It’s finally happened: eBook sales have topped those of physical books. The March revenue report from the Association of American Publishers confirms the trend that we’ve all been expecting. According to the report, eBooks outsold traditional books that month by over $50 million. Given that information, I think it’s safe to say that eBooks are more popular than ever before.
While that news might give anxiety to certain traditionalists who bemoan the decline of the classic paperback, people in the eBook and self-publishing industry should take a moment to rejoice. You don’t need a degree in rocket science to guess that eBook are the way of the future. People are buying eBooks in greater numbers every day, and that many plenty of potential customers for authors trying to get their work out in the market.
Given this great news, I’d like to offer tips to up and coming eBook authors who want some help in the self-publishing industry. The world of ePublishing is a competitive market, but with the right tools you can make your own mark on it.
Createspace
Createspace is a self-publishing resource for authors interested in ePublishing. The company is owned by Amazon, so you know that they know how to sell an eBook or two. Createspace’s proximity to Amazon makes them an ideal service for authors who want to introduce their eBooks to a wide audience from the very start. The company helps aspiring authors prep their work for the web in addition to providing fantastic marketing services designed to increase the visibility of an eBook. Createspace also gives authors the chance to sell their eBooks directly from the Kindle bookstore, a huge advantage considering the widespread popularity of the eReader.
Createspace also has an royalty calculator available for authors who want to estimate the royalties that the company will exact from sales. The company generally takes fairly low royalties compared to other publishing houses, but you can always double check with the calculator to get the best price.
Lulu and Bookbaby
Lulu and Bookbaby are two similar eBook publishing services that cater to writers who are entirely new to the eBook publishing process. I put both of these services under the same heading because they both cater to more independent and niche writers. Lulu publishes everything from YA horror novels to computer instruction manuals to “top 10” marketing lists. Bookbaby has a similarly diverse collection of published titles, from cookbooks to college study guides to detective novels, and the diverse content speaks to their strengths as a publishing house. There is no work too small or too niche that either of these services won’t turn down, and that’s why I love them.
Both Lulu and Bookbaby will help you publish your eBook in a variety of formats so people can download them to almost any digital reader. Moreover, both services offer extensive marketing and cover design features that help give your eBook that extra special edge over the competition.
Learn from the experts
Above all, I think it’s important that eBook authors learn the ins and outs of the industry from their peers. eBook publishing is a relatively new industry, but there are already plenty of experts out there willing to share their knowledge with eager writers. Join writing communities and strike up a conversation with an industry expert. You won’t regret it!
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