Little firm with baby ebookers seeks brilliance

adieu · 08-20-2014, 08:10 PM

Hope I can get some help from the grizzled veterans here.

Our little company currently has three cruising guides for saltwater boaters in BC and Washington state. The PDF guides, which are updated annually, are offered for free download here. We use Abode CS5.5 software, including InDesign, with plans to upgrade to CC this fall.

We are working hard to research and expand our coverage of the Salish Sea, which these waters are now called. I write this on a gloomy day in Puget Sound from a boat anchored off Port Ludlow.

I know a lot about sailing; very little about creating ebooks.

But in the next year, we will release a single ebook, incorporating all our guides and new research. It will cover twice the sea area, anchorages and ports that our existing guides now include. We expect it will be about 350-400 pages, with no advertising or friends' artwork ;-).

Our plan is to create a fixed-layout epub, allowing us to gain distribution through various online services like ibookstore, Google Play, Kindle (with conversion) and others, charging a small fee.

Most people (we have had over 13,000 downloads this year) seem to use us on laptops, many on tablets and some on phones. But at home, before they set out, our users often plan their cruise on a desktop.

We don't have the resources to create guides in many different page sizes. If you were us, would you:

- build a guide that is somewhat shorter than the 768 x 1024-pixel page used by the ipad, so it would also view more easily on laptops, desktops and a few other devices?

- build a guide that is 1024 x 768 pixels (landscape, so it can be viewed on laptops and desktops, as well as on on tablets set not to rotate?

- do something else I have not thought of?

As for formats, what would you do to be seen on as many devices as possible?

I claim no expertise, but obvious services include ibookstore, which covers iOS devices and the latest OS X Macs, as well as Kindle and Google Play for mobile devices. If the conversion does not require many days without sleep, I would would also include Nooks.

How about PC's?

Would you:

- tell people who wish to view and use the guides on Windows computers to download from

Kindle and use the Kindle PC app?

- is there another solution? Programs like Calibre seem simple for users here, but cracking

DRM seems a lot to ask people who have just spent a few bucks to buy your ebook, even if they use Linux or Blackberry Playbooks (or is that only my relatives?).

What would you do? I would love to hear any solutions or ideas from others.

susan_cassidy · 08-20-2014, 09:10 PM

Why would you use a fixed page size? That defeats half the purpose of using an ereader. You couldn't change font size, I imagine.

adieu · 08-21-2014, 12:15 AM

The font size is not so crucial. but the relationship of the text to the illustrations is. I have looked at a number of reflowable ebooks and don't think I could make it work.

Toxaris · 08-21-2014, 02:34 AM

Considering the type of book and the intended cases, I would strongly recommend a PDF instead. That can be opened on all the devices you mentioned and is usually also had fixed layout. That would also be much better if you have images inside it.
Fixed layout is not a set format and differs per device. You will end up with a version per device, something you would not want.

mrmikel · 08-21-2014, 07:34 AM

I would do a couple of sizes, one designed for smaller devices like e-readers and smart phones and another for desktops and other larger devices.

The layout can and should be different for both devices. In a phone, the pictures will be so small as to be almost useless if you have to display it less than full screen. And your pre-trip users will be annoyed if you limit your picture size to that which can be shown on a small device.

PDFs have the advantage of being displayed on nearly every device, where the other formats will require multiple versions, early devices (Kindles and Apples) not being compatible with new devices (Kindles and Apples) and Kindles and Apples not being compatible with everything else.

PDFs have the disadvantage of not being sold through the outlets you mention, as far as I know, though. You might sell direct through your web site, since the users are likely to already know you. You probably don't need distribution in Japan, Dubai or New York City (grin), though you do need to reach boaters in my area.

susan_cassidy · 08-21-2014, 05:53 PM

The font size is crucial for me. The default size is too small for me to comfortably read.

JSWolf · 08-21-2014, 05:59 PM

You could do a PDF version sized for 6" eInk screens with very small margins. This way, you can tweak the font sizes to make them readable unlike the full size versions which won't be so readable.

adieu · 08-22-2014, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmikel

I would do a couple of sizes, one designed for smaller devices like e-readers and smart phones and another for desktops and other larger devices.

The layout can and should be different for both devices. In a phone, the pictures will be so small as to be almost useless if you have to display it less than full screen. And your pre-trip users will be annoyed if you limit your picture size to that which can be shown on a small device.

Though some use our guides on a phone, as my wife does on her Nexus phone, it doesn't seem practical so we have decided not to focus on that.

We want to be on ibookstore because so many of our users have iOS devices and Macs. Then perhaps the way to go is Kindle which has so many reading apps for other devices.

I like PDFs, but until someone starts selling them they aren't going to work for us.

Toxaris · 08-22-2014, 01:53 AM

So you are going for much more work and a non-general supported format just because of the iBookstore? Sales via the iBookstore are very low.
PDF would be the right way. You can always sell it via your own store. There are also other stores that sell PDF.

AnemicOak · 08-22-2014, 02:01 AM

Might want to look into if AZW4 is available to you through Amazon. It's PDF in a Kindle wrapper and generally used for textbooks (sometimes called Print Replica). This would easily(?) get you onto the Kindle apps I think which are available for a lot of platforms.

adieu · 08-26-2014, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

So you are going for much more work and a non-general supported format just because of the iBookstore? Sales via the iBookstore are very low.
PDF would be the right way. You can always sell it via your own store. There are also other stores that sell PDF.

Thanks, Toxaris. The more I look into it, the more I think you are probably right. Can you tell me names of ebook stores that sell pdf?

Tex2002ans · 08-26-2014, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adieu

Thanks, Toxaris. The more I look into it, the more I think you are probably right. Can you tell me names of ebook stores that sell pdf?

There is a large list of different ebook stores + all the the various formats they support in the MobileRead Wiki:

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_stores

08-20-2014, 08:10 PM	#1
adieu Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 210 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: None	Little firm with baby ebookers seeks brilliance Hope I can get some help from the grizzled veterans here. Our little company currently has three cruising guides for saltwater boaters in BC and Washington state. The PDF guides, which are updated annually, are offered for free download here. We use Abode CS5.5 software, including InDesign, with plans to upgrade to CC this fall. We are working hard to research and expand our coverage of the Salish Sea, which these waters are now called. I write this on a gloomy day in Puget Sound from a boat anchored off Port Ludlow. I know a lot about sailing; very little about creating ebooks. But in the next year, we will release a single ebook, incorporating all our guides and new research. It will cover twice the sea area, anchorages and ports that our existing guides now include. We expect it will be about 350-400 pages, with no advertising or friends' artwork ;-). Our plan is to create a fixed-layout epub, allowing us to gain distribution through various online services like ibookstore, Google Play, Kindle (with conversion) and others, charging a small fee. Most people (we have had over 13,000 downloads this year) seem to use us on laptops, many on tablets and some on phones. But at home, before they set out, our users often plan their cruise on a desktop. We don't have the resources to create guides in many different page sizes. If you were us, would you: - build a guide that is somewhat shorter than the 768 x 1024-pixel page used by the ipad, so it would also view more easily on laptops, desktops and a few other devices? - build a guide that is 1024 x 768 pixels (landscape, so it can be viewed on laptops and desktops, as well as on on tablets set not to rotate? - do something else I have not thought of? As for formats, what would you do to be seen on as many devices as possible? I claim no expertise, but obvious services include ibookstore, which covers iOS devices and the latest OS X Macs, as well as Kindle and Google Play for mobile devices. If the conversion does not require many days without sleep, I would would also include Nooks. How about PC's? Would you: - tell people who wish to view and use the guides on Windows computers to download from Kindle and use the Kindle PC app? - is there another solution? Programs like Calibre seem simple for users here, but cracking DRM seems a lot to ask people who have just spent a few bucks to buy your ebook, even if they use Linux or Blackberry Playbooks (or is that only my relatives?). What would you do? I would love to hear any solutions or ideas from others.

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08-20-2014, 09:10 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	Why would you use a fixed page size? That defeats half the purpose of using an ereader. You couldn't change font size, I imagine.

08-21-2014, 12:15 AM	#3
adieu Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 210 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: None	The font size is not so crucial. but the relationship of the text to the illustrations is. I have looked at a number of reflowable ebooks and don't think I could make it work.

08-21-2014, 02:34 AM	#4
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Considering the type of book and the intended cases, I would strongly recommend a PDF instead. That can be opened on all the devices you mentioned and is usually also had fixed layout. That would also be much better if you have images inside it. Fixed layout is not a set format and differs per device. You will end up with a version per device, something you would not want.

08-21-2014, 07:34 AM	#5
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	I would do a couple of sizes, one designed for smaller devices like e-readers and smart phones and another for desktops and other larger devices. The layout can and should be different for both devices. In a phone, the pictures will be so small as to be almost useless if you have to display it less than full screen. And your pre-trip users will be annoyed if you limit your picture size to that which can be shown on a small device. PDFs have the advantage of being displayed on nearly every device, where the other formats will require multiple versions, early devices (Kindles and Apples) not being compatible with new devices (Kindles and Apples) and Kindles and Apples not being compatible with everything else. PDFs have the disadvantage of not being sold through the outlets you mention, as far as I know, though. You might sell direct through your web site, since the users are likely to already know you. You probably don't need distribution in Japan, Dubai or New York City (grin), though you do need to reach boaters in my area.

08-21-2014, 05:53 PM	#6
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	The font size is crucial for me. The default size is too small for me to comfortably read.

08-21-2014, 05:59 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,756 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	You could do a PDF version sized for 6" eInk screens with very small margins. This way, you can tweak the font sizes to make them readable unlike the full size versions which won't be so readable.

08-22-2014, 01:53 AM	#9
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	So you are going for much more work and a non-general supported format just because of the iBookstore? Sales via the iBookstore are very low. PDF would be the right way. You can always sell it via your own store. There are also other stores that sell PDF.

08-22-2014, 02:01 AM	#10
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Might want to look into if AZW4 is available to you through Amazon. It's PDF in a Kindle wrapper and generally used for textbooks (sometimes called Print Replica). This would easily(?) get you onto the Kindle apps I think which are available for a lot of platforms.

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