e-book route

cmonova · Mar 30, 2011

Wrote a book few years ago and has been a very good seller. It's a niche book for business and have sold about 1,000 copies for $29.99 (paperback 150 pages)...But, I also give access to a documents section on a website with a business plan, maintenance contracts, etc..

Now I would like to put out the 2nd edition but do it strictly e-book format. I heard of a site called bookbaby.com that get's your book listed with Amazon, iPad, Kindle, Nook and Sony Reader and probably others for like $99 and they do the conversion from word and whatever else is needed. Then you get all revenues for the book from all the places they get it placed at.

Has anyone done anything like this? Does it make sense vice messing with Amazon and whatever else to get it listed. Right now I sell it from my website along with the paperback version on Amazon.

Thks

efkelley · Mar 30, 2011

Smashwords will format and distribute to most of the e-stores for free (provided you upload your book formatted properly for Smashwords). They've got instructions on doing that. They don't format for Amazon.

For Kindle formatting there are a number of threads in the Covers and Formatting subforum: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=218

movieman · Mar 30, 2011

efkelley said:
Smashwords will format and distribute to most of the e-stores for free (provided you upload your book formatted properly for Smashwords).http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=218

However, they take a percentage of the profits, don't they? That's a good deal if you don't expect to sell many copies or don't want to put in any money until you've proven that a book is profitable, but not such a good deal if you sell a lot.

BarbaraKE · Mar 30, 2011

When you say you 'sell it from your website', do you mean as a paperback or as a paperback?

Personally, I would definitely get it listed as an ebook with the companies you mentioned. What would it hurt??

Whether you want to pay someone to convert your book into the proper format is up to you. With just one book, I'd be tempted to pay someone to do it. But if you plan on updating it frequently, it might be worth your time to learn how to do it yourself. Your call.

cmonova · Mar 30, 2011

BarbaraKE said:
When you say you 'sell it from your website', do you mean as a paperback or as a paperback?

Personally, I would definitely get it listed as an ebook with the companies you mentioned. What would it hurt??

Whether you want to pay someone to convert your book into the proper format is up to you. With just one book, I'd be tempted to pay someone to do it. But if you plan on updating it frequently, it might be worth your time to learn how to do it yourself. Your call.

I've only ever sold it as a paperback and it's from my website. But, I also sell it from Amazon as a paperback.

Nightmelody · Mar 30, 2011

The formatting for Smashwords and Kindle really isn't that awful. You don't have to pay anyone to do it for you.

efkelley · Mar 31, 2011

To my knowledge, Smashwords doesn't take any cash. Admittedly, I haven't used it, and am rushed to get out the door. I'll have more time to check later tonight.

jnfr · Mar 31, 2011

I believe they take a percentage of sales that go through their system. This interview of Mark Coker by Joe Konrath is worth reading for details.

efkelley · Mar 31, 2011

Looks like you get 85% from Smashwords sales and 60% of sales on their partners (Kobo, Apple, B&N, etc). I dug around on B&N and saw a 65% royalty there. I didn't see a way to publish on Kobo, but that could just be a search fail on my part.

So, looks like Smashwords will take 5% from sales through partners.

e-book route

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