Many authors use Microsoft WORD for writing, editing, and finishing their manuscripts before saving them into a DOCX file to be transmitted to the publisher for the next step. Then comes the big sigh of relief. . .but what then.
This is where the four-letter words come into play. Don’t panic! They are not bad words although they may seem to be so when you first come upon them and begin to learn how to use them. Actually, they are abbreviations for platforms used in publishing eBooks so think of them as your friends. Let’s look at a few:
MOBI is exclusive to Amazon and is named for its original developer, Mobipocket, now aren’t you glad it is a four-letter-word. EPUB, which stands for Electronic Publication, is quickly becoming the gold standard for eBooks. You will also want a PDF file available which will seem much less confusing since it is only a three-letter-word!
Having your book put into an eBook format will allow you to sell it directly from your website via Kindle. Or you can give it away as a promotion or just because you want to; or use it for an ARC – Advance Reader Copy – for reviewers or Beta readers.
Another good use of an eBook is using it as a magnet through Reader Magnet, by setting up a landing page on your website to build your consumer base through offering it as a free gift to those who sign up for your newsletter. Another use for an eBook might be to provide it as a sample for an interview, television producer, conference manager as part of a press kit, etc.
The standard process for creating an eBook would be to create the paperback book first, make sure it is proofed and finalized for printing, put into the PDF format, and then comes creating the eBook. In most cases, you will want all – a paperback, an eBook, and a PDF format.