How to Write and Publish Your Own eBook

eBooks and digital books have been around for quite a while, but with the great success of the tablet industry, the eBook industry has also expanded. Now, more than ever, people are acquiring their books digitally. eBooks are awesome for people who care to purchase books quickly and simply by downloading the content to their favorite devices, but these digital books are also great for authors and aspiring authors.

Basic Steps for Writing and Publishing an eBook

Writing Your eBook
There are several quality eBook writing programs and apps on the market, but for the first initial draft of your book, you may want to simply consider using a basic text editing/word processing software such as Microsoft Word. Why? Because Microsoft Word is an extremely versatile program that is for the most part reliable. It also offers several built-in functions and utilities that can assist with your eBook creation.
More importantly, though, there is a good possibility that you are used to a program like Microsoft Word. Thus, you can compose your eBook with no distraction and focus directly on the writing and content for the book.
If you jump straight into a new software and begin writing your eBook using that, it can detour your devotion to the actual content of the book, as you would be writing but also learning a new software at the same time. Use a text editor that you are comfortable and familiar with to initially compose the first draft for your eBook. This will limit distractions and present more of a blank canvas.

Once you have finished the first draft for your eBook, then it should be copied and pasted (then edited), or final drafted directly into an eBook creation app. As mentioned above, there are a few choices on the market, but some quality eBook creator apps that you may want to consider are:

• Mobipocket Creator
• Calibre
• ePub
• KindleGen
• iBooks Author

Each of the eBook creation programs listed above will help you to format your eBook for better general compatibility and direct compatibility with popular eBook readers such as the Amazon Kindle.
Designing a Cover
The cover of your eBook is in many cases just as important as the actual content of the book, from a marketing and business perspective. The first thing that potential eBook buyers will see when browsing for new books and literature is the cover. A design that is suitable and according for your eBook is a must, but a bit of professionalism in the design can help you to sell and move more eBooks.
Many tutorials on the web advise that designing the cover for your eBook is one of the first steps in the eBook making process. I would recommend otherwise. Consider designing your cover to be one of the last steps when creating an eBook, which should be done after the book has been written.
When writing the actual eBook, you will likely change the plot and you may even reroute some key contents of the book. With the book finalized and completed, you will completely understand your eBook, and then you can design an according cover based on the book.
There are a wide variety of how-to articles on the web that can help you to design your eBook cover. You will likely want to use a premium software such as Adobe Photoshop, but even basic image editors will work for simple eBook covers.

- Jump to our post on using Microsoft Paint to design basic eBook covers.
Determine a Price
One important factor to consider when pricing your eBook is competitiveness. eBooks and eBook publishers are now more versatile than ever. This means that just about anyone can publish their own eBook. Thus, it’s important not to overcharge for your eBook, as much of the time, the objective is to move/sell mass quantities of your eBook so that you can establish yourself as a reputable author. Once that is done, you can charge more for your next book, given that you have built up a following. If your book is priced at $50.00 USD, that probably isn’t going to happen.
Profit Margins
Each eBook publisher will take a percentage from your eBook sales. This varies by publisher, but for example purposes, here is the Barnes and Nobles policy:

Publisher will set a List Price for each eBook between $0.99 and $199.99.
Publisher will be paid a royalty off the List Price according to the following terms:

1. For eBooks with a List Price at or between $2.99 and $9.99
   • 65% of the List Price
2. For eBooks with a List Price at or below $2.98 or at or greater than $10.00 (but not more than $199.99 and not less than $0.99)
   • 40% of the List Price

Publisher will, at all times, ensure that the eBook List Price:

1. Is no greater than the eBook’s List Price at any other retailer, website, or sales channel.
2. Is no greater than the eBook’s print edition (if applicable).
3. Complies with the minimum and maximum pricing policy as stated above.

Sample royalty calculation:

1. List Price: $9.99 – Publisher Royalty: $6.49
2. List Price: $20.00 – Publisher Royalty: $8.00

Additional example: As per the above guidelines, if you price your eBook at $5.00 USD (1.), Barnes and Nobles will take 35%, or $1.75 USD. You will generate $3.25 for each eBook sold. If your eBook becomes popular and you sell 5,000 copies, you will have grossed $16,250.00.
Self Publishing your eBook
Once you have written the eBook, composed it in final draft in an eBook software, added the cover and composed the chapters and table of contents, you can now start with the publishing stage.
There are a wide variety of different platforms that sell eBooks, but some must have outlets for your eBook sales should definitely include:
- Amazon Publishing
- iBookstore (Apple iTunes)
- Google Play (eBooks Division)
- Barnes and Nobles (pubit!)
- Author Solutions
- Smashwords
Conclusion
Overall, writing and publishing your own eBook is now simpler than ever. Hopefully, this article helps any aspiring writers or authors who want to publish their own eBooks for devices like the Amazon Kindle, iPad and Android based tablets from Google