Guest Expert: Aggie Villanueva
There was a time when we only needed to format and publish our book manuscripts in print form and eBook versions for simple e-readers such as the Kindle. That day is gone.
If we don’t want to ignore a huge population of readers, we now must think beyond print and electronic pdf galleys. We also need to include apps in our publication formats (interactive eBook applications). Interactive eBook apps have already become one of the preferred reads for the under-30 reading population, and has spread quickly to all ages.
Until recently this was done mostly for children’s books, but more and more non-fiction and how-to books are published as apps to take advantage of the interactive capabilities that lends itself so readily to teaching. And you need look no further than Vook applications to see how popular this format is for fiction too. You may have even purchased some of the wonderful children’s eBook apps or Vooks for your own family.
But the best way to get a truly interactive eBook is to hire someone to format it as an app that is recognizable tosmart-phones, Apple and Android compatible mobile devices, iPads etc. This is a completely different platform and used to be too expensive for the average writer like me. But I’ve found a company who made it affordable, Digi-Tall Media, the company formatting, finalizing, helping me to distribute and assisting in marketing. Because they are affiliated with eighteen other distributors they pack some marketing power. And they have additional web presence with their online storefront.
As always, I’ve retained all rights as the self-publisher of this upcoming book. Owner Victoria Freudiger is patiently and caringly working with me as she formats it as a print, electronic eBook (for Kindle) and an interactive application she will upload for me at the Apple iTunes Store, Apple Bookstore and Android compatible apps sites. Entry Way Publishing, also Victoria Freudiger’s company, designed my book cover. The e-Book craze hit this seasoned company early on. They’re frontrunners with a great deal of knowledge and energy they’re now putting into creating interactive eBook apps too.
You can also simply Google something like “format eBooks as interactive apps” to get a list of companies that createtheseapplications. As you shop around you’ll find that creating an interactive eBook app nowadays can be comparable to the cost of professional editing and cover design, and varies into the very high end. With Entry Way Publishing I didn’t have to break the bank to break into this publishing format.
There are several ways to keep down the cost. Authors need not pay to create a mini-movie out of their books, animated to the hilt like a Disney classic.Non-fiction eBookapplications such as my how-to, in my opinion, are more effective with the simplest of interactive components.
My upcoming eBookapp, uses page-embedded videos and simple animations forhyperlinking readers to online pages with contests, updates, discussions and much more, and of course all the other eBook functionalities. Animation can be useful within most genres, used sparingly, also true for a little music and/or narration where appropriate.
The simple eBook format we’ve come to love is fantastic for the purposes of an e-reader such as the Kindle or even the Apple Bookstore. It hyperlinks us directly to web pages and reference material, allows us to bookmark and keep digital notes, see the notes of others reading the same passage, and many other popular conveniences. And now there’s a new book frontier to come to love, as millions already have.
Most of the publishing world has just recently joined us in the reader demand for simple electronic books, but doesn’t yet grasp the demand for interactive eBook apps as equally mandatory. Our industry and be slow to change. It’s up to authors to let them know we petition our books also be released in this format when called for, along with the print and eBook versions,or we’ll do it on our own.
Personally, I prefer to do just do it myself (hiring my own choice of pro’s. You know the old saying, if you want something done right…
If you’ve had experiences with creating apps of your books, such as I have with Digi-Tall-Media, please let us know. We’d love to have you share your story here.
Published at Thomas Nelson before age 30, award-winning author Aggie Villanueva is now a self-published multiple fiction & nonfiction Amazon/Kindle category bestseller, for The Rewritten Word and Rightfully Mine. Aggie founded Promotion á la Carte, author promotional services and 6 months later was voted #2 at Predators & Editors in the Promotion category. She teaches author promotion and rewriting across the Web, and is also a critically acclaimed photographic artist represented by galleries nationwide, including Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.
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