Should writers pursue print publication or publish their own ebooks?

The above question came up in a forum recently, and while everyone has to determine what's right for them as it is a very personal decision, I gave them my thoughts on the topic.

I say go for both--print and ebooks. If you have a traditional publisher for your print, all the better. But don't let that stop you from publishing your own ebooks, especially the ones your agent and publisher aren't interested in. You definitely don't want to overlook the ebook market. That's where the money is right now for authors, if you publish the ebooks yourself.

As a self-published and traditionally published print author, I've seen the pros and cons to both sides.

If you have a backlist of titles that your publisher is finished with, get them up on Amazon Kindle, KoboBooks and Smashwords right away. Sales of ebooks are on the rise, and they won't be stopping or slowing any time too soon.

Other ideas for ebooks: publish a collection of short stories or an anthology with other authors, publish a novella or novelette, publish a how-to book or a book of poetry.

I have 4 ebooks coming out between April 1, 2010 and Sept 27, 2010. :-) There's only one thing better than promoting your books, and that's writing them!

My agent is holding 2 thrillers. I'm considering taking one back and publishing it as an ebook next spring.

The key is this: you want to build momentum, then try to keep that momentum going. And the only way to do this is to keep releasing books under some semblance of regularity.

With Amazon's recent royalty raise to 70% for qualifying ebooks, it's possible for authors to now make more money selling less expensive ebooks than selling traditionally published print books. But in the end, it depends on the personal goals of each writer.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author & book marketing coach
http://www.cherylktardif.com

My thoughts on the Kobo ereader

I was recently asked to give my opinions of the Kobo ereader on another blog, and I've decided to share them with you here. Since Kobo is a Canadian company and I'm from Canada, I am a bit biased. I really want this company to succeed; I was one of their first Canadian authors at the very beginning when they were known as Shortcovers. So I do have history with them.

But I'm also a Kindle fan and Sony ereader fan and others.

I recently bought a Kobo ereader. For a few reasons.

1. I want to give it to my mother for Christmas. She's an avid reader but not big on technology. I think she'll love the Kobo ereader because it's very simple to use and she won't have to pack 4 books when she travels. And it's a dedicated ereader; it doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles to detract from its purpose. My Mom doesn't need those bells and whistles. So for ease of use and practicality, the Kobo ereader scores a 5/5.

2. It was one of the least expensive ereaders--before the ereader price wars. However, now that other ereaders have dropped their prices, I think Kobo should follow suit. Their product is just too simple to compete, price wise.

3. I wanted to play with the ereader before giving it to my Mom. :-) As a reader, I wanted to feel the Kobo ereader experience myself. I wanted to see what makes it great, and what doesn't. For me, the Kobo is perhaps a bit too simple. I like the bells and whsitles. I like 3G functionality and easy purchasing and updating of new books. So for me, the Kobo rates 4/5 for functionality.

There's also a second reason why I wanted to try it. I'm an author. I want to see what potential Kobo readers will be using, how my books will appear, what the readers' experiences will be. Again, for those who just want an ereader, the Kobo ereader is perfect. I believe it will especially appeal to those who are young (great kid's Christmas gift idea), or much older (60+) and those who aren't very techie.

It's unfortunate your experience at Borders wasn't a positive one. Here in Canada, we've had big ad displays advertising the Kobo ereaders, even in the Chapters bookstores that don't have them in stock. The staff I've talked to have all been excited, especially when I showed them my Kobo ereader. Some staff hadn't seen one yet, but most have some knowledge of the device.

I've even volunteered to go into my local stores and show customers my Kobo ereader, let them play with it. :-)

I've enjoyed the Kobo ereader. The update went fairly smoothly for me and I haven't had any major glitches, though I always expect them with new technology. But I'll be honest; I was one of the people who swore years ago I'd never read on an ereader. Oops...

Check out the Kobo ereader and be sure to check out their huge library of books (including my own) at KoboBooks.com.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author
www.cherylktardif.com

Seven Easy Steps for Importing PDF or ePub Files to Your Kobo eReader

Many people are wondering if they can add PDF and ePub files to their Kobo ereader, and the answer is yes. You CAN import PDF and ePub files into your Kobo ereader using Adobe Digital Editions, a free program that you can install on your PC or laptop.

Once you've imported one PDF or ePub file, you'll see just how easy it is, and it will open the opportunities for you as an ebook consumer as you'll be able to buy books from other retailers, including Smashwords.com, where you'll find some awesome deals and multiple formats.

Here are the 7 easy steps for importing PDF and ePub files to your Kobo ereader:

1. Download and install the free Adobe Digital Editions program to your PC or laptop.
2. Authorize computer. If this doesn't show automatically, open Adobe Digital Editions (should be on your desktop after downloading) and select dropdown button Library at top left, then go to Authorize Computer and fill in info.
3. Add any PDFs or ePubs saved on your computer by using Adobe Digital Editions. To do this, simply select Library at top left―then Add Item to Library―and find the file on your computer and click Open.
4. You should then see your files added to the right side of the screen on Adobe Digital Editions.
5. Now plug your Kobo ereader into your computer. In a few seconds you will see your ereader has been added to the list under Bookshelves on left side of Adobe Digital Editions screen.
6. Now this is the easy part: DRAG a file from the right side by hovering over it, holding left mouse button and dragging to KOBOeReader file on left side. This file will turn medium gray when hovering over it. Then release left button to drop. You may see a small window appear showing status of file copy. When in doubt, just click on KOBOeReader and you will see all your files inside that folder.
7. Eject Kobo ereader from your computer. Wait for it to reload. Then view your files by clicking on Home, then Documents at very top. Your PDFs and ePubs will all be there. Happy reading!

If you found this article helpful, please consider visiting Smashwords.com and ordering one of Cheryl's novels, all under $3. They're available in multiple formats, including ePub and PDF. Or you can order them directly from KoboBooks.com.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, aka Cherish D'Angelo, is a bestselling author and book marketing coach. You can learn more about her at:http://www.cherylktardif.com/ or http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com/

Authors: Promote your books on NovelRank, Kobo, Kindle and litHouse

Authors: here are some great promotional links you may want to check out:

NOVELRANK:

If you haven't heard of NovelRank yet, it's because they're new. If you've used TitleZ in the past to track books and sales ranks of Amazon, you'll know Amazon recently removed Kindle version tracking. www.NovelRank.com is a similar tracking service and best of all it's free. While you can't compare book sales side by side (like TZ), there are extra stats I know you'll love--like the Twitter search and sales data. I really recommend you check it out. Also, check out Mario's blog for NovelRank. He'll promote you if you're willing to donate a book for one of his monthly draws. http://www.novelrank.com/blog/donate-novel-authors-monthly-promotion-and-giveaway/

KOBO:

Kobo is the new name for Shortcovers, an e-book retailer in Canada that offers e-books on a variety of platforms and devices. Shortcovers originated as a side-business of Indigo Books & Music, but recently broke away, found major investors and renamed to KOBO. Authors can sell short stories, collections of stories and books. Readers can read on PCs, laptops or smart phones. www.KoboBooks.com

KINDLE:

Authors in Canada can now sell their e-books through Amazon's Kindle. It's not the easiest to figure out how to get started so here's the link: https://dtp.amazon.com/mn/signin 

You must have an ISBN to sell your books at most online retailers, and in Canada you can register for ISBNs free at: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ciss-ssci/app/index.php?fuseaction=priv.registration (In the US, I believe you pay $50.)

LITHOUSE:

If you offer writing, publishing or marketing services, you can promote your business by posting a free ad at www.lithouse.com

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
Book Marketing Coach & Suspense Author
http://www.shamelessbookpromoter.com