Frustrated with all the recent posts by Kindle-only authors

[WFT]

Thanks to all who replied for your input. I guess I inadvertently left the impression that I wanted to go with PDF solely. I certainly intend to offer PDF as one option, but my purpose in this thread was to explore other options as well. Thanks to Elfwreck and the others for recommending certain formats. I'm definitely leaning toward including both ebub and mobi at this point.

It's also interesting to note the variations in opinion on certain points. The discussion helps me better understand the issues themselves... for which I'm grateful.

I downloaded calibre and played around with it a little bit this weekend. The bit about how bookmarks and metatags work in e-readers makes more sense to me now. It looks like the default whenever calibre creates a format is to put 5 pts of white space as margin around a page in most cases. Does that seem about right to you guys for readability?

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by WFT

Thanks to all who replied for your input. I guess I inadvertently left the impression that I wanted to go with PDF solely. I certainly intend to offer PDF as one option, but my purpose in this thread was to explore other options as well. Thanks to Elfwreck and the others for recommending certain formats. I'm definitely leaning toward including both ebub and mobi at this point.

It's also interesting to note the variations in opinion on certain points. The discussion helps me better understand the issues themselves... for which I'm grateful.

I downloaded calibre and played around with it a little bit this weekend. The bit about how bookmarks and metatags work in e-readers makes more sense to me now. It looks like the default whenever calibre creates a format is to put 5 pts of white space as margin around a page in most cases. Does that seem about right to you guys for readability?

I personally find the 5 pts too much. My bottom and top margins are set to 0 and I have 1 pts for left and right margins. I like to use as much of the screen as possible because each page turn uses up battery and by having 5 pts margins around all sides a book can easily gain 80-100 pages.

But to be fair this is with LRF conversions. I haven't really tested for epub or mobi. With LRF I use the Sony Connect software to view my conversions before uploading them to my device.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Strongly suggested: Mobi (which is the Kindle format) and ePub; that makes them accessible to almost all the dedicated ebook readers & mobile devices.

We'd also need LRF for all the Sony Reader PRS-500 owners out there.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WFT

As an author, you touch upon my own concern and an important reason why I posted to this thread. I don't own any e-readers, but I see scores of formats listed on this site's e-book wiki page. How can I possibly know which formats I need in order to make my novel compatible with every reader? Do I need all of the available formats listed on that wiki page?

To be compatible with every reader, you would need four formats.
1. ePub
2. Mobipocket
3. BBeB (LRF)
4. eReader

If you start off with a well made HTML file, you can use Calibre to convert into all three formats.

[WFT]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

I personally find the 5 pts too much. My bottom and top margins are set to 0 and I have 1 pts for left and right margins. I like to use as much of the screen as possible because each page turn uses up battery and by having 5 pts margins around all sides a book can easily gain 80-100 pages.

But to be fair this is with LRF conversions. I haven't really tested for epub or mobi. With LRF I use the Sony Connect software to view my conversions before uploading them to my device.

Thanks! That input is very helpful.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To be compatible with every reader, you would need four formats.
1. ePub
2. Mobipocket
3. BBeB (LRF)
4. eReader

If you start off with a well made HTML file, you can use Calibre to convert into all three formats.

Thanks for the definitive list. I have one question. I checked the MobileRead E-book formats wiki page and found four eReader-specific formats, as follows:

1. -ER.PDB
2. PDB
3. PNPd
4. PRC

Which one is preferred for eReader?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by WFT

I checked the MobileRead E-book formats wiki page and found four eReader-specific formats, as follows:

1. -ER.PDB
2. PDB
3. PNPd
4. PRC

Which one is preferred for eReader?

If you distribute an eReader file, it should be .pdb. Fictionwise uses "-er.pdb" as a convention to make clear that this is a eReader ebook because several ebook formats can have the extension .pdb. You can do this if you want, and it may reduce confusion, but it isn't necessary if you only have one .pdb type.

[KevisHendrickson]

As an author who also recently only had a Kindle-only book, I have to admit that without the feedback I received from the members of this site, my book would still be Kindle-only. Many you are right in saying that indie authors are uninformed about the market. I have to include myself in this group. I simply did not know about or understand the different digital formats in which books were being offered.

I am especially glad that it was brought to my attention that readers outside of the U.S. cannot read Kindle books and therefore are left out of the loop. I also agree that authors such as myself do not enjoy spending time formatting our books for the digital markets. But as we are our own publishers, I feel indie authors do bear a responsibility to do whatever it takes to make our books available to widest amount of people possible.

Although it took me some time to do so, I am happy that I am able to offer at least one of my books in a non-DRM format. As time goes on, I will make the rest of my books to everyone with an ereader, regardless of brand name.

But in the meantime, I ask that you guys be patient with us indie authors and continue to educate us on what you need, especially since in most cases, we simply don't even know that there is a problem to begin with.

[BearMountainBooks]

As another Kindle author, I've been browsing this thread with Great Interest. I only recently published two books on Kindle. Why Kindle? As some people guessed: Easy, accessible and there are forums right on Amazon where I can talk about books (mine and others.) Kindle-only is in no way a slight; it's a starting point for many of us. Self-publishing has been around a while, but figuring out where to sell and how to go about it has been messy and time-consuming--with no assurance that anyone even wants the product! Amazon made it pretty easy to get started, tracks sales and has helpful side products like an author page, the forums, places for reviews, tags and so on.

I've learned from this thread that I need to spend some time on Smashwords. What I can't really know ahead of time is whether there is going to be demand for the product...which is just an ongoing concern, I suppose for any writer.

Thanks for the thread. It's informative. I'll be spending some more time reading through it and learning about where to spend my time and efforts.

Maria

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBook

Thanks for the thread. It's informative. I'll be spending some more time reading through it and learning about where to spend my time and efforts.

Maria

There are some other options. I think Smashwords will help authors self publish as will booksforabuck.com.

I wish you luck with your books.

BOb

[ficbot]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBook

What I can't really know ahead of time is whether there is going to be demand for the product...which is just an ongoing concern, I suppose for any writer.

Well, there is not going to be any demand if the product is not available How's that for a starting point?

I'm sure Amazon does make it incredibly easy. I will qualify that, as I always do, with the addendum 'for Americans.' This is the one point I hope people take away from this thread. Kindle is a USA-only proposition. It's a major player, I am not questioning that. But only in America. There are millions of readers in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the rest of Europe etc. who may enjoy your book too. But you'll never know how many unless you sell it as a venue they can shop at.

[WFT]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

There are some other options. I think Smashwords will help authors self publish as will booksforabuck.com.

I've looked at Smashwords. While I intend to offer my novel there, I'm concerned about their automated software. Many of the offerings I saw on their site had very ragged formatting. I suspect the automated online software has something to do with that. Does anyone know if Smashwords lets you format the file yourself with an upload option, or do authors have to rely on their automated solution only?

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by WFT

Does anyone know if Smashwords lets you format the file yourself with an upload option, or do authors have to rely on their automated solution only?

According to Mark Coker (through correspondence with me), Smashwords is planning to allow users to upload their own versions of their e-book formats at some point in the future, no date set. I've made the same comments to him in converting some of my material through Smashwords, and they are aware their automated systems need some tweaking to be optimal.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

I've learned from this thread that I need to spend some time on Smashwords. What I can't really know ahead of time is whether there is going to be demand for the product...which is just an ongoing concern, I suppose for any writer.

As Smashwords is as free to use as the Kindle store (and more to the consumer, since you don't need a Kindle to read material from Smashwords), the only cost to you is your time in uploading your book. But the benefit would be increased exposure, as there are many non-Kindle e-book readers out there who may not only delight in your work, but tell others where to get it. It's hard to see a downside to that.

[BearMountainBooks]

Thanks Steve, Bob and everyone else that commented on Smashwords and my post.

I agree that Kindle is US centric, but we had to start somewhere! I also have high hopes that it will be available in the UK by/near Christmas. I did read that Australia (government/groups) have blocked it or are trying to block it in Australia. Something about hindering competition or the like.

I don't mind making the books available in other formats. Keep in mind I wasn't even certain putting it on Kindle was going to generate sales or interest. What with their storefront and other features, it was just an easy and inexpensive way to get started. I did a lot of research. Every industry article I read, editor and agent blog I read or editors I talked to--they all said, "Ebooks are a small market. Not worth doing. Go get an agent. Either do it traditional or don't bother." Same old message: No one reads ebooks. Don't waste your time.

What changed my mind? I read ebooks. And more often these days, generally because of price. Thus that little idea wouldn't let go and when the opportunity seemed too good to pass up...

I'll spend some time looking at Smashwords and...the other site Bob mentioned. Be more than thrilled to be able to announce my books as more available when the times comes.

Again, thanks for the interesting discussion. It's a lot of fun.

Maria

[Stormchild]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

I agree that Kindle is US centric, but we had to start somewhere! I also have high hopes that it will be available in the UK by/near Christmas.

Please remember that not everyone owns (or wants to own) a Kindle and having ignored the UK (and Europe) for so long, Amazon have a lot of catching up to do. Most non US E-book readers use something other than a Kindle and are unable to read your books. Now that seems like your problem not ours because we buy the books, by different Authors, elsewhere. I wish you good luck in the future but you are ignoring the majority of your potential readers.