![]() This usually accounts for about 15% of net receipts. Smashwords takes a commission from your sales through its distribution network. Smashwords is a free, digital-only self-publishing service. Also, keep in mind that these different conversion services will have contracts and terms and conditions. Be sure that your work is already at a high production quality before converting it to an eBook. Other types may not be converted as easily. Almost all conversions services will accept Microsoft Word and RTF files. ![]() Conversion does not typically include editing or proofreading. You can use services like Smashwords, Kobo Writing Life, Lulu, Bookbaby, or Kindle Direct Publishing to convert your work to different eBook formats. Smashwords, for example, suggests that you never let fear of piracy keep you from promoting and selling your book in as many platforms as possible. Most conversion services will give you a choice as to whether or not to have DRM. Obscurity and unmet high demand may influence piracy more than anything else. If you provide your work through different platforms at affordable prices, you may not need DRM as much as someone who only sells their book through one platform at a high price point. Realistic pricing and accessibility may be more important to selling your work than DRM. In addition, some customers do not like DRMs because they provide very detailed personal information to the publisher. The differences can mean your book is inaccessible to other e-readers, therefore limiting sales. These are often tied to the publisher’s particular hardware or software. However there are different versions of DRMs used by competing online publishing companies. Therefore most popular eBooks are sold with DRM protection. For guidelines refer to the BIC Basic Standard.Ĭreated to limit digital piracy, this protection system has a good and a bad side DRM can prevent users from copying, changing, or sharing your eBook. Providing complete metadata is essential to selling your book, both online and offline. Metadata is split into two categories: bibliographic elements (ISBN, title, number of pages, publication date, author) and enhanced metadata (table of contents, reviews, author biography, and jacket image). These are the data fields that describe a book. From there, you can distribute your work to some or all of these online markets. If you wish to reach all of these markets, you should produce your eBook in one of these two formats and then convert it to the other. EPUB is used by Google, Kobo, Whitcoulls, Apple’s iBook store, and Barnes and Noble’s Nook. It may be in your best interest to either produce your work in Mobi format, or convert it to Amazon’s once you have finished in a different format. Amazon’s products are the only ones that use Mobi, but Kindles account for a large part of the eBook market. The two most important formats of eBooks are Amazon’s Mobi format and EPUB. Since there are so many eBooks available to readers now, they will delete your work if they think they’re wasting time by reading it. Be sure that nothing, from your cover to page design to illustrations, looks cheap. A low-quality production will turn readers off from your work as soon as they open it. The most important thing to keep in mind is quality. Don’t forget your cover design remains a vital part of marketing. Word files are easily formatted, but PDF will be costly. As always, be aware if your contract gives you exclusive or non- exclusive rights and watch for hidden costs such as transaction fees. ![]() Online publishers may either take a percentage of your sales, or if your book is already e-formatted, accept a flat fee after which you receive 100% of sales. Smashwords, Bookbaby and Draft2Digital are distribution services that offer comprehensive publishing guides. Authors can publish through a single online retailer such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or a distribution service which accesses multiple retailers. E-publishing can be a quick and direct way to market your book worldwide, though you will still have to create a quality manuscript. Readers now peruse e-books on a variety of devices, shop globally and purchase instantly.
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