How to Publish an eBook?
It’s not just money that has gone digital in the last five years. Books, too, have been adapted for reading on screen. Today’s world has taken a digital turn, and ebooks have proudly carved out a niche in the world of reading. It is yet to be seen whether the popularity of print books will remain unbeaten, but their digital versions are rearing their head. This is because digital books are easy to carry, cheaper to buy and easy to store. The world has moved on, and naturally, the publishing industry has to adapt, and the readers are not complaining. A feather-light Kindle can carry hundreds of books simultaneously, which cannot be compared to physical copies. So, it is not surprising that many aspiring authors are turning digital and striving to publish their manuscripts as ebooks. And asking, “how to publish an ebook?”A short guide to eBook publishing (with the look and feel of a professional ebook)
New technology often brings with it new questions and some anxiety, which leaves the author thinking if a certain step is even worth it. Ebook publishing is one of the fastest and easiest ways to achieve this. This article will take you through the working of digital publishing in India, some pointers to keep in mind and what to expect from the same. Ebooks and digital publishers like Kindle Direct Publishing allow authors to distribute their work at no cost. Other platforms like Kobo, Nook and Zorba Books also provide affordable options with editing and formatting services.Why publish an eBook in India?
The consumption of ebooks in India has increased drastically. By 2027, the number of total ebook readers in India is predicted to increase to 133 million. A figure that was thought to be impossible! Here are some reasons for the ebook’s popularity among readers and authors. • Easy portability • Steady demand from readers worldwide • Low overheads and low entry costs • No reprint cost • Potentially a high margin of returnWhat are the details that I must focus on, to publish an eBook?
Ebooks and digital publishers: Formatting
Different ebook publishing platforms require different versions of your ebook format ( see the example below). Each ebook publishing platform has specifications that one must adhere to to make the ebook acceptable. Read their guidelines before starting. This will enable you to publish your ebook successfully. Some ebook platforms will offer to convert your PDF to a suitable ebook for a fee. The two most popular formats for ebooks are. • .mobi for Amazon • .ePub for other stores Increasingly the ePub format is becoming popular. The biggest challenge in making an ebook is to achieve flawless formatting that looks and feels professional. With the changes in file format, the alignment and punctuation may suffer. Hence, the file must be checked and rechecked in every format separately. A big hurdle when publishing ebooks is to format graphics like images and data graphs in the document. You don’t want your graphs to realign and the numbers to scatter with every text size and font change made by the user. Furthermore, Like physical books, ebooks, too, demand consistency in their design. Best ebooks are focused on the ease of reading for a person. Ebooks and digital publishers constantly strive to make the experience more seamless and comfortable. The best thing to do is seek professional formatting help from established houses. Ebook publishing: pay special attention to images If your book will have illustrations, photographs or complex tables and charts, then special care should be taken when ebook conversion takes place so as not to disturb the tables/charts.Ebook publishing: file size
The larger the file size, the greater will be the ebook price. To earn a good amount of royalty, you should choose to keep a smaller file size, as larger sizes require more space on the reader’s device, deterring the reader from buying your book.Ebook publishing: distribution
Just getting an ebook made out of your manuscript and publishing it on an ebook platform is not enough. You must ensure that it is available across the digital world on Amazon and other platforms and through aggregators like Smashwords. Seek professional help to reap the best results.Ebook publishing: devising a good marketing strategy:
To ensure that your ebook sells, spreading the news about your book is essential. A good pre-launch plan is necessary for your ebook to become known to the reading public. Social media promotions make your book well-known even before it comes out in the market. Use catchphrases and launch videos and other marketing tips to promote your book.https://www.zorbabooks.com/copyright-for-books/How do I distribute my work worldwide?
Only uploading your files to e-platforms will not draw an audience. For your eBook to sell, ensure that the ebook is uploaded professionally with the right keywords, subtitles, description and author information.It is also always better to seek a unique ISBN for your work for easier distribution. Registering copyright for your work is a lengthy process and can be avoided.
Be very careful about copyright infringement. Digital Rights Management or DRM, is a form of protection which prevents readers from copying, pasting or sharing content from work without the publisher’s consent. Piracy is another concern for popular authors. Some very famous authors have often used piracy as a marketing strategy to gain attention for their books.Ebooks are taking over the world, and moving with the trends is never bad. While, switching to an alternative so foreign from a traditional route may seem intimidating initially, the process becomes easier as you get familiar with it. Digital publishing isn’t just cheap and effective but strives to give authors a choice.
Important questions about eBook publishing, eBook publishing companies
Free eBook publishing companies
To enable you to publish free ebooks, look at free ebook creation software and ebook distribution companies. The free ebook distribution company will not charge you any upfront fees to distribute your book but will charge you for the sale of each book. The distribution charge varies between 30% to 70% of the MRP as distribution cost.
Top 3 eBook creation software that offer a free plan
·Canva
·Visme
·Marq
Top free eBook distribution platforms are
·Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing(KDP)
·Apple iBooks Store
·Smashwords
·Barnes & Noble Press
·KITABOO
What is ebook publishing?
While most of us are familiar with print book publishing, ebook publishing is simply the same print book in an electronic format. In ebook publishing, the writer creates a book in electronic format. This book is published on different ebook platforms.
Do you need a copyright for eBook publishing?
Once you have published the original content online or in a book form, you automatically are assumed by law to have a right over that content. There is no need to register the copyright.
How to get copyright registration for eBook publishing in Hindi?
Registration for ebook publishing is a simple and complex process in India. It is simple to register but a complex and a lengthy process to finally receive the copyright for your ebook.
How to learn ebook publishing?
If you read, watch videos and execute the ebook publishing process, you will eventually learn how to master ebook publishing too.
What are top 5 ebook publishing platforms?
There is free ebook creation software and there are free ebook distribution companies. The free ebook distribution company will not charge you any upfront fees to distribute your book but will charge you for the sale of each book. The distribution charge varies between 30% to 70% of the MRP as distribution cost.
3 Top eBook creation software that offers a free plan:
·Canva
·Visme
·Marq
The top free eBook distribution platforms are
·Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
·Apple iBooks Store
·Smashwords
·Barnes & Noble Press
·KITABOO
How to publish a book online?
The first step would be to convert your manuscript to an ebook, then you need to find the platforms to distribute your book on. Some may mandate an ebook ISBN, some will not. Follow their process of uploading your book. Wait for it to become live; voila, you have published a book online.
How can I publish my book for free?
You can head to Poet and author Spotlight on Zorba Books to publish my book for free. Register with them, then log in. If you require any guidance, locate their publishing guide videos on their dashboard and follow them to publish my book for free.
How to distribute an ebook?
Once your ebook is ready, the next step is to distribute an ebook. The top free ebook distribution platforms are
·Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
·Apple iBooks Store
·Smashwords
·Barnes & Noble Press
·KITABOO
Each distribution platform will require you to feed in the book title, author name, synopsis and keywords. Keep this information ready, along with the cover page. Each ebook distribution platform has slightly different rules for uploading your book; follow them.