Publishing Your Own Electronic Book (Ebook)
You may have seen them around on the Internet. Some of them are available free of charge. Others have to be bought. A couple of Stephen King's latest stories are available only in that form.
I'm talking about electronic books (or ebooks), of course. In the age of the Internet, newsletters and ezines are not the only things you can publish without recourse to a big name publisher. Now, anyone can publish their own book.
Why Should You Publish Your Own Book?
Besides wanting to immortalize your name, here are a couple of reasons why you might want to publish your own electronic book (eBook).
1. Publicity for your website or business
Why do you think so many people on the Internet are giving away electronic books? Free ebooks, like other free things, spread fast. They become an easy way for you to publicize your website or business.
Of course, for that to happen, your Ebook needs to be more than just an advertising brochure - it really has to have something worth reading for people to bother to read and pass it on.
2. For Sale
Electronic books for sale are becoming increasingly common on the web. As mentioned earlier, even Stephen King has taken to publishing electronically. It's becoming an acceptable medium in this age of electronic communication.
Advantages of Electronic Publishing Over Hardcopy Publishing
The beauty of publishing your book electronically is that your costs are incredibly low (relative to hardcopy publishing). You only need to get the software to create the ebook, and nowadays, you can even get that free of charge.
Whether you sell or distribute 1000 copies of your eBook or just one copy, your cost of producing the ebook remains at that same fixed cost it took to produce the first copy. In fact, once you've bought your software, you can produce any number of Ebooks without incurring any additional cost.
Another advantage is that you do not need to try to find a publisher to accept your work. You can be your own publisher and distributor.
What Should I Write?
As in the case of publishing newsletters, you should of course write on things you're familiar with. If your intention is to publicize your website or your business, your topic should be of course be related to what you're promoting. That way, people will come to see you as an expert in that field and go to your site for more information and help.
Steps To Take
- Get the software for you to create an electronic book (see below).
- Write your ebook.
- Use the software to convert your document to the electronic book format.
- Make your ebook available from your website. Note that even if you wish to sell your Ebook, you should still have a sample of your eBook available freely to whet the appetites of your prospective customers.
- Publicize your ebook.
The Common Ebook Formats
The software used to convert your files to an ebook is often called an ebook compiler. However, unlike email or websites, there is no standard format for ebooks. Among the more well-known formats are the PDF format, the raw HTML format, and books packaged as a Windows executable files.
The PDF format has the advantage that it can be read on any platform: there are free PDF viewers for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix (various), etc. The disadvantage is that these viewers have to be downloaded separately. This presents an additional step for your readers, which might deter some people. Stephen King's novel was published in this format.
The raw HTML format is self-explanatory. It can be read by anyone with a web browser. The major disadvantage of this method is that if you require more than one file for your book, some readers may become confused and not know which file to start with.
Another common format is the Windows executable file format. The ebook compiler converts your document into a Windows program, which the reader has to run on his computer. The built-in viewer will then display the book for him/her to read. The disadvantage of this method is that your audience is restricted to Windows users.
Which format should you choose? It's a difficult choice: you have to decide between the availability of your book to people using any operating system (PDF format) and the ease and convenience of reading your book (Windows executable format).
Ebook Compilers for the PDF Format
The most well-known ebook compiler to generate PDF formats is of course Adobe's own offering, Adobe Acrobat. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, it costs US$249 from Adobe's own website, although third party stores like Amazon sell it cheaper (it was US$189 the last time I checked, both for the Windows version as well as for the Macintosh version ). Adobe's site does not give much information about it except that it can convert documents from numerous formats (including HTML). There is no demo version.
Free alternatives to Adobe's compiler are available, but offering less features. Among them are:
- HTMLDOC - This HTML compiler translates your HTML pages to PDF files.
- Gymnast - This is an ASCII text to PDF compiler
Ebook Compilers that Create a Windows Executable
Many ebook compilers in this category actually make use of the display engine of Internet Explorer (IE), and thus require your readers to have installed IE. Some however embed its own internal viewer in the executable. These internal viewers, however, are often less powerful than the IE display engine.
Is It Worth The Effort?
Publishing electronic books can provide you with an additional revenue stream (if you're selling them) and a means of promoting your website (there's nothing like a freebie to attract people to your site or business). In an era when millions of sites are competing for the same audience, every little bit helps.
4 Questions To Ask Before You Write An Ebook According to the Open Ebook Forum, the electronic publishing industry trade and standards organization, 660,991 ebooks were sold by retailers during the first half of 2003, a 40% increase from last year.
Ebooks are becoming more and more popular, and the way things stand now, everyone is on a level playing field. All you need is a couple of bucks and a bit of sweat, and you can have your own ebook ready for market. The technology is more accessible and affordable than it's ever been.
There's never been a better time to get started in this business. But before you start on your ebook idea, you need to consider four important questions:
1. What is YOUR motivation for writing an ebook?
Too many people get inspired with a writing project and get started only to lose focus and motivation half way through. This could easily be avoided by finding your key motivation, and figuring out if you have what it takes to finish the project. Yes, I said finish and not start. Just about everyone can find the passion to start a project; the tough part is completing it.
A simple, yet powerful thing you can do before starting an ebook or a writing project is to imagine what it would be like when you're done.
Will the recognition from your spouse or friends be your most treasured image? Or maybe it's the chance to prove to your peers that you have what it takes to be an author! Experience this image to the fullest. Feel your blood pumping through your veins as you show them your check. Imagine their reaction when they hear that you're working from the comfort of your home and making more money than they are.
Please don't over estimate this... your image doesn't have to be spectacular, just real. All you have to do is jot down a line or two that helps you create the image, and then review it on a regular basis. Your mind will do the rest.
2. Do you want to run your own business?
A lot of people overlook the business side of things, and frankly, that's where the money is made. You need to be prepared for the work involved. Asking yourself this question allows you to see if the epublishing route is for you, and if so, where you may need help.
There are many benefits when you set up an online business. You have little or no overhead. You have the ability to work from home, and can sell your ebooks all over the world. You can make your own schedule, and in some cases, you can automate much of your administrative work. For example, you can sell your ebooks through a credit card company like ClickBank or PayPal and for a small fee, they can handle all credit card transactions for you.
In addition, you can take a community college course and learn about setting up an Internet business, but this is not the only option available. When I first started in this business, I knew very little about running a virtual business. All I knew was that I wanted to be my own boss and make money off my writing. I subscribed to many newsletters, approached friends who ran Internet sites, pumping them for information, and fiddled around with different software. Through trial and error, I learned how to create a web site, and familiarized myself with the tools that I needed to get my web site running smoothly. At the same time, I explored ways I could make money from my business.
3. Are you willing to work hard in your business?
A mentor of mine always says, "Success only comes before work in the dictionary." It's no different with an Internet business. Despite what you may have heard, fame and fortune doesn't happen over night. But do you want to know what the secret to succeeding is?
Ok, get ready...
If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life!
Yes, working on your own can be tough, but if it's a labor of love, then it's truly less work than toiling at that 9 to 5 job.
You have to decide whether you want to take on the responsibility. Most likely you won't be relying on an editor, an agent or a marketer, so you will have to play all of these roles. That means that you will be spending hours doing research, editing, proofreading, and promoting your work.
For me, I love working with words, so I embrace the business side of things as it gives me a great opportunity to be creative and find new ways to reach out to my readers.
4. Are you inquisitive and willing to learn?
Writing an ebook is about embracing technology. The world is changing and with change comes opportunity. And with these constant changes, you need to be flexible and willing to learn everyday.
At one time, you could submit your web site to search engines and get listed quite easily. Nowadays, if you submit your web site to a search engine like google.com, the stiff competition makes it difficult to get top listings. You will need to explore new frontiers that will keep you ahead of the competition and give your product exposure to your target market. If you're willing to develop an inquiring mind and a willingness to try new things, there is no doubt that you will succeed in the world of epublishing.
Format Each eBook Chapter Before you Write It
Do you have a problem creating a focus in your chapters? Does your writing slip around, leaving a muddy path to the gold--your unique, useful message?
Format each chapter in your book. Your consistency, your organized, focused copy will compel your reader to want to read every chapter because they are easy to understand.
Most writers start writing before they are sure of their eBook's main focus or thesis. The thesis is your book's major answer for a problem your targeted audience has. "Five Ways to Market Your Book Online" has its thesis built into the title, a definite plus. You know by the title you'll learn five Online marketing techniques to overcome your problem of not selling enough eBooks.
Before you write any chapters except chapter one, make each chapter title a mini thesis that also answers a part of your whole book's thesis. for the title "Five Ways to Market Your Book Online" you will have 5 chapters that all have to do with the title. Let's say one chapter is titled "Market your Book Through Free Articles."
In this chapter you need to sketch out what your format will be before you write a single word.
1. For instance, you may open the chapter with a pertinent quote."Articles are the # One Way to Promote your Books and Services" by Judy Cullins, Book Coach.
You may open with several thought-provoking questions or shocking facts. You may even start with a short story or analogy. Any opening needs to hook your reader to keep reading.
2. Second, you follow the opening with a success story to illustrate how one person's articles brought her new product and service sales.
3. Third, you will offer a section where you give numbers of tips, how to's, check lists, or resources. For instance the heading of, "How to Write a Short Article," or "How to Write A Publishable Article."
Sprinkled throughout your chapter you may place author tips into boxes. You may choose to do the same for related quotes as Julia Cameron did in "Artists Way." Don't add random quotes just because you like them. Make sure they support each chapter's focus.
4. Finally, in the last section of your chapter you may want to write a simple summary as a chapter review. You may want to give homework or fieldwork. You may call them "Three Take Away Ideas" To make them yours to brand yourself and your business use a key word that refers to your book, perhaps a benefit. One client's title was "The Smiling Owner-How to Build a Great Small Business." He worked the "Smiling Owner" metaphor into his how to's throughout his chapters.
To end your chapter with a bang, you may want to leave your reader with questions to ponder or a few lines to lead them into the next chapter. You may give action steps. Remember, your targeted audience wants solutions to problems. Each chapter in your book should show them how.
Now that you have the format for one non-fiction, how-to chapter, you need to follow the same format for all the rest of the chapters. All chapters except chapter one should be approximately the same length.
Format each chapter in your book. Your consistency, your organized, focused copy will compel your reader to want to read every chapter because they are easy to understand.
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