No matter the business service offered, there will always be scams and flimflam artists. Fortunately, not everyone is unethical. Unfortunately, there are many unethical publishers that prey upon the ignorant and the emotional desire for success. If planning to self-publish, do a little research first to avoid becoming disillusioned and taken.
What to Look for.
- Take your time and research the company thoroughly. If an e-publisher is unethical, you will find this information online. A search of the company name and “review” or “comments” will provide some answers.
- Most legitimate, traditional publishers will not ask for money to publish your book. Publishers pay authors the rights to publish a book. The only time an author has to pay is if they plan to self-publish.
- Avoid any publishing company that “bad mouths” traditional publishing. Though traditional publishing may be faltering in the wake of the digital age, it is not dead and far from a rip-off.
Other sources:
While these are not the definitive sources for protecting yourself, they will help you in determining if the publisher you are seeking is the right one for you.
Ask other authors.
Whether you plan to use a vanity publisher or self-publishing, ask other authors about their experiences. A few bad experiences do not make an e-publisher bad.
Check Your Contract.
There are many reasons an author may want to self-publish, one reason being able to retain their rights and creative license. You should always retain your digital rights. In fact, you should retain all your rights including movie, audio, foreign and electronic.
Development Cost.
Understand the costs involved for creating your e-book will help avoid pitfalls. With traditional publishing is should cost around $2000 to publish your book (January 2011). This cost includes cover design, ISBN, bar code, e-book, and anything else to develop a finished book. Digital books, on the other hand, outlay a much lower cost covering an ISBN, cover design and formatting.
Book Covers.
Developing the right look for your book cover is crucial. Creating the perfect design takes several weeks or more of research and mock-ups. If this is not the avenue you want to take, hire a professional to create a quality cover design for you.
Final Thought
As you wade through the choices of self-publishing or e-publishing companies do not be influenced by flashy ads or over-the-top promises. Find a reputable and stable service with a solid foundation and you’ll be happier in the long run.
I have been helping friends put ebooks on the Kindle page. As my business grows, I now have a book in PDF format. The format is light on the page.
Can I use a PDF book to put on the Kindle page?
I have Adobe Acrobat on my computer so I can edit it there.
How do I increase the instensity of the printed page in this PDF document?
I want to join your First Steps program using this book, but this is the first problem I am encountering on it.
Thank you for all of your efforts with First Steps. I look forwad to working with your program.
Steven Schwindt
Oregon
Steven,
Hello fellow Oregonian!
Steven,
While you can convert a PDF to the Kindle format, it is best to go from the original word type document to HTML. The reason is PDF does not always convert properly.
I am thrilled you want to join the First Steps Program, and, God willing, it will launch in the next couple weeks – with the first workbook and video on formatting your book for the Kindle. ;)
As for how to “increase the intensity of the Page”, I am not sure of your meaning. Is the type too light? You want more graphics? If you could clarify your meaning, I will attempt to provide the answers for you
— Thanks — Suzanne