Make Ebooks: 3 Features to Look for in Ebook Software

There are many software products designed to make ebooks on the market today. They range in price from about $60 to $800, including expensive programs like InDesign and QuarkXpress, which are used to create traditionally published books. In this article, you'll learn the features to look for in a program that will fit your needs and your budget.

When deciding which software product to buy, the first question to ask yourself is what will be the final format of your work. Will it be a physical book that readers can hold in their hands or will it be content that you can send after purchase via email or download or both?

Your answer to this question may surprise you. For instance, at the urging of Dan Poynter, who is largely considered to be the Father of Self-Publishing, I made my first book into a physical book. Dan advised me that as a first-time author, this would give me much-needed credibility. He was right.

My self-published book went on to win many awards, including a prestigious award from a book contest that was sponsored by Martha Stewart. The award was given at her headquarters in Manhattan at a banquet that hosted top name authors and New York based publishing companies. Of course, later, I also made it into an ebook. Recently, I turned the companion workbook, which had only been available in ebook form, into a physical book, so it can be sold by a catalog company that distributes products throughout North America. Now, I'm in the process of making it into an audio book.

Although your content may be repurposed in many forms, what is important right now is to just get started and the right program allows you to do just that. Make ebook software allows you to create your first product at an affordable price. If you see the need to put your book into print, you can buy the high-end software later, especially if you intend to make a career out of information publishing. Since it's easy to revise an ebook, you can even view it as a way to test the market for a traditional book which is more expensive to produce.

Here are some important features to look for in an affordable make ebook software program. Read through the list and choose the features that you think might be important now or in the future.

• You should be able to use the program to create as many ebooks as you like. After you have written your first ebook and see how fun and easy it is, you will want to write more.


• Password protection - many ebook authors are concerned about security and want to ensure that customers who buy their books cannot pass them around the internet. You may also want the ability to password-protect certain pages. Also, if you offer your ebook for a free trial download, you may want to have a password that expires after a given number of days if the customer has not purchased your book.


• Does the make ebook software work with plug-ins? Plug-ins give you the ability to insert interactive forms, sound files and video files. Does your content require this? If not, you do not need to pay for this feature.


• Does the ebook software come with tutorials that will get you quickly up to speed? This is important because you are a writer and should spend the bulk of time writing content, rather than trying to figure out how to use some cryptic piece of software.

By following the guidelines above, you will have the information you need to choose a software package to make ebooks that fits your needs now and in the future.