Article Title: Creating and Publishing Your Own E-Book: HOW?

Author: Craig Lock
Category/Subject: Self-publishing, publishing, E-books, digital books, digital publishing, Amazon, Kindle

Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.craigswritingarticles.wordpress.comwww.nzwriter.wordpress.com www.sawriter.wordpress.com http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

(Other articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981

Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)

Publishing Guidelines
We hope that the following article may be informative and helpful to your ezine readers, or on your web site. If it helps others “out there in cyberspace” , then we’re very happy.
This article (as with all my articles) may be freely published.

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

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CREATING YOUR OWN E-BOOK

Here’s how…

INTRODUCTION

Though nobody really knows where the digital publishing model is headed, Amazon already claim that they are selling more ebooks than traditional books. My good friend and associate Bill and I believe e-books are the way of the future and this will keep the “greenies” happy not having to cut down trees (see my article ‘The Future of Electronic Publishing originally written about twelve years ago).

*

Here are some hints based upon my experiences as a “non-techno” in getting my books published with Amazon (to the great consternation and surprise of my “techno-geek” associate and good friend, Bill).

Firstly a bit of background. Initially I was approached by Europe’s largest digital publisher (XiiXin) to publish my books with them. I found the process so simple, I thought, why not give the far more well-known Amazon Kindle a try.

But HOW?

From my experience, the Kindle publishing process is simple and way less-time consuming than you might expect. The process is quite enjoyable and satisfying too …even though I’m no “computer nerd”. And I hope that opening statement encourages you to give it a try.

As a first step, you create a your book in Microsoft Word doc. file. (Standard font size, like New Times Roman, but Amazon use a default font anyway). (I tried the Mobipocket Creator, free, getting my ebook ready for upload; but soon gave up (as I have great difficulty following instructions – story of my life) and simply uploaded “as is”. So upload your book file at kdp.amazon.com and set your price (you get 70% of the sale proceeds). The entire process won’t take long, even for a “non-techno”, like me. If you’ve already published a print book, or use a PC and the internet regularly, you’ll find the process “easy peasy”.

Amazon will convert your Word doc automatically to a digital book format, that can be easily read on the Kindle e-book reader.

You can make amendments to your book at any time and republish it. I’m continually updating my books and it’s really simple. In the meantime, the previous version will remain available for sale on the Kindle store.

The Kindle help files are brief and written in straight-forward English. Just follow the instructions on the web site. Simple!

You then upload a cover picture (it has to be at least 500 pixels quality on the longest side).

Give it an appealing (and short) title and ake a table of contents, Then write some “blurb” about your book.

‘What’s it all about?” – so that readers on the web site are enticed to want to read more of your “work of art, your unique creation”.

There’s a Previewer to see what the text will look like being read on a Kindle, once you’ve uploaded it (“nice and easy”).

However, if you strike problems (as we inevitably do at times), just persevere and you’ll find a way. “Presto!”

Then SAVE and PUBLISH. Voila!

If you are an unknown author, you’ll have to market your book online (and perhaps off-line too). And that’s the hardest part, being found in the “vast realm of cyberspace” (see my e-book on internet marketing for more “info”). I might suggest that your ebook can be freely promoted using Facebook, Twitter and your own web site, but there are many other “freebie” avenues. My preference is writing articles in your chosen area of expertise and publishing them online. Most effective!

I’ve been uploading my books (all 54 of them!) to Amazon over the past month and made quite a few sales already… so that’s greatly encouraging. Though I haven’t given up my day job yet. Ha ha! But am dreaming on…

Finally…

Good luck * to you in publishing and promoting your digital book(s)

You CAN do it

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions)

‘Carpe diem’ = “seize the moment” in this new area of digital publishing and the “digital economy”

* and didn’t someone once define luck as “where preparedness meets opportunity”

PS: If you want any help, or advice on the publishing process, please feel free to contact me.

PPS:

Once you have published with Amazon Kindle, you may want to try publishing a traditional paper book (soft copy) with another Amazon associate company CreateSpace… but this “techno-bunny” is not ready for that…YET!

This article may be freely published