Internal illustrations: paper only or kindle too?

BeccaPrice · 05-17-2013, 10:32 AM

I have a slim book of 4 fairy tales I'm getting ready to release to Kindle. I'll have some interior illustrations, mostly in order to get my page count up so I can do a print release through Create Space. These will be black and white line drawings, by a different artist than by my cover artist.

Should I put these illustrations in both the kindle and the paper versions? If the stories are to be read as bedtime stories, I don't know how much value they'd have in the kindle version. Plus, layout in the kindle version would be a pain.

VydorScope · 05-17-2013, 10:42 AM

My last book has drawings like that in it and I had the hardest time getting them to look right on all various screen sizes and resolutions of Kindle. So, while I think the answer is YES in both, be ware... its not as easy as it should be!

BeccaPrice · 05-17-2013, 10:50 AM

the kindle book version would have to have the illustrations in-line; I don't think kindle supports text wrap for illustrations.

I was thinking that the reason to put them in the paper version only might be a sales point: now, in paper with illustrations as bonus content!

BeccaPrice · 05-17-2013, 10:55 AM

also - cream paper or white?

VydorScope · 05-17-2013, 10:56 AM

If you want I can send you a smashwords coupon for the kindle book that i have so you can see how I did it. I am not happy with how it came out, but I had to cut it loose so I could move on to the next project.

I do not think you need to push sales to paper. Some will by paper cause it is paper, some will not because its paper. In other words people in general stick with the medium they like best. I think the drawings in a kids book would help sell the kids book. Lack of drawings would hinder sales. IMO.

VydorScope · 05-17-2013, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

also - cream paper or white?

Complete personal preference... but in my mind white is better cause kids books tend to be bright. Go look at some kids books and see what they use, follow that.

avantman42 · 05-17-2013, 10:57 AM

I have photos and diagrams in some of my books. Sometimes they're different photos, because print demands large, high-resolution photos, but I try to have about the same number in both print and ebook. Not including them in one or the other would feel like some people got short-changed.

BeccaPrice · 05-17-2013, 11:19 AM

good arguments all - I'll put the illustrations in both versions.

The title of my book is Dragons and Dreams: Bedtime Stories. Two of the stories are light, but the other two are more serious. I was thinking cream paper because it's a softer look, more suitable for bedtime stories, but I can see the point about using white paper as well. decisions, decisions!

AlexBell · 05-18-2013, 01:03 AM

Full disclosure: I did the ebook design for the ebooks I'm going to discuss.

I strongly recommend that you consider including illustrations in children's ebooks - providing of course that the illustrations are good quality and are age appropriate.

In my opinion the exquisite illustrations in Herm's Secret by Kate O'Hearn turned out well in the both the ePub and mobi versions, and very much added to the attractions of both books. And the ePub versions look even better on an iPad. Both are published by Circaidy Gregory Press.

Send me a private message if you like; I'm sure the publisher, Kay Green, would be happy for me to send you review copies.

cromag · 05-18-2013, 08:55 PM

Even if the stories are intended to be read as bedtime stories, when kids start reading they often start with the bedtime stories that have been read to them. I think the illustrations would be a great addition.

I will admit that I'm partial to illustrations in stories, having been an avid reader of science fiction magazines since the mid sixties, and I still haunt used book stores looking for old issues that I missed. I recently found a 1963 copy of Fantastic Stories with Fritz Leiber's Bazaar of the Bizarre, a Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser story. I loved the B&W interior illustration. I have the same story in an ebook collection from Baen (no illustrations) and I really miss the illustrations.

Still, "No illustrations" would be a better choice than "Bad/Amateurish illustrations," so be careful with choosing the artist.

05-17-2013, 10:32 AM	#1
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	Internal illustrations: paper only or kindle too? I have a slim book of 4 fairy tales I'm getting ready to release to Kindle. I'll have some interior illustrations, mostly in order to get my page count up so I can do a print release through Create Space. These will be black and white line drawings, by a different artist than by my cover artist. Should I put these illustrations in both the kindle and the paper versions? If the stories are to be read as bedtime stories, I don't know how much value they'd have in the kindle version. Plus, layout in the kindle version would be a pain.

05-18-2013, 01:03 AM	#9
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Full disclosure: I did the ebook design for the ebooks I'm going to discuss. I strongly recommend that you consider including illustrations in children's ebooks - providing of course that the illustrations are good quality and are age appropriate. In my opinion the exquisite illustrations in Herm's Secret by Kate O'Hearn turned out well in the both the ePub and mobi versions, and very much added to the attractions of both books. And the ePub versions look even better on an iPad. Both are published by Circaidy Gregory Press. Send me a private message if you like; I'm sure the publisher, Kay Green, would be happy for me to send you review copies. Last edited by AlexBell; 05-23-2013 at 07:30 AM.

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05-17-2013, 10:42 AM	#2
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	My last book has drawings like that in it and I had the hardest time getting them to look right on all various screen sizes and resolutions of Kindle. So, while I think the answer is YES in both, be ware... its not as easy as it should be!

05-17-2013, 10:50 AM	#3
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	the kindle book version would have to have the illustrations in-line; I don't think kindle supports text wrap for illustrations. I was thinking that the reason to put them in the paper version only might be a sales point: now, in paper with illustrations as bonus content!

05-17-2013, 10:55 AM	#4
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	also - cream paper or white?

05-17-2013, 10:56 AM	#5
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	If you want I can send you a smashwords coupon for the kindle book that i have so you can see how I did it. I am not happy with how it came out, but I had to cut it loose so I could move on to the next project. I do not think you need to push sales to paper. Some will by paper cause it is paper, some will not because its paper. In other words people in general stick with the medium they like best. I think the drawings in a kids book would help sell the kids book. Lack of drawings would hinder sales. IMO.

05-17-2013, 10:57 AM	#7
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I have photos and diagrams in some of my books. Sometimes they're different photos, because print demands large, high-resolution photos, but I try to have about the same number in both print and ebook. Not including them in one or the other would feel like some people got short-changed.

05-17-2013, 11:19 AM	#8
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	good arguments all - I'll put the illustrations in both versions. The title of my book is Dragons and Dreams: Bedtime Stories. Two of the stories are light, but the other two are more serious. I was thinking cream paper because it's a softer look, more suitable for bedtime stories, but I can see the point about using white paper as well. decisions, decisions!

05-18-2013, 08:55 PM	#10
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,037 Karma: 459735575 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Even if the stories are intended to be read as bedtime stories, when kids start reading they often start with the bedtime stories that have been read to them. I think the illustrations would be a great addition. I will admit that I'm partial to illustrations in stories, having been an avid reader of science fiction magazines since the mid sixties, and I still haunt used book stores looking for old issues that I missed. I recently found a 1963 copy of Fantastic Stories with Fritz Leiber's Bazaar of the Bizarre, a Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser story. I loved the B&W interior illustration. I have the same story in an ebook collection from Baen (no illustrations) and I really miss the illustrations. Still, "No illustrations" would be a better choice than "Bad/Amateurish illustrations," so be careful with choosing the artist.

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