{"id":10624,"date":"2013-03-20T08:41:50","date_gmt":"2013-03-20T13:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=10624"},"modified":"2013-03-20T08:44:34","modified_gmt":"2013-03-20T13:44:34","slug":"7-deciding-publish-e-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2013\/03\/7-deciding-publish-e-book\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things to consider when deciding to publish an e-book"},"content":{"rendered":"

Through e-books, virtually\u00a0everyone can become a published author, but it can still be a daunting task. Here are 7 recommendations to help get the ball rolling.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Tablet<\/a>The growing shift and take-up of electronic books (e-books) worldwide is transforming one of the most traditional ways in which we acquire information and learn.\u00a0 In the Caribbean, private individuals and organisations are no longer the sole purchasers of e-books; schools are also beginning to add this medium into their curricula, leading to the creation of a critical mass of \u201ce-bibliophiles\u201d across societies.<\/p>\n

The increasing use of e-books on the region, which can be\u00a0cheaper than printed texts, could begin to signal a rejuvenation of\u00a0reading, and more importantly, the need for both amateur and professional writers in the Caribbean to publish more content. Although many of us, especially those who work in the ICT\/tech industry, might shirk away from thoughts of becoming a published author, publishing is still one of the key ways of being recognised as an authority in your field(s) of expertise. More importantly, thanks to e-books, the traditional barriers to getting published \u2013 e.g. cost of printing and distribution, and getting your manuscript accepted by a publisher, etc. \u2013 have diminished considerably. Hence persons are more prepared to self-publish via e-book, and the document can range in size from less than 10, to several hundred pages.<\/p>\n

Although preparing an e-book can be\u00a0done at a minimal cost, in order to\u00a0get the best experience and reward for your writing efforts as a self-publisher, it is important to be\u00a0prepared\u00a0and to have an action plan. Here are some tips before you begin.<\/p>\n

Recognise that the buck stops with you<\/h3>\n

Unless you are an established author that can command the attention and resources of a publishing house, the odds are that you will have to make all decisions surrounding the preparation, distribution and promotion of your e-book. If instead you choose to get your e-book ready through a recognised publisher, these services can be expensive, and you may still need to arrange for its distribution and promotion.<\/p>\n

Prepare a budget<\/h3>\n

From the outset, it is advisable to establish a budget for the exercise. Since the majority of\u00a0us are unlikely to get a book advance, we may need to organise the\u00a0financing of the project ourselves. Although the actual\u00a0publishing of an e-book can be\u00a0done for well under USD\u00a050.00, the final\u00a0output may reflect\u00a0this modest amount. It is therefore\u00a0important to consider the amount of effort, resources and expertise\u00a0that you are prepared\u00a0to apply to finalise the document and to marketing and promotion.<\/p>\n

Have a good support team<\/h3>\n

Although an e-book can be\u00a0prepared\u00a0on the cheap, ensuring that the final product\u00a0has a professional look and feel, can not only affect the price at which a publication is sold, but also the extent to which potential customers are attracted\u00a0to your book. In that regard, it is recommended\u00a0that you assemble a small team to help you to finalise the publications. Expertise that might be the most useful are:<\/p>\n