10.6 Publishing: General Resources

Book Industry Statistics. Useful facts and figures.
Bookwire. Comprehensive portal of the book industry.
Journal of Electronic Publishing. More scholarly articles on e-publishing.
eContent Magazine. Content on the Internet: news, articles and resources.
General Publishing Resources. Long listing, rather a mixed bag.
Comparison of ebook readers. Wikipedia. Good table and listings.
Internet Publishing. Personal site, with an excellent listing of electronic publishers.
Author 's Guild. Advice on the book (and other) contracts.
Perfect Pages: Book design, typography, and Microsoft Word. Aaron Shepard. 2006. 140 pp. $15.
StyleWriter. Searches for thousands of writing faults and helps you write clear and simple English. $150.
Comparison of e-book formats. Wikipedia. Extensive tables and listings.
PDF Zone. Online hub for all things PDF.

Creating eBooks

eBooks are commonly made by:

1. Compiling webpages: search under 'webpage compiler', 'ebook creator', 'make your own ebook', etc. Many exist for the Windows platform, few or none for the Mac. Features to check for:

Layout precision required: program:
compiles simple HTML pages only.
css layouts preserved: rarely the case: check with pages concerned.
Nature of Input:
text only, text and graphics.
basic multimedia. Flash and/or videos. Pdf Acrobat files.
Functionality:
individual pages can be hidden/password protected.
printing can be disabled.
copying can be disabled.
indexes easily created.
search facility can be added.
Level of security required:
password protection of whole document.
password protection of individual pages.
time expiry of ebook
expiry after certain number of times used.
access restricted to single machine/user.
user tracking.

Most programs have free trials or demo versions.

2. Making PDF files with specific software from webpages and/or Microsoft Word etc. documents.

Search with 'pdf creation software ', 'pdf creation services ', 'word to pdf ', 'online pdf services ', etc. Apart from Adobe's Acrobat, the software is generally inexpensive, and online services even more so.

Preservation of layout and links (bookmarks and exterior links) can be difficult, claims notwithstanding. Test thoroughly, especially with large documents.

Security is a vexing matter as software is readily available to open locked pdf documents (and extract their data) if the whole document is not password-protected (and passwords are commonly passed on with the document). Several commercial options exist, but are expensive. The cheaper options are:
Mac platform: Book Guard.
Windows Platform: Softlocker, AftIndia, and Apinsoft.

3. Making Flash pages, either from scratch (with Adobe Flash, Swish or Toufee) or from previous documents usually pdf (e.g. with PageTurnPro ) or Word (e.g. with Print2Flash. Search with 'easy flash program ', 'word to flash ', 'pdf to flash '. Many companies offer a complete service: e.g. PageGangster and ePaperFlip.

File Handling Routes

Routines are essential. Files need to be properly backed up, and some thought given to consistent naming for easy identification and renaming later.

The starting material is text and graphics, and these must be kept in their pristine form. Graphics should be stored in some lossless format like TIFF so that repeated copying does not degrade them. An author's manuscript should also be saved safely in its original submission, beyond the reach of subsequent editing.

These file handling routes should cover most needs:

1. Text to HTML

• any number of HTML editors exist, many free or shareware.

• use AscToHTM
  

2. Text to Acrobat PDF format

• use Adobe Acrobat

• use one of the many (cheaper) clones available: Win2PDF, PrintToPDF, PDF-Xchange, PDF-Xchange, PDF Online, DaVince Tools,Create PDF, Sonic PDF or NitroPDF.

3. Text to Microsoft Reader format

• use ReaderWorks

4. Microsoft Reader to other formats

• use ConvertLit.

5. Text to Hiebook format

• use software supplied with Hiebook, now sold on eBay

6. Text to Gemstar format

• contact fellow users: Gemstar eBook Publisher no longer live.

7. Text to Rocket eBook format

• contact fellow users: Rocket Librarian site is no longer live.

8. Text to Mobipocket format

• use Mobipocket Reader 5.

9. Word to Acrobat PDF

• use FinePrint, MakePDF, PDF Writer Pro, etc.

10. Word to HTML

• save as HTML in Word and use HTML Tidy

• use Flash Utility, Word2Web or ePrint Professional.

11. Word to Microsoft Reader

• use Microsoft Reader or ReaderWorks

12. HTML to Text

• use a HTML code stripper like NoteTab, PureText, or StripHTML

13. HTML to Acrobat PDF

• use Acrobat's webpage capture and number pages with Javascript coding.

• Use HTMLDoc,

14. HTML to Microsoft Reader

• use ReaderWorks

• convert to MS Word and use Microsoft Reader or ReaderWorks

15. Add graphic files to HTML documents

• optimize file size in a graphics program like Fireworks, and then use an HTML editor.

16. Add graphic files to Acrobat PDF documents

• insert in HTML or Word document: import into Acrobat, and save at appropriate resolution.

17. Add graphic files to Microsoft Reader Documents

• import to MS Word and use

• convert to file formats and then use

18. Add graphics to MS Word documents

• use Word Autoshapes or WordArt tools

• import in GIF, JPG, PNG, BMP, PCX formats

19. Text and graphics to Adobe InDesign

• follow InDesign procedures or consult third-party manuals.

20. Text and graphics to Quark Xpress

• follow Xpress procedures or consult third-party manuals.

21. Prepress for Adobe InDesign.

• export as Postscript files, setting controls or use DeskPrint

• preflight in Adobe Acrobat

• use third-party software, e.g.: PitStop Professional, Crackerjack, PDF Robot

22. Prepress for Quark Express

• distill using Postscript driver

• preflight in Adobe Acrobat

• use third-party software: PDF Robot, etc.

23. Convert HTML/Word/Text files to MP3 format

• use Verbose and then convert WAV file to MP3, or use Text Aloud

• speak into an MP3 encoder: DailyMP3, MP3 Machine, Hitsquad, NCH, MP3-Converter, Winamp, Musicmatch or Blaze Media Pro.

24. Convert audio files to MP3 format for web download

• convert to MP3 format and then link to RSS feeds.

25. Convert between graphics file formats use graphics programs: PhotoShop, Illustrator, Paintshop Pro.

26. Convert PDF to flash: Swiftools.

27. Convert PDF to PageTurn: PDF 2 PageTurn.

28. Convert PDF to ePub: PDF2EPUB.

29. Convert PDF to Kindle: AutoKindle.