eBook Self-Publishing: a Short Primer

Once upon a time...I suppose that's how stories should really start. Anyway, ten years ago I completed my first novel, an inspirational suspense called Little Flowers. The story revolved around different people affected by the murder of a doctor who performed abortions. The book, set in Virginia and suitable for young adults and older, was sent to a number of publishers specializing in Christian fiction. While I received good feedback on my style and characters, one by one the houses turned me away for a number of reasons. Just as I was about to shelve the book and start the next one, however, I received a contract offer from a small house in upstate New York. I'd never been so overjoyed.

Unfortunately, that feeling died over the course of a year. The publisher, which employed the then-new "print on demand" technology to produce books (they went through a major printer, but unlike vanity houses like IUniverse.com they didn't charge me), gradually revealed their inexperience in the business. They broke promise after promise, breached several points on the contract, and finally went out of business claiming 9/11 destroyed them. Looking back, I realize they used 9/11 as an excuse to hide their incompetency, but luckily I got the rights to Little Flowers back.

So the book remained out of print for some time as I wrote other books and pursued other projects. I became involved in eBook publishing long before the Kindle was a glint in Jeff Bezos', and managed to build a following under another name. Recently, with the rise in Kindle and Nook Reader usage (that's Barnes and Nobles' competing device), I decided to revisit Little Flowers and see what could be done to get it back into print. From what I knew about the small eBook press industry, spicier romances tended to sell better, so I left this book alone for a long time.

Now, with sites like Smashwords and Kindle accepting self-publishers, I decided to launch a "tenth anniversary" edition of my book. Since doing so, it's sold more now than it did during it's first print run!

Whether you've written a novel or how-to manual, a memoir or cookbook, if you're interested in taking control of your profits and distribution via digital publishing, the DIY method is an option. Bear in mind, you might not get rich immediately - it's said non-fiction works are easier to market in the self-publishing world, though I've known a few novelists who found success - of course, many had established themselves with major publishers before going this route. Weigh all the pros and cons of self-publishing before you decide to do it.

It's important to take these steps seriously as you begin your journey.

1) Editing. Don't just type up the book and set it free. Join a critique group. Get peer readers to look at it. Proof read it and correct errors. Know the proper formatting for eBook before you prepare to spend your royalties.

2) Cover Art. It's true, you can judge a book by the cover. Often, it's the first thing people see when searching online for something to read. If you can invest the money, hire an artist to realize the theme of your book in a great cover that grabs attention.

3) Conversion. Many of the online stores I deal with sell eBooks in at least five formats - PDF and HTML, and special files for Kindle, Palm, and the Sony reader. EPUB, you'll read, is becoming a universal format for eBooks. Some sites like Smashwords will convert the book for you for free, others require conversion done beforehand. You'll find that conversion software ranges from free to fee. Train yourself to work it correctly.

4) Promotion. Once you have your books online, promote them! Start a blog, Twitter, Facebook...use social bookmarking to share links. Put a link in your e-mail signature. Contact authors of similar genres and arrange blog "tours" to cross plug your works. eBook promotion requires a lot of outside the box thinking. Be creative!