When a Google search for “ebook” produces 497 million results, it’s pretty clear—the e-book is here to stay. And with all the online buzz about the fate of traditional publishing, authors increasingly ditch the nerve-racking process of being accepted by a publisher in favor of creating and publishing an e-book. If you’re considering this route—take heart! While it’s not always cheap, it is super easy. Let’s start with the basics.

Writing an e-Book

What Exactly Is an e-Book?

The word “e-book” is short for “electronic book”—so in its simplest form, an e-book is a compilation of text and images that can be read on an electronic device (think computers, iPadsereaders, smartphones, etc.). Traditional print books can be converted into e-books (and many are), and e-books can also be print books.

Turning a Book into an e-Book

The second biggest difference between a book and an e-book (after one being a hard copy and one being digital) is actually behind the scenes: formatting. Whether a book is printed traditionally or digitally, it will have to be converted into its respective format to avoid random, weird page breaks or symbols. For e-books, this includes getting rid of page numbers and breaks, reformatting pictures, and adjusting code for maneuverability through the book. Many sites offer e-book conversion services, but you can do this yourself with such programs as DeskTop Author. We should also add here that, unfortunately, not all digital devices can interpret all e-book formats, so be sure to do research before choosing an e-book conversion service (more on this in part 2).

In part 2, we’ll discuss publishing an e-book and its advantages and disadvantages.

2 thoughts on “Writing an e-Book (and Getting It Published) Is Easy as Pie

  1. Alissa says:

    This is a great first look into what is becoming an increasingly complex and difficult process to navigate. I hope for more posts on this as we authors could use the guidance!

  2. Alissa says:

    This is a great first look into what is becoming an increasingly complex and difficult process to navigate. I hope for more posts on this as we authors could use the guidance!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get a FREE QUOTE for Your Project Now!

Our expert editors and proofreaders are ready and available with affordable and personalized professional services.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Résumé writing tips

How to Write a Résumé in Four Simple Steps

Sep 14, 2011 in Writing

With the zillions of résumé resources out there--websites, books, professional services—you'd think that no mere mortal could write his or her own résumé. This is simply…

Dissertation Proposal writing tips

The Keys to Successfully Writing a Dissertation Proposal

Sep 20, 2011 in Writing

You’ve taken your core classes; you’ve gone through comps; now, you’re in the proposal stage of the Ph.D. program. As with every other kind of…

thesis time management

The Importance of Time Management When Writing a Thesis

Sep 20, 2011 in Writing

A school year may seem like plenty of time to write your thesis, but without good time-management strategies, you may find yourself scrambling at the…

Subscribe to Our Blog

Subscribe via RSS