eBooks

COMPARED TO THE
printed version of a book, the
eBook offers several benefits:
•
The eBook can be downloaded instantly
from a website into a computer, mobile
phone, PDA or soon into an iPod.
•
The text is searchable.
•
The eBook can contain hyperlinks to
relevant websites for further information.
In the same way that people are ‘ripping’ their
CD collection into their iPods, boxing up the old
discs and putting them into the attic, we now have
the same option available to us for our book
collections.
It’s not a concept that appeals to everyone, but
the ability to carry an entire library in your pocket
will at least lighten a few holiday suitcases that
were previously stuffed with heavy novels.
Internet publishing
There are publishers who only produce eBooks.
Their investment in each title published is much
lower than in the traditional model because they
avoid print, storage and delivery costs for their
products. Therefore they can publish more books
than other firms and do not need to reject such
high percentages of the submissions they receive.
But most authors don’t want to let go of the
dream of seeing copies of their book on the
shelves of a bookshop and are reluctant to accept
publication only in eBook formats.
I’ve published books that have gone
straight into eBook editions for sale on the
Internet. No printed copies were ever
made. This was done because the market
for them seemed too risky to warrant any
investment in a physical print run. Internet
publishing eliminates 90% of the costs
associated with bringing out a book, and
therefore enables more authors to have
their work read by readers than would
otherwise be possible.