In this chapter you will learn how to upload and create your first eBook. Let’s begin with the very first steps you need to take before you compose your eBook.
If you want to have people download your eBook, there are a few rules to follow. The purpose in following these rules is to ensure that you will send out a perfect eBook of high quality.
Of course you already know that your spelling, grammar structure and link relevance should be checked twice to guarantee an excellent product.
eBooks are interactive and can contain live links, graphics, forms, JavaScript, embedded video, can be protected via password, search capabilities and more.
eBooks can be distributed on CD or made available from your web site for instant download, etc. Creating an eBook is just like creating a web site. Simply create your HTML pages like you would for your web site. Once your eBook pages are written (this can be in .HTML or Word), you need to compose them. Do this just like you create a web site.
Put all your pages and images in one directory on your hard disk, give it the name of your eBook, and make sure that you make a back up copy of them, in case the worst should happen to your PC system.
You wouldn’t believe how many people forget to make back ups and are in complete despair when bad luck strikes. Think about all those wasted hours of inspiration and perspiration!
If you design your eBook pages, try to focus on being consistent and informative.
Make it easy for your readers to navigate through your book pages, or they will skip your material. Put navigation links on every book page. Do not use fancy colours or buttons. Or have you ever seen a newspaper or magazine with orange text on a yellow background? There’s no need to revolutionize the way publishing is done with your eBook.
Check and re-check to see if all the hyperlinks or forms work, and if all the images show up correctly. An often made mistake in eBooks is not linking the images or banners to the right file or URL.
Try to limit the use of images, because they take up a lot of space, and your eBook should not be too large to download. Put your ad banners (if you use any) at the bottom of your book pages.
Remember, never distract your readers! Once this is done, you can create an opening page. This page shows up first when your eBook gets opened. Place your eBook title on this page, and make a clickable index of all the different pages or chapters.
Now that all the pages and images are properly linked, you’re ready to convert your book pages into eBook format.
eBooks can be created in .pdf or .exe format. The advantage of .pdf eBooks is that they can be read on any computer, Macintosh included. All you need to read a .pdf file is the free Acrobat Reader software http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
eBooks in .exe format can only be used by Windows users, but the software that creates .exe books can be handy if you want to personalise or customise your eBooks.
Your documents will look exactly as you intended and are accessible to anyone across a broad range of hardware and software You can create .pdf files for FREE at the Adobe site (Note: Uploaded files are limited to 100 MB and a processing time limit of 10 minutes.
https://createpdf.adobe.com/index.pl/2323321943.19516?BP=IE
There are a wide range of free eBook creation services you can use – just surf the web. Create .pdf files on line
Click on the link below and a new window will pop up where you can enter text which will be converted into .pdf format. Once the text has been converted it will be sent to you via email. Click:http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html
Gymnast
Gymnast converts text files to Adobe Acrobat PDF format without the need for any additional Adobe software. Click:http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm
HTMLDoc
This program generates indexed HTML, Adobe PostScript, and PDF files from HTML files that you create using your favourite HTML editor. Click: http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc
PDF-o-Matic
This is a simple PHP script that uses HTMLDOC to convert the web page of your choice. Click:http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc/pdf-o-matic.php
If you want to reduce the download time of your eBook, compress it into a .zip file. Open your Zip software, select the eBook file, and name this file ebook.zip.
Click to get a free download, if you don’t have WinZip already http://www.winzip.com/prod_info.htm
The last step is to upload your eBook to your web server via FTP, so your potential readers can download a copy to their hard disk. You can use almost any FTP program to upload your files.