In recent years, the number of ebooks published online has soared as people have learned more about how useful they can be, particularly when compared to traditional publishing methods. Unlike traditional books, ebooks are very cheap to publish, can be published quickly, and are available instantly to buyers without incurring expensive shipping and handling charges.
But if you are interested in producing your own ebook, there are certain decisions you need to make prior to publishing your book, in order to make sure your ebook is successful in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Here are five different issues you need to decide before you publish your ebook:
- To start, you will need to decide what kind of format you want to publish your book in. There are two basic formats quite popular with ebook publishers today – PDF and HTML executable files. PDF is probably the preferred format, and it is very easy to create a PDF file. For example, if you have Open Office you can just export your document to PDF format. Adobe Acrobat is the industry standard for creating PDF’s and it may be worth investing in, as it comes with additional security features not available in many free PDF makers – such as the ability to disable copy and paste functions, making the intellectual theft of your ebook a bit more difficult.
However, for those who want more control over the circulation and distribution of their ebooks, publishing the book as an HTML executable (.EXE) file may be preferred. To do this, you will need to invest in a ebook publishing software program called an “ebook compiler.”
These programs often have advanced security features, such as the ability to disable or “lock” a book after it has been purchased, if it is found it is being distributed illegally. Some also allow you to register the book to a single user or computer, to also prevent the unauthorized transfer of the ebook. HTML based ebooks can also be more dynamic than a PDF ebook, allowing you to integrate advanced imaging features into the document. Your user will also not need any special software on their computer to read the ebook.
- After deciding on the format for your ebook, your next step will be to decide how you want to distribute the book. Will you be selling it on your own website, or will you be working with an online marketplace (like ClickBank) to market your book? If you decide to sell it on your own website, you will need to look into credit card payment systems for your website.
- After you have taken the basic steps to determine how you will publish and make your ebook available to the public, you are ready to sit down and do the hard part: actually write the ebook – or hire someone else to do this for you. One thing to remember: your time is one of your most valuable resources, and if you find writing to be a challenge, you should consider outsourcing the writer to a qualified professional or a team of professional. You can learn more about how to properly outsource your ebook quickly and successfully in The 7 Book Ebook guide.
Once you have settled on your decisions for these three basics of ebook publishing, you are ready to move forward! For even more tips on how to successfully publish an ebook, you can also read “How to Write Ebooks.”
