Ebooks

Professional ebook, design, cover and formatting tips

The first actual ebook was created in 1971 when Michael Hart launched Project Gutenberg and made a digital copy of the US Declaration of Independence. The first significant ebook was Stephen King’s ‘Riding the Bullet’ which was launched on the internet in 2001 selling at $2.50 per copy. This was a resounding success and led to the boom in this form of media.

Kindle and Epub Ebooks

Simpler, mainly text-based content benefit from other ebook formats including the ePub and Kindle format. Perfect for novels or simple layouts. These formats support ‘reflow’. The reader has the ability to adjust text size, margins and spacing depending on the viewing device. On the downside, page number references can be tricky, tables, pictures and graphics have to flow with the content and font choice is restricted. Pictures and graphics can look very poor at small sizes, so tread carefully. There is also great differences between what is actually seen by the viewer over different devices.

A word of caution then if you format your own book, just because it looks good on one device doesn’t mean it will on another. Remember that all the manufacturers are in competition. Amazon seems to be the market leader at the moment. I work on the assumption that the lowest common denominator will work on everything.

If you are brave enough to create your own ebook cover, the ideal size is 2,560 x 1,600 pixels so they appear in high quality on larger devices. Personally I think 1,400 x 2,100 pixels is perfectly adequate. You can supply a square cover too if required. Submit in RGB colour spac

Ebook cover software

Don’t be fooled by ebook cover software which claims to create professional results in minutes. Unless you have experience in graphic design and using graphic software, the chances are that your cover design is going to be mediocre compared to one created by a professional. This will of course lead to fewer sales and probably harm your brand.

Free ebook readers are available for PCs and smart phones and prices for dedicated ebook reading devices are dropping. The latest Kindle Fire supports a much wider range of styles now although bear in mind backward compatibility. The earlier Kindles and Kindle Paperwhite are still in black and white. Also several devices don’t link to the internet.

The advantages of a PDF Ebook

• Accessible from various devices and paper-free.
• Has a wide variety of uses including educational aids, promotional materials, catalogues.
• Space-saving with no wear and tear.
• Interactivity can aid navigation of complex documents including linking to websites.
• The PDF can have sound functionality for people with impaired vision.
• Revising a PDF is simpler and often less costly than a printed version.
• You can make any size you want. Landscape shapes are generally more suitable for reading on the web.

Creating a PDF ebook. Important factors.

Design is so important if you want people to actually read your PDF ebook. Good design will pre-sell the importance of your content. Quality design differentiates your e-book from the competition and builds equity in your brand when offering other titles.

The cover is the first thing that people notice. Try to make it different to the hundreds of other ebooks your reader has encountered. Make it relevant to your subject matter with a readable title. Similarly the interior should project a unique experience. Try to avoid default templates with the same fonts etc as millions of other ebooks. Try to follow your company’s branding if possible.

Don’t overuse colour. Many people want to print the ebook and heavily coloured pages can cost a fortune in ink supplies. Bright colour can also distract from your message while coloured text or colour backgrounds can be very difficult to read.

Ebook Costs

The ebooks I produce are all custom-made and don’t use templates like many companies. The cost of producing an ebook can vary considerably. An ebook cover will cost £180 with five designs to choose from. To convert to a print cover would cost an extra £70 to include an accurate PDF artwork with spine and back cover including blurb. 

Elements which may influence the cost of formatting an ebook or print book include:

• Copywriting.
• Editing.
• Content design and layout. I generally present a couple of alternatives layouts to choose from. Further development and ideas will of course incur higher costs.
• Low level formatting. There can be a significant difference between the time it takes to format simple flowing text and complex workbooks with charts and pictures.
• Cover design.
• Interactivity and links.
•  Revisions.
• Other extras such as 3D covers required for sales pages or mini-sites for marketing
• Twitter page design Facebook page design.

Bear in mind that producing a print version and ebook at the same time can be very cost effective. Take a look at my Costs page. For more information or questions you may have, just give me an outline of your requirements and send me an Email.