Advice for a writer friend...

covingtoncat73 · 08-20-2013, 01:11 PM

This is for a family friend. He is older and not that tech-savvy, at least where eBooks are concerned, but he is looking to self-publish.

It is kind of a memoir about his adventures in mountain-climbing, boating, and building a life and community in the Discovery Islands. What is the best venue for him to self-publish with and how would he go about publishing it as an eBook?

kennyc · 08-20-2013, 01:22 PM

I tell ya, the easiest thing I've seen is Amazon/Kindle publishing. Particularly if the book/ms is in MS-Word format. It's just a matter of uploading that Word file, a cover image (or not even that) and filling out the information. You do have to sign up as an Amazon author first, but easy-peasy.

HarryT · 08-20-2013, 01:24 PM

Agreed. Amazon totally dominate the market and have by far the best publishing tools.

covingtoncat73 · 08-20-2013, 01:28 PM

Thanks, guys! I figured that but wanted to make sure.

crich70 · 08-20-2013, 11:13 PM

If you sign up to publish through Smashwords doesn't it trickle down to Amazon as well as the other big ebook sellers?

cromag · 08-21-2013, 12:56 AM

Not to Amazon, although there's always hope that might change.

I do like Smashwords, and you can always publish on both Amazon and Smashwords, although that rules out Amazon's KDP Select program.

VydorScope · 08-21-2013, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

If you sign up to publish through Smashwords doesn't it trickle down to Amazon as well as the other big ebook sellers?

RE: Smash->Amazon
Only currently for top sellers. I forget the cut off, but Amazon does not want to let Smashwords do a large bulk up load so they have to limit to a small piece of their catalog.

Really for American E-Books, no one touches Amazon currently. They own the market.

HarryT · 08-21-2013, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Really for American E-Books, no one touches Amazon currently. They own the market.

Even more true for the UK market, because we don't have the strong 2nd-place player that B&N are in the US.

VydorScope · 08-21-2013, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Even more true for the UK market, because we don't have the strong 2nd-place player that B&N are in the US.

B&N just reported another large pile of cash lost, and their stock fell another 15 or so %... not much of a 2nd place here.

HarryT · 08-21-2013, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

B&N just reported another large pile of cash lost, and their stock fell another 15 or so %... not much of a 2nd place here.

I believe they have something like a 20% ebook market share in the US. There's no UK equivalent of that.

VydorScope · 08-21-2013, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe they have something like a 20% ebook market share in the US. There's no UK equivalent of that.

I have no facts to back this up nor any sites to link... but I highly doubt that.

They did at one time, but over the last 1-2 years they have really fallen and fallen hard.

Lazer · 08-27-2013, 11:29 AM

90% of my sales are through Amazon. The other 10% are split between Apple and B&N and I think Apple takes the lead between the two. On my soon to be published #3 it'll be a boring winter day when I upload it to B&N.

Nancy Fulda · 09-02-2013, 05:21 PM

I'm with everyone else: Amazon has the best distribution and a very intuitive user interface.

If the family friend is not tech-savvy, and if he is not short on money, he might wish to hire someone to professionally format and upload the book for him. I know there are people who offer services like that, although I don't know what they charge. You can probably find some on the yellow pages at kindleboards.

covingtoncat73 · 09-05-2013, 10:04 AM

Thanks, Nancy. I need to let him know. I am pretty good at using technology and a librarian but I have not formatted an eBook before. I do how to do things like insert jpgs and save a Word document as a PDF (which isn't a great format for an eBook) but someone professional would obviously know a lot more.

ApK · 09-05-2013, 02:34 PM

I concur with the group.

I'd add: Get a professionally designed cover.

08-20-2013, 01:11 PM	#1
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	Advice for a writer friend... This is for a family friend. He is older and not that tech-savvy, at least where eBooks are concerned, but he is looking to self-publish. It is kind of a memoir about his adventures in mountain-climbing, boating, and building a life and community in the Discovery Islands. What is the best venue for him to self-publish with and how would he go about publishing it as an eBook?

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08-20-2013, 01:22 PM	#2
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	I tell ya, the easiest thing I've seen is Amazon/Kindle publishing. Particularly if the book/ms is in MS-Word format. It's just a matter of uploading that Word file, a cover image (or not even that) and filling out the information. You do have to sign up as an Amazon author first, but easy-peasy.

08-20-2013, 01:24 PM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Agreed. Amazon totally dominate the market and have by far the best publishing tools.

08-20-2013, 01:28 PM	#4
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	Thanks, guys! I figured that but wanted to make sure.

08-20-2013, 11:13 PM	#5
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	If you sign up to publish through Smashwords doesn't it trickle down to Amazon as well as the other big ebook sellers?

08-21-2013, 12:56 AM	#6
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,765 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Not to Amazon, although there's always hope that might change. I do like Smashwords, and you can always publish on both Amazon and Smashwords, although that rules out Amazon's KDP Select program.

08-27-2013, 11:29 AM	#12
Lazer Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1498858 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	90% of my sales are through Amazon. The other 10% are split between Apple and B&N and I think Apple takes the lead between the two. On my soon to be published #3 it'll be a boring winter day when I upload it to B&N.

09-02-2013, 05:21 PM	#13
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	I'm with everyone else: Amazon has the best distribution and a very intuitive user interface. If the family friend is not tech-savvy, and if he is not short on money, he might wish to hire someone to professionally format and upload the book for him. I know there are people who offer services like that, although I don't know what they charge. You can probably find some on the yellow pages at kindleboards.

09-05-2013, 10:04 AM	#14
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	Thanks, Nancy. I need to let him know. I am pretty good at using technology and a librarian but I have not formatted an eBook before. I do how to do things like insert jpgs and save a Word document as a PDF (which isn't a great format for an eBook) but someone professional would obviously know a lot more.

09-05-2013, 02:34 PM	#15
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,402 Karma: 69116640 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	I concur with the group. I'd add: Get a *professionally* designed cover.