When you are setting out to have a book published, one of the first things you must consider is the format of the book: pBook (printed book) or eBook (electronic book). The print vs. digital debate still rages on; but why choose when you don’t have to? There are pros and cons to each. If you choose to take one route (print over digital or vice versa), you will likely be missing out on major opportunities to sell your book.
When you envision publishing an eBook, you might worry about your book disappearing into the void of the Internet. However, the truth is quite the contrary: your words can come to life on the digital stage. With an eBook you get a wider distribution and thus more exposure. An eBook is easy for others to find because of their searchability; pBooks can be harder to locate if they are not accessible online. An eBook is easy to buy and, for readers, they are less expensive than pBooks. In addition, eBooks are easy to read. They are portable, which is good for readers on the go. Digital readers make the reading experience customizable. An eBook is conveniently distributable and shareable. You can also enjoy an instant live audience or fanbase on the Internet. As an added bonus, digital books are environmentally friendly.
For all of the pros of an eBook there is one big con: several aspects of the reading experience are lost when you go digital. Many readers remain attached to pBooks, for a few reasons. There is a certain sentimentality that comes with the physicality of a book. Some feel more connected to or emotionally invested in books when they can hold them in their hands and fully engage the senses. People take pride in having a physical book collection for themselves to appreciate and display to others. When it comes to marketing a book, it is often necessary to have a number of pBooks made. Many book reviewers prefer to receive pBooks and are opposed to reviewing eBooks. Another benefit to pBooks is that it can be easier to get them into libraries.
At Publication Consultants, we publish both a pBook and an eBook (that is, unless an author requests otherwise) regardless of which publishing program an author selects. Publishing a book in only one format eliminates a significant part of the market. It is safe to say that, as a writer, your book will invariably reach more people if it is published as both a pBook and an eBook. In our experience, eBook buyers often end up purchasing a pBook for themselves or as a gift. At Publication Consultants, your book is crafted the same way for printing as it is for digital release; it is the same work either way! Our programs allow you the flexibility to have the best of both worlds.