Doing the Kindle / iBookstore Thing Yourself... or Smashwords etc

[NateGang]

Apologies if this is the wrong section for this.

Wondering, first off, if anyone has any experience self-publishing for Kindle and/or the iBookstore. The Kindle process seems fairly confusing. I mean, check this out:

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KindleGen for Mac:
1. Download the KindleGen.zip to your Mac in a location such as your home (~) directory.
2. Unzip it under '~/KindleGen'
3. Open a command prompt and type '~/KindleGen/kindlegen'.
4. You will see instructions on how to run KindleGen.
5. To convert a file called book.html, go to the directory where the book is present, eg. 'cd Desktop' and all you have to do now is type '~/KindleGen/kindlegen book.html' and if successful, you will see a successful conversion and a new file on your Desktop called book.mobi.

Please note: it is recommended to follow these steps to run KindleGen. Double-clicking the KindleGen icon does not launch this program. Run the above commands without quotes.
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Confusing! I unzipped it, but it defaulted to my Downloads folder. I don't know how to specify where it unzips, and i don't know to use a command prompt to run it from the current location. It seems like i use this "Terminal" program, but i don't really get it.....

Anyway, wondering if anyone has slogged through this process and had a rewarding end result.

Secondly, and related, is there any advantage to using something like Smashwords *other* than them doing all of the above crap for you?

I'd much rather have complete control and do it myself (as difficult as it seems right now), unless there are other advantages to something like Smashwords.

Thanks!

[kuwisdelu]

I guess they didn't bother with a GUI and want you to run it via the command line. If you're used to a GUI and have never used the Terminal before, you probably shouldn't bother trying to do it that way.

If you're just looking to convert into the .mobi format, I suggest downloading something like calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/). It'll convert between a number of formats.

Also, if you have iWork, there's an update that allows Pages to export directly to .epub (the format used by the iBookstore).

[zpeteman]

I use a Mac and I never had to use anything like that to publish to Kindle. It could hardly have been more simple.

Maybe they changed something?

[azbikergirl]

Smashwords requires that your book be formatted according to their specifications before you upload. They simply do the conversion to different ebook formats and provide the distribution channels for various ebook sellers like B&N, kobo and diesel. If you understand how to format a document using MS Word, you'll be fine.

[The Grump]

Azbikergirl ... Are you telling me I should break down and take a computer course at the senior center?

[wilhem spihntingle]

You could always do the Smashwords thing, and the use the .Mobi file to publish / upload to Kindle bookstore. Of course, this requires you take the time to format it correctly on SW and it gets through the "meatgrinder" . I also found the Kindle process to be a breeze, if you do all the prep work.

Sean

[mware01]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think you are doing it the hard way (the way setup for small publishers).

Have you tried going to dtp.amazon.com and signing up for an account? You just upload your manuscript (Word Doc, HTML, etc) and it converts it online.

[Hatolincoln]

Hi,

Questions about Smashwords: Is this e-publisher on "the up-and-up?" Do they really pay 85% of price? Anyone have any positive or negative feedback?

Thanks.

[nkkingston]

They're not so much an epublisher as an avenue for self-publishing with a digital option. That's why the royalty is so high (I don't know if the amount you quoted is correct, I'm afraid), because you're doing all the work yourself. It's not like going through a commercial epublisher, with editors and cover artists and marketing.