Create Your Own Unique Books from the Public Domain

Books are the most obvious item to create from texts in the public domain so let us consider a few ideas for turning a public domain book into a modern day product for your business without too much hard work or investment involved.

#  Create  a hard copy of the public domain product without making changes to the original text.  Find a good clear version of the original text and have it photocopied and spiral bound.  Most local copy shops do this but look around as costs vary. 

#  Scan the pages of the original text and insert them into a ‘Word’ document, one page of ‘Word’ to one page of original text.  Sell in printed or digital format, the latter in ‘Word’ or pdf. 

#  Turn an original book into a digital download product.  Let people download in pdf or ‘Word’ format,.  The former is more attractive and stops people copying your work but some people have difficulty downloading pdf files, making it a good idea to offer both formats to buyers.

#  Retype the original text into a ‘Word’document and sell in digital or print format.

#  Convert it to large print for poor sighted readers.   I love this idea!

#  Convert it to audio or Braille for the deaf and blind.

#  Audio versions can also be targeted at drivers and other people who lack time to concentrate on reading but have plenty of opportunity  to listen.

#  Turn it into a course and charge people monthly to download the modules.

#  Add some free reports, change the title, update parts of the original work, add your name as editor.  Now you can copyright your item and prevent anyone reproducing and benefiting from your hard work.

#  Combine several books, similar or different subjects, give an eye-catching title, add to CD, sell as a package.  Remember to add your copyright notice because those few changes make this your product which only you are allowed to sell.

#  Following on from the last paragraph, instead of CD, upload your titles to the Internet, create a membership download site, charge start up and monthly fees to access your work.