In the latest issue of Writer’s Digest to hit the newsstands (May/June 2012), you’ll find my feature article on “The Basics of DIY E-Book Publishing.”
Here’s a brief excerpt where I discuss what you need to consider before you e-publish:
Even though e-books are skyrocketing in adoption, ask these questions before you begin:
• Do your readers prefer print or digital?
• If you don’t know what your readers prefer, is it common for authors in your genre to release e-books only? Do e-publishers exist in your genre?
• Is your book highly illustrated? Does it require color? If so, you may want to avoid e-publishing since such works pose significant challenges for an independent author.
• Do you know how to reach your readers online? People who buy e-books will probably find out about your work online.
An author who is primed to succeed at digital publishing has an entrepreneurial spirit and is comfortable being online. Ideally, you should already have an online presence and an established website. You also need to be in it for the long haul; sales usually snowball over time, rather than occurring within the first months of release.
The article discusses:
- How e-publishing services work
- The two key categories of e-publishing services
- The basics of converting and formatting your work, the major formats you need to know, and the tools for converting/formatting
- Considerations for designing an e-book cover
- How to maximize your sales
- What to do about traditionally published work
- Agents who offer e-publishing services
- Resources for remaining up-to-date on the industry
You can get the issue at major newsstands, or by purchasing the PDF online from the Writer’s Digest Shop.
If you’d like to read my past (free) articles on this topic:
- 10 Questions to Ask Before Committing to Any E-Publishing Service
- Groundbreaking Tools for Creating E-Books
- My archive of all posts on e-books
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
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Thanks for this. WD is one of my favourites and I’ve been waiting for the new issue. Also love Lisa See so I see I’m in for a treat.
Denise
[…] the coming and going of multiple e-book formats across digital readers, devices and services is comparable to the “Wild West.” Ogorek says a better analogy is the evolution of film from 8mm reel, to Betamax versus VCRs, to […]
[…] the coming and going of multiple e-book formats across digital readers, devices and services is comparable to the “Wild West.” Ogorek says a better analogy is the evolution of film from 8mm reel, to Betamax versus VCRs, to […]
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