Open Access Series | 2016
e-Publishing Tips and Tricks
Compiled and edited by Adzrif
Effendy
Contents
Electronic Publishing………………………………………………… 3 Tools to Publish an eBook ...................................................................... 7 The 5 Best Free Tools for Publishing Student Work ......................... 10 Introduction to Electronic Publishing: The Tools ............................. 16 Computer and Word Processing Software.................................... 16 Photo-Editing Programs.................................................................. 16 Drawing Programs ........................................................................... 16 Other Options ................................................................................... 17
Copyright Friendly Sites for Photographs ………..……… 19 10 Apps for Planning and Creating eBooks........................................ 21
Tips for ePublishing………………………………………….28
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Electronic Publishing Introduction Electronic publishing (also referred to as e-publishing or digital publishing) includes the digital publication of e-books, digital magazines, and the development of digital libraries and catalogues. Electronic publishing has become common in scientific publishing where it has been argued that peer-reviewed scientific journals are in the process of being replaced by electronic publishing. It is also becoming common to distribute books, magazines, and newspapers to consumers through tablet reading devices, a market that is growing by millions each year,[1] generated by online vendors such as Apple's iTunes bookstore, Amazon's bookstore for Kindle, and books in the Google Play Bookstore. Market research suggests that half of all magazine and newspaper circulation will be via digital delivery by the end of 2015[2] and that half of all reading in the United States will be done without paper by 2015.[3] Although distribution via the Internet (also known as online publishing or web publishing when in the form of a website) is nowadays strongly associated with electronic publishing, there are many non network electronic publications such as Encyclopedias on CD and DVD, as well as technical and reference publications relied on by mobile users and others without reliable and high speed access to a network. Electronic publishing is also being used in the field of test-preparation in developed as well as in developing economies for student education (thus partly replacing conventional books) - for it enables content and analytics combined - for the benefit of students. The use of electronic publishing for textbooks may become more prevalent with iBooks from Apple Inc. and Apple's negotiation with the three largest textbook suppliers in the U.S.[4]
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Electronic publishing is increasingly popular in works of fiction as well as with scientific articles. Electronic publishers are able to provide quick gratification for late-night readers, books that customers might not be able to find in standard book retailers (erotica is especially popular in e-book format[citation needed]), and books by new authors that would be unlikely to be profitable for traditional publishers. While the term "electronic publishing" is primarily used today to refer to the current offerings of online and web-based publishers, the term has a history of being used to describe the development of new forms of production, distribution, and user interaction in regard to computer-based production of text and other interactive media.
Electronic publishing process The electronic publishing process follows a traditional publishing process [5] but differs from traditional publishing in two ways: 1) it does not include using an offset printing press to print the final product and 2) it avoids the distribution of a physical product. Because the content is electronic, it may be distributed over the Internet and through electronic bookstores. The consumer may read the published content on a website, in an application on a tablet device, or in a PDF on a computer. In some cases the reader may print the content using a consumergrade ink-jet or laser printer or via a print on demand system. Distributing content electronically as apps has become popular due to the rapid consumer adoption of smartphones and tablets. At first, native apps for each mobile platform were required to reach all audiences, but in an effort toward universal device compatibility, attention has turned to using HTML5 to create web apps that can run on any browser. The benefit of electronic publishing comes from using three attributes of digital technology: XML tags to define content,[6] style sheets to define the look of content, and metadata to describe the content for search engines. With the use of tags, style sheets, and metadata, this enables reflowable content that adapts to various reading devices or delivery methods. Because electronic publishing often requires text mark-up to develop online delivery methods, the traditional roles of typesetters and book designers have changed. Designers must know more about mark-up languages, the variety of reading devices available, and the ways in which consumers read. However, new design software is becoming available for designers to publish content in this standard without needing to know programming, such as Adobe Systems' Digital Publishing Suite and Apple's iBooks Author. The most common file format is .epub, used in many e-book formats, which is a free and open standard available in many publishing programs.
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Another common format is .folio, which is used by the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to create content for Apple's iPad tablets and apps.
Academic publishing After an article is submitted to an academic journal for consideration, there can be a delay ranging from several months to more than two years[7] before it is published in a journal, rendering journals a less than ideal format for disseminating current research. In some fields such as astronomy and some parts of physics, the role of the journal in disseminating the latest research has largely been replaced by preprint repositories such as arXiv.org. However, scholarly journals still play an important role in quality control and establishing scientific credit. In many instances, the electronic materials uploaded to preprint repositories are still intended for eventual publication in a peer-reviewed journal. There is statistical evidence that electronic publishing provides wider dissemination.[8] A number of journals have, while retaining their peer review process, established electronic versions or even moved entirely to electronic publication.
Electronic publishing and copyright Copyright laws are currently tailored to printed books. Electronic publishing brings up new questions in relation to copyright. E-publishing may be more collaborative, often involving more than one author, and more accessible, since it is published online. This opens up more doors for plagiarism or theft.[9] Some publishers are trying to change this. For example, HarperCollins limited the number of uses that one of its e-books can be lent in a public library.[10] Others, such as Penguin, are attempting to incorporate the elements of the e-book into their publications instead. Source from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_publishing
References 1. Pepitone, Julianne (April 19, 2011). "Tablet sales may hit $75 billion by 2015". CNN Money (CNN). 2.
Rebecca McPheters, Magazines and Newspapers Need to Build Better Apps, Advertising Age, January 13, 2012.
3.
Dale Maunu and Norbert Hildebrand, The e-Book Reader and Tablet Market Report, Insight Media, October, 2010. As reported by Richard Hart, E-books look to be hit over holiday season, ABC 7 News, November 21, 2010.
4.
Yinka Adegoke, Apple jumps into digital textbooks fray, Yahoo News, January 19, 2012.
5.
Chicago Manual of Style, Chapter 1
6.
Chicago Manual of Style, Chapter 9
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7.
G. Ellison (2002). "The Slowdown of the Economics Publishing Process". Journal of Political Economy 110 (5): 947-993
8.
Online Or Invisible? by Steve Lawrence of the NEC Research Institute
9.
Chennupati K. Ramaiah, Schubert Foo and Heng Poh Choo, eLearning and Digital Publishing.
[where?]
10. Randall Stross, Publishers vs. Libraries: An E-Book Tug of War.
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Tools to Publish an eBook Many tools exist to help create, publish, and sell an ebook — from producing the text to managing the sale. Here is a list of tools to publish an ebook. There are tools to create and format ebooks, platforms to publish and distribute ebooks, and online retailers to sell ebooks. There are a variety of do-it-yourself tools, as well as customized services to develop your ebook quickly and professionally.
ePub Wiki ePub is the official standard format by the International Digital Publish Forum. The format is used by publishers to use in-house, as well as for distribution and sale. In general, publishers will convert a Microsoft Word document in ePub for you. Price: Free. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB#Editing_systems
Smashwords Style Guide The Smashwords Style Guide has helped thousands of authors produce and publish high-quality ebooks. This free guide offers simple step-bystep instructions to create, format and publish an ebook. It’s required reading for any author who wants to distribute his or her book via Smashwords to major ebook retailers such as the Apple iBook store, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, and Diesel. Price: Free. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/52 Smashwords Style Guide.
Scrivener Scrivener is a writing studio for structuring, writing, and formatting long documents. Scrivener provides all the tools you need to prepare your manuscript for submission or selfpublishing. Price: $45. e-Publishing Tools and Apps|7
http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php
Calibre Calibre is a free and open source ebook library management application. It can convert to and from all the major ebook formats. Price: Free. http://calibre-ebook.com/
Sigil Sigil is a free, open source WYSIWYG ebook editor. It is designed to edit books in ePub format. Price: Free. https://github.com/user-none/Sigil
iBooks Author iBook Author is a free application that allows you to create ebooks for iPad. You can add galleries, video, interactive diagrams, 3D objects, interactive widgets and more to bring your ebook to life. Choose from a variety of templates and layouts, or create one of your own. iBooks will walk you through a step-by-step process to help you submit it to Apple’s iBook store. Price: Free. http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/
Folium Book Studio Folium Book Studio is a platform to take your manuscript to an ebook. Choose its DIY service for complete control over projects with tools, addon services, and free training. Define the formatting of your text, create a cover or upload one from your computer, share a preview online, and export for ebook devices whenever you want. Get full concierge service to define the services you need and want, including unlimited edits. Price: Branded generic ePub is free. Standard plan for retail ePub & Mobi export is e-Publishing Tools and Apps|8
$40. http://foliumbookstudio.com/
CreateSpace CreateSpace, a division of Amazon, provides the tools and services that help you complete you book and make it available to millions of potential readers. Access do-it-yourself tools like Interior Reviewer, Cover Creator, and Image Gallery. Get the help you need with design, editing, and marketing services. Price: Start a title for free. Kindle conversion is $79. Editorial evaluation is $199. https://www.createspace.com/
Source from http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/58857-25-Tools-to-Publish-an-eBook
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The 5 Best Free Tools for Publishing Student Work If you are a passionate educator, you know your students are bright and it’s likely that you want to show the world. However, publishing student work is not always as easy as taping an assignment on the wall. How do you go about publishing student work online so that it’s available to the world? Read on to find out the 5 best free educational tools for publishing student work.
1. Flipsnack Flipsnack is a free online app that allows you to convert images into digital books with a professional look and the ability to flip through pages. The first thing you’ll need to do is sign up. Flipsnack allows users to sign up with a simple email address. You also have the option of creating an account linked to your Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ page.Once you’re signed up it’s time to get to work! Begin by adding a document. Give the document a title, and a description if you choose. Browse your computer or drag and drop a URL of an image or a PDF to be converted. Next, get customizing! Flipsnack allows you to choose different templates for your flipping book so take advantage of it. Choose a relevant template for the file you upload. After you’ve chosen a template, it’s time adjust your settings. Flipsnack gives you control of a number of widgets that allow you to determine the look of your book in the Flipsnack app, so get to adjusting!Finally, it’s time to publish! Decide whether you’d like comments on your book’s page, share your book with others or embed it on a class website. http://www.flipsnack.com/
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2. Wordfaire Wordfaire is an incredibly simple and free live-blogging platform that updates in real time. The thing that makes Wordfaire great for classroom use is the simplicity of the interface. Simply sign in through a Twitter, Google+, or Facebook account, choose a URL and a name for your blog and get writing!Wordfaire provides a simple alternative to more complex student publishing programs such as Flipsnack or Storybird. www.wordfaire.com/
3.
ePubBud ePubBud is a website created by two parents of a boy named Wren who died 12 hours after his birth. The website was created so that they could write an eBook about their experience that would be available on iPad. The website functions much like YouTube for children’s eBooks. Like any other website that provides a service, the first thing you must do is sign up with an email address. After that, you are free to start working on your eBook! Like Flipsnack, ePubBud allows you to upload images that get created into an eBook, or you are free to create the eBook through ePubBud’s interface.Fill in some important information, then get to work on the cover of your book. After that, get writing! The website’s interface allows you to add links, images, and even videos. Once you finish creating your book, save it and send your book’s link to fellow teachers, parents, or students. You are able to read ePubBud books from nearly any device, so click here for more information on the technicalities of this. http://www.epubbud.com/
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4.
Storybird Storybird is an online-based web app that allows users to convert text into illustrated stories through the use of images from artists around the world. Storybird’s ease-of-use and intriguing graphics make it ideal for a younger classroom. The first thing you must do to create a Storybird is sign up. The site offers different options for teachers, students, or regular users. Once you’ve signed up, it’s time to get creating!Click on “Create.” Next, choose some artwork for your story. You can browse through work from different artists, or search for a keyword of the type of art you’d like, such as: “sports” or “fairy tales,” etc. Click on the art you’d like, then click “use this art,” and select “for a story” from the drop down menu. Drag and drop a picture onto your page, click the white area to add a title or text to your story. When you’re done with that page, click the plus icon on the bottom right of the screen to add another page.Repeat this process until you are done with your book. Then click “save.” Once you’ve done this, you can return to your Storybird’s page, click “menu,” and then click “publish.” Give your story a summary, some tags, choose a genre, decide whether you’d like to make your story public or private, and you’re done! http://storybird.com/
5. Slideshare Slideshare is an online community created so that users are able to upload, download, and share slideshows with each other. Slideshare’s simplicity is what makes it a great online tool to use with your students. In order to use Slideshare, the first thing you or your students will need to do is create a slideshow to upload. Once you have a product that you are proud enough to show to the world, sign up for Slideshare using either a Facebook/LinkedIn account or an email. After signing up, find the button on your home screen that reads “Upload.” Click it and find the file on your computer that you would like to upload. Select the file and upload it! After that, you are free to share your file with the world through a URL, an embed code, or an email! http://www.slideshare.net/ e-Publishing Tools and Apps|12
Excellent Digital Publishing Platforms For Mobile & Desktop The following publishing tools are for those looking to create native apps, faster and easier. P.S., native apps are applications downloaded and installed on mobile devices (smartphones or tablets). To get the app, users must visit an app store (iTunes, Google Play, etc.), and install to their device. Here are the best publishing tools and platforms for creating mobile apps: 1. Adobe Digital Publishing Suite – for marketers and designers. Create and publish engaging mobile app experiences without coding to attract, retain, and better understand your audience. http://www.adobe.com/products/digital-publishing-solution.html 2. appery.io – a cloud-based platform for enterprises and developers. Create mobile and responsive apps that run on all major device platforms. Samsung, AT&T, and ESPN are clients. https://appery.io/ 3. AppMakr – an app creation platform that lets anyone build their own apps for iPhone, Android, and HTML5 mobile formatted websites. Absolutely no coding required. https://www.appmakr.com/
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4. Aquafadas – design apps, eBooks, and digital magazines for mobile devices with no costper-download or revenue sharing. Seventeen, Marie Claire, and Cartier are customers. http://www.aquafadas.com/en/ 5. GoodBarber – create stunning apps for mobile and tablet in four easy steps: design, add content, preview, and publish. Get access to 50+ themes and a professional photo library, too. http://www.goodbarber.com/ 6. iMirus – integrates printed content with multimedia interactivity to create branded apps accessible on smartphones and tablets. Clients include Allstate and Porsche. http://www.imirus.com/ 7. MagLoft – publish fully branded magazine on iOS, Android, desktop and the web. Simply upload your existing PDF document or use the responsive, drag and drop editor to begin. http://www.magloft.com/ 8. Mobile Roadie – create and manage your own customizable app with built-in geotargeting, in-app purchasing, user analytics, and more. Disney and the San Diego Zoo customers. http://mobileroadie.com/ 9. Paperlit – converts magazines, newspapers, and catalogues into branded apps. The chosen solution for Conde Nast, Vogue, and Wired. http://paperlit.com/ 10. ShoutEm – whether you’re looking to make an ecommerce, community, loyalty, or branded mobile app, ShoutEm offers everything you need to create superior app experiences. http://www.shoutem.com/ 11. TheAppBuilder – design, build, and distribute smartphone and tablet apps. No technical skills required. Specializes in employee apps for improved internal communications and external apps for branding and marketing. http://www.theappbuilder.com/
A final word It is never easy to compile a list of providers in an industry that’s so heavily populated. For every solution mentioned, there must be dozens, if not more, alternatives out there. If there's anything I might have missed that deserves to be on this list, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
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BY VICTORIA TAYLO Publishing solutions: Web apps http://magazine.readz.com/digital-publishing-platforms-tools
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Introduction to Electronic Publishing: The Tools Telling stories with digital tools can be as easy or as complex as you wish. In its most basic form, digital storytelling can be as simple as a student-published book or poem that is either printed or shared online. Once you and your students gain experience, you can move on to creating stories with video, animation, and sound. Let's begin with the basics - stories told in print with digital photos and illustrations. To get started, you'll want to explore a bit and see which tools you have available. Here's a list of suggested tools to get you started: Computer and Word Processing Software The good news is that you don't need the latest and greatest to tell stories in print. A computer that includes a word processor like Microsoft Word, AppleWorks, or Pages is a good place to start. TextEdit for Mac OS X or WordPad for PC are basic word processors included for free on your computer. Photo-Editing Programs All Apple computers sold in the last five years have included iPhoto, a handy photography program that also includes a great book creation tool. PC users with Windows XP may want to check out Picasa and Picaboo as excellent free alternatives to edit photos and create books. http://picasa.google.com/ http://www.picaboo.com/
Drawing Programs While programs like AppleWorks and Word have basic drawing tools, you might want to look at more kid-friendly alternatives such as Kid Pix. There are also two great free drawing programs that work on Mac and PC computers: TuxPaint is a software program that is perfect for younger students - it includes several fun drawing tools and stamps to help kids create personal works of art. For older students, check out ArtRagefrom Ambient Design. http://www.mackiev.com/kid_pix.html e-Publishing Tools and Apps|16
http://www.tuxpaint.org/ http://www.ambientdesign.com/artrage.html
Other Options If you want to incorporate photographs but don't have the time or equipment to have students take their own pictures, try using one of these free online photography sites (PDF). http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/collateral_resources/pdf/m/techtutor/Copyrig htFriendlyPhotSites.pdf
By Gayle Berthiaume, Michelle Bourgeois http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/introduction-electronic-publishing-tools
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Copyright Friendly Sites for Photographs 1. Pics4Learning http://www.pics4learning.com Student-friendly site with images from both photographers and classrooms from around the world. The site includes a search feature as well as the ability to browse for pictures by topic. JPEG and PNG images ranging in size. Most images are around 400x600 pixels or about 500K in size. May be used by teachers and students for print, multimedia, video, and Web publication. Bibliography entry for each photo is given.
2. Digital Library System http://images.fws.gov/ Created by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, this is a great place for pictures of plants, animals, and habitats. Includes detailed information on the location and content of each photograph. JPEG images ranging in size. Many images are high quality scans that can be printed full-page. Almost all images here are public domain. To be certain of the usage rights for a specific picture, check its description.
3. FreeRange Stock http://freerangestock.com
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Though this site requires you to register in order to download photos, it is a great place to find professional shots of common images. An image catalog makes it easy to browse through the photos on the site. Medium quality JPEG images. Most images are around 2400x1600 pixels or less than 1MB in size. All images are copyrighted by FreeRange, but once registered, you are given permission to use the photographs for commercial and non-commercial (including educational) use.
4. FreeFoto http://www.freefoto.com Over 100,000 photos of almost anything under the sun. Many images also include a link to a Google Map showing where they were taken. Medium quality JPEG images. Students and teachers may use of FreeFoto images provided credit is given for the photo either in the bibliography or with a Web link to the site. 5. PDPhoto.org
PDPhoto.org is a repository for free public domain photos. Unless something is clearly marked as being copyrighted, you can assume it is free to use. But if you intend to use an image you find here for commercial use, please be aware that standards for such use are higher. Specifically, you should assume no model release was obtained. And pictures featuring products or property should be used with care. The photos are here to be used, but I don't want you to get either of us in trouble over it.
6. NASA Image Exchange http://nix.nasa.gov/ NASA's own image archive; great when looking for images for space science. Low and medium quality JPEG images as well as small MPEG and Quicktime movies. NASA images are not
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copyrighted and may be used by teachers and students for print, multimedia, video and Web publication.
7. Apple Learning Interchange Thematic Collections http://edcommunity.appl e.com/ali/collection.php?collection=158 Media Collections from Apple Distinguished Educators focused on specific themes. Medium quality JPEG Images, Quicktime movies and mp3 sounds. Resources in the Apple Learning Interchange may be used by teachers and students for school projects.
Source from:  http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/collateral_resources/pdf/m/techtutor/C opyrightFriendlyPhotSites.pdf  http://teacher.scholastic.com/tools/
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10 Apps for Planning and Creating eBooks Today, eBooks are popular tools for content marketers who want to get their message across to a wider audience. Not only can offering a free eBook be helpful for building a mailing list of prospective customers and clients, but a well-crafted eBook can also demonstrate that you have the knowledge, resources, and skills your customer needs. There are a number of tools available to help individuals design professional-looking eBooks. We even have a guide here on Rock the Deadline with tips for creating an eBook in Microsoft Word. http://rockthedeadline.com/blog/content-marketing/tips-for-creating-an-ebook-in-microsoftword/ Some of the apps on this list, such as Evernote, are best suited for pulling together your thoughts and ideas while others, such as PagePlus, are excellent layout and design tools.
Evernote http://www.evernote.com/ Evernote is a popular program for organizing thoughts, notes, websites, images, and PDF files in one place. It is a great program to use during the production of an eBook. You can access your notes both online and off, and on any computer, making it a handy tool for those looking for portability while creating their eBooks. You can keep track of your ideas, outlines, and to-do lists in one place, treating the program like an electronic filing cabinet. e-Publishing Tools and Apps|21
The program is also searchable by keyword, making it easy to find those notes and websites recorded on the topic of networking at conferences for chapter four. One of the neat newer features of Evernote is Evernote Business. This makes it easy to share notes, research, outlines, etc. with coworkers or clients. Keep a library of files for reference and training when it comes to using the other eBook tools your company will use. The original Evernote is free to use and download, but Evernote Business is $10.00/user/month. Users of either program will need to create an account.
PagePlus http://www.serif.com/pageplus/
Serif’s PagePlus is a great option for content marketers wanting their eBooks to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This program, akin to Adobe’s InDesign is easier to use, and contains the functionality the average eBook publisher will need to put together a beautiful, professional-looking book. The full version of this program is only $99.99, and there’s also a free starter version for those who want to try before buying. The “Startup Assistant” allows newbies to learn how to use the program through tutorials.PagePlus also allows you to create vector-based images for titles and chapter titles. You can blend layers to create a professionally designed finish. Specifically of interest to eBook publishers is the ability to publish PDFs and eBooks from the program itself. Publishers can save in PDF/X-3 format and seek out eBook validation through EPUBCheck so that the literature will be compatible with as many bookstores as possible. Scrivener http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.ph p While many authors and content marketers enjoy Evernote, Scrivener offers a great way to organize thoughts when it comes to creating eBooks. You can keep all of your notes, outlines, e-Publishing Tools and Apps|22
writing, and editing in one place. On the left-hand side, a basic outline of the book makes navigation through the different components easy. In addition to being able to outline and write a book in this program, you can comment and create footnotes on written portions of the eBook. There are also templates to help create nonfiction books, including the ability to insert charts and research directly into the document. The program can track how much the author writes in a single session against how much work remains. While not necessarily applicable to content marketers, the program also has a name generator, which may be useful in determining names used in examples. The program is $40.00 for Windows machines and $45.00 for Mac OS X. Issuu http://issuu.com/home Issuu is one of the many platforms available for publishing electronic works. The program is easy to use; simply upload your eBook, choose whether you would like to allow readers to view a sample or the whole thing free, and publish. Not only does using Issuu help you quickly (and cheaply) publish your eBook, but it also can be helpful should you wish to publish a regular newsletter or even a portfolio of work. The program allows you to upload print material so that it appears like a book, and readers can flip through it. The program also integrates with social media, allowing readers to share your eBook with ease. Issuu works best for those with eBooks that are highly graphic in nature. If you are planning to use many illustrations in your eBook (which is also easily done with PagePlus), then this would be a great option for distribution since it has a beautiful presentation. FreeMind http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/ Main_Page I like to make mind maps when brainstorming new ideas. It helps when I am stuck or when outlining a new project. FreeMind is open source software that
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makes the art of mind mapping very easy. The program is available for download free of charge. FreeMind provides many tools for outlining, brainstorming, and organizing notes. Start with an initial idea at the center, and branch out. For example, each chapter of the book could have a branch, and each section of that chapter could have yet another branch. The program can also be used for creating a to-do list for the eBook and for tracking possible sources for each section of your book. Vook http://vook.com/
Like Issuu, Vook is an eBook publishing service. Whereas Issuu is a great program for those who have opted to do it all themselves, Vook offers comprehensive publishing services including design and editing. In addition to publishing standard eBooks, users have the option to add audio or video files to their publications. The service frees users from the burden of designing the cover and formatting the text – a great boon to those who are not comfortable using other tools to put together an effective design. There is one other advantage to the program: You can keep the publication free, or you can sell it. Once you have uploaded your eBook, the publishers at Vook evaluate the manuscript and provide you with a quote on how much it will cost to publish the book on their system. Ommwriter http://www.ommwriter.com/ I do not know about you, but I find it easy to become distracted when writing at a computer (often I will write rough drafts by hand). If you find yourself easily led astray by the lure of Candy Crush Saga and Facebook memes, you may want to check out this great tool. Ommwriter provides a distraction-free environment to write in. Plug in headphones for your writing session. The application shows a serene scene with docile background music (though you can certainly also choose to have a completely sterile environment). The program provides a word count and simple text tools. At the end of your writing session, you can save your work to come back to later.
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Ommwriter is available for Mac and PC (as well as iPad), and there are two versions of the software. Ommwriter I is free and comes with three backgrounds and three soundtracks. Ommwriter II is available for purchase. Rather than purchasing it for a set price, the creators allow customers to set their own price. Calibre http://calibre-ebook.com/ Calibre is a program created to organize eBooks amassed from around the Internet – a great tool to use when you are doing research on what is already out there. There is also another great potential function for this program. You can use the program to convert your own eBook into a variety of eBook formats. The program is free to download, and installation only takes a few short minutes. The program displays eBooks in a database format and allows you to easily search through literature. A final neat feature of the program is that it allows you to download news from websites and format the news as an eBook. For example, if your eBook will be on customer service techniques, then you can set Calibre up to download all news that contains the keywords “customer service” for later reading. BookBaby http://www.bookbaby.com/
Distribution can be a daunting part of the publishing process. After you have spent hours writing your eBook, how will you place the book in front of the eyes of your readers? BookBaby is a great means for distributing your books online. The tool has multiple options to help you best succeed in getting your eBook in the hands of those who will read it. The basic package, distribution only, is $99. e-Publishing Tools and Apps|25
For those who would like extra help in publishing their eBook, BookBaby offers several different options. Cover design, for example, costs $149 for a basic cover and $279 for a deluxe cover. The distributer also sells ISBN numbers, important if you would like your eBook to be indexed with books in print and available in Kindle and Nook formats. The best part of BookBaby is that you get to keep all of the money you make selling your book online (if you will be selling your eBook and not using it to compile a list of potential customers and clients). Blurb http://www.blurb.com/business For those wanting to create eBooks that look professional (and that could potentially be printed for handing out at networking events), Blurb is a great choice. Not only does the company offer standard publishing services, but they also have a special business publishing division. If you are nervous about formatting books, the website offers the ability to plug your eBook into their template to make a professional-looking book every time. For those who would like more control over the formatting, BookSmart is downloadable to assist with formatting. There are also plugins for InDesign and Lightroom. Finally, the service offered includes an eBook editor. If you are creating an eBook, using a variety of these tools together can be invaluable. What is your favorite eBook creation tool? What is your process for writing and publishing eBooks?
by Ronda Bowen http://rockthedeadline.com/blog/content-marketing/10-apps-for-planning-and-creatingebooks/
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Tips for ePublishing
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Source from http://www.slideshare.net/shockeyk/open-source-epublishing-tools
e-Publishing Tools and Apps|29
e-Publishing Tools and Apps|30