My sister published a book today. It took 20 years to write but just a couple of hours to publish to the world. No fancy software was required just MS Word and a web browser to upload to the
Kindle self publishing store. Preparation of the manuscript takes the usual effort for writing, proofing and simple formatting but then upload and publish is really straightforward.
To work best as an eBook
simple consistent formatting is required. A page break before each chapter and use paragraph styles to format the headings helps build a live link "Table of contents" page. That along with some cover artwork makes the complete package.
No more waiting for publisher approval, no more slaughter of trees, the kindle publishing platform is direct and all electronic process.
Originally the development of DTP was all about being able to emulate the technical requirements needed for paper and ink publishing but for ebooks, where the page is formatted on the fly, almost no formatting is needed.
I haven't examined all the commercial arrangements, and I don't know if there are fortunes to be made, that probably comes down to promotion and marketing but the ability to access such an efficient publishing platform is a true revolution.
And the book .... It's a tale for youngsters told from the view point of Nipper a brave sheepdog that saved 300 cows and sheep from a barn fire.
Over in the kindle store ...
