e-Books : Readers, Writers, and Publishers Rejoice!
Jul 02 '01
The Bottom Line is that e-books offers many alternatives for readers, writers, and publishers alike.
e-Books, are books produced in various computer formats including html, .doc, and .pdf that are available for download right to your own computer system or handheld device. There are even handheld devices specifically designed just to read e-books.
e-books or electronic books are no different from printed books in that they have covers, indexes, title pages, assigned ISBN or ESBN numbers, and basically everything in between except for actual paper pages. Unlike the more traditional printed books, e-books offer few limitations as far as numbers of words and images per page. They also offer certain conveniences that print books often do not. For example, with an e-book you instantly download an entire manuscript to your device that you might need for a spur-of-the-moment meeting. You are probably asking how that is so much more convenient then tucking the print version inside your briefcase - with electronic books and manuscripts, you can easily perform instant searches for specific sections of the book. This certainly beats thumbing through print pages and running your finger down the page, in hopes of landing on the section you want.
Not only are e-books an excellent alternative to print media, they also are more environmentally friendly. Just consider for a moment how many trees are spared because more and more authors are converting to digital media, the numbers would be staggering over time. Take for example lesser known authors that get a few hundred dollars together and print their first novel. They have high hopes and run thousands of copies but find they only sold one-third of what they actually printed so not only is it a financial waste for the writer but also a tremendous waste of the earth's resources.
Financially speaking, e-books are a blessing to both writers and readers alike. For the writers, this is a very affordable and expanding marketplace. Most e-book publishing companies charge you no upfront fees and cover the cost of producing the book. The only thing required of you is to submit original and well written pieces of work and they do the rest. On average, most publishers offer thirty to fifty percent of the royalties from the sale of your book, which is a far cry better than most authors receive from printed versions.
Because this is a relatively new market, there are companies emerging almost daily offering services to writers and sales to readers. Most publishing sites will offer sample text from e-book selections before you purchase them. The prices for e-books will range anywhere from $3.00 to $10.00 for most genres and higher rates for technical manuals. Many will also offer the buyer the option of receiving the e-book on CDRom or diskette for an additional fee. Shopping at an online e-book store is much like shopping for traditional books because you have the cover art and various categories to select from. The difference being that with e-books you receive your purchase instantly via download as opposed to waiting sometimes weeks for the printed version to arrive.
Of course, along with that is also the advantage of zero shipping and handling fees like most online retailers will charge. For example, to receive an order of four standard print books from an online retailer will average around $14.00 in shipping fees unless of course they are offering a discount.
For writers and publishers, e-books provide a cost effective method of producing a book that might normally just sit and gather dust while waiting for a traditional publisher to accept it. With e-books, you can publish the work yourself using software such as the Activ-e compiler. With this program, producing a book is relatively simple with just basic skills. The program accepts all file formats including HTML, JPG, GIF, and much more. Once you compile the book, it is then available able to be distributed via CDRom, downloads, diskette, e-mail, and just about any other method available. There are far too many features with this software to detail each one so for additional information, visit www.ebookcompiler.com and see for yourself. There are certainly other softwares available but none compare to this one.
If you want to publish an e-book but lack the skills necessary to put together an appealing presentation then leave that to the publishing companies. Most e-book publishers have been slammed with submissions so they are limiting the types of genres they accept but don't let this stop you. Shop around until you find a publisher that will bring your words to life and handle everything from putting the work together to processing payments for you. If you want a snazzy cover or have several illustrations to include, then a publisher is certainly the way to go.
If you think that e-books are a fad that will soon pass then think again. Many of the large retailers and software companies are getting in on the action too. For example, two of the major online bookstores are offering e-book sales and Microsoft has just recently joined the game. Even some of the most popular authors like Stephen King have produced work in e-book format.
While e-books are not meant to replace print books, they certainly offer an impressive alternative. With e-Books, the reader is able to expand their reading pleasure with live video, audio, charts, animations, embedded hyperlinks, and much more to turn simple text into impressive presentations. Whether you enjoy reading westerns, romance, or the latest in marketing ideas, then e-books are the way to go.
So what are you waiting for? Download an e-book today and see what you are missing out on.
List of Resources
For those interested in publishing an e-book, visit Diverse Press at www.diversepress.com They currently offer 45% royalties on each sale and are accepting a long list of genres.
If you would like to produce your own e-book then visit http://www.ebookcompiler.com for additional information on their software.
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