Where to Sell? - Page 3

nomesque · 10-20-2009, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

So you can't just upload you're already formatted files? That stinks.

I can see the use for automatic conversion, but it'd be better to make it optional.

Apparently that's in the queue for things to implement - no idea when it might become available though.

dreams · 10-20-2009, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I have just put the book up at Smashwords.com

The formatting leaves a bit to be desired - the result of it having to go through their automatic conversion routine, which still needs a bit of work, IMO.

The HTML, PDF, and ePub aren't too bad. The LRF is not optimal - page breaks after the chapter headings. The Mobi is very bad - no images at all!

But, it's done. Hopefully eventually Smashwords will have either much improved conversion, or a way to tweak the results of the conversion.

I have a /beautiful/ epub version - but it'll have to wait until the weekend to go up at my site.

I'm not sure it's worth doing a PDF version at Lulu - the PDF at Smashwords is pretty good. My own is better of course! What do people think?

Oh - and a link! You can get 50% samples for free, so you can see how the formatting looks in the various versions.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/4883

I checked out the sample at smashwords... If you think the one at your site is better looking, I'll wait and buy off your site....

pdurrant · 10-23-2009, 03:58 PM

Well, the (ebook reader sized) PDF is now up at Lulu.com as well as it being available multi-format at Smashwords.com.

I have very nicely formatted versions in ePub and Mobipocket formats — hopefully I'll get them up on my site soon, but I have to figure out how to handle the VAT. Sigh...

Incidentally, if anyone does buy either from Smashwords or from Lulu, I'll happily email them the handmade versions (ePub, Mobipocket, PDF) which really are much prettier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I've decided to go the PDF route at Lulu.com, the multi-format at Smashwords, and custom ePub at my site, with links from my site to the other sales locations.

kennyc · 10-23-2009, 04:08 PM

Congrats!

pdurrant · 11-03-2009, 11:43 AM

Well, I still haven't managed to get buy links on my web site. Apart from anything else, having to find out whether I should charge VAT to any particular buying is troubling me.

BUT. There's good news. Lulu.com, from today, is allowing the sale of ePub books, just like it previously allowed the sale of PDF books.

There are a few teething troubles, but my hand-crafted ePub is now up there.

http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/d...-mouse/7867672

They've even included a way to upload a sample ePub, although their download web pages need a little work. (On my web browser, clicking on the link didn't try to download, but opened in a new window - a zip displayed as text isn't useful! Right-clicking and "Download Linked File" work.)

They have changed their price structure for ebooks. It used to be that Lulu took a straight 20% of ebooks. They now take $1.49 and 20% of the rest. So for my $6 ebook they take $1.49 and 20% of $4.51 ($0.90) = $2.39 or 39.8%, leaving me with $3.61. Not as good as Smashwords, but an awful lot better than Amazon (where I can't publish anyway, not have US bank account & address).

Hopefully they'll fix the problems over the next few days (like not being able to upload a nice cover image). But it is another easy ePub outlet for small publishers and authors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I have very nicely formatted versions in ePub and Mobipocket formats — hopefully I'll get them up on my site soon, but I have to figure out how to handle the VAT. Sigh...

pdurrant · 11-03-2009, 11:46 AM

As well as Lulu, it seems to be that Lightning Source also accepts ePubs for distribution. I'm in the process of getting my book listed with them too.

Unlike Lulu, where you can opt out of Adobe DRM entirely, it currently looks like it's compulsory at Lightning Source, but since I'm not fully through the process I can't be certain.

Lightning Source require a minimum wholesale discount or 25% - worse than Smashwords, but better than Lulu (for moderately priced ebooks).

I'm not entirely sure whether any retailers actually get any ebooks that Lightning Source distributes. It'll be interesting to see where it turns up, if anywhere.

kennyc · 11-03-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

...

BUT. There's good news. Lulu.com, from today, is allowing the sale of ePub books, just like it previously allowed the sale of PDF books.
.....

Hey that's great!

llreader · 11-03-2009, 11:51 AM

So, does Lulu let you control the format of the final product better, or is it just another outlet for you? What are the advantages of Lulu for you?

pdurrant · 11-03-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llreader

So, does Lulu let you control the format of the final product better, or is it just another outlet for you? What are the advantages of Lulu for you?

Unlike Smashwords, which currently forces you to generate all the different versions from a single master word document, the Lulu ePub is whatever you upload, so you have much better control.

The Lulu ePub contains embedded fonts, and clever drop-cap graphics. It's a lot prettier.

But mostly, it's another outlet. Probably not a very good one yet, since Lulu doesn't have a very good search site or ebook reputation. But that might change.

It's certainly the first site to have my preferred version of the ePub available for sale.

kennyc · 11-03-2009, 12:24 PM

I sold a few photo/calendars through lulu a couple of years back, glad they've added the epub standard.

llreader · 11-04-2009, 03:28 AM

Hmm, it might be nice to do a Wiki entry, like the venerable and well-love Reader Matrix , for eBook publishing. Woudl anyone be interested in creating such a thing? pdurrant seems to have a lot of information in this thread, it is a shame not to have it in a more easily comparable form. And it might even motivate the different sites to sweeten their offers to match the other things out there. What do you think? I don't really understand the Wiki format, but if someone who has posted in the Wiki is willing to get a table started, I will start adding information.

I figure we need the following information about each publisher: Formats available, DRM (optional, required, unavailable), for purchase / free, sales agreements (% to author, extra fees), formatting options (theirs or individual versions), extra services (Lulu offers editing and proofing) and how much they cost, collateral distribution agreements (Smashwords makes their catalog available to Amazon and B&N, etc.), restrictive agreements (can you publish elsewhere, on paper, etc.), entry criteria (do you need to go through a publisher, are their geographical restrictions, like I hear Amazon does with publishers that need US tax ID numbers, or something). I am sure there are other things we want to know. Anybody?

pdurrant · 11-04-2009, 04:43 AM

That sounds like a very good idea. If someone can set up the skeleton, I'll fill in what information I have.

Incidentally, it seems that Scribd has started to allow sales, with a beta program initially for US publishers. Not being a US publisher, I have no further info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by llreader

Hmm, it might be nice to do a Wiki entry, like the venerable and well-love Reader Matrix , for eBook publishing.

llreader · 11-04-2009, 05:33 AM

OK, I'm on it. I have created a project page at: https://dev.mobileread.com/trac/ebookpublishermatrix/

I will muddle through the format. If anyone wants to lend a hand, feel free.

Cheers,
JP

llreader · 11-04-2009, 06:01 AM

Hmm. I have a dev page, but I can't figure out where the public-facing page is, or will be. It doesn't seem to have created anything in the Wiki itself. I suspect I need to change some permissions to make it visiblle, but I can't find any interface for that.

llreader · 11-04-2009, 06:08 AM

Hmm. It looks like I need to link to the new page from an existing page to get there. I don't really feel comfortable going and adding an unrelated link to an existing page out of the blue. Is anyone interested in linking off a paget they edit?

11-03-2009, 11:46 AM	#36
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,524 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	Lightning Source does ePubs As well as Lulu, it seems to be that Lightning Source also accepts ePubs for distribution. I'm in the process of getting my book listed with them too. Unlike Lulu, where you can opt out of Adobe DRM entirely, it currently looks like it's compulsory at Lightning Source, but since I'm not fully through the process I can't be certain. Lightning Source require a minimum wholesale discount or 25% - worse than Smashwords, but better than Lulu (for moderately priced ebooks). I'm not entirely sure whether any retailers actually get any ebooks that Lightning Source distributes. It'll be interesting to see where it turns up, if anywhere.

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llreader Mesmerist Posts: 331 Karma: 506558 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain Device: PRS-600 Silver. Much nicer than I expected.	So, does Lulu let you control the format of the final product better, or is it just another outlet for you? What are the advantages of Lulu for you?

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kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I sold a few photo/calendars through lulu a couple of years back, glad they've added the epub standard.

11-04-2009, 03:28 AM	#41
llreader Mesmerist Posts: 331 Karma: 506558 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain Device: PRS-600 Silver. Much nicer than I expected.	Hmm, it might be nice to do a Wiki entry, like the venerable and well-love Reader Matrix , for eBook publishing. Woudl anyone be interested in creating such a thing? pdurrant seems to have a lot of information in this thread, it is a shame not to have it in a more easily comparable form. And it might even motivate the different sites to sweeten their offers to match the other things out there. What do you think? I don't really understand the Wiki format, but if someone who has posted in the Wiki is willing to get a table started, I will start adding information. I figure we need the following information about each publisher: Formats available, DRM (optional, required, unavailable), for purchase / free, sales agreements (% to author, extra fees), formatting options (theirs or individual versions), extra services (Lulu offers editing and proofing) and how much they cost, collateral distribution agreements (Smashwords makes their catalog available to Amazon and B&N, etc.), restrictive agreements (can you publish elsewhere, on paper, etc.), entry criteria (do you need to go through a publisher, are their geographical restrictions, like I hear Amazon does with publishers that need US tax ID numbers, or something). I am sure there are other things we want to know. Anybody?

11-04-2009, 05:33 AM	#43
llreader Mesmerist Posts: 331 Karma: 506558 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain Device: PRS-600 Silver. Much nicer than I expected.	OK, I'm on it. I have created a project page at: https://dev.mobileread.com/trac/ebookpublishermatrix/ I will muddle through the format. If anyone wants to lend a hand, feel free. Cheers, JP

11-04-2009, 06:01 AM	#44
llreader Mesmerist Posts: 331 Karma: 506558 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain Device: PRS-600 Silver. Much nicer than I expected.	Hmm. I have a dev page, but I can't figure out where the public-facing page is, or will be. It doesn't seem to have created anything in the Wiki itself. I suspect I need to change some permissions to make it visiblle, but I can't find any interface for that.

11-04-2009, 06:08 AM	#45
llreader Mesmerist Posts: 331 Karma: 506558 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain Device: PRS-600 Silver. Much nicer than I expected.	Hmm. It looks like I need to link to the new page from an existing page to get there. I don't really feel comfortable going and adding an unrelated link to an existing page out of the blue. Is anyone interested in linking off a paget they edit?

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