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Amanda Hocking is a writer of paranormal fiction. She published a novel as an ebook in an attempt to raise some urgently needed extra cash. Her previously unpublished book has since sold over 1.5m books. Not only has it made the author a fortune but it has changed the publishing game as we know it. Ed Pilkington points out in his article for The Guardian that Hocking ‘has emerged from obscurity to bestselling status entirely under her own self-published steam.’ (more…)

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‘There are a million and one ways to make a million dollars,’ says Tim Ferriss in his book The 4-Hour Work Week. ‘From franchising to freelance consulting, the list is endless. Ferriss’ tips on how to achieve this are aimed at those who want to own businesses and not spend any time on them. They’re not aimed at people who want to actually run businesses. He admits that the response he gets when he introduces the concept is ‘more or less universal: huh?’ (more…)

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Futurist Thomas Frey has listed 55 jobs of the future which include tree-jackers, time brokers, plant psychologists and lip designers. He says one of his main complaints about the higher education system today is that it prepares people for the jobs of the past. ‘Similarly, whenever a column is written about the best paying jobs of the future, jobs like civil engineers, registered nurses, and computer system analysts, they are all jobs that currently exist today,’ he adds. (more…)

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Ewan Morrison’s vision of the publishing industry as we know it seems bleak. The Guardian presented a summary of his views, as delivered at the Edinburgh international book festival. Morrison believes that paper books as they are today will probably come to an end ‘within 25 years the digital revolution’. But what of the future of authors? Although many may vigorously disagree, Morrison believes that ebooks and e-publishing ‘will mean the end of “the writer” as a profession.’ (more…)

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The workplace has changed considerably in the last few years. Exciting as many of the technological changes are though, some people feel like they’ve been left behind. This is especially the case for those who didn’t grow up with computers or those who have been out of the market for five to 10 years. Since computer literacy is a given for most jobs today, it is to everybody’s advantage to keep their skills up to date. Three basic requirements are discussed below. (more…)

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Is it possible to make money out of blogging? Steve Pavlina believes it is, as long ‘your blog provides genuine value’. He goes on to say that if you do provide your readers with great value, ‘you fully deserve to earn income from it.’ To make a success of your blog, it’s important to write about what you know and about what you’re learning. Don’t be afraid to share your mistakes and yourself because readers want to know about you. (more…)

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If you’re an entrepreneur or self-employed, you’ve probably had your fair share of having to deal with an unpredictable cash flow. This may include facing a low income over holiday periods, especially if you’re a freelancer. Managing cash flow begins with setting your minimum financial goals. What do you need every month to cover your expenses? Do you have a six-month emergency fund that you can draw on during the lean times? Do you have a savings plan? (more…)

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University courses are getting ever stranger. It’s possible to study subjects like Zombies and David Beckham these days. But then, it would seem that university courses are losing favour on the whole. Statistics show that applications for university courses are down 9 per cent for 2012 compared to 2011. Besides, The Independent reports that over 28,000 of the 2008/09 student intake dropped out of university in the UK. But is dropping out such a bad thing? Three successful ‘drop-outs’ prove not. (more…)

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If you’ve had enough of your job and you’re wondering if you should quit, there’s a Chinese saying worth considering: ‘If you must play, decide on three things as the start: the rules of the game, the stakes and the quitting time.’ Beginnings have endings and if you’ve reached the end but you’re too scared, don’t know how to quit or are afraid of the consequences, read on. There is no reason to stay in a situation that you’ve outgrown. (more…)

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According to Tim Ferriss, it’s possible to become an expert in a month. In his book, he offers the following advice on how to acquire ‘credibility indicators’ in the least time, bearing in mind that the point is not to fabricate but to present the truth in the best light. He advises joining relevant trade associations, reading the top selling business books, giving free seminars, possibly writing articles and using ProfNet, a service used by journalists. (more…)