Ebook Publishing Tools and Tips

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The world of eBook publishing has exploded in the last six years. Every major book publisher has a digital arm, publishing their current titles and backlog for e-readers and mobile devices. Self-publishing is also big, with writers becoming famous on works published outside the mainstream press. When a writer starts to think about going in to self-publishing, a few tools and tricks need to be considered.

Find other self-published authors and learn from them

Don’t tread the road alone. Many authors have been down this avenue before. A self-published author should find others who know the business. There are groups scattered around the world that can help provide good advice for the future. Find these groups and listen to those that have gone before.

Don’t discount second party help

Just because a writer is self-published doesn’t mean that an intermediary can’t be used. Many sites offer services such as storefronts to sell the books, editing to help clean up the prose, websites designed with the author’s brand in mind, and other services. Check these websites out and decide what is needed and what isn’t needed. Keep in mind the cost versus the reward that will come in.

Physical books still sell

Self-publishing sprouted wings because of the digital e-reader revolution. This doesn’t mean an author should discount selling physical copies of his books. Think of a physical copy as an upgrade to the digital. Many readers still want to hold an actual book in their hands. They will gladly pay more for the privilege. One of the good ways to do this is to order a limited supply of books. Find an online book service that will print a limited run of the novel. Advertise this on a website or take them around to events and conventions. When these books sell out, have the book service print out another small quantity.

Remember that many online book services won’t make a writer pay a huge amount for thousands of books. Find the right service that will only charge for a limited run of 10 to 30 actual books. This will help keep costs down and create a demand for the product.

Editing is the key

The worst thing that can happen to a self-published author is to have a badly edited piece of work on the market. An author should do as much editing as possible, but shouldn’t trust himself t to do see everything. It is a good idea to have a friend read over the novel before publication. Better yet, hire a service that just deals with editing. With the rise of self-publishing, there are more editing services available than ever before. Make sure these services are trustworthy. Read reviews on them, ask friends. Inquire about the services from those that have gone before. Good editing can help enhance an otherwise stellar story.

Keep track of sales

It is easy to become lost in a sea of numbers. However, it isn’t good to droned in that sea. Keep track of all the sales that the book is doing but make sure that the numbers aren’t overwhelming. Hiring a service to help keep track of these statistics might be the way to go. Many online services combine number and sales tracking with other options.

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This article was contributed by CD Technical who specialize in digital distribution solutions and helping authors and book publishers sell books online.

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