How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks: All for Free

by Jason Matthews

Everything for writers who sell ebooks. Desktop publishing (or e-publishing) enables indie authors to keep the bulk of the royalties. Discover the best ways to:


-use social media--build author platform
-format and upload for Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google and others
-convert documents to any format (epub, mobi, pdf and more)
-sell books online
-create a website
-make a blog
-design ebook covers
-rise with SEO (search engine optimization) in Google-Bing
-sell ebooks with PayPal from your own sites on autopilot
-make paperbacks
-use PR (public relations) to get traffic
-and much more.


Packed with information, examples, over 250 links to sites and software to accomplish goals at retailers and your own websites. Simple enough for beginners and relevant to experts who could use extra guidance. Like ten books in one, the only source for what you need to succeed. Updated for 2014.


"...the best book, hands down for any author looking to self publish."
"...a refreshing change from the hard-sell type of internet marketing I'd been exposed to previously."
"I would have given this book 10 stars if I could!"
"...a must-have for anyone who aspires to self publish."
"Now having read many more on the subject (there are many), I can say without question this is THE BEST ONE."
Subjects include: self publishing, author platform, desktop publishing, e-publishing, kindle publishing, Amazon, Smashwords, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo, Sony, Flipkart, blogging, free websites, indie authors, cover design, ebook store, electronic publishing, how to publish a book and more.

Genres: Writing, Business, Nonfiction

ebook

First published March 15, 2010

About the author

Jason Matthews is an author, self-publishing teacher and blogger working with writers around the world. His novels and how-to guides include:
The Little Universe
Jim's Life
Self Publish to a World of Readers: with Amazon, Apple, Google and Other Major Retailers
How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks All for Free
Get On Google Front Page
How to Make Your Own Free Website: And Your Free Blog Too
Better You, Better Me

Jason teaches self-publishing courses at Udemy, Lynda and other venues.
Outside publishing, he’s a skier, soccer player, beach-lounger and enjoys a good game of chess.
He can be contacted through his websites:
http://ebooksuccess4free.wordpress.com/
http://www.thelittleuniverse.com/

Reviews

[Stephen Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone who is new to marketing. Every new author should read this book. It contains valuable information and provides you with a place to start from.

[Sherry Snider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthews previews the book’s content early with the following:

“I will only market my books in ways that are free or extremely cheap!

Guess what? The free stuff actually works better than the expensive stuff. Who knew?”

We learn from experience – either our own, or the experiences of others. We also learn from both good and bad experiences. Thank goodness! Though I’d love to learn from good experiences of my own, I’m most grateful to learn from the bad experiences of others. I’m quite happy to learn from their mistakes.

DOs and DON'Ts

From Matthews, I get to learn both. He candidly begins with his own background story and openly cautions first about the costly mistakes he made in the beginning. Thank you, Jason Matthews. With the “to avoid” list noted, it’s much easier to focus on the strategies and techniques that have proven beneficial and profitable for Matthews and other indie authors on the same path.

eBooks

With the soaring popularity of Kindle and other eBook formats, sales potential is huge even for the brand new indie author. Even better, the overhead is minimal, so taking your shot as an author costs mostly your time and effort. Matthews shows you how to best spend both.

Topic(s)

Though my primary purpose for initially buying the book was the in-depth section reviewing online payment methods and selling eBooks from one’s own web site, I quickly found value in multiple topics:
•Social Media
•Blogs
•Google Alerts
•Forums
•Your Own Web Site/Domain Name
•Keywords
•SEO
•Blogging
•eBook Covers
•Photos and images
•Software
•Formatting
•Online Publishing and Distribution (Smashwords, PubIt, Amazon, etc.)
•eBook readers, devices, software
•Selling through your own web site
•Free web site creation and hosting
•Promotion
•Reviews

…all from the perspective of an author (not a band, not an internet marketer, not an ecological non-profit group – an author).

There are plenty of resources available on all these topics, but examining them from the perspective of an author focuses us on how they are best used by authors.

Scope

The scope of the book is comprehensive for the entire writing process – which does not end at the final page of one’s book. Writing the book is just one part. Marketing and networking often take more effort than actual writing.

Links, Resources, and Examples

Most useful in the mass of information, Matthews includes links to even more resources and examples. As a guide for indie authors, How to Make, Market, and Sell eBooks All For Free is a gem of a reference. As a nudge and a point in the right direction, it is priceless.

It certainly answered my questions about selling eBooks from my own web site – and then, some.

And More

Jason Matthews also hosts an online cable network show on HangoutNetworks.com where he and other indie authors discuss all things writing. Tune in live each week or enjoy the archived episodes of Indie Authors on Hangout Networks.

[Iris k · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book is a bit dated and some of the companies and links no longer exist, this book is still very valuable. I like his style of writing and how the book is organized from beginning to end. I will be visiting this book again and I recommend it.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with several of the other book reviews I have published in genre of “E-book” creation, this is another superb resource and “must have” book for anyone looking to venture into the world of E-book creation.

Notwithstanding some formatting issues in the print version of this book, Jason Matthews has provided the aspiring E-book author with a treasure trove of links, resources and “how to” insights that will save you countless hours of sitting in front of your computer looking for information on the dub-dub-dub. I can’t provide an accurate estimate of how many links are provided in this book; however, if I were to guess, I would say well over a hundred.

The other main benefit to this material is that most of it points to FREE resources and sources of information that will get the job done, and if you are inclined to spend a few dollars, then you can selectively choose which services will warrant some of your hard-earned cash.

Personally, I think if you are going to spend any money on your E-book, whether it’s in the creation of your book or in marketing or sales, start by spending a few dollars on this book AND then add the other four related books that I have recommended: E-Publishing for Dummies, The Global Indie Author, Aiming at Amazon, and Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual (please note that these are just the ones I am currently recommending, I may add others to the list as I read more of them).

[Mary Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Make, Market and Sell EBooks All for Free, by Jason Matthews, opened my eyes! I had looked upon making my own EBooks as an arduous task and have avoided it. Matthews's book provides a wealth of information and it's all spelled out in easy to understand language.

In How to Make, Market and Sell EBooks All for Free, Matthews walks you through each and every step and also provides innumerable links to sources to further your knowledge on any given topic. Especially useful is that all the technical steps are easily explained. Additionally, Matthews discloses what is wrong with many of the marketing techniques that many people pay fortunes to put into place. He tells you how to market yourself for free. Once you have read and applied the information from How to Make, Market and Sell EBooks, you will be promoting your talents before you know it.

As far as I know, there is no other book comparable in advice and technique to How to Make, Market and Sell EBooks. This book will now be my constant companion till I know the information by heart.

[John Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have written a book and would like to publish it as an ebook, then this is a perfect handbook for you. You won't find any advice on writing your book here; that's not what this book is for. But you will find everything you need to know to publish your book, market your book, and sell your book. Mathews goes beyond just telling you to market your book on social media; he gives you step by step instruction on how and where to do it. And he provides the URLs of the sites he recommends. He also provides everything you need to know to sell your book on sites such as Amazon or BarnesAndNoble, among many others. And he provides detailed instruction on how to sell your books on your own website, particularly a free website which you could easily set up on a site like wordpress.org. Along with that, he explains how to set up and use an account for accepting payments, like Paypal, for example.

Mathews went to great length to provide you step by step instructions for everything you need to do to publish and sell your ebook. I can't recommend this book enough.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthews' book is a good reference guide as he actually walks readers through procedures on how to do certain things such as how to help make your book receive more exposure on search engines, etc. I found it a little more technical at some parts than I would have liked, but at least I know that if I decide to do some of the things he talks about for my next book, I can refer to some of his pointers. He uses his own experiences in explaining the methods he found for marketing his books. He goes through the pluses and minuses in using certain marketing tools. He makes it clear that it takes time to sell your books and gives lots of ideas to help market your e-books either free or using limited funds, so you are not spending all your money on marketing. Matthews seems very knowledgeable. I did buy this book as an e-book for my Kindle and it is a good one to keep and refer to when needed.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! I have read a fair bit on the topic and this author by far offers
the most value. The book is loaded with information and website links. In my opinion it should be selling for at least double the price. When reading through this book you feel as though you are being guided by a friend. Jason writes in such a warm style and shares a wealth of experience. He makes the task of publishing an ebook feel well within reach.

Before reading this book I had a fairly good idea on how to proceed with getting my books online and yet I found so much more useful information and tips that answered all the remaining questions. Aside from the technical information I also learned how important it is to write in a way that connects to your reader. Easy read...great read...fabulous book!

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book if you want to get into the world of ebooks, especially those available on mobile readers like the Kindle. It covers a very broad spectrum of topics and I think that no matter what level you are with publishing your'll learn something from this title.

If you have never considered publishing then there is no better time and this book would be a really good guide to help you convert your work into revenue.

Even if you only plan to publish for fun, this book will help you shorten the process from writing to publishing. If you have got something to contribute then writing an ebook is the way to go and this book is going to help you get there.

[Chris Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. It is not intimidating and after reading it, I managed to re-formate my first ebook by myself following the instructions and using all the resources and tools that this book gives away.
I although found a lot of tips to build up and improve my website and all for FREE. A very resourceful book for the indie writer who doesn't know where to start and want to selfpublish thei books. The best : you do not have to be a techie freak either!
The book is nicely written, steps and chapters are very clear. I could not have done my first ebook and marketing it without this book a year ago. Thanks to its author! I do recommend it to anyone who is thinking about selpublishing.

[Angie Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read book for any author BEFORE they write their book, DURING, and AFTER. Jason puts so much valuable information inside of this book and the beauty of it is that it's all free. He discusses such things as book conversions for epub, mobi, pdf, how to make the most of social media (including introducing you to some you may never have heard of), where to get free stock photos, free websites, and a host of other FREE information, with the appropriate links. This book is priceless and one you will refer to many times as an author.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books are very hard for me to read and I rarely read them twice, but I have read this book three times and plan to read it a few more times, it has so much information that I can't get it all down and remember it between all things that go on in everyday life.

Okay, lets get serious now. The book is very good and I have read a few others that try to write a book like it with their own twist, I'm lucky to finish the first chapter let alone read the whole book. So if you plan on doing as the title implies then this would be my first choice.

[David Gwartney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great resource that walks you step by step through the process of turning a manuscript into an independently published eBook. From website development to cover design to sales, this little book contains a vast amount of resources. And the best of all is that the author demonstrates that all of this can be done for little to no cost. What may begin as a daunting task can become a reality for anyone desiring to be a self-published author by following the steps set forth in this book.

[Kimberlee LaClair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little worried upon entering the self publishing world that I would end up spending more money than I could ever possibly make. However, Matthews spells it out one letter at a time, all the while proving you don't have to spend a dime. I purchased this book in addition to other self publishing guides and found it very helpful. Making an Ebook is not as easy as typing a word document and hitting "send" to the world. You need to know the basics. Matthew defines just that without skipping a beat.

http://kimberleelaclair.blogspot.com/

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is worth its weight in gold. Even if I had known to look for various things such as free web hosting, I wouldn't have been able to find all the sites that offer it so easily and quickly as I can by just looking them up in the book. Plus, there are a ton of reviews; for example, how much space each web host offers, as well as if there are any forced ads, how easy each is to use, if they can use Google AdSense, and how much it costs to get a pure dot com.

[Liam Lusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some people say we all have a book in our heads but how many of us actually make the book a reality? Very few.

Jason Matthews takes the complications out of writing an ebook. He takes you through the process of publishing and marketing your ebook in easy to follow steps.

If you have a burning desire to make your book a reality I highly recommend this book to get you started on the road to your goal.

Thank you Jason you certainly made me make the move.

[Lynne Strang · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new author, I found this book to be very helpful. It's packed with useful information and provides a comprehensive look at what it takes to market ebooks these days. Some of the suggestions and explanations will be easier to follow if you try them out on a computer as you read them. Still, Jason writes with an easy, conversational style that makes most of the book very user friendly.

[Peggy Bechko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent up-to-date resource with lots of links and helps for writers looking to get into the digital market. I didn't do much with the 'how to make' part, but the marketing and selling helps were very good.

[Jason Matthews]

This book will help with literally any self publishing need.

[Christopher Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. A must read for any aspiring author.

[Victoria Slotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using this book as a reference so it will be on my currently reading list for awhile as I publish my novel.

[Betty McMahon]

Some great ideas that'll keep me busy for awhile!

[Julie Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good ebook to read, esp if you want to learn how to set up selling your books on your website. Found it quite useful.

[Kathleen Hebert]

Excellent. It helped me write my own book.

[Elizabeth Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

some useful information, poor layout, lots of long URLs, some short lines with three or four words fully justified

[Richard Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great info., difficult to follow in spots, many references to requiring research to understand. Recommend if you have a friend who's really into computers.