those new-age gurus featured on "The Secret" movie that gives us psuedo-advice on the Laws of Attraction. Now I know why this book is what it is.
Book Description
Attention, Web writers! This book will show you how to craft prose that grabs your guests' attention, changes their attitudes, and convinces them to act. You'll learn how to make your style fast, tight, and scannable. You'll cook up links that people love to click, menus that mean something, and pages of text that search engines rank high. You'll learn how to write great Web help, FAQs, responses to customers, marketing copy, press releases, news articles, e-mail newsletters, Webzine raves, or your own Web resume. Case studies show real-life examples you can follow. No matter what you write on the Web, you'll see how to personalize, build communities, and burst out of the conventional with your own honest style.
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive and easy to read.......2007-10-21
I am findng this book to be outstanding. It is not only informing me, but it is also helping me provide data, examples, and "rules" for use in meetings with colleagues who may wish to add content to the corporate website that is not web-frineldy.
A great first choice for any new web content writer!
Just O.K........2007-01-26
I read this book immediately after reading Krug's "Don't Make Me Think," which is fantastic. In comparison, "Hot Text..." was mediocre. Krug's book--although presenting a bigger picture of the world of websites--truly synthesizes the nuts and bolts for writing for the web. "Hot Text" had a lot of what I felt was extraneous information and text (ironic, because really, what writing for the web is about is brevity and conciseness).
If you haven't read Krug's book, "Hot Text" will be a good starting point for you. It contains a lot of information, it also contains some good resources.
I also have to say that I agree with an earlier reviewer--the photographs (which look like poor black & white photocopies) are strange. Example: Chapter 8, Idea 4: Build Chunky Paragraphs! The photograph shows a middle-aged man holding a small bowl or cup up to his mouth. He's looking off-camera; his right hand is by his mouth but I'm not sure why. Maybe he's eating some chunky soup? But what does soup have to do with paragraphs? It's a small detail, these photographs, but they detract from the overall professionalism of the book for me.
not what I expected.......2006-08-13
I haven't picked it up in a while. When it first arrived I was disappointed, it didn't have the pertinent info I was looking for. It's not anywhere nearby to refer to it. Basically, the "hot text" isn't really there. The outline was dull. The photos were kind of sad. I didn't like the presentation and the content didn't seem to live up to whatever the review was in the Amazon blurb.
Everything You Need under One Roof.......2006-07-28
This manual for online writing has it all--and more.
1. Detailed instruction for every conceivable page of Web site content.
2. Super tips and insight on PR content and dealing with editors and publishers.
3. The history of HTML (very cool!)
4. All sorts of useful style tips.
5. How to write your resume.
6. How to get a job.
7. Hundreds of online resources.
The writing (needless to say?)is clear, concise, and conversational. Had the book been written in 2006 instead of 2002, I'm sure the authors would have thrown in much more about blogs. Other than that, the material seems to be up to date.
This book is worth every penny!
How To Write for the Digital Media.......2004-04-25
An excellent book that points out the differences between digital media and paper media. I especially learned a lot in Chapter 3 - What Will the Web Do to My Text? But there is much throughout the entire book. You'll learn about writing in general and writing for the web in particular. And from the web you'll go to email, ezines, enewsletters, weblogs and the gamut. If you're going to write for the web you need this book.
Book Description
In order for a Web site to sell effectively, it must appeal to the unique culture, mindset, and psychology of the Web. Simply put, what works in the brick-and-mortar world does not necessarily grab Web shoppers. Companies selling products and services online need to promote their wares with engaging copy that grabs attention and compels Web site visitors to buy.
Web Copy That Sells presents copy strategies that have been proven time and again in the e-commerce arena. Maria Veloso, perhaps the most widely acclaimed Web copywriter in the world, reveals her revolutionary approach based on five simple questions, which, when answered, make the copy practically write itself. Veloso crams all the information from her 12-hour, $997 live seminars into a comprehensive book that will help any Web copywriter:
* write sizzling and irresistible Web copy, e-mails, and marketing communications * quickly turn lackluster sites into "perpetual money machines" * use Neuro-Linguistic Programming and psychological tactics to compel Web surfers to buy * avoid the top three blunders that can wipe out your sales * convert up to 50% of online prospects into paying customers * and more!
Customer Reviews:
Webcopy is interesting - not sure if I am comfortable with the style for b2b.......2007-05-28
I found the book interesting and enlightening. I think with all ideas you have to temper this to your audience. I would not use this to attract the CEO of AT&T in the form she presented. However the concepts and steps ring true as long as they are toned down to suit your market. We are just working on some sub pages tied to adwords campaigns to test the waters.
Very similar in style to [...]
Outstanding Reference with contemporary approach.......2007-05-09
I read this book in days highlighting areas for future reference. I enjoyed the book's approach and it was very well written. Veloso didn't leave any stones uncovered. Above all, it was like a college refresher course but more practical and focused to the needs for those desiring to improve their web copy and content. Additionally, after reading the book, I ordered a second to share with my internet marketing people and staff at Gloves-Online.
Solid Information that will increase your business.......2007-04-13
Web Copy That Sells is well written, easy to read and a great resource for improving your web copy.
There are a number of points that Maria makes regarding web copy that apply equally to all areas of business as well as life. For example, she points out that you cannot simply model some successful website and expect the same results. You must model the process. That is go through the same process that the creator of the successful website went through.
The book is not only a resource for web copy that sells, it is also a very good marketing course. She points out that potential customers must know you, like you and ultimately trust you before they will do business with you. She provides a step by step method to accomplish this.
Maria is right on when she talks about the importance of the first screen and why you must concentrate on what's in it for the viewer. The website should not be designed as an ego boosting medium. You must keep the viewer's point of view in mind.
She provides a good list of dos and don'ts for web copy. There are plenty of other tools such as a formula to evaluate any website.
Scattered throughout the book are excellent marketing lessons - words tell, emotion sells - fear of loss is a better motivator than desire for gain. You would do well to read and understand these very valuable marketing lessons.
This is a very good resource for anyone responsible for their own or their company's website.
Better than most but not the best I have read........2007-01-05
This book had some useful ideas, however given the amount of knowledge the author claims to have I feel she is keeping all the good stuff for her copy writing courses.
Rather light on useful content. Joe Sugarman is a much better choice.
Priceless.......2006-12-21
This book is absolutely priceless. I hear what some of the critical comments say. The fact is they are not grasping the brilliant lessons and enormous time savers Maria shares in this book that apply across the board to writing copy and marketing on line. First off, she makes it very clear her book is about what it says, writing web copy that sells, not writing web content. The whole point and value of this book are the formulas that will save INCREDIBLE amounts of time while ensuring you address every element that goes into capturing paying customers online. THAT'S the value. The actual words you use in writing your own specific copy are up to you. You don't have to sound like a snake oil salesman. I sell upscale b2b, business owners and senior executives and what I learned in the book is indeed killer. Practical lessons that I can immediately apply. Read this book and combine what you learn with Frank Rumbauskas Never Cold Call Again (and I haven't in the past 6 months), Metaphorically Selling by Anne Miller, and Richard Koch's The 80/20 Principle, The Secret of Achieving More With Less, and then work hard (sorry) and you'll be a lean mean money machine.
One thing I am very cautious about is all the copywriters that have made the change to copy writing over priced self generated programs on how to get rich copy writing (i.e. Bly, Masterson, Silver and others). Do a search on google to find good resources to seriously research the feasibility and process to make such a transition and your head will spin clicking on all the sites by these gurus with $500 to $2,000. This seems to be a whole niche that has become popular today to go side by side with network marketing. Get rich easy and quick with my magic formula to becoming a copywriter. (I do NOT put this book in that category, like I said this book is easily worth multiples of its price). I am also NOT saying that the money to be made in the industry is not accurate. Just like in network marketing where I did in fact make 6 figures a year in that industry for a while. The reality was it took HARK WORK, which terrifies most of the folks looking for the ever elusive easy buck. And as P.T. Barnum always knew, there are plenty of folks who want to believe it be so. When ever someone truly discovers the secret to becoming rich plugging into some formula system is the day everyone you know will be rich. The reality is if anything worked like that you couldn't stop it from sweeping the country. No one would be poor anymore...and I guess the new poor would be the least rich, right?
Bottom line, buy this book. If you use the principles, formulas and concepts Maria teaches you, you will indeed make a lot more money than you are now. If it sits on a shelf gathering dust waiting for the someday you are going to use some of the stuff it won't make you one single cent.
Book Description
Administrators, more technically savvy than their managers, have started to secure the networks in a way they see as appropriate. When management catches up to the notion that security is important, system administrators have already altered the goals and business practices. Although they may be grateful to these people for keeping the network secure, their efforts do not account for all assets and business requirementsFinally, someone decides it is time to write a security policy. Management is told of the necessity of the policy document, and they support its development. A manager or administrator is assigned to the task and told to come up with something, and fast!Once security policies are written, they must be treated as living documents. As technology and business requirements change, the policy must be updated to reflect the new environment--at least one review per year. Additionally, policies must include provisions for security awareness and enforcement while not impeding corporate goals. This book serves as a guide to writing and maintaining these all-important security policies.
Download Description
Administrators, more technically savvy than their managers, have started to secure the networks in a way they see as appropriate. When management catches up to the notion that security is important, system administrators have already altered the goals and business practices. Although they may be grateful to these people for keeping the network secure, their efforts do not account for all assets and business requirements Finally, someone decides it is time to write a security policy. Management is told of the necessity of the policy document, and they support its development. A manager or administrator is assigned to the task and told to come up with something, and fast! Once security policies are written, they must be treated as living documents. As technology and business requirements change, the policy must be updated to reflect the new environment--at least one review per year. Additionally, policies must include provisions for security awareness and enforcement while not impeding corporate goals. This book serves as a guide to writing and maintaining these all-important security policies.
Customer Reviews:
Best Condition, Timely Service.......2005-08-04
My book was in new condition, and I received my book, hassle free, in my postal box!!! It also arrived when I expected it to!
Good if you want to reinvent the wheel!.......2004-04-25
This book is good if you want to start policy-writing project or want to do PhD in policy writing. In today fast moving world, you want best practices for the most commonly used polices, which you could review and quickly deploy.
I think "Best Practices Information Security Policy Manual" by PacificIS is better choice. It is simple, direct and of right size i.e. 50+ pages, it is ready to use in word format. As you know, if my organization publishes a policy manual of 700 plus pages no one will read. Other very useful resource is Charles Cresson's Information Policy Made Easy with 1300 policies on 725 pages. However, I find it more difficult to select from 1300 polices which are more of academic nature. It also requires lot of editing and customization. I would love to follow it if my company assigns me a project of 3-month just to write a policy.
Not thorough or rigorous, but a good set of secpol topics.......2002-07-21
Security policies are not security, and will not provide any protection. However, as the well-known formulation has it: security is a process. An organization does not "have" security, rather they participate in the process of security. Barnum explains that security policies are a component of the planning aspect of the security process, and as such can provide three advantages. The first is to insure security interoperability across an organization. The second advantage is the visibility given to the policy by management's participation in it, which provides a greater impetus for implementation. The third is to mitigate liability, presumably by the legal value of the policy, and the advantages to security that a policy-driven approach proves. Another reason mentioned is that for some organizations, policy documentation is needed for iso900x compliance. Unstated is the assumption that a security policy might result in greater security. After all, even with all the other purported advantages, a security policy is presumptively about making security better.
At 216 pages, "Writing Information Security Policies" seems just the right size to touch all the bases, but not enough for a home run in the subject area. Good worklike effort, but the diversity of subject matter, and a lack of focus and internal theoretical structure robs the work of providing insightful organizational direction, though it still pays dividends, and is ultimately very worth reading.
The book is divided into three sections. The first is titled "Starting the policy process," and includes such issues as policy needs and roles and responsibilities in the policy process. The second section is writing the security policies in the topical areas. The third is on maintaining policies, including acceptable use and compliance and enforcement. In the first section, the discussion includes such items as:
1. Identification of assets
2. Data security
3. Backups and archives
4. Intellectual property rights
5. Incident response and forensics
It is clear from these topics that though the title of the book is Information Security Policies, a more accurate one might be Information and Communication Technology Security Policies, as it is networks and software systems which are the focus throughout.
As far as real-world recommendations and a more serious framework for security policies at highly secured organizations, the reader will have to search elsewhere. However, this book amply suits the need for a series of more conversational approaches to a variety of ICT security policies and subject areas. Also of use are the distinctions between policy, procedure, and implementation, found scattered throughout this book, though unfortunately not strictly adhered to. And though the sample administrative policies found in the appendix are nowhere complete, there are helpful policy formulations throughout. In the second section, the seven major areas of discussion that offer the heart of the book are more of a topical arrangement, than any hierarchical or conceptual approach. They include security policy concerned with the following subject areas:
1. Physical
2. Authentication and network
3. Internet
4. Email
5. Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses
6. Encryption
7. Software development
There is enough that is badly worded and poorly organized in the book, but it is of real benefit--both on its own merits, and because there is little information of this kind available to practitioners and those managers who might want something that is more than a simple set of forms, but is less than a week-long course in security policy.
Brings best practices to small companies.......2002-07-06
What makes this book an important addition to the IT security body of knowledge is that it makes a case for, and shows how to, create and implement IT security policies in small-to-medium enterprises.
The book itself is a short, somewhat superficial, treatment of IT security policies. It has strengths and weaknesses:
STRENGTHS: It makes a compelling business case for having IT security policies, then leads you through the creation of the more common ones. This material is augmented by the book's accompanying web site that provides all of the sample policies in Appendix C in HTML format (most modern word processing programs, such as MS Word can convert this to their native format without losing any of the embedded styles). Note that the URL given in the book has changed, but it is still active and automatically redirects you to the new URL.
In addition, the book touches on important topics that you may not think of if you're attempting to develop policies on your own. For example, intellectual property rights, law enforcement issues and forensics. These are touched upon, but will raise your awareness of their importance.
WEAKNESSES: The actual development and maintenance of policies is almost an afterthought. Moreover, I thought that a structured approach to threat and vulnerability assessments should have been covered (to be fair, the author discusses major threats on practically every page). I also felt that the policies should have been linked to processes, which is the hallmark of a well written policy, and the importance of clearly defining roles and responsibilities should have been highlighted. I recommend that readers also get a copy of Steve Pages " Achieving 100% Compliance of Policies and Procedures" (ISBN 1929065493) to supplement this book. Page's book is focused solely on policies and procedures development, and will fill in the gaps left in this book.
Overall, this book deserves recognition for raising awareness of the importance of IT security policies to small companies. It also deserves credit for sticking to the fundamentals (cited weaknesses notwithstanding), without overwhelming small enterprise IT professionals who are probably wearing many hats besides IT security. For that audience this book shows the way, and earns my praise.
The right book at the right time.......2002-06-04
Network administration is only 10% of my job, which means the task of creating a security policy for our 40-user systems integration company needed to take a proportional amount of my time and energy. This book provides a lot of helpful examples, and really gives you what you need to get started. The length is appropriate, the language fits both technical and non-technical audiences, and the organization makes sense. It has definitely saved me considerable time and energy.
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive Style Guide for Software Documentation.......2006-12-25
This is a great book that tackles every aspect of software documentation with enough detail to get you started. Read Me First gives the push you need to begin laying down your own styles. It also reviews some basic grammatical issues that you as a Technical Writer must be aware of. I would recommend using several style guides if your company doesn't already have one. The Microsoft Style Guide is another great reference to consider. I gave this book 5 stars because of its easy to read format.
Good book, poor binding.......2006-11-02
This book has a lot of useful information. It's a good companion for The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications. I like to underline and make margin notes but this book won't lie flat enough for these activities without ripping the binding. It has already fallen apart and I'm not even halfway through it. I tried to find a way to contact the publisher but searching for a few minutes found nothing.
excellent chapter about documents with links.......2005-09-13
Sun offers a style sheet for technical writers. These suggestions are used by Sun in its documents and are a very clean and internally consistent guide. Of course, it is not restricted to descriptions of Sun's products. A lot of care has gone into the guide.
Plus, the suggestions are not just for printed documents. Nowadays, a lot is expressed in languages with links, like HTML or PDF, and the advice pertains here too.
For illustrations, you are shown how to display interactable icons differently from non-interactable images. Subtleties, to be sure. But taking these into consideration makes for a clean document.
On the subject of documents with links, a chapter has cogent suggestions on the proper usage. Like avoiding overlinking, which is a common flaw amongst writers new to this. Also avoid linking with anchor text that is generic, like "click this". Instead, use more descriptive strings to help search engines classify the document that is pointed to. Assuming that both documents will be on the Web. But even if not, they might still be in your internal corporate web, and you might have an internal search engine spidering these. The strings will help the engine better classify both documents. This chapter may be the most vital of the book.
A good book gets even better in 2nd edition.......2003-08-01
The first edition of this style guide was good, especially if you wanted an alternative to the Microsoft Manual of Style, but this edition is even better. It covers a wider range of issues (for example, adding much information about writing online material), and covers them very well. In fact, the book goes a bit beyond style in an appendix on developing a publications department, but the topics covered are certainly relevant and valuable, so I'm glad they were included. I don't always agree with the style choices, but that's irrelevant; I've never seen any style guide I completely agree with. Overall, I'm so impressed with this book, I'm likely to use it as a textbook for teaching technical editors. As you can tell, I'm giving it the "highly recommended" stamp.
Super Reference Book for Creating a Company Writing Style.......2000-12-10
This is an excellent book to read if you are in the position of having to create any kind of writing style guides for the company you work for. The book's sections include one on writing style itself and why it is important, working with an editor, working wit illustrations, writing for an international audience, legal guidelines, the "mechanics of writing," creating an index, among others. The book makes some good points and provides an informative reference for writing style questions.
Two small points against it. The CD is difficult at times to use and the Recommended Reading section lists some books that are out of print. Time for an update perhaps?
However, it's still an excellent book to have when having to make decisions about your own company's writing style. When I had to write a Writing Style Guide as a class assignment, this book was one of the ones I used as a reference.
Book Description
Learning how to write for just one type of interactive media, such as web sites or games, is not enough! To be truly successful as an interactive writer or designer, you need to understand how to create content for all types of new media.
Writing for Multimedia and the Web is the most comprehensive guide available for interactive writing. It covers web sites, computer games, e-learning courses, training programs, immersive exhibits, and much more. Earlier editions have garnered rave reviews as a writing handbook for multimedia and web professionals, as well as a classroom text for interactive writing and design.
New Sections and Completely Updated Chapters:
*Writing a corporate web site: T. Rowe Price
*Creating blogs and podcasts
*Web writing tips from usability experts
*Optimizing text for web search engines
*Defining the user with use cases and user scenarios
*Dealing with web editors
*Software for organizing and writing interactive media content
*Script formats for all types of multimedia and web projects
*Writing careers
*The case studies explain real-life lessons and professional savvy through the experiences of interactive writing pros
*The first-time glossary provides a quick-and-easy way to learn essential web writer lingo
*Gain access to pro's personal views though reading first-person interviews with successful interactive designers and writers
Customer Reviews:
A broad overview, college-level textbook.......2007-09-16
As a broad overview of writing for web sites and interactive media products, this book covers all of the key topics (although briefly) for a student who wants to work in this field. The examples are extensive and well chosen, and often geared to the interests of young adults. But the book doesn't provide exercises or projects for learning specific skills. Readers will want to supplement this book with other resources that present detailed information on specific skills and techniques.
A Complete Guide for Writing for the Web.......2006-09-09
Timothy Garrand speaks with authority about the many challenges of designing and writing interactive media for the web and other multimedia programs. Writing for Multimedia and the Web serves as a practical guide for writers in the throes of this demanding work. Good writing skills are not enough, as Garrand both shows and tells. His book is packed with writing tips, case studies, and examples of the formats and genres a multimedia writer might tackle, including:
* Storyboards, flowcharts, and other design documents that can be effective to help clients, marketing, and production teams understand a project
* Instructional, video, game and story scripts
* Web sites and kiosks for corporations, marketing, e-learning and museums
* Blogs, podcasts, portals and more...
The best part of Garrand's book is that he follows his own advice, with clear titles and subtitles, lots of indexing, chunked information, and clear-cut paths for quickly finding topics. It's amazing how easily you can scan through the nearly 500 pages of text and the jam-packed CD to get to what you need to know. Additional resources are available for those brave enough to attempt teaching this topic.
Book Description
Weblogs--frequently updated, independently produced, and curiously addictive--have become some of the most popular sites on the Web today. The Weblog Handbook is the first book to explain how weblogs work and explore their impact on the media landscape.
There is no formula for creating a superb weblog--but there are lessons to be drawn from maintaining one. In The Weblog Handbook, Rebecca Blood draws on her experience as an early participant in the weblog community to share what she has learned in three years of "living online."
With a clear and engaging voice, Rebecca explains how to choose among the available tools, even walking the beginner through the process of creating their first weblog. Along the way she answers commonly asked questions concerning weblog etiquette, how to attract readers, and the qualities that make a weblog stand out, alerting the novice to considerations--and pitfalls--they didn't know to ask about.
For students of digital culture, The Weblog Handbook provides an account of the history of the movement, an explanation of the "weblog method", and a thoughtful examination of weblogs and journalism.
Finally, Rebecca examines how the weblog community has grown and changed, the dangers confronting it, and the ways in which weblogs are affecting and affected by both online and offline culture.
Customer Reviews:
decent and wise counsel.......2007-02-25
Rebecca Blood loves her craft.
In a world moving as fast as the cyberworld is, a book written in 2002 and reviewed now in 2007 is bound to show its age. The Weblog Handbook does so.
Yet for sheer, innocent (but not inexpert), joyful description of a weblog community that discovered itself almost accidentally between 1999 and 2002, this delightful little book is both a period piece and a still-useful introduction to weblogging for novices.
Seven well-written chapters make the experience of reading this old-media production (ironies abound) a pleasure.
'What is a Weblog?' (chapter one, pp. 1-25) does what its title makes obvious. Along the way, the author utilizes her impeccably accessible prose to highlight the serendipitous, communal, and artistic-creative aspects of most blogs, or at least of those that set the movement afoot.
Blood's second chapter (her generous first-person style makes a reviewer who has never met her refer to her simply as 'Rebecca'; 'Why a Weblog?', pp. 27-37) dispenses wisdom regarding how the beast can take over the life of the beast-er. She indicates three motives for blogging: 'information sharing, reputation building, and personal expression', with careful attention to what the practice does for the writer as well as for the reader. The secret is to align what one already does with one's life as Daily Chronicler of Something.
Chapter three ('Creating and Maintaining Your Weblog', pp. 39-57) puts the 'p' in the first word of the author's subtitle. A newbie in the field will appreciate the absence of condescension as Blood introduces him to the nuts and bolts of his new hobby.
Every successful artist or otherwise public persona experiences that memorable moment when she understands who she is in her given role and why that is a natural place to be. According to Rebecca Blood, bloggers are no different (Chapter four, 'Finding Your Voice', pp. 59-76). Though she gives due attention to the blogger-audience dynamic from several angles, she is very much aware that a blogger who wants her craft to be an integral aspect of her life finds her voice (including the topic upon which she can write knowledgeably) and sticks with it.
Rebecca concludes 'Finding an Audience' (chapter five, pp. 77-99) with this judicious and provocative statement: 'If your objective in keeping a weblog is to gain a wide audience, I advise you to quite today. Webloggers who care about the size of their audience are always unhappy.'
By the time she has worked her way to that declaration, however, she has provided twenty pages of helpful guidance to, well, finding and building an audience. One gains the impression that here is a woman of balance, willing to help you do the thing you want to do but aware that it may turn out to be something other than that. Kudos to her for writing a professional manual that takes itself with appropriate levity.
Blood utilizes her sixth chapter to blend garden-variety journalistic ethics and etiquette with the peculiar idealism of the early weblogging community (chapter six, 'Weblog Community and Etiquette', pp. 101-125). Though she breaks her counsel into 'do not do' and 'do' categories, her approach is not rigid. Rather it is altruistic, idealistic, and communal. Even if those traits do not guarantee a better world, they are better than their alternatives. Blood capably guides the novice through the unspoken expectations that linger like minefields before the new weblogger who is clueless, belligerent, or some combination of the two. Reader beware.
Chapter seven ('Living Online', pp. 127-145), provides Blood with her clearest opportunity to disclose what the experience of doing what the title suggests has meant to this civil and entertaining author of 'Rebecca's Pocket'. As with so much of what she has written here, the basic principle is common sense, even if that uncommon virtue must now be applied to a recent and uncongealed new medium of public disclosure. Living online does not mean that the blogger or his friends, acquaintances, and even the defenseless objects of his drive-by observations do not preserve and need a private life. Blood offers sensible guidance for observing those limits and avoiding the unwelcome intrusions to which technology has added such unwelcome afterlife.
An afterword and several appendices complete a fine introduction to what in the hands of some must be regarded as a craft.
When entering theological seminary many years ago, I was urged to read Helmut Thielicke's A LITTLE EXERCISE FOR YOUNG THEOLOGIANS. That slim, heartfelt volume did not teach anyone how to be a good theologian, yet it punched above its weight by setting a course for decent progress by practitioners of a craft who would now be more aware of self and community than would have been the case had Thielicke kept his pen locked away.
Rebecca Blood's little book does the same for aspiring bloggers. Perhaps all that one has with which to repay her are five well-earned stars.
A good general non-technical guide that is showing its age.......2006-01-17
Rebecca Blood of Rebecca's Pocket wrote this 200 page tome in 2002. I finished reading it in 2006. I would say about half of the information provided is dated or anachronistic. While her blog is full of interesting reading material for a technophile, the book needs a major overhaul.
Where is it useful? It's filled with practical advice as the title suggests. Most of that practical advice is more related to being a decent human being than it is to blogging. The Weblog Handbook is a good read if you are ethically challenged or prone to getting into flame wars with other citizens of the virtual reality we called the Net. It's a good read if you want to blog for the long term and aren't sure what sort of writing will make people come back to visit you again and again.
What isn't useful? Blogging is, like most new technology, a rapidly evolving animal, and this book should be updated annually to keep up with the state of the genre. Blogging is just now emerging as a serious alternative source of valuable information about the world. Also, if you're looking for advice that will help you pick the best tool to blog with, this book is not going to help at all. In fact, no book will help much with that. A single author blog, in my opinion, here in 2006, should be written and published, in every case, with WordPress. It's by far the most elegant tool out there.
The Weblog Handbook doesn't mention either it or Movable Type, which is what Rebecca's Pocket is based on.
If you need help figuring out how to blog in a civilized fashion, so that you will actually find and keep an audience, then The Weblog Handbook might need to go on your reading list. Other than that, I would say avoid this book unless it is re-released with more relevant information about the current state of blogging. Technology books have a very short shelf life.
Rebecca herself is a class act, and so is Rebecca's Pocket. However, a major overhaul of The Weblog Handbook is long overdue.
Update: Rebecca read my review and noted that she has hand coded the site up until six days ago. I never visited her during the hand coding days. Rebecca certainly practices what she preaches in the The Weblog Handbook and is a maven when it comes to dispensing sage advice regarding blogging etiquette.
I still believe that The Weblog handbook would be a more useful tome if it included a chapter or two on current blogging tools and if it was updated annually or every other year.
Nicely Done.......2005-10-08
Rebecca Blood's account of blogging, her story from the early days to the present, woven into a neatly structured account of what blogging is and how to go about it, is a pleasant read. The book is not technically deep nor philosophically profound, but well written and pitched at an appropriate level for the average starting web-logger.
One of the ways to measure the value of a book is to ask if the reading of it has changed the way one does things. The question is not so much "What did I learn?" but "What impact did this have on what I do?"
The answer, of course, is person bound; a book that has changed the way I behave may have no impact on someone else's actions. Rebecca Blood had a direct influence on my projects. For example, WikiDiction now has a space for linking to relevant quality blogs; added after finishing the chapter "Finding an Audience".
Nice work Rebecca.
Answers the Right Questions.......2005-09-12
Covers all the information a totally uninformed but interest person would need to know to get started. It is obvious that Rebecca Blood not only enjoys blogging but wants it to be the best it can be. Her chapter, "Living on Line" discusses practical advice such as not writing when one is angry and the ethics of being a part of an on-line community. It was satisfying, enjoyable, thought provoking and useful.
Makes me want to start my own weblog today!.......2005-08-22
I like Rebecca's Pocket and have been considering starting my own blog so I purchased this book. The best thing about this book is that Rebecca is obviously very enthusiastic aboout blogging, especially about what it can do for the confidence and writing abilities of the blogger. The book gives some practical questions potential bloggers need to ask themselves before starting a blog. The only reason this book isn't rated higher is that it is a little outdated - but it still has good information.
Did I end up starting a blog after reading a book? Not yet. I still haven't been able to answer for myself the question posed by Rebecca, "If you spend 8 hours + a day in front of the computer for work, are you willing to spend an additional few hours in front of a computer at home writing your blog?"
Average customer rating:
- The resource I keep coming back to...
- Not what the title explains
- The benchmark in its field
- Thoughtful, but overly long and loosely held together
- Terribly wordy - lots of deadwood
|
Dynamics in Document Design: Creating Text for Readers
Karen A. Schriver
Manufacturer: Wiley
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ASIN: 0471306363 |
Book Description
From an international leader in document design, research-based insights about writing and visualizing documents that people can use . . .
This book is for writers and graphic designers who create the many types of documents people use every day at home or school, in business or government. From high-tech instruction manuals and textbooks to health communications and information graphics, to online information and World Wide Web pages, this book offers one of the first research-based portraits of what readers need from documents and of how document designers can take those needs into account.
Drawing on research about how people interpret words and pictures, this book presents a new and more complete image of the reader—a person who is not only trying to understand prose and graphics but who is responding to them aesthetically and emotionally.
Written by document design expert Karen A. Schriver, Dynamics in Document Design features:
- Case studies of documents before and after revision, showing how people think and feel about them
- Analyses of the interplay of text and pictures, revealing how words, space, visuals, and typography can work together
- A fascinating and informative timeline of the international evolution of document design from 1900 to the present
Customer Reviews:
The resource I keep coming back to..........2005-08-10
This book is the most useful one I've found on the subject. Design books of all stripes (document-design focused or otherwise) have a tendency to provide "principles" without ever providing real support for said principles. Books will be loaded with recommendations that may or may not be well supported by data, quantified or at least well documented study results, etc.
Schriver's book does exactly the opposite, and this is why it is longer than many others. It is impossible to read about Schriver's document design principles and not know exactly where they came from. Virtually every recommendation is, for once, well supported by research findings. This book never tells you to do something without first explaining why it should be done.
If you're looking for a short-and-sweet book that conveys the most basic principles of document design ("principles" that may in fact be a designer's personal preferences), this isn't it.
If you're looking for a book that will help you make better design decisions and help you understand why to make these decisions over others, then this is the book for you. After all, it isn't so unusual for professional designers and others in the workplace to have to explain exactly why they've made certain choices over others, and this book can help.
Not what the title explains.......2005-04-26
This book could be cut off to more than half pages it is now. The information is over explained and reader gets bored.
Better luck next time!
The benchmark in its field.......2005-03-06
The reviewers who say this book is wordy and over-long just don't get it. This is not a "how to do it in five easy lessons" handbook. If you find a book like that - burn it! Books like that are usually self-published by amateurs who don't understand the complexities of the field, and they are worse than useless. In fact, they are often filled with advice that has been so oversimplified that it is actually wrong. You CANNOT learn document design in five easy lessons.
Conversely, Schriver's book is a refreshingly thoughtful, well-researched, and comprehensive overview of document design. It starts with the history and philosophy of document design and continues through contemporary needs and trends. It contains especially strong advocacy for usability studies, including documentation of those conducted by the author and her colleagues. It's about time we document creators stopped "blaming the user" and started taking responsibility to make improvements when documents are hard to understand.
Document design is a relatively new field of study, so the comprehensive timeline of its development is a gold mine, especially since no author has attempted it before. This type of in-depth research is sorely needed.
Schriver explains things in a way that is clear and compelling, with lots of thoroughly documented examples and supporting charts, tables, and graphics for clarification. And her research spans several decades, which is invaluable for tracking the evolution of document design. She has produced an unparalleled work which will be the benchmark against which other books are measured for a long time.
Thoughtful, but overly long and loosely held together.......2003-11-22
For an author who believes in giving priority to readers, she actually does a rather poor job considering her reader. She is an academic and as such has the foible of wanting to put all her knowledge on display. So she's done little trimming and condensing of her material into a form that is really useful to readers who want to quickly get to core ideas about document design theory and practice.
The opening chapter abstracts are unnecessarily long, and just repeat what shortly follows in the body of the chapter. While I liked the way she put document design in a social and historical context, this could have been done much more succinctly. The long timeline is too tangentially related to what readers really want to know about, namely document design, to interest many of them. It seems included because the professor did a lot of research and just hated not to have more to show for it than a few succinct paragraphs.
Later chapters presenting the results of various reader response studies are interesting enough, but surely we could move more quickly to the results and their relevance to document design without spending so much time with dry narration of the actual empirical testing.
The theoretical section offers a long overview of theoretical approaches, arguing in favor of a rhetorical approach. Yet the chapters that go on to apply the theory offer advice and conclusions that hardly seem to warrant such a heavyweight theoretical foundation. For instance, the chapter on typography just offers familiar practical advice of the sort one gets in many introductory books on typography. The same is true about the long section about grids. All the opening theory favoring rhetorical approaches yields results that sound very close to the plain old common sense of the non-theoretical how-to craft school that gets debunked in the opening. So she does not end up making a very strong case for the value of her own theoretical approach, and we feel we waded through a lot of theory without much benefit.
In reality, I think she does have a case and she does have some good examples of how attending to the reader through empirical research can improve document design. But her ideas would be much more forcefully and usefully presented in 200 as opposed to 500 pages.
Terribly wordy - lots of deadwood.......2003-01-29
Sorry - I would not recommend this book to a TECHNICAL writer.
This book has 559 pages and could be cut down to maybe 100 pages of useful information. Each chapter has a full page explaining the chapter... if you have to do that, you haven't planned and written the chapter well. A good product sells itself.
It takes the author 5 pages in the preface to explain the book! It also has a lot of side head paragraphs explaining more... explaining the explanations. This book was painful reading for me... I kept thinking "bla bla bla bla bla"
This book seems to have a lot of the author's opinions and theory, but not very much practical information.
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