Authors often ask us, “What formats do I need to upload an ebook to Amazon™, Apple iBookstore™, Barnes and Noble, and other ebook stores?” And, “How can I make sure my ebook looks good?” In this web seminar, Bill Van Orsdel unscrambles publishing’s confusing manuscript conversion requirements into an easy to follow set of recommendations that address: • Which formats to use, the ones to ignore, and the best formats for each retail store and ereader type • What to consider when formatting for print-on-demand • How to weigh digital rights management choices Bill also briefly touches on how to proof your ebooks after the conversion process is complete, and distribution strategy. From December 4, 2013 Bill Van Orsdel, Co-Founder and CMO WaveCloud Publishing

1. Bill Van Orsdel
(303) 974-7845
Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com
Start Recording

2. Before we get started…
 Send me an email for a copy of these
slides: Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com
 Assumption Check:
 You are in charge of…
 More than a hobby: a business
 You have or are building a plan
 Part of your plan is to make money
 … make more money than you spend!
Survey 1

3. A word from our sponsor
 Not a sales pitch
 Bill Van Orsdel: WaveCloud CMO
 WaveCloud is an Author Services platform and an
ebook store
 WaveCloud wants authors to be successful
(defined as…)
 Asking for interaction…
Survey 2

4. In case you can’t stay
A. Distribute your books in seven places:
A.
Amazon, B&N, Apple, & Kobo for ebooks
B.
Your “anchor” web site for all formats
C.
Createspace, IngramSpark for Print on Demand
B. Five key formats for self-publishers:
MOBI, EPUB, PDF, Smashwords-Friendly,
“Print on Demand” (PoD)
C. Where possible, turn off DRM
Also, Proof your book before & after conversion!

5. Why does this matter?
 Conversion choices drive distribution options
 Goal: Your book, into the hands of Readers
1.
Sell or Give directly to your Readers
2.
Sell through Online Retailers
3.
Sell indirectly through Retailers
 Wider distribution = more chances to sell
More chances to sell = more book sales
More book sales = more readers & referrals
Survey 3

6. Where do you plan to sell?
 Amazon.com (Kindle)
 On your “anchor” site (website, social media, blog, etc.)
 BarnesandNoble.com (Nook), Apple and Kobo.com
 Other online ebook stores (www.Smashwords.com)
 “Brick and Mortar” book stores (i.e. B&N, others)
 Specialty channels (i.e. gift stores, or as freemiums)
 At speaking events or other business venues
 “Back of the Room” sales
Survey 4

7. Create a packaged product
 Two main elements:
 Book Cover (front, back, spine, & flaps)
 Interior Layout (ebook vs. print)
 Multiple Book Formatting Options:
 eBook (with several sub-formats + DRM)
 Mass Market Paperback
 Trade Paperback (variation on Trim Size)
 Hardcover (often same trim size as TPB)

8. What is Print-on-Demand?
 Extremely Short Run Printing!
 Books printed by channel as orders arrive
 MUCH cheaper than “short print runs”
 Free to set up on Createspace
 A good way to meet the demand of the
rest of your market
Survey 5

9. What is “Trim Size”?
 The dimensions of the front cover!
 Createspace “Standard” trim sizes:
 5 x 8 inches
 5.06 x 7.81 inches
 5.25 x 8 inches
 5.5 x 8.5 inches
 6 x 9 inches
 6.14 x 9.21 inches
 6.69 x 9.61 inches
 7 x 10 inches
 7.44 x 9.69 inches
 7.5 x 9.25 inches
 8 x 10 inches
 8.5 x 11 inches

10. Faces of the book cover

11. Relevant file formats
 eBook “reader-ready” file formats:
 EPUB, MOBI, Smashwords-friendly, PDF,
HTML, EPUB 3.0, and iAuthor
 Print book “press-ready” file formats:
 Print on Demand (special PDF format)



www.Createspace.com and
www.LightningSource.com or
www.IngramSpark.com
 Print Run (short vs. long), (digital vs. offset)

12. Distribution Channels -> Format(s)
 Amazon.com (Kindle)
MOBI & PoD
 “Anchor” site
All eFormats & Links
 B&N (Nook), Apple and Kobo
EPUB
 Smashwords.com
Smashwords-friendly
 “Brick and Mortar” stores
PoD
 Specialty Channels
PoD or Short Print
 “Back of the Room”
All eFormats & PoD
Survey 6

13. Interior layout and readability
 eBook interior layout concepts
 Reflowable text, active Table of Contents, linked
notes, HTML links
 Do fonts matter? How are images treated?
 Print interior layout concepts
 Typeface selection (Bembo, Bodoni, Caslon,
Garamond, Janson, Granjon, Sabon)
 Line length (10 to 15 words per page)
 Leading (line spacing)
 And about a half-dozen more…
 Required before finalization of Print Book Cover

14. Interior content complete?
 Print interior content
 “Praise For”, Forward, Preface, Acknowledgements
 From the Author, About the Author
 Dedication
 Verso page: ISBN and Copyright notice legal disclaimer
 Table of Contents (active version in ebooks)
 Bibliography, Index, Notes
 Special ebook interior layout content
 Book Cover Image as page 1
 HTML links to anchor site, reviews and books

Customized for each platform

15. eBook conversion extras
 “Post-text” links to:
 Please review this book
 My next book & my other books
 My anchor site (www.myname.com)
 Active Table of Contents (TOC)
 Chapter Endnotes vs. Footnotes vs. Endnotes
 Book Cover as Page 1 in your ebook
Survey 7

16. Digital Rights Management (DRM)
 What it is?
(a variation on ebook format)
 What it promises?
 What it delivers?
(security)
(a fig leaf)
 Why does your choice matter?
 When do you make
the choice?
Survey 8

17. Enable anchor site sales
 Best Digital Solution = www.Gumroad.com
 Low fees, 5% + 25 cents
 Digital delivery built-in
 Social media tie-ins, re-message your customers
 Post ALL formats, each labeled correctly
 Book Trailer as Book Cover
 On-site overlay for your blog or other anchor site

Requires SSL certificate!
 Gumroad video: http://youtu.be/3dVhAyL8-w8

18. Gumroad overlay checkout

19. Final Recommendations:
A. Distribute your books in seven places:
A.
Amazon, B&N, Apple, & Kobo for ebooks
B.
Your “anchor” web site for all formats
C.
Createspace, IngramSpark for Print on Demand
B. Five key formats for self-publishers:
MOBI, EPUB, PDF, Smashwords-Friendly,
“Print on Demand” (PoD)
C. Where possible, turn off DRM
Also, Proof your book before & after conversion!

20. Next Wednesday:
“Discovery and Sales Optimization for your
Amazon.com Book Page”
 How to tweak your book’s existing Amazon sales page
(and your author page) to improve sales
 Next Wednesday @ 11am and again at 5pm, PST.
 @ 11am Pacific: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2504770306133883137
 @ 5pm, Pacific: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/131990128533354498
Survey 9

21. Bill Van Orsdel
(303) 974-7845
Bill.VanOrsdel@WaveCloud.com