You’ve finished writing your first book manuscript. Now you have a decision to make. Should you publish an ebook first, or publish a paperback as well?
For most new authors, I’d recommend starting with the ebook version.
It’s quicker, cheaper, and simpler. And if you get something wrong, it’s much easier to make corrections and fix any minor errors.
You can always publish a paperback edition later.
The practical reasons to publish an ebook first
It’s an exciting time when you publish your first book. The temptation to publish a paperback immediately, so you can hold it in your hands with your name on the cover, is absolutely normal.
When I self-published my first book, all I wanted to do was get the book in my hands. But it taught me a tough lesson.
Of course, I didn’t get everything right, so my book had typos, errors, and formatting problems.
When I discovered a problem, or worse, when someone noticed an error and let me know, I rushed to correct my book.
The ebook was an easy fix. But for the paperback, it meant going through the reviewing, proofing, and approval stages every time.
Because I was in such a hurry, I still missed errors and had to go through the process again. Not once, but a few times.
I could have saved myself a lot of heartache if I had only published the ebook version first.
Needless to say, every book I published after that followed the same process: ebook first, and the print version a month or two later.
If you are getting ready to publish your first book, you can learn from my mistakes and make your publishing path much smoother.
Your first book will rarely be perfect, but making corrections to an ebook after publishing is a quick and easy process.
Steps to take to minimize potential ebook issues
An ebook manuscript is different from a print book version.
Because the text of an ebook needs to flow to suit different screen sizes and can be changed by options on a reader’s device, the formatting is relatively simple.
It’s totally different for a print version, where what you see is what a reader will see.
That means you can be much more creative with typography, fonts, and spacing.
When you’re sure your ebook text is as close to perfect as possible, it’s then an ideal base for formatting a print book.
Getting your ebook right is your first step.
The obvious first stage is making sure your manuscript is free of errors.
You can use an online writing checker to help, but the only true test is meticulous proofreading.
There are lots of tools to help you with the next stage, which is testing how your ebook will look on different devices.
You can read our full guide on checking and previewing an ebook before publishing.
But the most important issues you should check are these:
- Does the text flow correctly when changing the font size?
- Is the table of contents correct and in the right order?
- Do page breaks for new chapters work correctly?
- Is the text free of formatting errors, such as unintentional line or page breaks?
- Is the ebook easy to read on both small and large screen sizes?
- Are the images included in the ebook crisp and clear, and sized and positioned correctly?
- Do any hyperlinks work and go to the correct locations?
Very few ebooks include images and hyperlinks, so you may not need to check these.
However, the first five checks are crucial for any ebook text file.
Once you’re satisfied, you can go ahead and publish your ebook with the confidence that it will be pleasing to read.
Oops, I missed a typo!
Yes, it can happen, and it’s rare for any book to be typo-free. But it’s an easy fix.
Simply correct your manuscript and upload it again to your publishing platform. If you use Amazon KDP, the corrected version should usually appear within 24 hours, and often much sooner.
If you notice more errors later, just update your manuscript file again.
You can do this as often as necessary, but note that you can’t update your book file while it’s queued to republish an earlier fix.
Fixing minor errors in your ebook might be annoying, but it’s better than having 250 copies of your paperback with these errors sitting in piles in your study.
You can’t fix a book that has already been printed.
That’s why it’s so important to publish an ebook first. Your small errors or typos don’t have to be permanent.
However, that’s not a reason to be careless. If you attract some early ebook sales, those buyers may have a copy that doesn’t include your later corrections.
On the other hand, if your ebook is available to subscription readers, such as Kindle Unlimited, readers will generally receive the latest version.
Take your time and don’t rush
It’s natural for a new author to be eager to get a copy of a new book in their hands.
When you publish an ebook, it’s not quite the same level of excitement. Yes, you’re a published author, but until you can touch it, it doesn’t feel the same.
But it’s much better to set aside that urge until you are sure your ebook is as good as it can be.
It might be a few weeks, or even a month or two, before you’re confident that your manuscript is ready to publish as a print book.
But that time is not wasted. It’s time well spent because you will be much more confident that your paperback version will not disappoint readers.
Summary
A paperback or hardcover book stays around for a long time.
So there’s no pressing need to get it done today. Tomorrow or the next day will do.
But an ebook is essentially a digital file that can be changed, updated, or corrected after publication.
That’s why an ebook is the easiest and safest way for a new author to publish.
Take your time, get your ebook right, then, if you want to, publish your print book.
It will still give you the same thrill once you get it in your hands.
Related Reading: 10 Common Ebook File Errors And How To Avoid Them
English teacher, writer, and author. Passionate about grammar, creative writing, and self-publishing. Always exploring new tools and tech to help writers succeed.
