Slaying the Ibookstore Dragon

BVLarson · 06-11-2010, 12:14 AM

They are letting us self-pub directly for the Ipad now, but it's not easy!
Anyone else trying to do it? I don't even have a Mac, and it's not going well.
Reports are of week-long learning curves. But apple should beat amazon for
eye-ball counts by the end of year (Ipad vs. Kindle). So I guess it is worth
the effort to get up there early.

Anyone else going for it? Anyone else done it yet? Any good resources?
Best I've found yet I've linked up on my website: http://bvlarson.com/

dlmartin6 · 06-11-2010, 08:36 AM

There was a thread about this over at Kindleboards "Book Bazaar. You do have to upload from a MAC, but many people seemed to upload with no problems. You might want to search out that thread and see what tips others have. I use Smashwords for my distribution so I don't have to deal with this.

Deb

Scott Nicholson · 06-11-2010, 10:51 AM

I'm not buying a new Mac just to publish myself there. Smashwords is worth the cut right now (to me) but I am keeping an eye on it, especially if there is opportunity for enhanced eBooks. I expect a swell of supporting cottage industries popping up, filling a role formerly played by publishers, though without the corporate control.

Scott

koland · 06-11-2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVLarson

...But apple should beat amazon for
eye-ball counts by the end of year (Ipad vs. Kindle). So I guess it is worth
the effort to get up there early.[/URL]

Seriously? Anyone with an iPad and the rest of the world can shop the Kindle store (and most others; I won't say all, as perhaps there is some other store that won't let you in without buying a proprietary $500+ hardware device, first.). No one can even look at the iBookstore without an iPad, to see that you exist.

Add in the censorship and arbitrariness of Apple and you don't have a very publishing friendly platform (to say nothing of the requirement to own a Mac in order to get your book into their store).

In 60 days, the average iPad owner bought 2.5 books (and probably two of those were free, since half the iBookstore is free titles, of the few that are there). I'd say a Kindle owner gets there in a half a day (and probably the same for any other ebook reader) and those who purchase from online stores average at least that a month (if not each week).

BVLarson · 06-11-2010, 04:09 PM

I totally agree it's not worth buying a MAC just to upload my files. I've been working on doing it myself and renting a MAC at Kinkos for the upload. (thanks for the tip on where to get help, Deb).

I'm worried that smashwords is getting backed up, I'm hearing about queues of a thousand books there. I like direct control over my updates/prices/timing, etc. I expect you are right Scott on the cottage industries to help with the transfer. That's what we really need, not publishers who take huge chunks of the cash.
-bvl

DaringNovelist · 06-11-2010, 08:09 PM

While I don't think iBookstore is going to overtake Amazon, I do think a lot of people underestimate the marketing power of it being something of a "native app" for iPad users and soon Touch and iPhone users.

While most of us savvy ebook customers will have a dozen or so ereading apps on our device, Apple's forte is expanding the market. There's a chunk of the market who are brand new to reading ebooks, who won't look beyond the iBookstore for their reading material. (At least until they get used to ebooks.)

I'll be going with Smashwords for the time being, myself, though. I have a Mac, but one less version to prepare is a good thing to me. (Although I might make an ePub for Goodreads' new sales program.)

Camille

JSWolf · 06-11-2010, 08:15 PM

I do happen to like the new Kindle 2.1 app for the iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone. It's not bad.

LeeGoldberg · 06-22-2010, 02:08 AM

What is the benefit of doing it yourself rather than going through, say, Smashwords and letting them deal with all the headaches?

Lee

Moejoe · 06-22-2010, 05:20 AM

If you trace what Apple has done and is doing, you'll see that they really don't want independent publishers (individuals) publishing to their glorious iBookstore. Oh, sure, they'll let you in in now (if you have a mac and the right software), and they'll even let some outside companies like Smashwords work as a proxy for you, but eventually that's going to end. Believe you me, before long, they'll start charging you a developer fee and vetting your submissions and soon after that you'll be in the same boat as all those rejected app developers who dared insult Steve Jobs' neo-puritan sensibilites about nakedness and pornography.

This platform isn't for us (even thought it might seem that way now). It's for Steve's friends in the failing publishing industry. The big guys will show their muscle soon enough and the indie writers will be wondering what the hell happened to all the promises that were made to them. Take it from me, become a collective now, band together and start your own publishing imprint with a website and all. There's a lot of strength in numbers, but if you go the David route you'll run out of stones and slingshots before you ever have a chance to knock the giant over.

BVLarson · 06-25-2010, 01:57 AM

Lee - Smashwords is already getting buried. I hope they climb out of it, but the queue means that you wait for months for spotty results in getting your book online. Secondly, direct control is critical. If you want to change the title or the cover, you don't want to wait for a middle man to do it months from now. Lastly, I'm worried about having ISBNs out there I don't own. They will be the permanent pub of record, even if they go broke or sell out.
Moejoe - I hope you are wrong about this, but you could be right. We have two things working for us: 1) Competition. There are lots of fortune 500s that are playing hard here, and that lets the little guys win. 2) I think that Amazon and some of these others are seeking to replace traditional publishers over time. Notice their new imprint Konrath is working with. Just why does anyone need NY when they can get 70% and have direct control?

06-11-2010, 12:14 AM	#1
BVLarson Author Posts: 123 Karma: 900 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Device: Kindle	Slaying the Ibookstore Dragon They are letting us self-pub directly for the Ipad now, but it's not easy! Anyone else trying to do it? I don't even have a Mac, and it's not going well. Reports are of week-long learning curves. But apple should beat amazon for eye-ball counts by the end of year (Ipad vs. Kindle). So I guess it is worth the effort to get up there early. Anyone else going for it? Anyone else done it yet? Any good resources? Best I've found yet I've linked up on my website: http://bvlarson.com/

06-11-2010, 08:36 AM	#2
dlmartin6 Debra L Martin Posts: 79 Karma: 114 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Greater Boston area Device: Kindle	There was a thread about this over at Kindleboards "Book Bazaar. You do have to upload from a MAC, but many people seemed to upload with no problems. You might want to search out that thread and see what tips others have. I use Smashwords for my distribution so I don't have to deal with this. Deb Last edited by dlmartin6; 06-22-2010 at 01:39 PM.

06-11-2010, 10:51 AM	#3
Scott Nicholson Scott Nicholson, author Posts: 363 Karma: 2029337 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boone NC Device: Kindle	complicated for the average person I'm not buying a new Mac just to publish myself there. Smashwords is worth the cut right now (to me) but I am keeping an eye on it, especially if there is opportunity for enhanced eBooks. I expect a swell of supporting cottage industries popping up, filling a role formerly played by publishers, though without the corporate control. Scott

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06-11-2010, 04:09 PM	#5
BVLarson Author Posts: 123 Karma: 900 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Device: Kindle	I totally agree it's not worth buying a MAC just to upload my files. I've been working on doing it myself and renting a MAC at Kinkos for the upload. (thanks for the tip on where to get help, Deb). I'm worried that smashwords is getting backed up, I'm hearing about queues of a thousand books there. I like direct control over my updates/prices/timing, etc. I expect you are right Scott on the cottage industries to help with the transfer. That's what we really need, not publishers who take huge chunks of the cash. -bvl

06-11-2010, 08:09 PM	#6
DaringNovelist Addict Posts: 197 Karma: 1010202 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: iPod Touch	While I don't think iBookstore is going to overtake Amazon, I do think a lot of people underestimate the marketing power of it being something of a "native app" for iPad users and soon Touch and iPhone users. While most of us savvy ebook customers will have a dozen or so ereading apps on our device, Apple's forte is expanding the market. There's a chunk of the market who are brand new to reading ebooks, who won't look beyond the iBookstore for their reading material. (At least until they get used to ebooks.) I'll be going with Smashwords for the time being, myself, though. I have a Mac, but one less version to prepare is a good thing to me. (Although I might make an ePub for Goodreads' new sales program.) Camille

06-11-2010, 08:15 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I do happen to like the new Kindle 2.1 app for the iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone. It's not bad.

06-22-2010, 02:08 AM	#8
LeeGoldberg Connoisseur Posts: 82 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles Device: Kindle	What is the benefit of doing it yourself rather than going through, say, Smashwords and letting them deal with all the headaches? Lee

06-22-2010, 05:20 AM	#9
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	If you trace what Apple has done and is doing, you'll see that they really don't want independent publishers (individuals) publishing to their glorious iBookstore. Oh, sure, they'll let you in in now (if you have a mac and the right software), and they'll even let some outside companies like Smashwords work as a proxy for you, but eventually that's going to end. Believe you me, before long, they'll start charging you a developer fee and vetting your submissions and soon after that you'll be in the same boat as all those rejected app developers who dared insult Steve Jobs' neo-puritan sensibilites about nakedness and pornography. This platform isn't for us (even thought it might seem that way now). It's for Steve's friends in the failing publishing industry. The big guys will show their muscle soon enough and the indie writers will be wondering what the hell happened to all the promises that were made to them. Take it from me, become a collective now, band together and start your own publishing imprint with a website and all. There's a lot of strength in numbers, but if you go the David route you'll run out of stones and slingshots before you ever have a chance to knock the giant over.

06-25-2010, 01:57 AM	#10
BVLarson Author Posts: 123 Karma: 900 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Device: Kindle	Lee - Smashwords is already getting buried. I hope they climb out of it, but the queue means that you wait for months for spotty results in getting your book online. Secondly, direct control is critical. If you want to change the title or the cover, you don't want to wait for a middle man to do it months from now. Lastly, I'm worried about having ISBNs out there I don't own. They will be the permanent pub of record, even if they go broke or sell out. Moejoe - I hope you are wrong about this, but you could be right. We have two things working for us: 1) Competition. There are lots of fortune 500s that are playing hard here, and that lets the little guys win. 2) I think that Amazon and some of these others are seeking to replace traditional publishers over time. Notice their new imprint Konrath is working with. Just why does anyone need NY when they can get 70% and have direct control?

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