What is an ebook?

An electronic version of a printed book, which can be read on a computer or a specifically designed handheld device.

Since the standard ebook format is flowable/dynamic (not fixed), readers can customize how they read your content. They can choose different font styles, font size, and line spacing, and most of the newer ereader come with text-to-speech features. This functionality of making the font bigger and clearer or hearing your book rather than reading it, makes your ebook accessible to a broader audience.

In addition to these basic characteristics there are built-in dictionaries and Apple are leading the way to making enhanced ebooks more readily available, which include multimedia and interactive content. This enhanced ebook format also allows you to create a fixed format ebook, which is intended for books with lots of images and a complex design layout.

How to read ebooks

Companies like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Rakuten’s Kobo make their own brand of e-readers, but you don’t have to own an ereader to read an ebook bought from them. You can download an ereading app on your phone, tablet, or computer, and you can also read ebooks in your web browser. This flexibility makes it easy for readers to access your books when and where it’s most convenient for them.

The benefits of publishing an ebook far outweigh the disadvantages. Let’s take a look:

Benefits of publishing an ebook

1. ebooks are portable: Travelers take their phones and digital devices with them on holidays and it’s much easier to transport digital travel guides than it is to lug around multiple paperbacks. 
2. ebooks are popular: Sales of ebooks increase every year, and it’s a multi-million dollar industry.
3. ebooks can contain live links: Include clickable URLs in your ebook to direct your readers to additional online information, or to places like your Pinterest board to view more images than you can include in your book.
4. ebooks have global reach: Distribute your book via global retailers and aggregators and it’ll be widely available to readers around the world.
5. ebooks have instant reader gratification: Your book can be purchased instantly, and your readers can start reading it immediately. Features like Amazon’s one-click ordering make impulse buys more prevalent.
6. ebooks are straightforward to publish: It’s a multi-step process, but the ebook industry has matured over the past 5 years creating different options to get your book published that will match your skill level.
7. ebooks are free to sell: You don’t have to pay a retailer or aggregator to sell your books, you pay them a commission based on your royalties when you sell a book. Although there are some aggregators who have a different business model with entails charging you an upfront fee instead of taking a percentage of your royalties.
8. ebooks are inexpensive to create: There are some bare minimum essentials you need to invest in to self-publish your book, but most of the steps can be done by you at no, or minimal, cost.
9. ebooks can be revised and updated: Given how quickly travel information changes, it’s important to be able to keep your book current and accurate. Once you’ve updated your text it’s quick and easy to republish your book.
10. ebook copies can be given for free: Digital files are easy and free to send to reviewers, readers, or anyone else you want to provide a complimentary copy too.
11. ebook copies are low cost marketing tools: Your book establishes your subject matter expertise, and you can now call yourself an author.
12. ebooks have a flexible pricing strategy: As there are no printing costs associated with ebooks you can experiment with different discount pricing strategies.
13. ebooks are more accessible: Readers can increase the size of the re-flowable text on their ereader on online reading app, to make it easier to read, or use the text-to-speech feature.
14. ebooks are inexpensive to purchase: Readers who are reticent to buy a book at the higher paperback price, may be persuaded to invest in your book at the lower ebook price.

Disadvantages of publishing an ebook

1. ebooks aren’t tactile: Some readers still love the feel of a physical book in their hands.
2. ebooks are virtual: You can’t sign or autograph an ebook.
3. ebook creation has a learning curve: Like anything you do for the first time, it can be scary and intimidating, and creating your first ebook is no different.

Becoming an ebook publisher

Creating an ebook version of your book is a no-brainer. Entry level into the self-publishing arena is via an ebook, and you should absolutely, no doubt about it, start your self-publishing journey with an ebook.

Decision made, let’s move on!

Read more articles in my How to Write a Travel Guide Series

I’m putting the finishing touches on my How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Series, which details a step by step approach for writing and producing your own travel guide. It’s part of a four-part series aimed at helping travel bloggers achieve passive income based on their passions and existing content.

Each month I host a monthly free prize draw and give away a travel writing e-book to the lucky winner. Sign up to join my mailing list to participate.