Poor Richard's Creating E-Books (Paperback)

~ (Author), Jeff Cogswell (Author), Matt Wagner (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...as inevitable as page two's following page one. Books are goners as far as being the dominant form of reading." -- Steven Levy, Newsweek

An extremely detailed look at how an author can create e-books using the vast amount on online resources available. -- Eva Almeida, eBooks N' Bytes Informer

E-Publishing is the next big thing and something no author or publisher shold ignore. Read this book so you don't get left behind. -- John Kremmer, Author, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books

I've been in the e-book business since the beginning, and I'd highly recommend this book. -- Maggie Cannon, VP Content, MightyWords

Tells you everything you need to know in a friendly, easy-to-read style. If you're in the e-book business, you need this book! -- Mary Westheimer, CEO, BookZone.com

There are only two types of publishers: Those in danger of missing the electronic boat and those who do not even know there is a boat to catch. -- Dan Poynter, Author, The Self-Publishing Manual

Product Description

The e-book revolution is beginning—and with the information in this book, you’ll be one step ahead of the rest. Electronic publishing is an exploding field with plenty of opportunities for authors, self-publishers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals.

But how do you get started? And once you have your content in e-book format, how do you promote it and sell it? With this book, you’ll learn every phase of the e-book writing and publishing process—from creating manuscripts and e-book files to marketing and distributing online.

You’ll get the essential information that you need to know, including: *What makes a good e-book. You’ll find out what sells, what doesn’t, and why. *How to choose e-book formats. We’re a long way from a single e-book format that every e-book reader device and program can read. You’ll become familiar with the different formats that are available and the pros and cons of each. *How to create e-book documents. Once you’ve selected a format, you’ll need to know about the tools available for conversion and how to make your book looks as it should. *Where to find services for start-up e-publishers. Many people make a business of helping other people start and run their e-publishing businesses. You’ll discover how to reach and benefit from them. *Where to distribute your e-books and how to market them. *What to look for in e-book publishing contracts and what you need to know about digital rights and copy protection.

E-publishing offers many advantages over traditional publishing, including: *The freedom to do your own thing your own way. *The ability to start small and grow. You don’t have to start with dozens of books to be a successful e-publisher or e-author. *Easy entry. All you need is the desire, the information in this book, and perhaps a Web site. *No printing bills, no shipping, no storage—a publisher’s dream! *Easy access to online booksellers and distributors. You don’t have to go through a master distributor to enter the market. *Better author royalties, friendlier contracts. The economic benefits that publishers enjoy with e-book publishing are often passed along to the authors. *More control over how your work is published. With e-books you can participate in the editing, layout, and cover design of your book. *The ability to work from just about anywhere. You can sell your e-books from any location, including a secluded beach without a post office in sight (as long as you have an Internet connection, of course!).

With all these advantages, why wouldn’t you get involved in the e-publishing revolution? Maybe you think the technology behind e-books is too intimidating? Well, it doesn’t have to be. This book explains in geek-free, easy-to-follow language the e-book software and hardware devices—which ones offer what features, their pros and cons, who the major players are, and the file format particulars.

You’ll discover that the Internet, e-book technology, and the information in this book make it possible for anyone (even the most technophobic) to self-publish remarkably cheaply and have a chance to reach just as many people as Stephen King’s first e-book.

You will also be motivated and inspired by success stories from some of the leaders in the business. And the Appendices, with sample contracts, a list of e-publishers, and loads of e-publishing resource, are particularly helpful.

The coming years will see a dramatic change in the publishing industry. Will you be leading the pack or trying to catch up?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Top Floor Publishing; 1st edition (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930082029
• ISBN-13: 978-1930082021
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,154,939 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Overwhelming, May 27, 2001

By A Customer

If you're looking for a book to guide you through the thicket of self-publishing in ebook and print on demand formats, this book isn't it. It's full of facts but not very much nitty gritty know-how from those who have gone through the process, learned from their mistakes and now are sharing their wisdom with others.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed for eBook Reviews Weekly, November 23, 2002

By	eBook Reviews Weekly "Publisher" (Kitimat, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

Overall, Poor Richard's Creating E-Books is an extremely detailed look at how an author can create e-books using the vast amount of online resources available. Van Buren and Cogswell begin with an excellent explanation of what an e-book actually is, followed by an overview of the different e-book file formats, software, and hardware.

The step-by-step guide on converting manuscripts into e-books for the various reading devices contains valuable tips for self-publishers. The authors stress the importance of publishing a quality product and advise on how to maintain digital rights and register for ISBNs. In addition to crucial tips on how to effectively market your finished e-book, Creating E-Books wraps up by showcasing success stories and examining future trends in the industry. I definitely recommend this book -- I believe it would be a powerful addition to any e-publisher's resource library.