Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar:

Don’t Pay For eBook Conversion Until

You Know These 3 Things

Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com

Checklist:

ü  You are in charge of ebook conversion

ü  Publishing a book is more than a hobby; it’s a business

ü  You have (or are building) a plan

ü  Part of your plan is to make money

ü  Your goal is to make more money than you spend!

Before we get started…

�  WaveCloud is an Author Services platform and an ebookstore

�  Helping writers become successful

authors is our #1 priority

�  Watch this webinar: Don’t Pay For eBook

Conversion until You Know These 3

Things Webinar

A word from our sponsor

Bill Van Orsdel WaveCloud  CMO  

Key Points A.  Distribute your book(s) in seven places:

A.  eBooks: Amazon™, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBookstore℠, Kobo™ B.  Print-on-Demand: CreateSpace™ & IngramSpark C.  All formats: Your author “anchor” website

B.  Five key formats for self-publishers: A.  MOBI, ePub, PDF, Smashwords-Friendly, “Print-on-Demand” (PoD)

C.  Where possible, turn off DRM

D.  Proof your book before & after conversion!

Conversion choices drive distribution options

�  Goal: Your book, in the hands of readers

1.  Sell or give directly to your readers

2.  Sell through online retailers

3.  Sell indirectly through retailers

�  Wider distribution = more chances to sell

More chances to sell = more book sales

More book sales = more readers & referrals

Why does this matter?

�  Amazon.com  (Kindle)  

�  On  your  “anchor”  site  (website,  social  media,  blog,  etc.)  

�  BarnesandNoble.com  (Nook),  Apple  and  Kobo.com  

�  Other  online  ebook  stores  (www.Smashwords.com)  

�  “Brick  and  Mortar”  book  stores  (i.e.  B&N,  others)  

�  Specialty  channels  (i.e.  giH  stores,  or  as  freemiums)  

�  At  speaking  events  or  other  business  venues  �  “Back  of  the  Room”  sales  

Where do you plan to sell?

�  Two  main  elements:  

�  Book  Cover  (front,  back,  spine,  &  flaps)  

�  Interior  Layout  (ebook  vs.  print)  

�  MulPple  Book  FormaRng  OpPons:  

�  eBook  (with  several  sub-­‐formats  +  DRM)  

�  Mass  Market  Paperback  

�  Trade  Paperback  (variaPon  on  Trim  Size)  

�  Hardcover  (oHen  same  trim  size  as  Trade  Paperback)  

Create a packaged product

�  Extremely  Short  Run  PrinPng!  

�  Books  printed  by  channel  as  orders  are  placed  

�  MUCH  cheaper  than  “short  print  runs”  

�  Free  to  set  up  on  CreateSpace  

�  A  good  way  to  meet  the  demand  of  the  rest  of  your  market  

What is Print-on-Demand?

�  The  dimensions  of  the  front  cover  

�  CreateSpace  “Standard”  trim  sizes:  

�  5  x  8  inches      

�  5.06  x  7.81  inches  

�  5.25  x  8  inches  

�  5.5  x  8.5  inches  

�  6  x  9  inches  

�  6.14  x  9.21  inches  

What is “Trim Size”?

�  6.69  x  9.61  inches  

�  7  x  10  inches  

�  7.44  x  9.69  inches  

�  7.5  x  9.25  inches  

�  8  x  10  inches  

�  8.5  x  11  inches  

Faces of the book cover

�  eBook  “reader-­‐ready”  file  formats:  

�  EPUB,  MOBI,  Smashwords-­‐friendly,  PDF,  HTML,  EPUB  3.0,  and  iAuthor  

�  Print  book  “press-­‐ready”  file  formats:  

�  Print-­‐on-­‐Demand  (special  PDF  format)  

�  www.Createspace.com    and    

�   www.LightningSource.com    or  

�  www.IngramSpark.com    

�  Print  Run  (short  vs.  long),  (digital  vs.  offset)  

Relevant file formats

Distribution Channels & Format(s)

�  eBook  interior  layout  concepts  �  Reflowable  text,  acPve  Table  of  Contents,  linked  notes,  HTML  links  �  Do  fonts  maher?  How  are  images  treated?    

�  Print  interior  layout  concepts  �  Typeface  selecPon  (Bembo,  Bodoni,  Caslon,  Garamond,  Janson,  Granjon,  Sabon)  �  Line  length  (10  to  15  words  per  page)  �  Leading  (line  spacing)  �  And  about  a  half-­‐dozen  more…  �  Required  before  finalizaPon  of  print  book  cover  

Interior layout & readability

�  ebook  interior  layout  content  �  Book  Cover  Image  as  Page  1  �  HTML  links  to  anchor  site,  reviews,  and  books  

�  Customized  for  each  plaoorm  

�  Print  interior  content  �  “Praise  For”,  Forward,  Preface,  Acknowledgements  �  From  the  Author,  About  the  Author  �  DedicaPon  �  Verso  page:  ISBN  and  Copyright  noPce  legal  disclaimer  �  Table  of  Contents  (acPve  version  in  ebooks)  �  Bibliography,  Index,  Notes  

Interior content complete?

�  “Post-­‐text”  links  to:  

�  Please  review  this  book  

�  My  next  book  &  my  other  books  

�  My  anchor  site  (www.myname.com)  

�  AcPve  Table  of  Contents  (TOC)  

�  Chapter  Endnotes  vs.  Footnotes  vs.  Endnotes  

�  Book  Cover  as  Page  1  in  your  ebook  

eBook conversion extras

�  What  it  is?                                      (a  variaPon  on  format)  

�  What  it  promises?                                (security)  

�  What  it  delivers?                                    (a  fig  leaf)  

�  Why  does  your  choice  maher?  

�  When  do  you  make  the  choice?  

Digital Rights Management (DRM)

�  Best  Digital  SoluPon  =  www.Gumroad.com    

�  Low  fees,  5%  +  25  cents  

�  Digital  delivery  built-­‐in  

�  Social  media  Pe-­‐ins,  re-­‐message  your  customers  

�  Post  ALL  formats,  each  labeled  correctly  

�  Book  Trailer  as  Book  Cover  

�  On-­‐site  overlay  for  your  blog  or  other  anchor  site  

�  Requires  SSL  cerPficate  

�  Gumroad  video:  

hhp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dVhAyL8-­‐w8  

 

Enable anchor site sales

Gumroad overlay checkout

Final Recommendations: A.  Distribute your book(s) in seven places:

A.  eBooks: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBookstore, Kobo B.  Print-on-Demand: CreateSpace & IngramSpark C.  All formats: Your author “anchor” website

B.  Five key formats for self-publishers: A.  MOBI, ePub, PDF, Smashwords-Friendly, “Print-on-Demand” (PoD)

C.  Where possible, turn off DRM

D.  Proof your book before & after conversion!

�  Enjoyed  this  webinar?  WaveCloud  has  more  online!  AddiPonal  webinars  can  be  viewed  here:  WaveCloud  Webinars  

�  Ask  quesPons  regarding  self-­‐publishing,  request  a  topic  you  would  like  to  learn  more  about,  or  tell  us  what  you  think  at  authorinfo@wavecloud.com.    

WaveCloud Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar Series:

Questions?

Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com