Like E-mail, E-vites, and E-queries, E-publishing refers to electronic publishing, representing a brand-new concept in providing reading material electronically. The work can be published online or on a CD or in a format that is compatible with a handheld reading device. Aside from general formatting, the production and printing aspects have been eliminated from the publishing process altogether

It may seem like one of those sci-fi visions of the future—people reading books and magazines from electronic devices as they hover over to the next docking station—but E-publishing is here, and it’s probably just a matter of time before it becomes mainstream. Nothing will ever take the place of a cozy paperback to read by the fire, but in this age of eco-awareness and with the love affair humans seem to have with gadgets, E-books just might be here to stay.

One of E-book readers’ common complaints is that no one wants to sit down at a desk and read a novel off the computer screen, and even though you can curl up on the couch with your laptop, the resolution of the screens leaves much to be desired. So readability is a problem. Handheld reading devices were invented to resolve that issue, and there are several models on the market, such as the Sony Reader, Microsoft Reader, Amazon Kindle, and eReader. There are also Webpads and PDAs that offer E-book reading capability. Some of these devices have enough memory to hold dozens of E-books, including reference books that could be invaluable to students and business people. And they’re lit from within, so it’s easy to read in bed without disturbing your sleeping partner! The technology for these devices changes daily, and for now it’s a wait-and-see to determine what will become standardized in this market.

So far there are thousands of e-books to choose from, and this number is sure to increase dramatically if the concept catches on. Nonfiction and how-to books were the forerunners in this new technology, but Stephen King paved the way for more famous novelists to explore the medium. His E-book, Riding the Bullet, shook up the industry and forced publishers to begin the process of adapting to the changes. It took a big-name author to make publishers sit up and take notice, but E-publishing offers newer writers an alternative to traditional publishing.

For writers considering breaking into the world of E-publishing, there are a few things to consider.

ADVANTAGES:

• The author usually makes a higher percentage of royalties for E-books, and royalties are often paid more frequently—but sales numbers can be markedly lower than print, at least for now. And there are no advances paid to e-book writers.

• Because there is little financial investment required by the publisher, editors are more willing to take risks on new writers and nontraditional work.

• Electronic publishing is ideal for smaller work, since a print run on a small project is rarely cost-effective for a traditional publisher.

• Printing is the most expensive aspect of publishing, and E-publishing offers a more economical and eco-friendly alternative. E-publishing also offers a much faster turnaround—generally a few weeks or months after acceptance—compared with up to two years at traditional houses.

• It’s extremely easy and cheap to make updates to E-books that are already in circulation, which is invaluable for nonfiction, how-to books, and technology-related work that changes constantly.

• It’s easier to self-publish in E-book format when traditional publishers don’t feel the work would sell well. If E-book sales prove the publisher wrong, they are sometimes willing to pick it up and sell it in print.

• Authors usually retain all other rights to the work, while traditional publishers claim as many rights as possible.

DISADVANTAGES:
 
• The reading devices are still quite expensive, and it’s hard to commit to the price when the technology may be obsolete a year from now. And the price of the works themselves is not significantly cheaper than their paper counterparts, which hurts sales.

• E-publishing does not offer all the layers of quality control that traditional publishing provides. You, the author, are responsible for the editing of the book, and you must do all the marketing yourself. At a traditional publishing house, there are a host of professionals to provide quality control and up sales for your work.

• E-book publishing credits do not carry the same weight as print credits.

• Piracy is much easier with electronic work.

• You miss out on seeing your baby on the shelves of Barnes & Noble. (However, since e-books have ISBN numbers, your readers can walk into B&N and order a copy of your book.)

There is no substitute for the smell and feel of a brand-new paperback or your dog-eared copy of Wuthering Heights. But be prepared for a marked increase in online reading material and electronic reading habits. You may find yourself reading The Wall Street Journal in bed on Sunday mornings from an E-book reader sooner than you think.

So now you’re a writer. You’ve had some success, maybe even great success, in getting your poems or short prose pieces published. Or you’ve completed your manuscript, have shopped it to what seems like a million agents who don’t share your vision, but you still want to publish your book. Or what you’ve written isn’t made for the mass market: you’ve completed your genealogy research or a family cookbook or your grandmother’s memoir and want to see it in print, professionally bound. The answer for you might be to self-publish your work.

Self-publishing has been around for many years, but now it can be even easier using a Print On Demand (POD) publisher. There are various ways of getting your book published. Here’s a quick checklist of what to look for when shopping for a self-publisher.

*Price: Depending on the services and "extras" you choose, your investment into printing your work can escalate dramatically. Shop carefully. Compare what services are included in your quote. Are you obligated to purchase a minimum number of books? How much of a deposit is required? Do you have to pay for the entire contract before you even see your first book? How quickly can you get additional copies? Is shipping included?

*Quality Control: Some less reputable firms will use a lesser quality paper stock and have wider tolerances for production values. Be sure to see a sample of what you’d like BEFORE you sign a contract. Request references. Contact others who have used the service, just like you would do if you were renovating a bathroom.

*Extras: Most companies will have additional services they want you to buy. Some may be in your best interest; others are a waste of your money. For instance, PODs will sell design services for your book cover, offer editing services, register your copyright, or help you obtain your ISBN and Library of Congress numbers. The latter can be easily done online, directly with the  US Copyright Office (http://lcweb.loc.gov). You may want help with your cover presentation if you are not artistically inclined.

*Preparation: Manuscripts must be digital and properly formatted. POD companies will help you format your work, but may charge an additional fee for this service. Unfortunately, this is one area in which you should NOT skimp. Remember, how the printer receives your work is how it will appear.

*Promotion: Be sure to choose a POD company that has an online store and will list you with both Barnes & Noble’s Web site and Amazon.com. Do some research on Internet marketing. If your book is of a particular niche, you may be able to self-promote your book locally. For instance, if your manuscript is about a medical issue, you can set up book signings with local support groups and hospital outreach programs.

*Recourse: Because PODs print exactly what you give them, they will not cancel orders once your work is being printed; they will not accept returns nor give you a refund.

*Responsibility: PODs will NOT accept nor be responsible for misspelled words, grammatical errors, and overall presentation of the material. Some will let you see a mock-up or galley proof before proceeding to the print stage; others do not. And none will take responsibility for the content of your work, including fact checking, potential copyright infringement, or libelous statements.

*Buyer Beware: As with all consumer products, it is important to carefully shop and compare services being offered. Read the fine print. Know what you are agreeing to pay and what you get for your money. Have someone knowledgeable read the contract, too.

*Research: Invest in a book about self-publishing. You can find these on amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com

Some POD companies you may want to investigate:

http://www.xlibris.com

http://www.iuniverse.com

http://www.booklocker.com

http://www.ebookstand.com

http://www.booksjustbooks.com

Different Types of Publishers:

Commercial Publisher: Also known as mainstream a publisher or traditional publisher. Handles every aspect of printing your manuscript. These publishers are highly selective, and there are no costs to the author, other than the agent contract. Authors do need to be represented by an agent and do maintain the ownership of their work.

Vanity Publisher: Prints books at the author’s expense. The author is responsible to pay the publisher’s profit and overhead costs. These publishers print anything for anyone who can pay their fees. They may offer marketing help, warehousing, editing, or promotion of some sort.

Subsidy Publisher: Shares the cost of printing and binding a book. Subsidy publishers are often selective, and the completed books belong to the publisher, NOT the author. The books remain in the publisher’s possession until they are sold. Authors can collect royalties.

Self-Publishing: The author pays ALL costs of printing and is responsible for marketing, distribution, promotion, etc. The author selects the service he/she requires and can control costs in this way. The books are the property of the author, and the writer keeps all monies from sales of his/her books.

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