Mobile ebooks are extremely popular in Japan - the Nikkei newspaper estimated that back in 2004, the mobile ebook market was worth 1.2 billion yen (over 10 million US dollars) and was rapidly growing. Content provider Bandai Networks has come up with a novel way to find new content for their mobile ebooks site.

Despite the old adage ‘never judge a book by its cover’, Bandai believes that it is the cover, and especially the title of an ebook that most influences ebook consumers’ purchases. It has launched a competition タイトルが先だ！“The title comes first!” which challenges entrants to submit titles which they think would make great books.

The winner of the title competition will win 30,000 yen ($255) and then the competition progresses to the next stage – submissions of cover illustrations and blurbs. Finally, there will be a competition for the novel itself, for which the winner will receive 100,000 yen ($850) and royalties from the ebook’s sale.