eBookIt experiences?

gmw · 11-09-2012, 06:59 AM

Still on my extended journey looking for the ideal solution for distributing my first ebook, and I've come across a service called eBookIt. Similar to BookBaby in that they they offer a paid-service for conversion (and fees for updates etc.), but different in that they take "just 15% of the net payments".

The 15% seems a pretty stiff to me, though I guess it depends on how you look at it. BookBaby charge a $19/yr fee to keep listing your book. So if your book makes profits over approx. $127 a year then BookBaby comes out in front, if you make less than that then eBookIt comes out in front. (So which one you choose might depend on your level of optimism

.)

The print-on-demand service offered by eBookIt looks neater/friendlier than BookBaby's print services, though it would depend on what you're looking for.

Anyone here had an experience with eBookIt? They're a much newer company than BookBaby - which is not necessarily a bad thing in this business, I guess, though it means there is less out there to read about it.

I have an email (online form) in to eBookIt about their position with regard to foreign authors needing an ITIN and tax withholding. It will be interesting to see if they manage to respond any faster than BookBaby.

gmw · 11-09-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

[...]I have an email (online form) in to eBookIt about their position with regard to foreign authors needing an ITIN and tax withholding. It will be interesting to see if they manage to respond any faster than BookBaby.

Response came back in 3.5 hours ... which is rather more impressive than BookBaby's 5 days. Note that eBookIt do, unlike BookBaby, withhold tax unless you provide an ITIN etc.

I'm wondering if the real distinction, regarding ITIN, here may be whether the company has its own book sales site. BookBaby does not sell books, they provide publication and distribution services (I rather approve of this specialisation). Everyone else that I've looked at can't help themselves, they have to try selling off their website.

frahse · 11-13-2012, 04:53 AM

This is my standard advice for first works, except that rare case where one has spent years researching and writing some definitive volume about a highfaluting or scholarly subject.

You want to get your feet wet. Go with the mechanism that gets that done quickly but in a "most excellent" and impressive fashion. You want to be able to point to your work with pride at the way it looks and reads. Don't worry about the money. Sure over a few thousand dollars profit, you want your share.
Also don't sign your self over as an indentured servant for 20 years or until the end of your natural life.

gmw · 11-13-2012, 06:01 AM

Considering that the first draft was finished two years ago, getting it done "quickly" has obviously not been a major factor in my considerations

- though the decision to self-publish is more recent. So many details, things you don't really think about, even if you've heard/read about them before, until you come to do it for yourself. (eg: One I hadn't thought about until very recently was Legal Deposit with national and state library.)

So, yes, I do agree with you, frahse, you have to get your feet wet. The only way to learn what's involved is to go through it - but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to hurry. I've just been chipping away at it slowly (still got to earn a living, and still want to spend time writing new stuff) ... but getting close now, I think/hope.

The "indentured servant" thing was the really the biggest reason why I gave up on the idea of traditional publishing - that and the input from the good folks here on MobileRead that made self-publishing feel like something I really could do.

11-09-2012, 06:59 AM	#1
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	eBookIt experiences? Still on my extended journey looking for the ideal solution for distributing my first ebook, and I've come across a service called eBookIt. Similar to BookBaby in that they they offer a paid-service for conversion (and fees for updates etc.), but different in that they take "just 15% of the net payments". The 15% seems a pretty stiff to me, though I guess it depends on how you look at it. BookBaby charge a $19/yr fee to keep listing your book. So if your book makes profits over approx. $127 a year then BookBaby comes out in front, if you make less than that then eBookIt comes out in front. (So which one you choose might depend on your level of optimism .) The print-on-demand service offered by eBookIt looks neater/friendlier than BookBaby's print services, though it would depend on what you're looking for. Anyone here had an experience with eBookIt? They're a much newer company than BookBaby - which is not necessarily a bad thing in this business, I guess, though it means there is less out there to read about it. I have an email (online form) in to eBookIt about their position with regard to foreign authors needing an ITIN and tax withholding. It will be interesting to see if they manage to respond any faster than BookBaby.

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11-13-2012, 04:53 AM	#3
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	This is my standard advice for first works, except that rare case where one has spent years researching and writing some definitive volume about a highfaluting or scholarly subject. You want to get your feet wet. Go with the mechanism that gets that done quickly but in a "most excellent" and impressive fashion. You want to be able to point to your work with pride at the way it looks and reads. Don't worry about the money. Sure over a few thousand dollars profit, you want your share. Also don't sign your self over as an indentured servant for 20 years or until the end of your natural life.

11-13-2012, 06:01 AM	#4
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	Considering that the first draft was finished two years ago, getting it done "quickly" has obviously not been a major factor in my considerations - though the decision to self-publish is more recent. So many details, things you don't really think about, even if you've heard/read about them before, until you come to do it for yourself. (eg: One I hadn't thought about until very recently was Legal Deposit with national and state library.) So, yes, I do agree with you, frahse, you have to get your feet wet. The only way to learn what's involved is to go through it - but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to hurry. I've just been chipping away at it slowly (still got to earn a living, and still want to spend time writing new stuff) ... but getting close now, I think/hope. The "indentured servant" thing was the really the biggest reason why I gave up on the idea of traditional publishing - that and the input from the good folks here on MobileRead that made self-publishing feel like something I really could do.

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