Ebook versus paper

I love reading e-books on my PDA. This way I can read at night after my husband is asleep and I don't have to turn the light on. I keep a ton of classics on my PDA as well -- Jane Austen for example. I carry it around with me everywhere and I always have something to read.

I love buying ebooks especially because you instantly have it and can start reading.

Great idea, I think I'll try it.

Add reason number 8. Publishers pay a much higher royalty for e-books. All your other reasons are also valid. But, I've three books available both in soft cover and e-book formats. In five years not one e-book has been sold. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Ebooks are great from an author's point of view:

Authors from our mother's generation wrote a book a year if they were lucky. Maybe a book every two or three. Sure, someone like Johanna Lindsey has 30 some books to her name. But she was first published in the late '70's. About as many years.

Ebook authors, at least the ones I know, are VERY prolific. Heck, how many books am I releasing this year alone? Eight. Egads. Sure, some of them are novellas, but not all. Ebook publishing has a MUCH faster turnaround publication time, probably because there's not so many "fish in the sea" as it were. In print, you've got to wait maybe a year or two before you'll see your book in print from the day you sign your contract. With an ebook, it's only a few months.

And yes, as Al has mentioned, the royalty rate is much higher. Epublishers give anywhere from 30% - 50% of the sales. So a $5 let's say would give you maybe $2.50 at a publisher who gave you high ball royalties. Sell 100 copies, you have $250.

Also, with epublished authors, it seems as if you *know* the authors a bit more than you do print authors. Print authors seem so... untouchable. Whereas ebook authors could be your neighbor. You never know. In my experience, I've chatted with SO many more ebook authors than print authors. They just seem more... chatty. Less reclusive.

Perhaps it's the technology that goes with the ebook. You're more tech saavy, I don't know. LOL Maybe I'm just talking out of my you-know-what again. :P

~~Becka

Even though e-books are easy and speedy to publish, the 90% of being a successful author is in marketing your work. Convincing people to pay for the privilege of reading what you have written is the hardest part of being a writer.

whats the book about?

Congratulations on the e-book. We love e-books in our family. I've purchased many of them. One of my own books sold very well as an e-book. Good luck!

Kenneth: Amen.

Al: What's your book about? The key to getting people to buy your ebook is to promote to the correct crowd. If your audience are older folks, more than likely, they aren't going to be jumping on the bandwagon to read a digital book. But the younger crowd, the tech saavy crowd, are more likely.

There are groups at Yahoo you can join to promote, specific genre groups even. I'm on several romance ones, but I know there's also sci-fi, fantasy, horror, mystery, etc. You have to find your niche ONLINE, as 9 times out of 10, the ebook buyer will be someone you "meet" in cyberspace.

So I would start looking at both Yahoo and Google groups for your specific genre, try to find some online ebook review sites so you can get your book reviewed and in front of the correct people. Also, maybe link your site to other authors you know have been successful or somewhat successful in the ebook field. If you do not have a website, perhaps it's time you think about getting one. A "one stop shop" as it were, is invaluable when you're trying to push books and readers want to know more about who you are.

Also, a blog wouldn't be out of the question, linked back to other authors' blogs. It all depends on how much time you want to spend on promotion. Doing the Gather thing is a great avenue of promotion, but I wouldn't use it as your ONLY avenue. I'm doing MySpace as well, and my hubby is trying to get me on FaceBook. I'm on Bebo, I have a few blogs, I'm on the Yahoo groups, I have a website... It all adds up in the end.

No, I can't retire (yet), but I've sold more ebooks than zero. :P

~~Becka

I have problems reading longer stories on the computer,,,I lose my attention to the stories,,but I might try it for you Susan.

you can also have microsoft reader read it to you! Like at night when you are going to sleep.

Good information here. I have considered publishing also in the ebook format, but haven't yet. Will pursue it again.

Thanks Becka. I'm copying your comment for detail study. One book, Mystery of the Lmuma Mine is a Young-Adult Novella and it should be promoted to e-books. Had great hard copy sales in Nevada, where the story took place. You know all Nevada kids are mostly miners anyway... I appreciate your help