My eBook eXperience -- part nine (conclusion)

So, what have I learned, and what do I think is worth passing along, and was it all worth he effort? My thoughts on these questions, in no particular order:

If you are comfortable with basic HTML, it isn't hard to get a book into Kindle format. If you don't know HTML, there are still ways to do things yourself, but you won't have as much control of the format. This probably won't matter for a novel.

The ePub format takes a bit more work, but there are a lot of support forums out there for people using Calibre and Sigil. Other than an investment in time, there's really no down side to playing around with the software.

Smashwords provides a lot of good information on formatting a manuscript. Even if you plan to put your book directly on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, consider using Smashwords for their coupon ability.

Most published writers (not counting superstars or those with a huge Facebook or Twitter following), who are used to getting PR from a publisher, are in for a bit of a letdown when they launch their eBook. (I've spoken with several other writers who've been through the process.) This dismay can be amplified by the immediate access eBook authors have to current sales figures. (When someone says, "I'll buy your book today," the unchanging sales total is like a tiny stab to the heart. It's even worse when the reviewer thanks you for the coupon for the free book, and there's no sign it was redeemed.)

Since anyone can publish an eBook, eventually everyone will publish an eBook.

It would have been smarter for me, when making my first eBook, to publish something that appealed to the same audience as my published books. But a book like that could also be published in print. "Smart" doesn't always take priority. If I had to depend on an eBook to pay the rent, it would be crucial for me to be smart. At the moment, I can afford to be a little bit stupid.

Despite the somewhat gloomy tone I may have taken when talking about sales figures, I'm glad I went through the experience. I enjoy solving technical problems. I enjoy making my work available to readers who might enjoy it. I've already gotten some nice praise from people whose opinion I respect. I put out a good book. It just needs to find its audience.

Thanks to everything I learned, I'm pretty sure that the next time I publish an eBook, it will take a lot less time. And I definitely plan to publish more eBooks. Though probably not with politicians on the cover.

That does it for posts about eBook experience. If I learn anything magical about marketing, I'll write about it here. But I definitely need a break from all of this for the moment. Before I move back to my usual mishmash of topics, here's one more link to the book I know you're all eager to buy.

Oh -- one last tip for all you eBook authors out there. Forget about blogging. It doesn't help at all.