Selecting epublishing companies-golden rules

There are a lot of websites and service providers promising writers to offer epublishing services as well as distribution assistance. However, it is vital to get educated about different aspects regarding the operation of these services and alike.

Selecting epublishing companies

The said solutions can be of two types

• Retail-driven single channel solutions- Apple iBookstore, Nook Press of Barnes & Noble and Kind Direct Publishing of Amazon are few examples.  
• E-book distribution services- Common among them are Smashwords and Bookbaby.

Let us see the considerations that you have to make before hiring any of the epublishing companies.

Check whether the services is non-exclusive or completely exclusive

Epublishing solutions that are marketed to the authors directly most of the times operate non-exclusively, i.e., their service can be used for selling your eBook and at the same time sell your eBook anywhere you like using any different service of your choice. Two notable exceptions in this regard are Kindle Select from Amazon and the eBook that are created by iBooks Author tool of Apple. 

In case if exclusiveness is offered, inquire about the term of contract

To say, KDP Select offers 90 days and most of the authors find this comfortable. In case if you work with any of the agents out there, chances are high that you will be asked to enter into a longer term contract. This contract thing is initiated just to make sure that after the work is done, you suddenly don’t leave and take the eBook elsewhere. 

Ask about the pricing control you are provided with

There are certain services that put upon you some reasonable restrictions but some companies follow the standard practice of giving you complete control to decide the pricing. Most of the eBook retailers demand you not to offer better pricing on any other platform. 

Be clear about upfront fee and the index for royalty calculation

Different service providers offer different models. Whatsoever, there should be transparency regarding upfront and free. Also, no hidden fees should be there.

• Apple iBook store, Nook Press of Barnes & Noble and Kind Direct Publishing of Amazon are absolutely free.
• Smashwords too is free and it distributes to every main eBook retailer with an exception of Amazon.
• Bookbaby provides you the flexibility to choose the financial arrangement type you prefer and this is influenced by the service level you need. 

Don’t forget to read carefully the fine print in all these cases. 

Inquire about the list of eBook file formats they accept

It is very important to know in advance because it decides whether you can make use of the service initially, the charges for formatting as well as conversion and if it’s the solution that you actually need. 

Some of the things that you must know are:

• Microsoft Word and almost all text files are accepted.
• E-Pub file is the standard format.
• Most of the companies offering eBooks conversion process offer MOBI and EPUB files. 
• PDF is hard to convert into e-Pub.

Before the final selection 

There are few main questions that you should ask before making the final selection. They are listed below.

• Who will own the final eBook files created?
• Are there any proprietary formats or DRM protection involved?
• Where will your eBook get distributed? 
• After the eBook gets into the market for sale, can changes be made by you?

As said, there are many companies offering eBooks formatting and conversion services. If the above points are kept in mind, you will end up associating with the best team.