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Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar: Don’t Pay For eBook Conversion Until You Know These 3 Things Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 [email protected]

Don't Pay For eBook Conversion Until You Know These 3 Things

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WaveCloud's Wednesday Webinar Series. This webinar discusses which ebook formats to use, the ones to ignore, best formats for distribution, ereaders, what to consider when formatting for Print on Demand, and more.

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Page 1: Don't Pay For eBook Conversion Until You Know These 3 Things

Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar:

Don’t Pay For eBook Conversion Until

You Know These 3 Things

Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 [email protected]

Page 2: Don't Pay For eBook Conversion Until You Know These 3 Things

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…

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�  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  

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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!

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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?

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�  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?

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�  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

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�  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?

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�  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  

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Faces of the book cover

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�  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

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Distribution Channels & Format(s)

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�  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

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�  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?

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�  “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

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�  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)

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�  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

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Gumroad overlay checkout

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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!

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�  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  [email protected].    

WaveCloud Self-Publishing Wednesday Webinar Series:

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Questions?

Bill Van Orsdel (303) 974-7845 [email protected]