By Mariah Not too long ago, first-time novelists had to send their printed manuscripts to multiple publishers before getting published—if at all. If they play their cards right, today’s novelists can skip the publishing houses and agents and earn money through self-publishing. Ebook fiction, in particular, does extremely well. A number of authors have earned incredible sums … [Read more...] about Guest Post: How to Profit From Ebook Self-Publishing
ebooks
Guest Post: Digital Ways To Increase Your Ebook Sales
By Al Gomez As an ebook author, most of you may think that your job is done after you have created your book. But the truth is—there is more work to do after you have created your piece. If you have any plans of increasing your ebook sales, it is time to think as more than just an author but as a marketer as well. In a digital marketer’s perspective, here are some tips … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Digital Ways To Increase Your Ebook Sales
Tools and Resources for Creating Ebooks
Ebooks are great. You can carry around as many with you as you'd like at one time, and you can easily share what you're reading with friends. Ebooks are also the easiest way for indie authors to sell their work. For authors who are interested in making their own books, here's a list of resources: Ebook Creation Tools "Book Creator now lets you create your own ebooks from … [Read more...] about Tools and Resources for Creating Ebooks
Music and Sound Effects in Books
Audiobooks are gaining popularity, but sounds are making their way into ebooks as well. Back in 2013, Google submitted a patent to trigger sounds in ebooks. According to GoodeReader, "The sounds would be triggered by events within the book, such as lapping waves, an ominous crescendo, or maybe an outdoor market. The new application would have the sounds stored on a … [Read more...] about Music and Sound Effects in Books
Technology Trends in Publishing
It seems like as we progress, all digital technologies are slowly converging, and it's really cool to witness. Joe Wikert wrote on DBW about 2016 trends, which included bots and automation, augmented reality, and vying for attention. Last month, The Bookseller reported on the first deal for a YA trilogy in virtual reality. The Fallow Trilogy by Amy Lankester-Owen is the … [Read more...] about Technology Trends in Publishing
8 Fun Trends in Reading and Publishing
Our culture is changing, and it's exciting and fascinating to watch. In literature, what used to be taboo is now trending. According to Broadly, gay characters are gaining popularity in teen fiction. According to Broadly, it started in 2003 with David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy novel, though in the beginning it was still considered controversial. Now, according to author Simon … [Read more...] about 8 Fun Trends in Reading and Publishing
10 Things I Learned About Online Courses and Publishing from Udemy LIVE 2016
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Udemy LIVE conference, held at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. For those who may not know, I've had a course up on Udemy for three years, teaching DIY authors who to format ebooks and learn enough HTML and CSS to make their ebooks look professional. With so many options for making ebooks these days (like hiring … [Read more...] about 10 Things I Learned About Online Courses and Publishing from Udemy LIVE 2016
A Brief Look at the State of Self-Publishing
Less than a decade ago, self-publishing, or indie publishing, had a stigma. Indie authors in general were seen as authors who couldn't get past the gatekeepers, and they weren't good enough to be traditionally published, so they weren't real authors. Now, the stigma is for the most part gone. However, it's still hard to be an indie author, especially if you dream of being a … [Read more...] about A Brief Look at the State of Self-Publishing
Taking Stock of Industries Related to Book Publishing and How That Relates to the Future
Book publishers can learn a lot from their media counterparts. As the world becomes more connected, the lines between these industries is getting blurred. Keeping on top of trends then can be really helpful, in terms of getting ideas of what can be done and what to expect in the future. Here are a few headlines from other forms of media that can help inform people in book … [Read more...] about Taking Stock of Industries Related to Book Publishing and How That Relates to the Future
Looking for Innovative Stories? Here’s a List of Ebooks, Apps, Websites, Games, and More
Ebooks, or maybe I should say stories, come in all shapes and sizes: EPUB, apps, virtual reality, games, and more. If you want to see some exciting, innovative new forms of storytelling, check out this list (sure devices have some limitations and enhanced ebooks haven't exactly taken off yet, but there are ways to make ebooks great): Ebooks "A Digital Mozart Book That … [Read more...] about Looking for Innovative Stories? Here’s a List of Ebooks, Apps, Websites, Games, and More
Build An Interactive Holiday Ebook with CircularFLO
Happy holidays! To those who celebrate Christmas, CircularFLO, which allows you to build interactive ebooks without coding, is giving away personalized, free interactive ebooks. You can get your copy at https://www.circularflo.com/download/xmas. Inside you'll find a drag and drop jigsaw puzzle, a hangman game, a matching game, and more. Plus CircularFLO is holding a contest … [Read more...] about Build An Interactive Holiday Ebook with CircularFLO
Ebook Creation: Fixed Format vs. Reflowable Ebooks
I've been working on the second book in my How to Create Ebooks series, which will be focused on making fixed format ebooks. Fixed format ebooks work particularly well for children's picture books, though there are number of other useful ways to use the format. I came across a video on Lynda.com (full disclosure, I am an affiliate) recently that does a great job showing the … [Read more...] about Ebook Creation: Fixed Format vs. Reflowable Ebooks
What Games and Books Have in Common
Games and books have a lot in common. They can be tools for learning, as well as avenues for entertainment (See the game/app Zombies, Run! for an example of a game that also motivates people to stay active). They can be physical and digital. And sometimes the lines between them can even be blurred. Because of all these similarities, there are a lot of book and game issues … [Read more...] about What Games and Books Have in Common
Reading Ebooks on Your Smartphone
Smartphones have exploded in popularity in the last few years, and because so many people own smartphones, publishers are now thinking about how to best deliver digital content to the small screen. As a side anecdote, four years ago (2011) I was sitting in a marketing class at NYU, and the lecturer was telling us about how she read all five A Song of Ice and Fire books (you … [Read more...] about Reading Ebooks on Your Smartphone
What Rights Do Ebook Owners Have?
Over the last few years, there has been a lot of discussion around the ownership of ebooks. The LA Times reported in 2012 about how ebook owners had few rights when it came to their ebooks. Instead of owning ebooks they purchased, they were merely licensing them: Unlike the owners of a physical tome, they won't have the unlimited right to lend an e-book, give it away, … [Read more...] about What Rights Do Ebook Owners Have?