Publishing your own work became much easier: iBook Author

[stunsworth]

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Untrue, I am afraid. From their iBook FAQ

 

"Do you accept PDFs?

No, the iBookstore accepts only EPUB files and Multi-Touch books."

 

I think the OP was referring to the fact that if you didn't want to use Apple's bookstore there were alternatives - both bookstores and software.

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[Marquinius]

ISBN ... I had read about that reg, but didn't realize what they cost ... Hmmm ... Now I am confused. Why write a book, sell it for a few euro/pound/dollar via any e-publisher and have to pay some 125 dollar for an ISBN.

 

So how do these other e-writers do that? Surely not by paying that kind of money? iBooks are typically the realm of low price low volume sales.

 

Another question: how does this work for blurb?

 

I wonder what Apple tries to achieve. They're mostly not stupid, so I feel I'm missing a point here.

[andybarton]

Blurb don't use ISBNs

[stunsworth]

With Blurb you don't need an isbn number, it's optional. Without one it's virtually impossible to get a bookshop to stock the book.

[Marquinius]

to get a little deeper into self publishing ...

 

I had been approaching that from the software point of view, but that kind of overshadows the fact that self publishing is HARD. Not if you give your book away for free, but the moment you want to get some kind of payment, things change.

 

All publishers have some kind of royalty system, either a percentage, or a flat fee. And you'll have to realize that without an ISBN, your options become rather smallish. After all the discussions about Apple only letting you use their tool if you publish through them, I read some more. They are not alone. Some just close that door by asking a huge fee, others do as Apple, or have a mix. Amazon belongs to that last group.

 

Another trick being used, is that you can use whatever you want, but need to upload in a specified format and form. And again after paying some money, THEY will transform your book and publish it.

 

So the basic three choices we have here, are write for free, publish through one of the aggregator/publishers (for argument's sake I'll put Apple under that) or find your own way via your website and other personal channels.

 

The chances of the last one being a succes, hugely depend on how many followers you already have. Typically, someone who already published more books (or photos), has a better chance for sales of the next one. Or someone who has an interesting blog and then turns to writing. But you need an audience before you start. In my opinion, writing a book, putting it on your website and then sell more than one or two is a very lucky streak indeed.

 

So, making that beautiful book for yourself and some friends is simple (apart from being your own critic, keeping on fine tuning because you feel that it is not yet OK). But to actually publish AND sell ... that's a harder one to play.

 

Any thoughts?

[PaulN]

 

So, making that beautiful book for yourself and some friends is simple (apart from being your own critic, keeping on fine tuning because you feel that it is not yet OK). But to actually publish AND sell ... that's a harder one to play.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I've been playing around with it off and on for a few days and am more than happy to use it to generate "photo albums" for friends and family that have iPads (a growing number). It is different than a simple photo sharing application as I can control the layout, add stories, text, videos, etc.

 

If I were shooting professionally, I'd put together a portfolio with sample images, background information, etc and post it on my website as a free download. In fact, if I had a flash-only website (like a crazy amount of professionals do) I'd offer this as an alternative to the "You need to install the latest version of Adobe Flash" screen page. On an iPad, can't see my flash-only website? Here - download this interactive portfolio and read it at your leisure.

 

In fact, it will stay on their bookshelf until deleted. Ongoing advertising..

 

-Paul

[Marquinius]

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some more news: Apple changed the regs so that at least you a) own your work and cna publish the pdf version whatever way you want. So the restriction is on actual ibooks only.

 

following text from Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

 

quote

 

This is the new agreement:

 

B. Distribution of Works Generated Using the iBooks Author Software. As a condition of this License and provided you are in compliance with its terms, works generated using iBooks Author may be distributed as follows:

(i) if the work is provided for free (at no charge), you may distribute it by any means;

(ii) if the work is provided for a fee (including as part of any subscription-based product or service) and includes files in the .ibooks format generated using iBooks Author, the work may only be distributed through Apple, and such distribution will be subject to a separate written agreement with Apple (or an Apple affiliate or subsidiary); provided, however, that this restriction will not apply to the content of the work when distributed in a form that does not include files in the .ibooks format generated using iBooks Author. You retain all your rights in the content of your works, and you may distribute such content by any means when it does not include files in the .ibooks format generated by iBooks Author.

 

The new agreement makes it clear that Apple is only claiming sales exclusivity for the .ibooks format. If a user wants to tapiBooks Author to create a PDF version of an eBook, that PDF can be sold in any online bookstore, not just iBooks.

[stefano60]

luckily, there are more options nowadays; i have used blurb and find it very good, the software/website is well made and you have several options (you can do all your work outside of it and then upload the pdf - i use adobe indesign, for example).

the print quality is quite good, prices are not the cheapest but then again you pay for the flexibility of print on demand.

selling through blurb.com does not require an isbn number, but you can add it if you are planning to try selling through conventional channels as well; in that case, blurb is just your printer; either way, you decide your markup.

amazon also has a print on demand service, the software is not as good as blurb's, the markups are less flexible, but you can try to sell your work through amazon.

 

in ANY case, unless one manages to sell his work to a major publishing company that will spend marketing money on it, the biggest issue is not to so much how to print the book, it is how to advertise it so that potential buyers will find it!

[Marquinius]

Stefan,

 

Good comment! Indeed Blurb is doing pretty well, as are others. And indeed the way into the main line is difficult. Apple has a broad platform, but in itself that could be a weakness: you kind of drown in the sea of other publishers.

 

What I like, is that I see other companies struggling to get their app on the market. One of them is going to be a real gem. And in the end, that's what's it all about: us using sharp tools to get our "thang" out there.