Thursday 5 July 2012

To E-Book Or Not To E-Book?

I don’t even own an e-reader – at least not yet, but I  feel as though I am being dragged into the era of having my back list of books released as e-books. I’m not even sure if that is how to correctly write the word. Are they E-books, e-Books, eBooks, E-Books or just e-books.? HC stands for hard cover books, PB stands for paperback books, so does EB now stand for ebooks? Please correct me if I’m wrong.  Just one  more basic thing to learn about them!

Last Monday I enjoyed very much the guest speaker, T.D. McKinnon,  http://www.tdmckinnon.com from Victoria at our monthly Society Women Writers Tasmania.  He writes across several genres and now has his books as e-books. However this is really the first time I have heard a writer share details about self-publishing e-books and what he and his wife have discovered about it all.

The last couple of years I have been trying to follow what is happening around the world of publishing with the e-book phenomena. I know many published authors are now having their back lists released as e-books. I was delighted earlier this year to be able to sign addendums to the contracts with Barbour Publishing for my old Heartsong Presents inspirational romance titles to be released as e-books through their new Truly Yours division.

Some authors have had the copyright on their old books revert back to them so they can then self-publish as e-books. My last title, Justice at Baragula was released by the publisher as an e-book but recently heard it seems they are not going to continue with releasing the first two Baragula books as e-books. For some time now I have been thinking seriously about my other titles, both those novels and even perhaps short stories written years ago.  The biggest problem is discovering just how to go about it all!

Ray’s three 31 Day Devotional books are available as print and e-books. He has another one, Bethlehem’s Warrior Baby due for release later this year from Even Before Publishing.

Buying that e-book reader – or putting it on our Christmas gift list if we can wait that long – is becoming more urgent!           

Would love to have both authors and readers share about their experiences with e-books –and e-readers of course.

6 comments:

  1. I've heard news that e-books are now outselling print books on Amazon etc. I love them, cheaper, and you don't have to leave your house to buy a book. I think we have to move with the times to stay in the game.

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  2. I'm with you, Mary! I'm sort of dipping my toe in but unsure whether to go any further with this idea. You'd have to know all the ins and outs of the business first before plunging in.

    All the best for sales.

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  3. I am certainly hoping to learn more of the "ins and outs" at the Romance Writers of Australia conference in August. Hope you have checked out the great programme being offered there.

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  4. I've seen the word 'ebook' used. Apparently by 2015, 50 percent of readers will be reading their books on ebook readers. Sweet writers do very well on the Net as there are a lot of American bible-belt readers who buy ebooks. Something to think about along with the 70 percent royalty rate for books priced over 2.99.
    Best
    Cathleen Ross

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  5. Hi Mary.
    I'm in a couple of indie author loops & have learnt SO much - the support & info on publishing e-books is out there! So I'd encourage you to do as I did, & join the loops, soak up the generously shared knowledge, & make the most of your precious backlist.

    Lots of other traditional published authors are doing just that, & very successfully. One inspirational romance author I know of is doing particularly well, so I think you're in the right genre to succeed in e-book world. :-)

    If I were you, I wouldn't rush into buying an e-reader unless you particularly want one. I've e-pubbed 4 books now & don't have an e-reader, but I do have the Kindle app for computer on my laptop, which is brilliant (& free)!

    Cheers,
    Alicia
    www.aliciahopeauthor.blogspot.com
    http://www.amazon.com/author/aliciahope

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  6. Thank you all so much for your comments. Now I just need to try and put things into practice!

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