Article Two: Ebooks.
What is an ebook?
An ebook is an electronic version of a book. Rather than being printed on paper, bound, shipped, then physically stored on a shelf, it is made in electronic format - like an MP3 music file or Microsoft Word document - uploaded to a website, then made available to download onto your computer.
How can I read an ebook?
An ebook can be read instantly on your personal computer or laptop. It can also be transferred to a handheld computer, electronic organiser or personal digital assistant (PDA). Depending on restrictions on the file, it can be printed. There are also devices specifically designed for reading ebooks. For more information on these, plus the file types available, see Ebook formats below.
Where can I buy ebooks?
www.fictionwise.com has a huge number of electronic versions - in various formats - of the sort of books you might buy in a bookshop or on Amazon.
www.allromanceebooks.com is an online bookstore specifically for ebook romances.
Epublishers also sell ebooks directly from their websites. The following publishers sell both ebooks and print versions. Often, short stories and novellas are sold in electronic form first, then collected into print anthologies.
Who writes ebooks?
Authors! Works by Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana Wynne Jones, Jane Austen and William Shakespeare can all be found as ebooks, often much more cheaply than the print versions. Some are even available for free from Project Gutenberg, a website that provides electronic versions of out-of-copyright books.
In addition, there is a growing industry of authors who write specifically for the ebook market, or who write some books for the ebook market and others for the traditional print market.
Why choose ebooks?
Both print books and ebooks use energy in their production. Ebooks are markedly different, however, in that they don't use up trees. A huge amount of wood is used in the production of paper for print books. And even when this is taken from 'managed' forests, it still disturbs the wildlife and disrupts the environment. Unsold print books are not always recycled - and even when they are, the recycling process uses up a good deal of energy and water. Read an ebook - save a tree.
Due to the ease of manufacture, ebooks cost a lot less to make, and therefore are sold at a fraction of the price of print books. And of course once it's sold, it takes up no physical space at all - another benefit.
Buying an ebook is fast and easy. Typically, you browse the publisher's or bookstore's website as you would any online store, click on your choices to put them into your online shopping cart, choosing the format you want, then pay at the checkout. You ll be walked through the steps at this point - including creating an account, if necessary, or registering with PayPal (a secure intermediary service to ensure you don't have to give card details directly to the bookstore).
Once you've paid, you'll be directed to a page where you can download your books, or you'll be sent a link in an email. Click, download, read - instant gratification!
Other benefits of buying ebooks is that, due to epublishers' lower overheads, they can afford to take risks on new authors, niche markets, unusual genres and shorter lengths. Erotic romance, for instance, which doesn't get a great deal of shelf space in brick and mortar stores, is a thriving industry in the ebook world. And if you, the reader, want to try out a new author, you can buy a single short story by that author for about a pound, before deciding whether you want to spend more money on their work.
Ebook formats.
- HTML files can be read in your normal web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) or opened in Microsoft Word. They can also be converted to different formats for various different ebook readers.
- LIT files. To read these, you need to download the free program Microsoft Reader. This reader is for use on your computer, laptop or PDA.
- PDF files. To read these, you need to download the free program Adobe Acrobat. PDF files can be opened, and read, on your computer, laptop, or loaded onto a PDA or other ebook reader. Some publishers also allow you to print them out.
- PRC files. These are to be read using the free program www.mobipocket.com They can be read on your computer, laptop or PDA. The program also converts other formats into PRC files.
I have a PDA, the Jornada 548 which I bought from Ebay for about thirty pounds. There are many other nice little devices you can read ebooks on. For more information check out this list at Fictionwise.
Try them out:
For a quick, free look at how this works, go to Project Gutenberg, where electronic versions of out-of-copyright books are available to download, read and keep.
Or try out the two free reads I'm currently providing. Unlike the books at Project Gutenberg, the copyright for these stories remains with me. However, they are entirely
free for you to read, download and print out.
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a free read from Imogen Howson |
a free read exclusive to Drollerie Press |
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Warning.
Ebooks are not transferable. They must not be sold, shared or given away. This is because, unlike a print book, if you lend an ebook to a friend you are actually making a copy of it. This contravenes the author's copyright and means you are breaking the law. It also means the author loses out on royalties.
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