An eBook-shaped hole in my education
In a recent blog post I talked about my writing and editing goals for 2012. However, I forgot to add one very important goal to the list: I need to learn more about eBooks.
The course I took on electronic publishing in 2010 didn’t help me. In fact, it was downright misleading. It contained absolutely no mention of eBooks or eReaders at all. This is rather odd, all things considered – shouldn’t students entering the fast-changing world of publishing be given at least a rudimentary understanding of eBook formatting, eReaders, digital rights management for eBooks, or eBook piracy? This information is becoming increasingly relevant to both self-published authors and publishing houses. Ryerson will have a course in the summer of 2012 called “Publishing in Transition” which I hope will bridge the gaps in my knowledge, but that’s still a way off, and I want to start paving over the holes in my education right now.
So, here is a very basic sketch of how I plan to do that:
- Bookmark websites and blogs that discuss ebook production, distribution, and marketing, and follow their content.
- Buy lots of eBooks. (If there’s one thing that’s wonderful, it’s rationalizing entertainment consumption as a form of professional development!)
- Understand how eBooks work in action and get a grasp of what formatting issues are unique to them. (I just bought a Kobo, but that’s fodder for another post.)
- Learn about other facets of the self-publishing industry, like price points, royalties, and budgeting
The plan sounds simple in theory, but the amount of information about self-publishing and ePublishing is increasing so quickly that it’s easy for anyone, especially a newcomer like me, to get overwhelmed. Here are some sites I’ve found useful so far:
- Chamber Four – Reviews of eReaders and eBooks
- Catherine, Caffeinated – A successful self-published author, blogging straight from the trenches
- The Writer’s Guide to E-Publishing – Self-explanatory, really. However, I feel they’re a tad too liberal with their exclamation marks
Oddly enough, a number of the blogs I’ve been following have talked about the importance of good cover design for eBooks. Synchronicity or not, the news is welcome.
