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Educational eBooks
Articles about eBooks

1.Why write your own ebook ?

Do you have a special interest ? Do you have a special talent ? Are you really good at something; perhaps a certain kind of sport, cooking, repairing or playing a musical instrument? There are too many for me to mention. Chances are each one of us is good in at least something! 

Have you ever thought about sharing your ideas with others ? Each one of us is a living book. We have seen lots, experienced tonnes, heard jokes, given advices, taught, helped and so on...... . So there are stuff we can contribute through writing for the education and entertainment of others.

Writing is beneficial. It helps you to improve your written communication skills. Seeing your work being published does wonders to enhance yor credibility as an expert in something as well as your self-esteem.

Writing involves using your time well. You may not be glued to your goggle box all day! You may not spend your time aimlessly window shopping. And it may be able to bring you some income as well ( if your book sells, of course).

2. How do I get started? Things to consider.

You may start from the various points:
  • have ideas for the content of your ebook
  • what kind of audience are you writing for
  • what format are you going to write in and will there be illustrations in your work
  • do you want to just concentrate on your writing and then get the whole work converted to different formats or do you prefer to do everything yourself
  • then get down to working on it (the most difficult is the starting)

3. What software do I need?

If you intend to write the content and have the book converted into different ebook file format, then you just need to work on your normal word processor. There are companies that specialise in converting such files for a fee. This is advantageous because you will be able to reach the largest audience but the fee can be expensive.

If you want to write for readers using the Windows PC and Internet Explorer, you may need some sort of ebook compiler software. You can then write your ebook either using the Microsoft Words or with other HTML authoring software. Then you run your files through the compiler software which compiles the files into a stand alone application which can be downloaded, opened and read without any other plugins or extra software. The software is relatively easy to learn and reasonably priced. The disadvantage is that the small percentage of Mac users will not be able to read your ebook.

4. How do I get the software?

Determine what kind of software you need. Search for them on the web under 'ebook software' or 'ebook tools'. There are many to choose from. Determine if the software is compatible with your system requirements. If it does, buy it and then download and install it on your computer.

5. What do I have to do after I have finished writing those ebook ?

If you want to get the files converted, do that first. Some companies will compile your ebook, design a cover and help you to market it. This can be arranged for some fees and sharing of royalties. If you are doing it yourself and have finished your entire work, test it out throughly first. Check that it is free from virus before distributing it.

Remember that you need to give your ebook a nice cover.

6. How do I get those ebooks published?

That depends on whether you want to contact a publisher and have your books edited and converted to other formats. If not, you may choose to promote them on your web site or post them on some ebook hosting / advertising sites for a fee. If you are very ambitious and want great publicity for ebook, you should learn how to write press releases.

7. What are the advantages of ebooks over that of traditional prints?

  • Environmentally friendly - paperless medium
  • Can change font size - good for the visually impaired
  • Can be very portable when stored on PDAs or ebook Devices (many books can be stored on one device)
  • Easier to distribute - readers can get the book fairly easily and fast
  • Cheaper to produce - cheaper to buy
  • Selling an ebook on the internet is like having a global bookshop that is opened round the clock and anybody anywhere can buy your ebook anytime
  • The author can conveniently make changes / add more information to the ebook

9. How are the formats different and how do they compare?

If you would like to find out the answer to this question, you should visit this web page at ebookMall. They have a clear comparison chart on the various format available. You can even get downloads for ebook reading software like Adobe ebook and others.


 

8. How many types of ebook formats are there?

There are about eleven:

  1. Adobe ebook
  2. Adobe PDF
  3. Gemstar ebook
  4. Hiebook
  5. HTML
  6. Instant ebook
  7. Microsoft Reader
  8. Microsoft Word
  9. MobiPocket
  10. Palm Doc
  11. Plain Text
  12. and others .....(refer to left)

Templates for your ebooks & Covers

If you are going to write only one or two ebooks in your whole life, you probably would not want to spend much money on a whole lot templates / covers. Below is a site you can go to for FREE templates and covers!

MarketByMouse.com

Some sites may offer custom made solutions - but it is costly. On the other hand, if you're going to write only one ebook, you may want it to be very special and unique - and custom made templates may be just what you need!

Other Software for ebooks

FlipBrowser
TealDoc Reader
Tumble Reader

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