pointers for distributing your book

2
Pointers For Distributing Your Book Ebooks or electronic books are becoming more and more well-liked in comparison with regular paper books every month. In 2010, Amazon sold more ebooks than conventional books for the first time ever. It is likely that this tendency will continue, because ebooks are a lot cheaper than printed books. Not just that but it is easier to download a book in minutes than go to a bookshop. Traditionally, ie since the Internet started, individuals read ebooks on their desktop or laptop computer. In 'those days', most ebooks were promotional items, providing just limited information as a lure to go to the author's website in order to boost sales. In other words, most ebooks were only adverts to hook a potential client. That state of affairs still goes on, but increasingly, ebooks are stand-alone things of value without any promoting or any links back to a website, because they are complete items in themselves - like any regular book you would purchase in a shop. But they are cheaper and more readily accessible. Another very attractive feature of ebooks for authors is that it is easier to be up and running - selling your books. If you have ever tried to get a book published, you will know that it can become - and usually is - a very long, drawn-out process involving long spells of waiting and nail-biting. For instance, it is rumoured that it took the writer the book 'Virgin Soldiers' 21 years to find a publisher, yet it became a successful film as well. The same, to a lesser extent is the case of the Harry Potter books. If books of that calibre had issues, what chance do you think that you have? I have read that approximately one manuscript in ten thousand gets on the book shelves. Would odds like that encourage new writers? No. So how many decent authors are falling by the wayside? Quite a few, so it would appear.

Upload: owen-jones

Post on 21-Mar-2016

213 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

DESCRIPTION

Ebooks or electronic books are becoming more and more well-liked in comparison with regular paper books every month. In 2010, Amazon sold more ebooks than traditional books for the first time ever. It is likely that this trend will continue, because ebooks are far cheaper than printed books. Not just that but it is easier to download a book in moments than go to a book stare.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Pointers For Distributing Your Book

Pointers For Distributing Your Book

Ebooks or electronic books are becoming more and more well-liked in comparison with regular paper books every month. In 2010, Amazon sold more ebooks than conventional books for the first time ever. It is likely that this tendency will continue, because ebooks are a lot cheaper than printed books. Not just that but it is easier to download a book in minutes than go to a bookshop.

Traditionally, ie since the Internet started, individuals read ebooks on their desktop or laptop computer. In 'those days', most ebooks were promotional items, providing just limited information as a lure to go to the author's website in order to boost sales. In other words, most ebooks were only adverts to hook a potential client.

That state of affairs still goes on, but increasingly, ebooks are stand-alone things of value without any promoting or any links back to a website, because they are complete items in themselves - like any regular book you would purchase in a shop. But they are cheaper and more readily accessible.

Another very attractive feature of ebooks for authors is that it is easier to be up and running - selling your books. If you have ever tried to get a book published, you will know that it can become - and usually is - a very long, drawn-out process involving long spells of waiting and nail-biting.

For instance, it is rumoured that it took the writer the book 'Virgin Soldiers' 21 years to find a publisher, yet it became a successful film as well. The same, to a lesser extent is the case of the Harry Potter books.

If books of that calibre had issues, what chance do you think that you have? I have read that approximately one manuscript in ten thousand gets on the book shelves. Would odds like that encourage new writers? No. So how many decent authors are falling by the wayside? Quite a few, so it would appear.

Another plus point for online ebook publishing is the fact that writers on small niche topics, have the opportunity to spread their expertise and earn some money too. The fact is that publishing a book in the conventional manner is so costly that the topic of the book has to be very well-liked or the book will be too expensive to sell.

This is not an issue for ebooks. If you are interested in, say, German teddy bears from 1950-1955, you can publish your book as an ebook whenever you like for the same price as a high interest subject like, say, the Death of Princess Diana - almost at zero cost.

This situation will just improve as more and more companies bring out low-price ebook readers and more and more companies are prepared to host, market and sell your ebook for a commission.

For example, Amazon will handle the sales and distribution of your ebook for 30% of the cost of your book, which you may set yourself. This empowers authors who would never have got their books to market in any other way.

Page 2: Pointers For Distributing Your Book

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a range of subjects, but is now involved with Kindle screen size. If you would like to know more, please go to our web site at Kindle vs Book