Jambulee Loc: San Antonio del Mar,Tijuana,Mex

I am currently doing a family history with lots photos and interviews and some video and I was thinking an E-book would be the way to offer it to my family. Does anyone have any experience with making and E-book and the software needed etc. I'm going to start researching the net now but I'm sure some one out there has had some experience.

Thanks for your help.

David

Quilt-Writer Loc: EasternTennessee

I've created a text ebook but not one with photographs. I use Snowfall Press for my paperback printing. I'm not certain how they handle photographs. Updates are ongoing within the company.
I did my own formats for my books. Would be interested in your research. Placing pics of Quilt Barns in my next book would add to its selling ability.

Jambulee Loc: San Antonio del Mar,Tijuana,Mex

thanks for the info. This not for sale though. I just spent some time on You Tube and it doesn't look like pictures are going to be an issue.

BigDaveMT Loc: Plentywood, MT

OpenOffice is an Open Source alternative to Microsoft Office. The word processor allows you save a file as a PDF. You can integrate text with pnotos and save as a PDF for your family to read on their PC or eReader. The files work nicely on my Nook Color, I can't vouch for the Kindle or other devices, but don't see why it wouldn't work there too.

Best of all, as Open Source software you don't have to shell out big bucks to purchase it. If it works for you, consider making a donation to the developers.

http://www.openoffice.org

Dave K

Hi, David. May I say that's a fine name ye have there? :D

I have published a few ebooks on Smashwords.com, so perhaps I can help you. First of all, it's free to publish there so long as you do all the cover work, manuscript prep, and actual posting. They'll then market your book on their own site as well as to vendors such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others. It's your book and you are free to price it as you wish - they do keep a very small portion of each sale, but that's a small price to pay for a book that is marketed literally all over the world.

They provide very good tech support and will even do the graphics and layout for your book's cover - they will charge an additional fee for this, of course, but that's fair. You can download a very comprehensive FAQ document from them as well as submission rules.

The only equipment you need is a computer, graphics program, word processor (they prefer MS Word but will accept OpenOffice, with some reservations), and internet connection. Except for the word processor, I'm thinking you already have what you need in the way of equipment.

To keep this short, I'd suggest you check out www.smashwords.com and, if you have any more questions, please PM me and I'll be happy to work with you on this.

I wish you the very best with your book. If I can help with anything else, please just let me know.

Slainte,
Dave K

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Another alternative is Adorama.

Their service is top notice, the quality of the Ebooks I've produced is great, and the software to create the ebook was very very good, user friendly.
I highly recommend them.

Quilt-Writer Loc: EasternTennessee

I used Open Office to convert my manuscript to a PDF. It worked well for my paperback.

Smashwords Quide was very helpful to get it into the epub format for Nook and other ereaders.

Thanks for the input.

Mike_B Loc: St. Louis, MO

If you have Microsoft Word it can save as a PDF. Pretty much everyone has the software to read on their computers and tablets. If not it's free for computers and free or very cheap for tablets....

Jack Disbrow Loc: Northern New Jersey

I was about to suggest Adoama as well. Very reliable and experienced in the production of such one-of-a-kind photo books.

Jambulee Loc: San Antonio del Mar,Tijuana,Mex

Thank you all, Dave K (yes the name has grown on me

:) ), rpavich, Quiltwriter, MIke B, and Jack I will check out Adorama and Smashwords today. I have Open Office and Word. I am currently writing in Word. Currently I'm about 1/2 way into it another couple months should bring me to completion. Again thank you. David

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

If you have an Intel Mac, get OSX 10.7, then go to the App Store for the very amazingly great, FREE eBook publishing software made by Apple. It makes bonafide eBooks for iPads and, I believe, most other devices. I recall it does rich media, including video, audio, and pictures, and publishes in the proper format for eBooks.

You will not get the same facility from OpenOffice (which I also like) or Microsoft anything. If it is NOT an eBook specific authoring program, expect a variety of issues and required workarounds.

Jambulee Loc: San Antonio del Mar,Tijuana,Mex

Thanks PhotoArts but I'm doing Win7

ShakyShutter Loc: Arizona

The best all around option is Blurb books. Layout software is free and excellent and you can control who has access to your book for either viewing or printing on demand.

http://www.blurb.com

Jambulee Loc: San Antonio del Mar,Tijuana,Mex

Thanks ShakyShutter (great name) I didn't know Blub did e books. I used them once several years ago form my lighthouse book and they are great. I'll check them out later today.

Dave K

You are welcome, David.

I should caution you about converting to pdf's. If you use Smashwords, they will NOT accept pdf submissions - all books published on their site must be in either Word or OpenOffice. Covers and all graphics must be either .jpg or .tif, I believe.

Besides making your book available in various e-pub formats (.mobi, .epub, etc.) they also publish it as a .pdf and even an .rtf unless you specifically request they not. If you set a price for the book above "free" - yep, that's a perfectly legitimate option here and many people just give their books away - you can then set how much of the book is available for free preview. I am very happy with Smashwords, but I admit I know nothing about Adorama or the other.

Dave K