eBooks are here to stay. Not only are they revolutionizing the publishing industry, they're having a profound effect on the lives of writers. As I prepare to publish a series of my own ebooks on Kindle, and other e-readers, I've been studying eBook publishing from both the larger book industry perspective, as well as through the eyes of authors.
These articles are culled from my daily paper, Join The eBook Revolution, as well as from top media websites, my favorite writing blogs, and whatever pages my web surfing muse leads me to. If, in my insatiable quest for eBook info, I stumble across some articles that look helpful but are older than "this week," I'll include them, here, as well.
Let me know if you find this helpful and would like me to continue compiling this list.
1. All Eyes On Amazon Publishing
Publisher's Weekly
After Borders’s final collapse in late July, things are slower in the publishing industry. Amid the summer calm, though, many are eyeing Amazon’s new publishing unit, Amazon Publishing, which was unveiled just before BEA and which has quietly, some might say secretively, been staffing up. While agents and booksellers are wary of the unit but not opposed to doing business with it, many industry insiders say it’s publishing houses that should really be concerned. (...read more)
2. Ex-HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman Is Revolutionizing The Publishing Industry. Again.
BusinessInsider.com
What's the difference between being the CEO of the largest publishing house in the world and the CEO of a startup with $15 million in funding? Ownership. And pressure. Ex-HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman, is now running her own company, Open Road Integrated Media, which set out 18-months ago to revolutionize the book industry by selling and marketing ebooks of backlist titles from authors such as Pat Conroy, Jack Higgins, and the Boxcar Children. (...read more)
3. The Next 10 eBook Trends to Watch For
OnlineColleges.net
No matter one’s opinion of ebooks and ebook readers, it’s highly doubtful they’re going to just up and disappear anytime soon. Since they’ve already started infiltrating bookstores, libraries and schools, now makes for a great opportunity to start evolving and better meeting various consumer needs. Exactly how this comes about remains to be seen, obviously, but gadget gurus and digital enthusiasts certainly have some interesting ideas about what ebook trends might start cropping up soon. (...read more)
4. Thriving in the Chaos of Publishing
Write it Forward -- Bob Mayer
All the numbers aren’t quite in yet, but I sold well over $100,000 worth of eBooks in July. I’m currently at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference in Bellevue, WA and been listening to what people are saying, sat in on the agent panel and the editor panel and here’s my summation: Pretty much no one can clearly see the big picture of publishing from the writer to the reader. (...read more)
5. Why $.99 eBooks Don't Work For Me
Write First, Clean Later -- L.J. Sellers
I’ve gone back and forth for months trying to decide whether to price the e-book version of my new release, The Arranger, at $.99 or $2.99…for the launch phase. The thinking is this: At 99 cents, I’ll sell more copies, the book will go higher on the Amazon charts, and I’ll get more exposure. But I won’t make much money…unless it hits the top of the charts and stays there for a long time. But can I count on that? Of course not. (...read more)
6. National Book Awards Accepted Interactive eBook
MediaBistro.com
Thanks to tablets and eReaders, the definition of a book is expanding. So much so that the National Book Foundation has accepted its first interactive eBook as a submission to the National Book Awards this year. (...read more)
7. Indie eBooks: The Gateway "Drug" to Traditional Publishing
The Huffington Post
Gone are the days when a writer had to spend hours hunched over a stack of query letters, only to have their hopes dashed months later with the arrival of an unsigned form letter. Today, thanks entirely to the creation of the e-reader (yay Jeff Bezos!), there's no longer a need for authors to deal with middle men. For less than what it costs to buy a book, an author can jump directly to the end game: formatting their titles, uploading them to a sales site and finding actual readers. (...read more)
8. The Guardian Enters eBook Market with Guardian Shorts
Mashable.com
British newspaper, The Guardian, has launched “Guardian Shorts,” a new series of ebooks “providing detailed guides to topical news stories, public policy, sports and cultural events.” The first ebook of the series is “Phone Hacking: How the Guardian Broke the Story” and is about how The Guardian uncovered the phone hacking done scandal carried out by News of the World. (...read more)
9. Five Things Beginners Need to Know About eBook Publishing
JaneFriedman.com (former Writer's Digest publisher --
a different Jane Friedman from the #2 article.)
The e-book publishing landscape is changing fast—with new services, new terms, and new formats. Despite the pace of change, here are 5 things that have remained fairly constant this year—and that you must be aware of—before you undertake any kind of self-publishing process for e-reading devices. (...read more)
10. How to Publish Your Own Amazon Kindle ebook
PC World
Would you like to be the next Dan Brown or J.K. Rowling? Perhaps your aspirations are less lofty, but you still have a story--or expert information--to share with the masses. Unless you are already a bestselling author, landing a publishing deal is easier said than done. Thankfully, though, tools are available for you to publish your own electronic book. (...read more)
PS. If you're confused or overwhelmed by all of this, or you'd just like some support writing or promoting your eBook, I'd be happy to help. Check out my coaching page or email me at [email protected].