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New Media
I-publishing – new players, new info
Posted by jrpoulter on December 27, 2010
27.12.2010 Update:
I have found numbers of other interesting sites which I am actively investigating.
MCB
Interesting interview with Jean-Pierre Bousquet about his experience publishing his Children’s picture book , “Caroline , and the mysterious Christmas Tree” with Mobile Children’s Books [MCB]. Check out Wheezards interview LIVE radio show on 938Live The Living Room – Singapore podcast
Loud Crow
Read the AppModo.com review article, check out their site – http://loudcrow.com/ – I like the look of their pop-up books!
uTales
This is a brand new venture which may work well for those not so techno flash or those with less in the way of spare cash. It is European based and the books have a definitely European look. Read about uTales and about becoming a ‘uTaler‘, publisher on this site.
The site, commendably, also support “Pencils of Promise” who built 15 schools in third world countries from donations last year.
E-Book Publishing – iphone/ipad/e-book – some notes
Posted by jrpoulter on June 20, 2010
Children’s books on ipad and iphone
Thought I’d share some notes on e-publishing, especially with all the excitement generated by ipad. I have two picture books coming out myself on iphone and am looking forward to having picture books on ipad!
Iphone
Pros
Most of the iphone publishers pay better [some much better] royalties than book publishers.
Though the RRP cost of books is low, volume of sales is high compared to hard copy books.
Folk buying an e-book for iphone often buy the hardcopy too if the child likes the book.
If you are publishing with an iphone company who works with the big publishers or with big children’s media companies, then it potentially brings your work to the attention of some important networks/people. It puts you book into good company!
Cons
Starts with costing you the author.
There is a setup fee or the set up cost is taken out of your royalties.
You have to make your own audio and ensure it is of ‘professional’ quality or pay to have the iphone publisher produce it for you. American iphone book producers like to use American accents [sorry Aussies].
If they format the text into the images for you that is a cost as well.
You have to submit the completed book upfront [not such a hassle for the author/illustrator] as a pdf. For author working with illustrator it means either you pay the illustrator upfront or they work with you with royalties in mind. If it is accepted you may find you have to then submit each frame [individual jpeg image] resized to iphone format . This can mean force sizing, which can distort the image slightly. If you do not do this yourself, there is a cost for them to do it.
Like all publishers, they are selective.
I have books soon to come out with PicPocket Books and istorytime. [See my website for updateswww.jenniferrpoulter.weebly.com ] For a preview of “Toofs!”, to come out with PicPocket Books, see the interview with Susan Whitfield [http://susanwhitfield.blogspot.com/search?q=Poulter ].
e-book
kindle
Pro
Good format for b&w and has growing audience.
Con
No colour.
e-book
ipad
Pro
Is all the buzz – is touted as new direction in children’s publishing [most recently at CAL seminar in Brisbane recently]. Not seen as replacing hard copy but as important new outlet.
Penguin are already there, are going for interactive stories on ipad. Exciting! [see UTube and http://www.engadget.com/…/penguins-ipad-formatted-books-shown-off-making- waves/ ] All the same pluses for iphonealso apply here and more.
Con
Same companies doing iphone are now doing ipad as well so the cost structure may still apply – may change too as ipad is much more flexible than iphone and is beautifully suited to picbooks. Because of this, there may not [note may not] be the same need for audio.
Ripple Reader
Pro
If your book is already in hardcopy, it is ‘free’ [yep that’s right] to load your book onto Ripple Reader and free to join the company. Ripple Reader pays royalties! It is an exciting innovation that makes your published book accessible much, much more widely.
Con
Your book must exist in a published version first, so that the editing process it has gone through ensures production quality.
Recommended Reading
Latest SCBWI Newsletter [March/April 2010] page 22 – article by Elizabeth O. Dulemba titled, “My 1st iPhone Picture Book App”. Elizabeth was published with a company called Rhodesoft.com [“Reading Rhino”]. I don’t know as much about them, but they do also require a set up fee.
LINKS
www.jenniferrpoulter.weebly.com
http://www.picpocketbooks.com/
Digital Publishing Seminar – 2009
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