I just got into the process of self-publishing so I thought I could give you some numbers.
Background: I run a blog (betterexplained.com) which has built up a solid base of traffic over the years. I've had some requests to make the content into a readable, printable, ebook-able format which I've just taken:
Editing: The oft-unspoken benefit of blogging is that it can really improve your writing. Over time I've learned how to cut down my writing and take in feedback from readers. You get direct feedback on what works and doesn't, so I used my best-performing posts to make a book.
Also, my mom is a really good writer so I run my posts by her :).
Layout/Design: I originally hired a designer (~$500) to layout and typeset some of the HTML in InDesign. Ultimately, I decided to go with LaTeX (I kept the cover design he made) since the book is math-heavy and I wanted the text to look as good as possible (with InDesign I had to use images for the equations, which is a pain, especially for inline).
LaTeX is very powerful, but finnicky, and if used you must (must! must!) customize the layout lest you look like the other 99% of research papers out there. I recommend the "memoir" package. Take a look at a sample page here:
Marketing/Pricing: Amy Hoy had a great post highlighting some lessons learned (https://qht.co/item?id=632104). The biggest tip for me was to have a paid (vs free) beta. Beta users get a free upgrade... it's just a good way to validate your market and give a deal to your early-adopters.
Use e-junkie to sell/manage your lists (it made the process very simple, and it's only $5/month for the basic plan). I haven't determined the final price, but I'm planning $19 or $24. I'll probably do a printed version (with Lulu/Blurb) and some combo deal.
Overall: So far, the book has been out for 3 weeks and sold pretty well (hundreds), mostly to long-time readers who wanted to support the site (thank you!). I haven't advertised it elsewhere on my site except for that post, which I'll do once the final version is ready -- the primary target will be search traffic who came for a specific article.
Technically speaking, I paid for the cover design since I did the editing/typesetting myself. Of course this involved a lot of learning over several years (LaTeX) so it's free if your time has no value :).
Hope this helps! Feel free to email me (kalid.azad at that well known gmail address) if you have any specific questions.
Thanks -- and you're more than welcome. I'm always happy to share what I've managed to learn... what Amy, Peter & others have said has made the process so much less daunting.
I bookmarked the page where you announced your e-book just a few days ago! Thanks for all the info - the way you did it was quite inspirational - you clearly have a very engaged audience.
Thanks Peter! I'll consult with the marketing department to see if we can't get you a promo copy :). I really appreciate you sharing your insights with us.
Background: I run a blog (betterexplained.com) which has built up a solid base of traffic over the years. I've had some requests to make the content into a readable, printable, ebook-able format which I've just taken:
http://betterexplained.com/articles/betterexplained-math-ebo...
Editing: The oft-unspoken benefit of blogging is that it can really improve your writing. Over time I've learned how to cut down my writing and take in feedback from readers. You get direct feedback on what works and doesn't, so I used my best-performing posts to make a book.
Also, my mom is a really good writer so I run my posts by her :).
Layout/Design: I originally hired a designer (~$500) to layout and typeset some of the HTML in InDesign. Ultimately, I decided to go with LaTeX (I kept the cover design he made) since the book is math-heavy and I wanted the text to look as good as possible (with InDesign I had to use images for the equations, which is a pain, especially for inline).
LaTeX is very powerful, but finnicky, and if used you must (must! must!) customize the layout lest you look like the other 99% of research papers out there. I recommend the "memoir" package. Take a look at a sample page here:
http://betterexplained.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/chapte...
Marketing/Pricing: Amy Hoy had a great post highlighting some lessons learned (https://qht.co/item?id=632104). The biggest tip for me was to have a paid (vs free) beta. Beta users get a free upgrade... it's just a good way to validate your market and give a deal to your early-adopters.
Use e-junkie to sell/manage your lists (it made the process very simple, and it's only $5/month for the basic plan). I haven't determined the final price, but I'm planning $19 or $24. I'll probably do a printed version (with Lulu/Blurb) and some combo deal.
Overall: So far, the book has been out for 3 weeks and sold pretty well (hundreds), mostly to long-time readers who wanted to support the site (thank you!). I haven't advertised it elsewhere on my site except for that post, which I'll do once the final version is ready -- the primary target will be search traffic who came for a specific article.
Technically speaking, I paid for the cover design since I did the editing/typesetting myself. Of course this involved a lot of learning over several years (LaTeX) so it's free if your time has no value :).
Hope this helps! Feel free to email me (kalid.azad at that well known gmail address) if you have any specific questions.