Everything you need to consider before creating your ebook

You’ve decided to self publish. Great!

This is the first decision in a long line of many. So, while you may have taken the first step towards creating your own masterpiece, you want to safeguard against silly mistakes and time wasting. The key is to arm yourself with information that will help you navigate the creation phase successfully and avoid the chaos.

So here are my top ‘need to knows’ that will empower you as your own producer and publisher.

Get familiar with file and formats

The truth is there isn’t a one size fits all solution. The device and distribution channel are intrinsically linked.

While there are a number of options available the main ones are:

A .mobi for Amazon Kindle

One of the largest self publishing platforms is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). This means if you upload your manuscript to KDP it will be available on Amazon.com, where readers can download it to their Kindle. It is free to use and KDP authors keep up to 70% of sales generated.

You will need to convert your manuscript to a .mobi file for Kindle compatibility, which is different to the format other devices support.

An .epub for Apple ibooks (and everything else)

Apple now allows you to submit as an individual, although using an aggregating service may help smooth the process. You will need an ISBN and a Tax ID from the IRS.

Apple will take the standard 30% share of all profits, plus you can expect a cut to go to the aggregating service if you choose to use one.

Apple supports .epub as does Kobo, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader and Android phones. So if you want your book to be available on multiple platforms, via multiple channels you will need to provide two files.

Luckily once you’ve converted to .epub it’s quite simple to create a .mobi.

Clarify your conversion options

You’ve got three top choices here:

A conversion tool

You enter your text and all the necessary and out pops a neatly formatted and ready to publish .epub file.

If you write using Storytella it can convert your novel directly to .epub format. You can even add your bio, cover image and copyright details easily. More download formats (including .mobi and .docx) will be added in the coming months.

Once you have your .epub you can convert it to .mobi using a similar tool on KDP for Kindle.

The DIY method

Proceed with caution on this one. If you’re confident you have a decent understanding of .epub design and HTML and CSS then success may be possible, although don’t expect it to be straightforward.

Professional help Pay someone who knows more than you for the peace of mind it will be done right.

Then, remember — the devil is in the detail

Develop a targeted title.

Choose something memorable and descriptive that will help make your publication easy to find through a search engine. For example if your book is about gardening you might like to include this crucial word in the title such as ‘Green fingered garden secrets’ or ‘Green fingered secrets for gardeners.’

Add a decent description.

Something that summarises what your book is about in as few words as possible that will convert casual interest into cash sales. Include categories and keywords here too.

Decide on your identity.

Consider if it’s appropriate for you to take a pseudonym or not. Some people like to protect their identity or differentiate themselves with their name. But, whoever you are don’t forget your bio.

Have a sales boosting cover.

Of course people judge a book by its cover. Having a professional looking, stand out cover boosts sales by about 50% so make sure it’s not something you overlook or skim over. Pay a pro if you can.

Consider assigning an ISBN.

An ISBN is simply an identification code unique to a particular book that needs to be purchased. You only need an ISBN if you plan to print publish your book or if you want to submit to Apple iBooks.

Pitch the price.

Time, effort, blood, sweat and tears no doubt made it into your work, so make sure you put a price on your ebook that feels worth it. Most are pitched between $2.99 and $9.99, which is partly due to Amazon offering a better percentage of sale on books within that price range.

In the beginning wrapping your cranium around all of this can feel overwhelming, but take it one step at a time; do your research, know what you need to do and have a plan. And, finally have fun. If this is your first time self publishing try not to put pressure on yourself while you get to grips with the process.