eBook Authoring
Module 8: Publishing an EPUB
To publish your eBook, follow the instructions below in the section about your chosen distribution mechanism.
Apple Book Store Publishing
When you are planning to publish in the Apple Book Store, a good place to start is to read the Apple Books Authors & Publishers FAQ. It explains how to complete the iTunes Connect online application, which you get from https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wa/apply. After waiting for Apple to email your acceptance, you sign your contract at iTunes Connect, where you can download the iTunes Producer software that helps you prepare your content for sale in the Apple Book Store. With iTunes Producer you can upload cover art, enter book details, and deliver book packages directly to the Apple Book Store.
If you are planning to get your own ISBN for your Apple Book Store publication, be sure to get it before you begin entering information about your book into iTunes Connect. One of the first questions iTunes will ask is whether you have your own ISBN, and you cannot change your mind after answering that initial question. For more information about whether you should get your own ISBN, follow this link to the ISBN module.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
To publish an EPUB for the Kindle platform, you manage everything from your KDP login at https://kdp.amazon.com. An excellent summary of the process is on their Create a Book help page. It steps you through the process of:
- Entering your book details.
- Uploading and previewing your book.
- Setting rights and pricing.
- Ordering proof copies if you choose the option to publish a paperback version of your EPUB.
