An online prize for book lovers and writers

MEDIA RELEASE

25 February 2008

An online prize for book lovers and writers

Authors fed up with publishers’ rejection slips, and readers hunting for new material will welcome the launch of Kiwi online publisher www.bookhabit.com on 29 February – especially writers, who have a chance to win US$5,000 in Bookhabit’s “Unpublished Competition”.

Bookhabit.com enables authors to self-publish works online for free, contributing to an online library of ebooks accessible by readers all over the world. Book lovers visiting Bookhabit.com can sample a book with a free first chapter before they buy. Full books start from as little as US$2.50 (approx NZ$3.30) to download. The site includes fiction, non-fiction, plays and scripts, and has potential for any publishable work.

“Authors take a 40% slice of each sale, and can earn more than the typical 5 - 12% traditional publishers might pay,” said Bookhabit.com co-founder Clare Tanner.

To celebrate the launching of Bookhabit.com, the website is running New Zealand’s first international “Unpublished Competition” where registered site visitors can help determine the winner.

“Bookhabit’s Unpublished Competition consists of three rounds,” said Clare Tanner. “In Round One, authors contribute their works over a period of 10 weeks, with the five most popular books each week, as rated by readers, making it through to Round Two.”

After two weeks of voting for the favorite book during Round Two, the top 10 ranked books will be announced on 26 May on Bookhabit.com and will advance to Round Three, for final judging by a panel.

The winner will be announced on 24 June on Bookhabit.com and will receive a prize of US$5,000. Authors entering the competition also receive revenue from any book downloads during the competition.

“Our website and the launch competition provide an excellent channel for writers to get more exposure, more feedback and readers, immediately. Authors frustrated by the tough world of traditional publishing can now put their work in front of millions of eyes for free,” Clare Tanner said.

“E-reading has come of age; we’re far more likely to read a document on a screen than we have been before. Bookhabit.com is at the front of what could be the next revolution in the publishing industry.”

Bookhabit.com converts works into a format readers can download to computers, mobile phones, PDAs, e-readers, and almost any device.

The user feedback on Bookhabit.com gives other readers a hint of what they are in for, and provides authors with direct feedback from a global audience.

Even more than linking authors instantly with readers, Bookhabit.com will be a forum for editors, illustrators, orators and photographers to combine ideas, connect and collaborate over their favourite works.

Bookhabit.com launches on 29 February 2008. The competition begins on 3 March 2008. Full details of the Bookhabit.com competition are available online at www.bookhabit.com

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