Downsides of being an early adopter

As we’re fast discovering, there are a few downsides to being at the fore of a movement.  Yes, eBooks are the next big thing in publishing, but our initial promo efforts have shown that - just like me about 6 weeks ago -  most members of the general public have no idea how to download them.

I’m thankful to those who have let me know of their technical troubles downloading eBooks. (These have ranged from the comment that Amazon link to download eBooks to pcs isn’t as user friendly as they’d hoped, through to people who are simply just stuck.)

My solution has been to give people better guidance on downloading on my website, as this is the place I’m mainly sending people interested in my books.  

I’ve also realised that for iPhone users it’s simple to download eBooks to a Kindle app (this appears to be a great solution).  I'm also coming clean that there’s a PDF on Smashwords – a fantastic distribution network that is currently zapping my books out to Apple, Barnes and Noble et al.  I’d previously avoided doing this just to keep  life simple (actually, eBook authors earn slightly more if buyers buy from Smashwords, but as it’s not yet a household name I’ve resisted heavily promoting it’s presence there to date.) Hopefully those solutions will cure buyers' downloading dilemmas.

For other eBook authors/authors-to-be, here are a few more early challenges to expect once your own books are live: 

Problem #1: People don’t yet know how to access eBooks. 
Current solution:  Be proactive.  Help them!I think time will resolve this issue within the next twelve months (says the optimist!).  I didn’t realise I could download Kindle eBooks without a Kindle, why would anyone else?  I think iPhones and iPads are part of the solution – as these are essentially ‘computer’ users who are finding ways to access eBooks on a digital device that is convenient for them.  In the meantime, authors with the same issues as I've had should keep explaining it as SIMPLY as possible, so non Kindle owners don’t feel like eBooks are a hassle for them to access. Plus, remember everytime you promote a book to give them downloading instructions (say, in the bottom of an email, or on your website where the books are promoted).  A drag, I know, but you need to make life easy for people to get onboard.

Problem #2:  eBook technology is only “Sort of” amazing.

Current solution:  Live with it. 

Skadi (uber assistant) put it perfectly: You can do a lot with eBooks, but not everything.  Yep, you can write and publish an eBook fairly easily – this is amazing. But you can’t yet make it look as nice as a simple PDF.  I’m not talking style sheets and specialist fonts, I mean basics like page breaks/chapter breaks/splash colour to make headers stand out etc.  As someone whose work is usually represented beautifully in colour magazines, where it's laid out by a professional designer and wrapped around gorgeous images, this utilitarian vibe is taking some getting used to.  I’m basically hoping that eBook readers realise I can’t do much to make it an easier read (beyond writing good content!), so they don’t think I’ve got no aesthetic sensibilities.

Problem #3:  Some stuff in eBook world is just plain frustrating

I’m talking Smashwords rejecting the World Yoga Festivals Guide twice for Premium listing (which we need to get before they’ll send it to Apple, Barnes and Noble etc on my behalf).  Despite the fact that the formatting is THE SAME as the other 3 books of mine which have received premium listing.  We’ve gone through Smashwords’ instructions (twice) and are convinced nothing’s wrong at this end.  Next step is to make human contact with Smashwords to sort it out.  Buyers, don’t worry, just by it from  Amazon – we posted it there direct in anticipation of problems.

Don’t even get me started on the process of getting a US tax exemption (more on that another time) basically as an Aussie if I don’t do this I’ll be paying lots of tax twice. Instead of a little bit in the US, where the eBook sellers are based, and a lot in Australia, where I’m based.

Current solution:  Breath!  And wait.  And hope the nice auto vetter at Smashwords realises a premium book when it scans one.

Your solutions are welcomed!

More next week.

Sue :)

Initial eBook surprises

Surprise #1:  People (I care about) aren’t yet convinced by eBooks.
Professionals in my field (editors and the like) seem to be doing a whole bunch of thoughtful nodding when I let drop I’m going to publish some of my work as eBooks.  I’m not yet sure what the nodding means, but I suspect it means, “That sounds suspiciously homespun, I think you’re crazy”.  I could be wrong.  It could mean, “Wow, you’re an innovator ahead of the bell curve, and I wish you all the best.”  I am hoping it’s the latter.  When I need to reassure myself it’s not the former, I remember the recent move by TEDTalks into Kindle Singles.

Surprise #2: No-one has the first clue how to get started.
So here’s how:

First, write a book. Duh.  Sounds dumb, but it’s easy to say and hard to do. Journalists and authors hear this all the time.  “I’d love to be a writer.”  The answer is, write something. Preferably, write something good.  I’ve yet to discover what ‘good’ means in terms of subject (Do people buy more eBooks about travel than health? – this is something that needs to be explored).  Given the lack of guidance on this topic, I’m currently allowing myself to be guided by two key rules:

Rule #1 when writing an eBook: Write good content.  Bad content is bad content, whether it’s in a newspaper, on a website, or in an eBook.  So write well, wherever you write. (If you don’t know what that means, do an online course at the Sydney Writers’ Centre and they’ll teach you.)

Rule #2 when writing an eBook: Keep it short. My eBooks will be under 20,000.  Most will hover around 10,000, which is the length of 7 typical feature articles.  Some will be even shorter (like the World Yoga Festivals Guide, which is only 3500w, but I’m only selling it for 99c).  I’ve basically developed this rule for two reasons. First, we’re not used to reading on screens yet for long periods of time.  If an eBook can be enjoyed on the bus ride to and from work over a few days, maybe it’s a nice little niche.  Second, I’m a features writer, not a novelist.  This means I’m really good at writing stories that are 1000 words, 2000 words, or even 3000 words.  I’m less experienced at writing something (like a novel) that carries a story for 40,000 words.  I’m building most of my eBooks in 1000-2000 word chapters, each chapter being a complete story within itself.  I figure that abiding by Rule #2, Keeping it short, should help me follow Rule #1, Writing good content.

Second, publish your writing on Amazon (easy) and Smashwords (slightly less easy). Here’s why:
Amazon is the name in e-publishing.  It’s easy to remember, it’s not too finicky to put together a book for them, and the results are up within a few days. Smashwords is an online platform that will ‘mash’ your eBook and distribute it to a bunch of different forums – including Apple for iPads and iPhones, Sony, Barnes and Noble and Kobo (another place where eBook lovers buy books). It’s quick to get your book onto Smashwords, but slower to get it via Smashwords out to Apple etc (think 6 weeks not 6 hours.) Much more on the in’s and out’s of Smashwords later.

If you’re wondering what eBooks look like on these platforms, check it out for yourself:
Amazon.com – select “Kindle store”.  Search on Sue White if you want to find my books, or just poke around to see what’s out there. Find my books on Smashwords.  Or just poke around and see what Smashwords is all about.

What you’ll learn from The eBook experiment

Six weeks after being inspired by both Amazon’s sales announcement and a half hour of bending Brian’s ear, I’m ready.  Thanks to the discovery that I own much of the content I’ve written over the past five years, and the investigative powers of my trusty assistant Skadi, I’ve put together my first 4 eBooks.

7 steps to: Boosting your career ($2.99)
7 Steps to: Balancing work and play ($2.99)
7 Steps to: A healthier life ($2.99)
World Yoga Festivals Guide, 2011 (.99c)

Over the next twelve months, I’ll be publishing books that stick to my main areas of expertise: travel, environment, wellbeing and career. Some (like those above) will be themed collections of work previously published in newspapers like the Sydney Morning Herald, or magazines like Yoga Journal Australia.  Others will be new (unpublished) work.

My aim is to be transparent about both the process and the results.   If you stick around long enough, this blog will help you discover the tips and traps of publishing (and selling) eBooks, through my own journey of discovery.

As a bonus, you’ll also get to watch a successful journalist either turn into a bestselling eBook author OR discover that eBooks are actually a big time waster, and that print is king after all.

Please, feel free to post comments, tips and let me know what I am doing right or wrong. And of course, feel free to buy the books. (Rule #1 of eBook promotion, plug your books wherever you can.  Given that I usually only have to write, not promote, I suspect I may find this aspect of the process a little confronting.)

Why change the formula?

Given that I basically have a successful career as a working freelance journalist, some of you might be asking, why change the formula?  Great question. The answer is threefold.

Motivation #1
As a journalist, trends are my bread and butter. So when Amazon announced it had sold more eBooks than print books, I started to think this is something that I, as a writer, should pay attention to.

Motivation #2
As a journalist, my editors make the call about what stories see the light of day, and which simply remain (great) ideas whipping around in my brain.  Mostly, this is a good thing.  A good editor knows their audience, understands what they want to read about, and uses writers that can deliver those type of stories.  In eBook world, the writer becomes not only the editor, but the all-powerful publisher.  This is an undeniably attractive proposition for anyone whose story pitch has been rejected by an editor. (“Are they mad? That’s a fabulous story idea.” us freelancers think.)

Motivation #3
I’ve met someone doing it.  As in, actually making money from it. Aside from my freelance feature and travel writing career, I teach at the Sydney Writers’ Centre.  One of my travel writing students, Brian Lawrenson, let drop that not only had he published around 26 eBooks (and counting), but one of them had sold an impressive 11,000 copies in a month!  Yep, 11,000 copies.  Now a number of these were freebies, but many weren’t.  Brian is an early eBook success story, and his generous sharing of how to get started has inspired me to get on board.