Publishing Digital Books (And Beyond):
The Future is NOW but also mostly later
Digital-First Publishing
Operations: Downsize or outsource printing, distribution, overhead or integrate digital and print
divisions. Operational and Psychological investment.
Culture: Top-down leadership: clearly communicate benefits, strategy
Products: Broader portfolio of products across multiple platforms requires significant investments.
Huge marketing implications: No longer just banners and buttons, but full service multi-platform
marketing services.
http://www.emediavitals.com/content/what-does-digital-first-really-mean
Enhanced Books
Some Facts (as of January 2012)
Number of Enhanced Books is Growing:
(BUT only 432 listed yesterday!)
Not supporting significant price increases:
On average, the enhanced edition of title is priced $2.00 higher 48% of the top 50 enhanced in
iBookstore are free
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/enhanced-projects-best-practices/
The 2012 Enhanced Strategy
Pick the right projects
Version, not conversion
What are you going to be great at?
Pick the right partners
Organic, essential enhancements
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/enhanced-projects-best-practices/
Organic, Essential Enhancements
Audio/Video/Animation
Tools http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/enhanced-projects-best-practices/
Architectural Constraints
iBooks
Up to 2 GB ePub file
500 MB recommended video size
Video window always 300px x
150px
Media files non-DRM
Video: MP4 or H.264
Barnes & Noble
Video file size max: 600 MB
Audeo file size max: 600 MB
Video: MP4 or H.264
Audio: MP4/AAC or MP3
Amazon
Video only supported in Kindle for
iPad
Must create separate A/V TOC
Video file size max: 600 MB
Video: MP4 or H.264
Audio: MP3
Audio: MP4/AAC
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/enhanced-projects-best-practices/
Read Aloud Capabilities
Nook Colour/Tablet
Narration tied to text sections
Can play each section
independently
No word highlighting
No interactivity
Kindle Fire
Text-to-speech enabled by default,
but publishers can opt out
Control reading speed, male or
female voice
iBooks
Narration tied to each word
Can set it up to highlight words as
they are read
Other great features and
interactivity
Siri reading bedtime stories from
iPad iPhone?
Althoughhttp://joanganzcooneycenter.org/upload_kits/jgcc_ebooks_quickreport.pdf
So hot right now
Red Lemonade
Prints books from Cursor,
social network platform.
Free to read on site.
www.redlemona.de
Interview with Richard Nash:
http://www.bostonreview.net/BR36.5/richard_nash_cursor_red_lemonade_book_publishing_business.php