An eBook is a digital version of a traditional paper-based book. Instead of selling an actual book, you sell an electronic file that someone can open and read on their computer, cell phone or other electronic device. The beauty of this format is that there are no production costs—no paper, no ink, no glue, etc.—so you can sell it for less than an actual book and still make more money.
There are many devices designed specifically for reading eBooks, including the Amazon Kindle, the Nook from Barnes & Noble, the Sony Reader and even a new device called the "Skiff." Most of these devices have their own file format they prefer, but all the devices I've seen will display a PDF file either natively or with the help of third-party software. At Tate Publishing, we've adopted the PDF as our format of choice for the release of our eBooks, which are available at our bookstore. We also submit many of our titles directly to Amazon to be released in the native Kindle format from the Amazon website.
Over the next few weeks, I want to touch on a few topics including why I feel every author should release their book as a PDF eBook, my opinion on whether or not the traditional paper-based book will ever go away, how to address concerns of piracy and how the rumored tablet computer from Apple could change the industry. But the main thing I'll say is this: people will always want content. People still want to be entertained by novels or receive self-help information. People will always want your content, but as an author, when publishing your book, be aware that the method of delivering that content can change. That's why at Tate Publishing we strive to release books in as many formats as possible (more information about that is available at our website).
3 comments:
If you're the same people I emailed your yahoo group to see if you were still active but never received a response.
Rick
KirkhamsEbooks.com
Regarding piracy:
Although I don't own an e-book reader, nor am I much of a paper-based reader, I am impressed with Cory Doctorow's insights, himself an author. From "Science Fiction is the Only Literature People Care Enough to Steal on the Internet", Locus Magazine, July 2006:
"I’ve discovered what many authors have also discovered: releasing electronic texts of books drives sales of the print editions. An SF writer’s biggest problem is obscurity, not piracy. Of all the people who chose not to spend their discretionary time and cash on our works today, the great bulk of them did so because they didn’t know they existed, not because someone handed them a free e-book version."
I look forward to your future posts regarding the release of books in electronic formats.
I'm happy with the whole e-book thing myself. Several months ago, I purchased Amazon's Kindle DX and I love it - especially when traveling. Much as I love it, however, there is just something about the touch of a real book, turning those pages, really getting into it, absorbing it, smelling the ink and the paper, etc., etc., that in my humble opinion will never be outgrown - at least - not by me! Yet, the more ways we can enjoy reading - bring it on!
Mary
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