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Digital conversion services

MAP Systems, among the leading service providers in India, offer premium quality services in eBook conversion, graphic designing, photo editing, digital prepress and 3d services for various entities worldwide.

Top 5 eBook Conversion Issues and Ways to Resolve Them

You can now convert backlist titles to popular eBook formats with relative ease. However, some problems may still be encountered. Mostly, you would come across 5 different types of complications. Solutions are available for them as discussed in this post.  

 

The eBook conversion technology has advanced a lot. This is the reason why majority of publishers are getting the backlist titles updated. The process has become cost-efficient and more streamlined than earlier.

 

The backlists which have been published on word processors during the time frame of 1970 to 1990 can be converted directly. With OCR software, you can accomplish highest possible accuracy for such titles if the source files are of good quality. But, complications may sometimes show up. Suppose, the source files have not been preserved in high quality or the titles carries complex equations. However, you can overcome such challenges strategically although more efforts and planning would be required.

 

The common challenges that you would come across during conversion of eBook file format from print-only or legacy pdf modes are discussed below.

 

Quality of Source Content

 

If the source content is not of higher quality, problems arise during conversion. Some problems include faded source content, presence of difficult or rare fonts, presence of different languages and warped pictures. Conversion process becomes difficult.

 

Source content from older files may require specialized scanning devices. Also, expertise matters during creation of superior quality digital files. Some books which cannot be laid flat upon opening may contain fragile pages. The bindings can also be tight which may be preventing the content to be viewed.  For achieving best result, collaboration is needed between the conversion experts, publisher, book preserver and librarian. Also, there is the possibility that the book may be damaged or some text is missing. During scanning of the textual content, proper care has to be taken.

 

Type and Scale of Content

 

It is really difficult to convert material with significant amount of variety. Content which is similar to a great extent is easier to convert. Technology has to be configured for different specifications. Since workflow would also vary, proper training has to be imparted to concerned persons.If the source material contains content that is relatively matching, the process of conversion becomes quicker and simpler. As familiarity of people undertaking the conversion grows with the content, efficiency of processes increases.A boilerplate solution cannot be applied for all conversion related problems. The order of content conversion has to be prioritized at the beginning of the project. Entrusting conversion to an expert who can flexibly and creatively work out process efficiencies which would resolve problems faster is important.

 

Content is Handwritten

 

Despite the advancement in OCR technology, challenges are experienced for content that is handwritten. Even human eyes find some types of handwriting hard to recognize. There are some OCR packages which claim that handwritten content of any type can be converted. However, the accuracy level may be questionable.

 

In older texts which carry difficult or damaged or poorly written content, OCR technology may not function properly. Accurate conversion of handwritten content to digital can be best done with the keying as well as proofreading methods. Although more efforts have to be put in the accuracy level and reading experience are better.

 

Content accessibility Issues

 

Publishers are talking more about accessibility issues due to the imposition of new regulations internationally and Section 508 refreshing issues. As eBook conversion services make the eBooks accessible once they are developed, the requirement for expensive rework at another level is eliminated. The eBook also becomes useful for all intended audiences.

 

HTML scripting which facilitates accessibility is already being used by outsourcing partners and publishers. The fact is that it should be done correctly. Proper expertise is needed to ensure that accessibility features are working properly for different file types like pdf for web, ePub, Mobi etc.

 

The aforesaid calls for complementing code in HTML with comprehensive WAI-ARIA specification adhering structural semantics. WAI-ARIA stands for Web Accessibility Initiative-Accessible Rich Internet Applications. If the workflow is xml conversion based, significant amount of work would not be involved.

 

Handling equations and mathematics

 

If the content contains mathematical symbols and equation, conversion and subsequent distribution can be challenging. Coding is not a problem thanks to MathML which represents most mathematical representations.

 

MathML is rendered by various distribution platforms in a different manner. The outcome may not be attractive always. This is the reason why MathML is commonly not included in the final publication although it may have existed in previous versions. This problem is being solved collectively by the industry. A solution would help to get over accessibility issues as accurate MathML is needed for publications that are accessible.

 

Some challenges are commonly experienced when pdf to eBook conversion is done at a large scale. With creativity and proper insights into the process, the problems can be solved.

 

It is advisable to entrust the eBook conversion process to expert companies that have been doing this for many years.

 

EBooks replacing paper books in educational institutions-A feasibility study

Printed books have their inherent traditional status, along with other benefits like readability. However, it seems that the number of disadvantages in printed books outnumbers their advantages. First of all, a large number of trees need to be cut down in order to produce paper for traditional books. Reliable sources state that the yearly consumption of paper for the production of books and newspaper is nearly 1.63 million tons. Switching to eBooks can save the quantity of paper used at least one-third. Another drawback associated with traditional books is the complicated process of production and shipping. The process involves the production of greenhouse gasses and shipping of these products account for 12% of marine pollution that is caused by activities of humans. Transporting paper across seas comes with the risk of oil leakages and this can destroy marine plants and animals. With eBooks replacing paper books, you can eliminate these risks and ensure a cleaner environment.

Digitization has overpowered print media much visibly and the trend is seen almost everywhere these days leaving behind no exceptions. Being one of the professional eBook conversion service providers in India we are getting a lot of inquiries from different industry verticals. Recently we are being approached by many schools and institutes for eBook conversion services. This prompted us to study the scenario in detail and the blog post deals with the findings we made.

  • A king part of schools prefers building digital libraries over book rental or subscription models.
  • Though this particular domain has just started embracing eBook conversion, a rapid and massive growth is expected soon.
  • The district, as well as school leaders, have started seeking conversion technologies and tools capable of supporting learning instructions and services.
  • More than 90% of the respondents expect the increase in eBooks in the next two years.
  • Nearly 60% have reported that only 10% of the total books present in their schools are eBooks.
  • However, 50% predict that in the next two years at least 40% of the books in their school will be in the electronic version.
  • Reduced storage space-Thousands of eBooks, quizzes, homework, and other files can be accommodated in a single device when you use tablets. The trend of e-books replacing traditional books will completely eliminate the need to store books physically.

 

 

When it comes to library purchase model

  • 40% prefer purchasing eBooks in the Library model where the texts are owned by schools and students are allowed to use books on their devices.
  • 15% are planning to implement a subscription fee from students to grant them access to the library.
  • 5% are looking forward to renting books in a time-limited single checkout per rental model.
  • 40% were not having enough information regarding the subject to express their preference or they were not, in fact, sure regarding what they wanted.

 

 

As far as the student’s interest is concerned

  • Nearly 10% of students still prefer paper books
  • 50% are excited about digital books created from expert eBook conversion companies.
  • It was interesting to note that 40% of students were not even interested in expressing their preference.

 

Advantages of eBook over printed books

An eBook offers a wide variety of advantages, which you won’t get while using a traditional book. The technology-driven world has witnessed an increased rate of usage of eBook readers by the youth. Reading material can also be presented in the same way. When it comes to ebooks vs printed books comparison, the most important advantages of eBooks are:

 

Portability- You can access different eBooks while you are moving. People need to carry a single device with all these files. It is much more convenient than carrying multiple books physically. The eBook readers can be easily be carried around due to their lightweight.

 

Speed- You can instantly download an eBook and read it. No hassles are there in order, delivery, and purchasing.

 

Backlight- Inadequate lighting can be a challenge when you read traditional books at night. However, eBook readers and other devices supporting them have the built-in light that allows people to read them even in darkness.

 

Font size- Users can alter the size of the font on the screen, as per their requirement. This ensures that their eyes do not get tired and strained.

 

No worries about delivery: With paper books there is a constant worry either about its availability in the bookstore or getting it delivered on time, so as to begin an academic year. One would have to wait for nearly a week and if not, keep checking their mailbox to see whether their books have arrived. But with digital distribution, you will have no such doubts. Once you order it online, the eBook becomes available within no time and help you start with your syllabus right away!

 

Conserving environment:  This is one of the main advantages of digital books over paper books. It goes without saying that eBook saves lots of trees from being cut to make paper. With global warming already taking a toll on our environment, it is better to play it safe and choose the digital way for all your learning and teaching requirements.

 

Budget-friendly: Do away with shipping or delivery charges by opting for eBooks! It is a proven fact that textbooks available online are relatively far cheaper than the hardbound copies. It is highly cost-effective and also, helps you to spend your savings in the better way like investing in hobbies, tuitions or to buy other essential things. This is one of those pros of eBooks that you can’t simply ignore.

 

Get some space: Digital textbooks solve the problem of storage. By doing away with traditional paper books, you will have more space to utilize within the classroom and shelves in a much-refined manner. Moreover, eBooks are quite compatible while digital learning modules can assimilate a huge amount of information, activities, project works and online resources, without having the fear to safeguard them manually or stack them safely somewhere in your well-crammed cupboard.

 

Boosts productivity: Digital textbooks are not only easy to use but also effective during the learning process. Students using an eBook can browse through large volumes of study materials with its index, search for any relevant information, adjust the font size, select any particular detail and save it for future use, listen to educational audio clips and many more such things at one given time. They can even highlight certain portions in any concerned chapters and not worry about spoiling any hard copies, which in the case had to be used by someone else in future.  What’s more! Students themselves can test their intellect in regard to their curriculum by choosing question banks or taking the quiz, once after finishing their chapters.

 

Hope the comparison of traditional books vs. eBooks has helped you enough to understand the importance of going digital. Thus, in the upcoming academic year, opt for interactive eBook in education by request goodbyes to the traditional forms of the notebook. One can get hold of an eBook anytime and from anywhere within no time since it is available simply on a click, besides being quite easy on pockets as well. With modernization entering into every field, it is better to upgrade one’s learning methods or teaching process by taking up the digital route. And electronic publishing will surely turn out to be a good and beneficial change for you as well as the environment.

Know more about the latest trends regularly; follow our blog.

 

Tips that will boost up the sales of your eBooks

In most of the cases, first-time authors find it difficult to find an effective strategy to sell their eBooks. And in case of the accomplished writers, they wonder how to increase the sales of their books. Well, as an author, you would try to strike an effective way to increase the exposure of the books that you have worked hard upon. Online channels have in fact opened up a number of ways, in which you can increase the sales of your electronic books. Here, you will come across some of the most effective strategies that will definitely increase eBook sales.

 

Sell your eBook through multiple stores

It is necessary to place your electronic book in as many stores as possible. This will increase the number of channels, through which you can increase the transaction of your books. While the leading sites like Amazon, Apple and B&N are popular, you should also place the book on smaller sites. People will get to know about your book more when you improve the number of sales channels. A number of new sites are coming up these days, and you can try them out.

 

Invest on the cover page

You need to make a good investment in order to make the cover page visually appealing. An attractive eBook cover design goes a long way, streamlining its sales mechanism. The Internet is overloaded with this, and it is necessary to grab the attention of the readers when you reach out to them. A compelling its cover can lure the readers into its contents. Eventually, it can result in a transaction. Therefore, you should get the necessary illustration or graphic art done by expert cover designers for ebooks offering brilliant ebook cover design services.

 

Provide eBook preview

Providing preview of digital book contents can keep the readers engaged, and they will find your book interesting. This can turn a large section of the readers into your customers. You can create the preview in various ways. You can post screenshots of the relevant pages as images along the content pages and index. You can also place the relevant pages in these areas as HTML. This will complement your SEO efforts as well.

 

Ebook reviews

One of the best ways to increase the sales is to get your ebook reviewed. People willing to buy the digital book would want to know the opinion of the first-hand readers. These reviews will come beneficial in such cases. Well, you should know that electronic books with testimonials and published reviews tend to attract more attention from the readers who explore the eBook stores. Evidently, this can improve the sales of your eBook.

 

Joining affiliate programs

Certain websites like Click Bank provide affiliate programs. Joining these affiliate programs can increase the exposure and sales. Most of the successful authors join affiliate programs as this provides a widespread exposure to your electronic books. Both new authors and established writers should try out these programs in order to generate the sale of their electronic books.

 

Search engine optimization

An optimized sales page can bolster definitely promote your eBook online. When you want to sell your eBook through websites, SEO plays a crucial role in increasing the chances of sales. You need a dedicated page for the eBook, which will draw traffic and increase the sales. You may also share the author’s information on this page. Besides, these pages can also contain relevant information about the book, special offers and other details.

 

Multiple file formats

The electronic books should be made available in multiple file formats. Your readers may want to read these files on their mobile devices, laptops, PCs or other electronic book readers. Therefore, when you come up with multiple file formats, you can get across with your creation to a larger section of the readers. Making the digital document available in various file formats, at least the most common eBook file formats ensures that it will be compatible with multiple e-reading devices.

 

Use social media for a greater exposure

Social media provides tremendous exposure to this. You can go for social media marketing in order to increase the sales. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are effective platforms to promote your digital document. Readers spend a lot of time on these sites, and it is wise to seize the opportunity to get across to them over these channels.

 

Offers and discounts

People are attracted towards goods when they are available at discounted prices.  You can come up with discount and offers for your eBook which will improve the sales. Limited period offers have proven to be effective in increasing the sales of eBooks when it comes to selling books from your website or any third party platforms. There are lots of ebook publishing platform available online. Also, you can find the information about best place to sell your ebook here.

 

Intelligent pricing

The pricing of the eBook has to be intelligently made. Consider the buying capacity of your target customers while deciding the price. Recent trends have proven that keeping the price low can boost up the sales of the eBooks.

 

For new authors, it is difficult to find the market for their eBooks. For accomplished authors, expanding the market is always a challenge. These strategies will strengthen the sales mechanism of your eBooks. Integrate these plans into your marketing process and see the sales skyrocketing.

 

 

Tips for effective layout design and typesetting

If you are planning to self-publish a book, you should craft a stunning layout to captivate the attention of the audience and this is something which you can’t escape.  A captivating cover design lures the readers into the pages deep inside. Often, a drab cover fails to draw the attention of customers. The matter inside the book often goes ignored just because the cover lacks appeal. Evidently, you should craft the cover from the marketer’s perspective, while focussing on typesetting. This strategy holds good both for traditional and eBooks.

 

While a well-judged design refines the external look of a book, you need an impeccable typesetting layout design to retain the reader’s attention when he goes through the lines inside it. The text and graphic elements should not be too crowded to cause a visual distraction for the reader. Moreover, the design should go well with the content and category of the book. In order to design a strong interior, you should focus on two areas, typesetting and layout design.

 

  • Layout: The layout refers to the entire architecture of the product, including the columns, margins, art, and illustrations. It should have a pleasing mix of various visual elements and graphics.
  • Typesetting: Typesetting refers to the internal details of a page, including the size of types, font, hyphens breaking the lines and space between two consecutive lines.

 

Here, you will come across the right strategy to design the layout and typesetting in a book to ensure its acceptance.

 

Trim size

 

While crafting a book layout, the first step involves selecting the trim size. You may opt for the standard size, like 5.5 x 8.5 inches or 6 x 9 inches. These are ideal for novels and memoirs. If you are designing an art book with large photographs in it, you can make it wider. It can have a small caption using texts on each of the pages. In case your book consists of more than 250 pages, choosing a small trim size, below 5 x 8 inches will make the book thick, which may cause inconvenience in handling it. In these cases, you should choose a wider cover to manage the width of the book. While designing the cover of the manuscript, decide whether to use a jacket, paperback or hardback cover, or a case-bound book with the art printed on the cover. Case-bound and hardback books involve higher costs for shipping and production.

 

Margins

 

Integrating the margin seamlessly in your book adds weight to the visuals. In spite of being a blank space, it is an integral element of the book layout design. In a paperback, you have three margins, one on the outside, one on the top and the other at the bottom, each entrusted with a specific role. The names of the book and author are placed in the top margin. In some books, the page number is also included in the top margin. The margins on the outside provide space for the reader to hold the book. The margin at the bottom provides space to support the block of text above.Apart from these, the gutter acts as the inside margin, holding together the sewed or glued pages. It ensures that no text moves close to the binding part of the book. It is wider than the other margins.

 

The basics of typography

 

After deciding the margin, you should concentrate on the typeface. In books, serif fonts like Caslon, Garamond, Goudy, and Baskerville are used. In art books, cookbooks, and guidebooks, you can use sans-serif fonts to infuse a modern essence in it. The readers should also find it easy to read these books and the above detailed is one the important typesetting design tips. It should be compatible with the layout. Incorporate Bold, Italics and semi-bold effects where necessary. For the font size, choose 11, which is ideal for most of the books. The white space present between the lines, known as ‘leading’, is equally important. You should maintain the spacing between the lines. Do not stuff lines to save space. It should have between 33 to 36 lines per page.

 

Running Heads

 

These refer to the lines present on the page, providing information about the name of the book, author, and page number. At times, the page numbers are placed at the bottom of the page, in the form of a ‘foot’. These are usually placed in the center of the pages, although you can align them slightly to the left or the right. These heads and feet should be small so that they do not disturb the overall essence of the text. Professional typesetting outsourcing companies typically keep these in mind while working on it.

 

Using images and art

 

In case you have art, illustrations, and photographs in your manuscript, accommodate them in the layout. The genre of the book should decide the interplay of graphics and texts. For instance, children’s books should carry a limited amount of text per page, at the top of the artwork. Provide room for the photos and graphic elements to speak for themselves. They should not be too crowded. In case of novels, you can focus on an image based on the story, with a sheer mix of texts and graphic elements.

 

Signature details

 

You need to use small graphic effects inside the pages to provide the readers with a break from the continuous flow of texts. They also act as a visual cue, guiding the readers about the location of texts. These are placed at the beginning of the chapters, or at the end. The readers can refresh their mind for a while before starting the next chapter. You can either use a particular design throughout the book or use a signature to add a personality to it. Companies suffering book illustration services can, in fact, guide you in the same.

 

Common mistakes you should avoid

 

One of the most common mistakes with designing the interior of the book is the failure to leave substantial amounts of white space. You should provide ample space for the margins and lead. The text should not make the eyes uncomfortable.  Hyphenated words should be avoided at the end of sentences, as they tend to create a different word. If inevitable, use the necessary punctuation marks to make it compatible with your page. Single lines, which do not belong to any paragraph, should be avoided at the beginning and ends of the pages.

 

You will find these guidelines extremely helpful when you design the pages and set the typography of your book. Many digital prepress companies offering professional book typesetting services can be approached but finding the best one only assures you the expected results.

EPub for Education - an analysis

The present era is witnessing many radical changes in the most basic processes of life, including education. Learning in schools might still be the same as it was a decade ago but with the introduction of online education, the education paradigms has been affected because the learning and teaching methodology has jumped to a whole new level. Technology makes it possible to let the learners indulge in a more comprehensive and effective form of learning. Even though many technologies have been introduced so as to enable eLearning, this sector still experiences constant evolution and innovations.

 

 

The digital educational content provides many audios, visuals and documents to enable learning in an interesting and collaborating environment. New styles of online education have been developed like quizzes and interactivity and these features have attracted more users towards the same; typical eBook creation companies create rich interactive content that appeals and educates more effectively. Earlier, Adobe Flash was preferred for eLearning but with the facilitation of html5 support in eBooks, its advantages over shadowed Flash.

 

The ePub profile has made a major contribution in evolving eLearning terrain. After html5 support in epub was enabled, many interactive learning options were made available but this concept still lacked defined standards.

 

With the arrival of EDUPUB, which is the latest ePub3 profile, these standards can be defined and better use can be made to provide superior content for advanced learning processes. To provide more accessible and superior quality of educational content, which could also be shared across various electronic channels and devices, a new format of EDUPUB, was launched in 2016 by International Digital Publishing Forum.

 

Need for ePub educational publishing

 

There are several benefits of using ePub for Educational publishing. It is actually safe to say that EDUPUB is not a very new file format but is a part of ePub. Its aim is only to improve the online learning experiences by adding some specifications to ePub3 content.

 

Making the most of web standards like the inclusion of CSS3 and HTML5

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language that is used to elaborate the look and the format used for a document written in markup language. HTML is a markup language that is used for giving a definite structure and to present content on the internet. The current version of the same is HTML5. Making use of such tool is necessary as it betters the quality of the content whereby more users are attracted towards using the same. The purpose of improving digital content is to gain popularity across channels while promoting education.

 

Semantically structured content

EDUPUB aims in creating digital content that has a proper body and structure to it. It also filters out the unnecessary things and only works on content relevant for educational purposes. Thus this epub for education is thus highly beneficial.

 

The focus on metadata increases

Metadata provides basic information about data that in turn makes it possible to locate and work with specific instances of data without facing troubles. EPUB has been designed in such a way that it accommodates different kinds of publications and a varied sort of content. Metadata recognizes the educational publication and records all the accessible characteristics it possesses and then expands the structural semantics vocabulary of the ePub to add the terms related to education.

 

Creation of highly accessible and distributable content

EDUPUB creation for Education facilities distribution of digital learning content across various electronic devices. When digital content is available for both online and offline use, it automatically becomes more convenient for the user because then, this content becomes available 24/7 at per the ease and requirement of the user. This is easily achieved by EDUPUB.

 

Authoring tools and structures

While creating mLearning or eLearning content, it is often stated that the use of an authoring tool that is the right fit for you is very important. With this format an authoring structure with useful educational data is supported and this helps in creating superior content with new and developing interactive features.

 

Promotes innovation

When there exists a structure that would support innovation in content creation, it boosts the possibility of thinking out of the box and moving forward with more rapid strides. E-Publishing solutions for educational sector encourage consistency in both functionality and presentation of the content and improve its flexibility as well.

 

EDUPUB has the same file extension “.epub” but it is specifically used to cater to some explicit requirements that are needed to create a standard ePub for the purpose of education. It is basically an ePub3 that has the validation of IDPF standards and also contains some supplemental guidelines. The most amazing thing about EDUPUB, enhanced epub creation, is that it facilitates making copies of the educational content for the teachers as well as the students and they can be differentiated with the help of tagging and annotations.

 

EDUPUB aims at creating high quality content that can be functional across various platforms. A major advantage that these interactive and enhanced eBooks offers is that it provides for Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) and Question and Test Interoperability (QTI). This is the reason why EDUPUB has lifted the level of a standard published eBook to new heights. The only uncertainty right now is to witness the speed at which this profile is adopted.

 

When it comes to the provision of e-publishing services in India, there are countless companies. The trick lies in getting associated with the right people with solid reputation. 

 

Various levels professional editing, proof-reading and content scrutiny

If you have taken to writing recently and are desirous of publishing the same, you need to make your content measure up to market expectations. Editing can be done at various levels. Clarity may not exist regarding the function or nomenclature of each of these levels. Naming convention is indistinct even to some commercial publishers and eminent editors. There are different levels of editing and you must be aware of the same when seeking professional editorial assistance for your work.

 

The fundamentals of copyediting

The process of editing is multi-faceted. An editor writes, drafts, collects feedback on the suitability of the content from beta audiences, self-edits, carry out developmental activities, appraises manuscripts, edits each line, copy-edits, proofread and ultimately gets the work published.

 

Editorial process can be generally categorized into two broad levels i.e. macro and micro.

 

At the macro stage, developmental editing and assessment of the manuscript are undertaken. The developmental editing process is also known as structural, substantive or content editing. Evaluation of the manuscript is also called as reviewing of the manuscript or critiquing editorial. The macro level takes a comprehensive approach at critically appraising of the work as a non-discrete body. Those editors who are skilled in critiquing the book at the macro level decides on their approach by understanding the overall flow of the book i.e. whether the inherent content is organized like stuff, plotting, character oriented, general outlook, and momentum gained towards the conclusion.

 

At the micro stage, the editor embarks on line editing of content, copyediting and then eventual manuscript proofreading. The editing activity essentially focuses on each sentence. Textual matter’s coherence and sanctity are judged by appraising each line and word within the entire content. An editor who carries out critiquing of the novel at the micro level makes sure that the reader’s attention is not distracted due to silly errors that are readily evident. The editorial activity focuses around judging the semantic authenticity of words used, presence of solecism, spelling and punctuation errors. The clarity of thoughts presented and readability quotient of the text are judged through copy and line editing. Before going for final publishing, proofreading is carried out to track any bungle-up that has inadvertently gone unchecked while exhaustive professional reviews were being carried out in the early stages.

 

Terms to be used while seeking editorial assistance

You may find it difficult to figure out the exact terms to communicate details to your editor. To surmount this challenge, you need to clearly spell out your expectations to the editor instead of mulling over what specialized terms to use. Each editor uses different set of nomenclatures to promote the unique services offered by him/ her.

 

One editor may choose to give a fanciful name to his copyediting services just because he does not contain himself with fundamental proofreading only; rather, quality checking facility is also offered separately before the final publishing of the book.

 

Some editors may decide to define their services based on the critiquing activities offered by them. If someone is extending help related to copyediting or line editing, he may prefer to put it in the same fashion. An editor may call himself developmental editor if he focuses exclusively on services related to developmental editing.

 

Other editors may name their services differently based on the extent to which micro or macro level editorial are carried out by them. So, even if they are undertaking developmental copyediting, the service name may not reflect the same.

 

Many editors’ don’t contain them to a particular genre of editing and offer services that are overlapping in nature. The service nomenclature automatically varies based on not just the inclusions but also the editing proofreading tips and tricks they follow.

 

Deciding on the service needed

You have to initially form an idea regarding the amendments that are applicable to the manuscript prior to its publication. You need to gain insights to the drilled down level of sentences and words. This would help you in better dictating the kind of services you expect from the editor.

 

Once you are well-acquainted with the different editorial service options available, you can make an informed and conscious choice after landing at the editor’s site. If, even after this, you are not able to figure out the exact nature of your editorial need, you have to simply cull out a handful of chapters and send them to the shortlisted editors to know about their quotes. In this manner, you would get the strategic advice from the editor regarding editorial activities needed and whether the shortlisted editor is in possession of needful skills.

 

If you have subjected your manuscript to editing earlier, your strategy needs to be different. If the manuscript has not been scrutinized earlier, it is not advisable to deem it ready in a single pre-publication proofreading.

 

Ask the editor to offer sample editing of a chapter, which some may offer complimentarily. Sample edits would offer you insights into editors’ skills which would facilitate choosing the best option.

 

Some important points to keep in mind

You need to concentrate on the actual editing work needed rather than be fussy about the nomenclature.

 

Rely on the editor whose work excites you

Trust the editor who primarily concerns himself with your genre of writing. Scrutinize the portfolio of editors to know if they have rendered their services for manuscripts similar to you.

 

Once the editor is finalized, dilate on your needs to the maximum extent possible. If you think that your writing is not crisp or trimmed, or if certain proses have been dealt in an exaggerated manner, you need to share the same upfront for stellar outcomes. If your novel is full of jargons or insincere words, as deemed by you, you need to communicate the same to the editor at the start so as to remain free of unwarranted queries.

 

Don’t get jittery if your material is criticized, it is just to make your writing more appealing.


If you are chasing perfection, a single round of editing by professionals won’t serve your purpose. Multiple rounds of scrutiny have to done by experts offering copyediting and proofreading services.

 

Now that you have become conversant with the different levels of professional editing, you can source your work with confidence. There are in fact a lot of experts who can avail complete flawlessness in your manuscript through effective proofreading techniques. Hire the best services to be assured of the unimpeachable class of reasonably cheap proofreading services.

 

Enhanced eBooks – Some facts you need to know

Enhanced eBooks in simplest of words is an eBook that includes interactive features like audios, videos, and animations etc. embedded in it. Making eBooks readable on multiple devices has always been a challenging task owing to the fact that the features of eBook readers keep on progressing inconsistently. Underlying are some of the facts regarding enhanced eBooks which you should know before stepping ahead for the digitization process.

 

Misconceptions regarding enhanced eBooks

Before delving into the depth of enhanced eBook features, let’s check what is often misunderstood as an enhancement. A lot of misconceptions are there regarding enhanced eBooks that should be alleviated. Some consider even linking and embedded fonts as enhancements. The mentioned are in fact the very basic features that electronic versions should have.

 

Enhancements are actually those extra virtues that make reading a more interactive, informative and interesting process. The restrictions of printed books are eliminated to a great extent; you can add new functionality or more content as you wish and whenever you need.

 

Incorporation of audio and video

One of the most common and basic enhancements done on eBooks is the addition of media to it. For availing a better reading experience you can embed relevant media content that falls in line with the message your content intends to communicate. Take care to make sure that the content and media don’t mismatch to deposit a feel of weirdness in the eBook.

 

However as of now, these features are supported only in Apple iBooks, Second generation Fire HD tablets and Kindle Fire as well as Barnes and Noble Nook tablets.

Limitations in regard to the market where these books can be sold and the devices on which the incorporated media can function must be considered. Many readers shun away from downloading heavy books. So, it is highly recommendable that you place the media files on your website rather than in the eBook itself. By this, you get an additional benefit to connect with the prospects when they reach your website after they click the link provided in eBooks.

 

Narration via audio

Audio narration can surely be a great inclusion, especially in case of children’s books. This increases the level of perception enjoyed by children. The narration can easily be added as media overlay to Barnes and Noble eBook formats as well as Apples. Having audio narrations can help children in grasping the idea in a more comprehensive manner. Travel books and cooking manuals are also incorporating audio narrations these days as voice in instructive mode is more impactful.

 

Interactivity through animation

As of now, animations are compatible to iBooks on iPad. Though animations can be used in any eBooks, it is normally used with books for children. As most of the animations in children’s eBooks are created using CSS, texts and images can move along the predetermined paths. With the proprietary functionalities available with Apple, developers can embed interactive features through JavaScript. Overall interactivity can be taken to a newer level using animations. Always remember that the animations created for video products and eBooks are different in many aspects. Including animations for professional purposes is also a nice idea as the project scope can be illustrated with more precision to the prospects using animation.

 

Beneath the Ink

The extended dimensions of possibilities are one of the major upsides of eBook publishing. There are virtually no limitations as far as your creativity doesn’t deceive. It is not just about the images and texts as in case of traditional books in print. Besides that, you can exploit the opportunities of Beneath the Ink. This is a technology that helps readers to add information or content layer beneath the wordings in your electronic books. By this, your readers can explore more, no matter whatever the genre is.

 

Creation of customized interactive Widgets

iBook Author platform has the ability to create customized interactive widgets via which new functionalities can be added to the eBook files. There are many widgets built-in which include a quiz taking the widget and a picture gallery along with much more. You can add more functionality when compared to the standard fixed layout electronic books with these widgets. They are developed using Dash code which is a programming tool by which even Apple Product’s web applications are created. The code used is normally a strategic combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

 

Now, if you prefer opting enhanced eBooks conversion service provider over many other options available, the very first step for you is to find a digital conversion expert team in the process. Do enough research, proper market studies and critical comparisons before handing over the conversion or the publishing task to a service provider.

 

Checking the previous works and customer endorsements of the service provider can be helpful. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for a sample done for you before making the final deal. These only make sure that your investment is on the right people.

Should you seek professional help for property photo editing or do it yourself?

Photographers try to make the clicks perfect in order to enhance the natural appearance of a property. However, if you want to make it ‘Sale Ready’, you should polish and retouch them to increase their palatability. You will face a dilemma in deciding whether to outsource your services or try it out yourself. In fact there are innumerable benefits of outsourcing real estate services.

 

Here are some guidelines that will help you to make the decision-making process easy.

 

How does the ‘Do it yourself’ strategy work out?

If you want to maintain an in-house team of professionals dealing with photo editing, the software, system and infrastructure have to be set up by you. You need to assign the work to the team and manage it yourself. Photo editing being the repetitive task, people find it difficult to invest extra time in it when they have other important tasks to do. Therefore, when you go for DIY, you risk your own business at the cost of some savings. Also being aware of some unique real estate photography editing techniques is crucial as well.

 

Business firms opting for this strategy have to do all the tasks by themselves. It might save you the bucks, but on the other side, you may not be able to grab business opportunities. Ultimately, you may end up losing thousands of dollars in the process. It may happen that you do not get sufficient tasks throughout the year, and your competitors leave you far behind. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the business factor in mind. When you do not have enough work to use your resources, it invites boredom to the business.

 

Benefits of outsourcing real estate photo editing services

Real estate photo editing outsourcing is definitely the right decision to take. In order to boost up the sales, you need to showcase the property photos retouched by the experts. The professional image editing companies deliver expert services and maintain the natural look. Artists specializing in property enhancements are able to deliver the services overnight, following strict deadlines. No compromise is made with the qualitative aspects of the services.

 

So, should you go for outsourcing?

Companies dealing with real estate have to manage multiple sites and strives to optimize the revenue-generating infrastructure. The Returns of Investment are heavily reliant on real estate imaging services, as they enhance the presentation of the property. From the other end, you may find it to be a low-growth activity when you compare it to other departments of expansion, including dealings and meetings. Apart from dedicating time to property enhancements, you will be able to engage the cream customers.

 

But at the same time, if we look from a business perspective, it is low-growth activity compared to other important meetings and dealings you can do for expansion. In spite of spending time in property enhancement, you can also focus on cream customers.

 

You may gain the following ways through outsourcing

  • The companies which deal with these real estate image editing services have dedicated designers to enhance the quality of work. They concentrate only on retouching and enhance the quality of the photos. In monetary terms, it is profitable to invest in these services and get good returns. The experts use enhanced software like Photoshop, Lightroom, CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, etc. to maintain the standard of the industry and cut down time.
  • The offshore photo editing partners deliver their services 24*7, so you can avail round-the clock services.
  • If you have bulk images to be edited in a short time, these companies have no alternatives. The experts can edit thousands of images in 24 hours.
  • You can get rid of the costs of purchasing image editing hardware, space and the required software for property photo editing when you outsource the work. The professionals know the procedure well, removing the desired objects, making adjustments in the brightness, adding the contrasts, replacing the colours.

Therefore, when you outsource the work, the photo editing experts increase the visual pleasure of your property, making them saleable. The views and leads of the company are also leveraged when they opt for real estate photo retouching outsourcing. The experts can remove certain unwanted objects in the photographs, do minor blemishing, enhance the looks, besides incorporating special effects like sky enhancement, panorama stitching, HDR photo editing, floor plan conversion, twilight enhancement and so on.

 

All these will provide the desired leverage to expand your business. The only thing is to associate with any of the best real estate photo retouching companies.

FAQ on benefits of html5 ads

Display ads are nowadays continuously shifting from Flash to HTML5. As per the experts, it is not just a mere incremental step but a massive leap forward. Owing to the same, several FAQs have surfaced in regard of benefits of html5 ads. Underlying are few of the most prominent among them.

 

Why is adoption of HTML5 inevitable now?

Past decade was mainly reliant on Flash for advertising purposes. It all started when Google Chrome on September 1st started intelligently pausing Flash animations which in other words meant stopping of advertisements based on Flash; this was to give laptop batteries extended life. Mozilla and Adobe too followed the path paved by Google Chrome. And finally Amazon too announced that Flash based ads will not be accepted. This made the digital marketers to embrace HTML5 without waiting.

 

What will happen if my Flash ads are not built in HTML5?

When viewed via Google Chrome, Flash Ads will normally be stopped and greyed out. Towards center there will be a play button.  In certain cases, there can be huge default rate and because of this static image will be served in place of dynamic and animated ad for which you already paid. This can even make media performance to suffer. Most of the mobile devices have blocked Flash ads and it fails on desktops as well. Therefore convert flash ads to html5 without further delaying.

 

What actually are the advantages of HTML5 ads?

There are several Flash ads disadvantages which are never experienced with hypertext markup language. The latter is not prone to any security issues and it’s an open web standard. It renders perfectly on handheld devices and this holds significance in the light of fact that there is an increasing number of mobile device users and the time spent by people on mobiles too is skyrocketing. Also there is no need to use any additional plugins or extensions. Benefits of HTML5 for mobile web development too is huge.

Also read more about some of the golden tips for flash to HTML5 conversion tips for your business.

 

What issues does transition to HTML5 can encounter?

There are some unique technical necessities for hypertext markup language. To say, intricate animations as well as custom fonts need greater file weights when compared to those in Flash. A novel quality confirmation workflow has to be implemented. QA testing must be stringently and repeatedly conducted across different browsers on all applicable platforms.

 

Adobe Edge Animate or Google Web Designer- which is the best and how difficult they are?

Both are almost equally effective. These tools can be of great impact in case of rich media but for more standard execution demands, it may be overkilling. However these are coding platforms are hence mandates you to have at least basic programming skills. This fact has made it a bit difficult for developers to get expertise in production of HTML5 ads easily.

 

Which tools can I rely on for conversion to HTML5? Are there any limitations?

Most recommended tools are Adobe Edge and Swiffy. Using simple tools can be of help initially but the benefits are temporary. In course of time, more errors and delays can happen. Flash and HTML5 technology are completely different and hence simple conversions are genuinely not effective in all cases. There can be inconsistencies and at certain instances, the file may be completely broken.

 

The best way to do things in a perfect manner is to hire any of the professional companies offering flash to html5 conversion services. MAP SYSTEMS has been of impeccable assistance for businesses across different verticals. Contact the company directly to know more in detail.