Writing and publishing an eBook is a fantastic way of widening your audience and gaining more loyal followers and, if you’ve got a great idea knocking about in your head, an idea that would help solve a problem with a non-fiction book or provide an entertaining read as a fiction book, then don’t put it off. There are plenty of tools available to help you write your book, organize it, get it in the right style and publish it and, to be honest, it has really never been easier.

That said, while it may be relatively easy to make and publish an eBook, there are other things to take into consideration before you get that far – what format your eBook will be in, where you want to promote it and sell it, who your target audience is, and many other factors that will impact the success, or otherwise, of your book.

The Best Format

There are plenty of formats to choose from but these are the most popular:

PDF

This is by far the most common format for eBooks; look at any website that offers freebies and they will be in PDF form. Most computer platforms, eBook readers and mobile devices include a way of opening and reading PDF files, making it one of the most user-friendly methods.

Mobi

A format originally designed for MobiPocket e-readers, this is now used on all the major e-readers, including Kindle and the Kindle mobile apps. It is one of the better-looking formats as it makes your book act more like a physical book to a reader.

EPUB

This is much like the Mobi format but it is an open-source and free publishing format. Most e-readers support it, including Google Books, Apple iBooks, and the Kindle.

iBooks

This format is exclusive to Apple and is built using the standards for EPUB books with restrictions that ensure it is only sold and read within Apple’s iBooks. They are only compatible with Apple devices.

Familiarize yourself with all these formats, look at each one carefully and decide which one you want to use. If your target for selling is Amazon then go for EPUB or Mobi formats. If you are offering a free ebook on a  website, aim for PDF. Think about your target audience when you make your decision.

Creating Your Book

Once you have chosen the format you can start producing the book. You can do this in two ways – with independent software (without an internet connection) or with a web application.

The latter tend to be easier to use than offline software does because the latter is generally used for content that is graphics-heavy. If it’s a quick eBook you want to create, then look for cheap or free online software. If you have a bigger budget then go for something more advanced.

In part 2, we’ll look at what web apps and WordPress plugins are available to help you, along with some of the best desktop software too.