Today’s post is the next in the series based on my OWFI Ebook seminar. Last Tuesday’s blog answered the question, “Why Go Ebook?” There are a slew of reasons to go Indy and one of the best answers I’ve found is–why not? In today’s publishing climate, the brick wall surrounding traditional publishing continues to grow. Those on the “wrong” side of that wall hammer head first into the barrier without making a dent.
Yet a goodly percentage may be–indeed, IS–quality work. The audience, though, isn’t there to make it $-worthy for legacy publishers to show interest. Today, not even the legacy publishers know how to predict the future. Even the lottery winners who get that agent, and then a book deal won’t necessarily sell a boatload of books–about .5% will see success.
Just because you CAN go Indy doesn’t mean you should, though. Much of the wannabe offerings may be crappiocca that mainstream has the good taste to turn away. Lots of garbage shows up on the Indy side of the brick wall and frankly, it can give self publishing a bad name. Publishing statistics from Publishers Lunch indicate at least 3.1 million books were pub’d in 2010. That’s not counting all the Indy books, though, since there’s no way to track ‘em.
The folks doing particularly well are authors who previously pub’d with legacy venues like Bob Mayer now mining their backlist by turning it into Ebook gold. To increase your chances it pays to practice your craft, hire pros when necessary (especially editing), ask questions and plan carefully. Oh, and write a damn good book.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
So you’ve done all of the above, and have decided to leap into the Indy pond. Do you want to make your book available on Amazon Kindle? What about the Barnes & Nobel Nook? Don’t forget the iPad and Apple stores, Kobo, Android, Diesel…and on and on. Is your book straight text/fiction or a nonfiction book with tables, sidebars and photos? What about children’s books with full color illustrations? Learn about each platform to find your best fit.
PLATFORM/FORMATING
Each platform has different challenges. The required formatting may be different for each, as well as the software and/or coding. Can you do it yourself or do you need help?
Most Ebooks support only the simplest straightforward format. That’s fine for text-only fiction books. If your book requires images, tables or other higher-end formating, that can be a pain-in-the-furry-nether-regions. Trust me–my first Kindle-ized book, Complete Kitten Care, has dozens of pictures that I finally figured out how to format (and yes, I’ll share the how-to later in the series). You can either do-it-yourself or go through a conversion service.
CONVERSION SERVICES
I have NOT used any of these services but they come recommended by those who have–please do your own research!
- Aptara – http://www.aptaracorp.com/
- Code Mantra – http://www.codemantra.com/
- Innodata Isogen – http://www.innodata-isogen.com/
- Jouve / Publishing Dimensions – http://www.pubdimensions.com/
- LibreDigital – http://www.libredigital.com/
[caption id="attachment_1285" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="Feed me! Choices can cost time and/or $$...how deep are your pockets?" 
Ebooks offer challenges to overcome.
ISBN or AIN
Depending on platform you’ll need either an ISBN# or AIN (free from Amazon Kindle). For those with backlist books, you must have a different number assigned to the Ebook than the physical published book. The ISBN works with all platforms and may be required for some, while the free AIN works only for Amazon Kindle. It’s most economical to purchase several ISBN# at once so budget for the cost and plan ahead. Some authors pool resources and purchase a block of ISBNs to share. The current cost (which may change in future of course) is:
- Single ISBN $125.00
- Ten (10) ISBN: $250.00
- One Hundred (100) ISBN: $575.00
- One Thousand (1000) ISBN: $1,000.00
BOOK COVER
Yes, you need one! It cannot be the same as the print version–unless you own or have purchased the rights to the design. The cover sells your book and can make or break that “impulse buy” so important for a first time author–and especially an Indy author. You can do it yourself, but be sure you know what you’re doing or a crap-tastic cover will label you an amateur and no matter how good the story, folks will snub your book. I used Photoshop software and have a huge personal catalogue of dog and cat images, so I didn’t have to purchase photos/images. There’s quite a cottage industry among Indy publishers, though, for low-cost (and quite good!) cover designs so don’t despair.
MARKETING COST
Unless you’re already a best-selling author with a NYC publisher, there’s virtually no difference between the marketing you’ll need to do for your own book. In terms of cost, think time and quality spent rather than $$.
How will you balance your time, cost and vision?
THREE CHOICES
You have three paths to Ebook publishing. Choose based on what you want out of publishing, your personal resources (time and $$), and you can have success with each.
Do-It-Yourself
Kindle and PubIt are virtually dummy-proof, FREE, but don’t cover all platforms
Use Publishing Service
Smashwords or Lulu are common choices and cover several platforms, but have costs involved.
Submit to Epublisher, let them do it
Next week’s installment describes what each platform (Kindle, PubIt, Smashwords, Lulu, etc) requires, cost, and more, so stay tuned! Oh, and the step-by-step Kindle-ization format tips will also soon be posted.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!
[...] When Anything Can Be A Book by Amy Shojai [...]
Hi Amy, I have ebooks through Smashwordsa and they are doing fantastic on Diesel. Worldwide audience, no drm, no territorial limitations on my ebooks through Diesel. One is in the top 1 tenth of 1 percent in sales on the site, Ponzi Housing Scheme 21st Century and another is in the top 1/2 of 1 percent of the 2.4 million ebooks on the site. Crazy huh?
I love your animal pictures. I have a Cairn Terrier named Zoe. She is awesome but not for everyone, as Cairns like to do what they want!
Hi Gary, Thanks for visiting the blog! Wow, that’s terrific news about Smashwords and Diesel. May you continue to see success!
I love Cairn Terriers! Such little characters, aren’t they? I fear my GSD would want to try and find the squeaker inside, though. *s*
Lol, that could be true about a little Cairn. Zoe has enormous teeth. Here are some pictures. Hope it is ok to post her here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Crazy-Cairn-Terrier
By the way Amy, Diesel is a great bookstore because they sell to format any reader a person owns. This is so great as they allow a freedom that others don’t. They even have an affiliate program. I am not in it but someone with a high traffic website could convince people of the freedom they offer.
[...] missed posting Tuesday Tips, the next in the Kindle-ization series, and I’m HISSED OFF! You see, I have most all of that [...]
[...] last Kindle-ization #3 blog discussed the multiple challenges of DIY Ebooks incuding covers, cost of ISBNs and where to find [...]
Silly question, but where do you buy ISBN numbers? I need to buy some pretty quickly, and looking at the prices, I may as well buy bulk, and resell them to other writers.
Wayne
Hi Wayne, you get ISBN #s through Bowker: https://www.myidentifiers.com/ That’s listed in the “helpful links” blog on the subject, I think. Yep, it’s less pricy to do it in bulk.
Yes, but if I buy bulk, my wife will kill me, even though I know I can resell them. So I loose either way.
Wayne
*s* Well, you’ll have to do a “sales” job before you buy I suppose.
This gets even better and better. If I did try to sell them, I’d end up in jail. It is illegal to sell ISBNs in Canada. Seriously. Even the government doesn’t sell them. They give them away for free.
Maybe you should move to Canada. You could cut your costs significantly. You get way better Health Care at one third the cost, you get your ISBNs for free, and for at least part of the year you actually get to see snow. What more could you want!
If there are any other Canadians who plan to self publish, go to this page an apply to be listed as a publisher. Anyone who plans to self publish is by definition is a publisher. I’m planning to produce Ebooks almost exclusively (Including some on antique tractors and farm equipment with a friend who is an insane genius with a toolbox, and my daughter the professional shutterbug), so I choose the Ebook selection in the drop down box.
Wayne
Good to know. My publisher doesn’t charge for ISBNs, we just do a split of royalties. I’ve not had to buy an ISBN myself.
You mean the snow isn’t an irresistible attraction
Wayne
Grew up in N Indiana…snow ain’t my friend. *s*
[...] blog, you can take a look back at the Installment #1 Helpful Links, followed by #2 Why Do It? and #3 The Challenges. Last Tuesday Tips #4 covered the various platform options and what’s required for each. [...]
[...] blog, you can take a look back at the Installment #1 Helpful Links, followed by #2 Why Do It? and #3 The Challenges. Tuesday Tips #4 covered the various platform options and what’s required for each. And last [...]
[...] blog, you can take a look back at the Installment #1 Helpful Links, followed by #2 Why Do It? and #3 The Challenges. Tuesday Tips #4 covered the various platform options and what’s required for each. #5 [...]
[...] blog, you can take a look back at the Installment #1 Helpful Links, followed by #2 Why Do It? and #3 The Challenges. Tuesday Tips #4 covered the various platform options and what’s required for each. #5 [...]
[...] those who just found this blog, you can take a look back at previous installments: Why Do It? and The Challenges. Tuesday Tips #4 covered the various platform options and what’s required for each. [...]