eBooks, for a very long time (in Internet time), were viewed as a way to bypass traditional publishing and provide value to a reader through simply giving the reader the ability to download your book.
For writers, eBooks were the self-publishing alternative to traditional publishing.
They had their time.
Liz Strauss contends that eBooks have passed their prime. In a thought-provoking article, she provides us 7 Reasons eBooks Are Losing Readers. The most interesting point to me was this one:
As a delivery system, an eBook is unconstructed, low design packaging that benefits the author/publisher, more than the customer/reader. It’s not Web 2.0. It’s less choice than fast-food, usually with less quality control.
With what time I have to read, I read things I want to keep. An eBook is a pile of paper from my printer. It is not made to deliver reading ease or pleasure.
Yup.
As always, good content makes a difference. Focus on the reader, not on the author, makes a difference. Good quality in the eBook makes a difference. Would you download a 200-page anything from the Internet? Me either.
But, I wouldn’t throw out the eSomething baby with the eBook bath water just yet. While eBooks might be too long, too hard, and not have the Internet as the right venue, written articles for download have a place in the writer’s mix of technology to help market their work.
Focused articles in the 10-50 page range can make a large impact on your audience, community, and help validate your credentials as a writer. This page size is easier to handle from a printing and binding perspective.
But, the old saying of “garbage in, garbage out” still applies. A poor quality ten-page article is just as bad as a poor quality 200-page eBook.
Just not as long.
When thinking about the strategy for your blog, determine how some of these shorter articles, made available for your readers as a download, could help you in marketing your work.
Scot
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