By Denise Turney

Technological products like computers, mobile devices and e-book readers make it possible for book buyers to download and start reading novels and nonfiction books with the click of a button. This convenience has seen e-book sales rise by as much as 117 percent for 2011 according to Publisher’s Weekly. It’s a growing market that authors and people with a story to share may want to get into. After all, publishing e-books can allow writers to receive benefits like royalties, media interview requests and fans. However, not all e-book publishing companies offer the same benefits, some e-book publishing companies even charging higher formatting costs than others.

Publishing e-books can turn you into a bestselling author within a matter of months.

Read Reviews

Search for e-book publishing company reviews and ranking reports. While reading reviews and ranking reports consider factors such as how long the company has been in business, the number of books the company publishes each year and the types of files the publisher accepts from authors to convert into e-book format.

Ask Published Authors

Contact authors who have already had digital books published and ask them for e-book publishing company recommendations. For example, you can email authors, tell them that you are considering publishing an e-book and ask them to tell you who they think are the top three e-book publishers to work with. Let authors know if your book has illustrations and/or charts and graphs as some e-book publishers may be more experienced at formatting books with illustrations, charts or graphs than others.

Distribution

Ask the e-book publisher for a list of resellers they distribute books to. Types of resellers include Amazon.com, Google Books, Ingram Books and Barnes & Noble.com. Also find out if e-book publishers have distribution contracts with companies that service libraries as, generally, the more distribution channels a publisher has the more books you may sell. For example, Portia, a classic book about an African American defense attorney dealing with breast cancer, is available to libraries through distributors like Baker & Taylor.

E-Book Readers

Find out the different types of e-book readers the publishing company formats e-books to be read on. Kindle, Nook and Kobo are types of e-book readers. Also check to see if your e-book will be formatted and for sale in portable document format (PDF) format so book buyers who don’t have e-book readers can purchase, download your book to their computer or mobile device and read it off a PDF. Available through Ebookit.com, Love Pour Over Me, can be read in each major electronic format. Keep in mind, that the more formats electronic books are available in, the more book buyers and readers you may gain.

Services Offered

Look for e-book publishers that offer a range of services, including cover design, marketing and copyediting. Although you may not choose to use all of these services as soon as you publish your e-book, you may want to use more of the services after your book has been on the market for a few weeks. In addition, you can save yourself money by finding out how much it cost to format your e-book before you sign a contract with an e-book publishing company. Compare prices and services offered at e-book publishing companies before you sign a publishing contract. Also be prepared to market your own books as an author.

Royalties

Learn the percentage of royalties you will be paid on each book sold. For example, some e-book publishers may only deduct 15 percent off the sale of each book it sells direct to consumers, while other companies may deduct a larger percentage. Also, find out if you can sell your e-books on your own website or blog to increase sales.

Considerations

Traditional print book publishers are starting to publish e-books. You may be able to sign a book deal with an established book publisher and get your book published in print and digital format. Also, remember to market and promote your book after it’s published by taking steps like writing and sending press releases about your e-book, scheduling radio interviews, creating accounts at social media networks and telling your social media account followers about your book and participating in book blog tours.

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/your-money/the-rise-in-self-publishing-opens-the-door-for-aspiring-writers.html?pagewanted=all (New York Times: Options for Self-Publishing Proliferate, Easing the Bar to Entry)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/50921-baker–taylor-in-deal-with-smashwords.html (Publishers Weekly: Baker & Taylor in Deal with Smashwords)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/50805-aap-estimates-e-book-sales-rose-117-in-2011-as-print-fell.html (Publishers Weekly: AAP Estimates, E-Book Sales Rose 117% in 2011 as Print Fell)