ePub - Where do you buy your e-books?

[DreamWriter]

My husband's book is already available as a DRM-free Kindle e-book and paperback at Amazon, but I would like to make the book available as DRM-free ePub too. But where to sell it?

I am familiar with Smashwords. That wouldn't be my first choice, since they only accept MS Word files for conversion. I'd prefer to create the ePub from HTML myself, but Smashwords is an option.

Where do you purchase your ePub books? Is there anywhere that sells DRM-free ePubs that work on all devices?

Thanks!

[DiapDealer]

Is there anywhere that sells DRM-free ePubs that work on all devices?

The short answer is; "no."
DRM-free ePubs will work on all devices that support ePub. But won't work on the ones that don't.

[Ron.]

Kobo is my preferred store for epub, but I will buy from Barnes & Noble if need be. both have DRM free options.

[Hellmark]

I personally prefer Kobo. They may be your best bet, since they have DRM free options, and don't try to lock you into their device like Amazon, or B&N (although they do have their own reader, but that came out way after they started selling ebooks). With B&N, typically only people who look there are nook owners. Sony store, same thing, but with Sony readers (and even many Sony Reader owners don't buy there). You know the deal with Amazon. There are other retailers too, like Books on Board, etc, but most are smaller than the aforementioned.

Apple iBooks is a pain to submit to. You have to own an Intel Mac with at least OSX 10.6 installed, in order to run the program to submit the book, and you also have to have an ISBN for the book too from what I've heard. On top of it, only iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad users can buy from iBooks, and no DRM free options. If you have that Intel Mac that you used to submit your book, but don't have an iOS device, then you can't even get your own book.

[VicLavigne]

If you submit your book to Smashwords and they put it on their premium catalog, they will send it out to other distributers such as Kobo, Barnes and Nobles, and Apple. See their distribution policy: http://www.smashwords.com/distribution They also have an arrangement with Amazon to distribute there, although this agreement is not fully in place.

Hope this helps.

Vic

[DreamWriter]

I've looked into PubIt at Barnes & Noble, but I haven't checked out Kobo yet. I'll do that.

I've been told that Barnes & Noble doesn't indicate when files are DRM-free. The author has to specify that in the description. Is Kobo the same way, or is it clearly indicated when an ePub is DRM-free? Also, do they sell worldwide?

It was so much easier to offer a Kindle version, since most Kindle users buy their e-books at Amazon. With so many different devices that use ePub, finding one place where most feel comfortable buying has been more challenging. I really appreciate your input.

[VicLavigne]

Originally Posted by DreamWriter

I've looked into PubIt at Barnes & Noble, but I haven't checked out Kobo yet. I'll do that.

I've been told that Barnes & Noble doesn't indicate when files are DRM-free. The author has to specify that in the description. Is Kobo the same way, or is it clearly indicated when an ePub is DRM-free? Also, do they sell worldwide?

It was so much easier to offer a Kindle version, since most Kindle users buy their e-books at Amazon. With so many different devices that use ePub, finding one place where most feel comfortable buying has been more challenging. I really appreciate your input.

I believe that Smashword editions are all DRM free. If they forward to the big retailers, it should remain DRM free.

Vic

[DreamWriter]

Originally Posted by VicLavigne

If you submit your book to Smashwords and they put it on their premium catalog, they will send it out to other distributers such as Kobo, Barnes and Nobles, and Apple. See their distribution policy: http://www.smashwords.com/distribution They also have an arrangement with Amazon to distribute there, although this agreement is not fully in place.

Hope this helps.

Vic

Thanks, Vic. I have looked into Smashwords. I may use them to distribute to Apple, but I am hoping to submit the ePub directly to Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and/or elsewhere.

[nose-in-a-book]

part of the reason i purchased kobo ereader was their approach, which got me started with their app on blackberry rather than using the competition. of course, i didn't realize it was kobo's approach, i thought it was Borders, but anyway http://www.kobobooks.com/about_us: "We believe consumers should be able to read any book, anytime, anywhere, and on the device of their choice.....We believe the opportunity for "eReading" is global, and we are focused on rapidly expanding our global footprint. Kobo already has readers in 200 countries and counting.... Bottom line: Whether you’re on an iPhone or BlackBerry smartphone, Mac or PC, Sony Reader or a device we don’t even know about yet, Kobo is geared toward helping book lovers enjoy eReading anytime, anyplace, on any device." noticed this link for authors: http://www.kobobooks.com/companyinfo...ublishers.html hope this helps.

[DreamWriter]

Originally Posted by nose-in-a-book

....noticed this link for authors: http://www.kobobooks.com/companyinfo...ublishers.html

Thanks for the link. There's not much info there, but at least I know how to contact them for more details.

[Phogg]

I buy at Baen, Feedbooks, and Fictionwise more than the bigger stores.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by VicLavigne

If you submit your book to Smashwords and they put it on their premium catalog, they will send it out to other distributers such as Kobo, Barnes and Nobles, and Apple. See their distribution policy: http://www.smashwords.com/distribution They also have an arrangement with Amazon to distribute there, although this agreement is not fully in place.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by VicLavigne

I believe that Smashword editions are all DRM free. If they forward to the big retailers, it should remain DRM free.

Part of the problem the OP mentioned is they want to be able to craft their own epub. With Smashwords, you can ONLY submit a word document, and they'll convert that to various ebook formats. You cannot submit your own ebook file, be it epub, mobi, and so on. And no, a word doc is not an ebook format.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Part of the problem the OP mentioned is they want to be able to craft their own epub. With Smashwords, you can ONLY submit a word document, and they'll convert that to various ebook formats. You cannot submit your own ebook file, be it epub, mobi, and so on. And no, a word doc is not an ebook format.

What, really? You can't submit an ePub to Smashwords?? That's... a problem for me. Word-to-Epub conversion isn't clean -- I've been tweaking my book in Sigil religiously. I don't want Smashwords' Word conversion to trod all over that.

[DreamWriter]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

What, really? You can't submit an ePub to Smashwords?? That's... a problem for me. Word-to-Epub conversion isn't clean -- I've been tweaking my book in Sigil religiously. I don't want Smashwords' Word conversion to trod all over that.

Nope, they only accept MS Word files at Smashwords. They use that to convert the file to the various e-book formats. Like you, I would much prefer to tweak the HTML and produce an ePub exactly the way I want it to look. Some Smashwords books look okay, but I've seen others with messed up formatting, missing covers, etc.

If you're planning to submit to Smashwords, you'll want to read their free Smashwords Style Guide. It explains how the MS Word document has to be formatted.

I think I'm probably going to submit the ePub to Barnes & Noble's PubIt directly, and then submit MS Word to Smashwords for ePub distribution to Apple, Sony, Kobo, etc. It's going to be a lot of work preparing the files, though. I'm probably going to have to "nuke" the MS Word file and reformat everything. It's pretty frustrating. I have a good HTML file that would need only minor tweaking for ePub since I used that to produce the .prc I submitted to Amazon for the Kindle version. They don't make it easy!

[anamardoll]

That's a terrible system. Smashwords shouldn't be assuming that the authors can't do good epubs.