Leveraging Community to Create the Best eBooks Possible. There are many steps to creating a good ebook. It’s not just about having good content, but it’s about superior editing, strong marketing, a well-designed and eye-catching cover, and an interested audience. If you have the right set of tools and apis you can easily create ebooks
for selling or promotional purposes and distribute them via social
media. Epublishing is much more than just converting your files into
ebooks. By socializing the interaction between readers, bloggers,
authors, students, writers, journalists, designers, editors, and publishers, members of the community can connect with one another to create the best possible e-books.
Miral Sattar - Books in Browser - Beyond Authoring Platforms
1. You’ve Found Your Author
Platform
Now What?
Books in Browsers - October 2012
Miral Sattar
@bibliocrunch | @miralsattar
miral@bibliocrunch.com
2. My Journey so far in Publishing
MiralSattar, Founder of BiblioCrunch
B.S. Computer Engineering, Columbia
M.S. Digital Publishing, NYU
Software Developer for 7 years
4+ years at TIME
Senior Product Development Manager
Launched digital initiatives (video, apps, blogs,
e-books)
Recognized unmet need in the eBook space
Left TIME to launch BiblioCrunch
Marketplace that helps authors and publishers
find talent to help them create quality books
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3. The Publishing Services Spectrum
DIY Full-Service Traditional
Self-Service
Authors Publishers
Opportunity to fill unmet need
Professional editing Cover & Design App Development
Apps Workflow
Marketing & Publicity Fact Checking
Conversion Enhanced Features Proofing Distribution
BiblioCrunch takes offline community interactions between authors/publishers and book
professionals, and bring them online to make eBook publishing seamless
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4. No Matter What Authoring Platform You Use
Additional Work Almost Always Needs to be Done
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6. Q: You’ve found your authoring platform, now what?
A: Leverage the community to create the best books
possible and further engage your audience!
** Seven Case Studies **
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7. CASE 1: Stay on the Cutting Edge of Available
Resources
In today’s connected world, there is no
excuse not to have a well edited book
Personal networks
Editorial groups
BiblioCrunch
Social media platforms
Best-selling author Joanna Penn sourced
her editor (@noveldoctor) by putting a
call out through Twitter
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8. CASE 2: Crowdsource Cover Design
Crowdsourcing a cover makes fans part
of the process
Penguin Books held a competition for the
cover of best selling author John Green’s
book An Abundance of Katherines
17-year-old Sarah Turbin won
“I think it has to look good in print; it has to
look good blown-up; it has to look good on
a screen and it has to look good one-inch
tall.”
-- John Green
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9. CASE 3: Engage Beta Readers
A Beta Reader reads with a critical eye –
prior to release to general public
Most common with fan fiction writers, but
is growing in popularity with novelists
50 Shades of Grey
Tons of communities available online
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10. CASE 4: Market with Blog Tours
Blog tours are taking the place of author
tours
Cost effective online publicity
Generate buzz without having to travel
SR Johannes
Indie author
Sold 30,000 books in less than nine
months
Nearly 60 blog tours for most recent
book
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14. By Leveraging Communities:
Case Study Examples
1. Redefine the content creator • Twitter Storytelling
• Facebook (Story Dam)
2. Get immediate feedback on stories • Beta Readers
3. Reach higher engagement with target • Blog Tours
audience • Fan Cover Art
4. Create community & social elements • Dessert Guide
within the e-books themselves
5. Stay on the cutting edge of available • Joanna Penn
resources
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15. Authors Leverage Communities Selectively
1 2 3
You have a Specific You Launch a You Leverage the
Publishing Need Project Community
• Content Creation • Budget • Vetted Professionals
• Cover Design • Required Skills • Self-selected
• Editing • Deadline engaged members
• Marketing