E-book writers go from unknown to acclaimed

Rotorua author Jim Adams with the cover of his recently released e-book.

Rotorua e-books are becoming a popular avenue for little-known authors to reach a wider readership - and help pay the bills.

Rotorua author Jim Adams believes the odds of writing an e-book best seller are better than winning at Lotto.

Jim has been tapping out words for print from his laptop for as long as he can remember.

"I mostly write things very early in the morning - around 4am - that's when the ideas flow more smoothly," says the former Felixstowe, United Kingdom, barber shop owner, and habitual Rotorua Daily Post letters-to-the-editor writer.

Jim recently penned his sixth novel, Laura, a saucy adult romance between an older man and a younger woman.

Always keen to embrace the latest technology to achieve the widest readership, Jim has published the book online through smashwords.com - an American-based e-book publishing website.

For the princely sum of $US5 readers can download Jim's latest tome - 158,000 words, wrapped into 74 pages on cyberspace.

A printed edition is also planned, but Jim is a strong supporter of e-books as the first port of call for any aspiring author.

"Firstly it bypasses any dealings with booksellers and publishers who can take a fee.

"Plus once the book is online, it can be downloaded into hundreds of languages with the click of the mouse."

Jim used a local publisher to get the book released with smashwords.com.

"There's still quite a bit of work to do to get it to the stage where it can be read - there's still editing and proofreading to do, as well as copyright and acknowledgments - it's a daunting process," he says.

The greatest advantage is, there's a higher chance the e-book version will be read by a big publishing agent.

"For the average author who is not a Lee Childs, or Patricia Cornwell, the chances of having your work read by a major publisher is almost zilch.

"You can paper your living room with rejection slips.

"But online, the e-book circumnavigates the system - the book is available to the public from the word 'go'.

"From there you never know where it will lead - it may take off and become a Hollywood movie - and it doesn't have to be next week, or next year - it will remain online for hundreds of years.

"If it hits the right chord, there's a better chance than winning the first prize in a lottery."

Claire Plaisted of Plaisted Publishing House, Rotorua, says e-books are as popular as regular books, although not all writers aim to achieve financial success through their work.

"E-books offer writers a cost-effective avenue to achieve their personal goals, dreams and ambition of seeing their work in published form," Claire says.

"Start-up costs are minimised, allowing for print-on-demand options rather than an up-front capital expense to the writer.

"This naturally flows on to reduce financial risk."

E-books can offer extra freedom to authors to write across genres, and to write what and when they want, rather than to order.