Hi, everyone!

deevine miss m · 06-21-2011, 11:27 AM

I'm new to the world of e-books and am glad I found this site. I work for a small book publisher and we are getting ready to start offering e-books to our authors, so here I am, teaching myself how to create them. I'm actually a graphic artist/digital artist so, frequently my left brain goes into hiding.

I'm still learning new things in old version of Word! Anyway... glad to meet you and looking forward to learning!

jbcohen · 06-21-2011, 12:10 PM

Here is a short primer ment for publishers of electronic books. Clearly as a publisher you will need to reach the largest customer base with the shortest expenditure of time and cost as possible. Therefore there are two formats that you need to target: MobiPocket and epub. Let me take this one by one MobiPocket is the proprietary format of Amazon and since the Kindle has the single leargest market share of all of the readers you avoid this format at the peril of your business, you will need this format. Epub is the standard format for all electronic reader besides Amazon. What you will need is Calibre and the web publishing group of your company. Downlaod and install Calibre from the web, its free then you will need to go book-by-book, unfortuantely this is the best technology can do for you at this point, and load the books in Calibre and use the software to translate the book to MobiPocket and epub. Fortunately once you translate one book you can move on to the next title, the web server can sell as many copies of that book as you need no need to translate the book multiple times. Send to your web group two files per book, one for MobiPocket and one for epub, the web group will need to place the books on the corporate web server and configure the software to sell the books. I would also recommend having a Kindle and another reader in the office to look at the finished product before you send it to the web group for publication to ensure that the book looks right, nothing like selling a book that doesn't look quite right.

If you are so inclinded Open Office (also free) can assist, as an intermediate step, in translating your books to forign langueges. Thus your web server can offer any book in any languege. Your customer wants one of your books in Serbo-croation, no problem, want a few of your books in Tagalong, no big deal, your customer wants two or three of your boks in Africans, no troubble at all.

reekez · 06-21-2011, 12:33 PM

hi every body

neilmarr · 06-21-2011, 12:54 PM

Good to have your company, Deevine. Luck with the project. Welcome to you, too, Reezek. Very best wishes. Neil

ImogenRose · 06-22-2011, 03:28 PM

Hello and welcome to MR!

Imogen

deevine miss m · 06-24-2011, 02:04 PM

Thanks, jb. I've downloaded Calibri but haven't used it yet. I'm just now learning to format the books correctly in Word and/or Open Office. I appreciate your advice... in the meaqntime, I'm also trying to get ready for my first art exhibit on July 6, so life is a little crazy sometimes, too!!!

06-21-2011, 11:27 AM	#1
deevine miss m Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Hi, everyone! I'm new to the world of e-books and am glad I found this site. I work for a small book publisher and we are getting ready to start offering e-books to our authors, so here I am, teaching myself how to create them. I'm actually a graphic artist/digital artist so, frequently my left brain goes into hiding. I'm still learning new things in old version of Word! Anyway... glad to meet you and looking forward to learning!

06-21-2011, 12:10 PM	#2
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Here is a short primer ment for publishers of electronic books. Clearly as a publisher you will need to reach the largest customer base with the shortest expenditure of time and cost as possible. Therefore there are two formats that you need to target: MobiPocket and epub. Let me take this one by one MobiPocket is the proprietary format of Amazon and since the Kindle has the single leargest market share of all of the readers you avoid this format at the peril of your business, you will need this format. Epub is the standard format for all electronic reader besides Amazon. What you will need is Calibre and the web publishing group of your company. Downlaod and install Calibre from the web, its free then you will need to go book-by-book, unfortuantely this is the best technology can do for you at this point, and load the books in Calibre and use the software to translate the book to MobiPocket and epub. Fortunately once you translate one book you can move on to the next title, the web server can sell as many copies of that book as you need no need to translate the book multiple times. Send to your web group two files per book, one for MobiPocket and one for epub, the web group will need to place the books on the corporate web server and configure the software to sell the books. I would also recommend having a Kindle and another reader in the office to look at the finished product before you send it to the web group for publication to ensure that the book looks right, nothing like selling a book that doesn't look quite right. If you are so inclinded Open Office (also free) can assist, as an intermediate step, in translating your books to forign langueges. Thus your web server can offer any book in any languege. Your customer wants one of your books in Serbo-croation, no problem, want a few of your books in Tagalong, no big deal, your customer wants two or three of your boks in Africans, no troubble at all.

06-21-2011, 12:33 PM	#3
reekez Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	hi every body

06-21-2011, 12:54 PM	#4
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, Deevine. Luck with the project. Welcome to you, too, Reezek. Very best wishes. Neil

06-22-2011, 03:28 PM	#5
ImogenRose PORTAL Posts: 7,204 Karma: 2884640 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (3G), iPhone	Hello and welcome to MR! Imogen

06-24-2011, 02:04 PM	#6
deevine miss m Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Thanks, jb. I've downloaded Calibri but haven't used it yet. I'm just now learning to format the books correctly in Word and/or Open Office. I appreciate your advice... in the meaqntime, I'm also trying to get ready for my first art exhibit on July 6, so life is a little crazy sometimes, too!!!

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