Kawasaki's most recent self-publishing venture, APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur -- How to Publish a Book, includes advice for how to publish E-books. According to the article, self-publishers gain a lot of responsibilities but more control over day-to-day operations such as marketing, sales, editorial, and royalties.

"Self-publishing is definitely a viable option for prospective authors and writers who want to get their name out there," Arnoud Fioole says. "For one, these writers may just be hobbyists who want to share their work yet know that the manuscript wouldn't make it through a publishing house. This doesn't necessarily mean the book is bad or illegible, just that it might be a niche topic seldom published. Self-publishing also has higher royalties, though the process takes a lot more work on an author's part."

Kawasaki suggests authors need to have the right tools for the job. These include using professional programs such as Microsoft Word, DropBox, YouSendIt, Evernote, and Adobe InDesign. Fioole says one of the most difficult things about self-publishing is that authors overlook the professional side of the process. The article recommends authors do everything a publishing house would do, such has hire a cover designer, build up a marketing program, and make sure the manuscript is flawless.

"One argument against self-published authors is that readers say it is sloppy work," Arnoud Fioole says. "Writers can avoid this by hiring copy editors who proof their manuscripts for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, language, style, and other aspects. Some authors think they can avoid hiring copy editors, but there's hardly a worse mistake. Like with traditional publishing, a published E-book still gets reviewed and recommended by your readers -- if there are mistakes, readers are likely to rank it lower."

An E-book's social media marketing falls on the shoulders of the writer as well. The article recommends authors tap into various media outlets like to build up a fan base by releasing previews, cover art, about information, and other press to increase a book's hype. Publishing houses and marketing teams are typically in charge of this, but this is not the case for self-publishers.

One of the best platforms to shoot for, according to Kawasaki, is Kindle E-Books. He owes at least 85 percent of his success to Amazon's platform. Arnoud Fioole and Kawasaki agree that the entire PDF manuscript needs to have few noticeable errors, and be the proper length, well-marketed, and affordable enough for readers to buy.

ABOUT:

Currently living in Boulder, Colorado, Arnoud Fioole spends his time away from work editing and revising manuscripts. He is working on three separate projects of varying length and has plans to self-publish through Kindle E-Books. Fioole understands that self-publishing takes more time than a hobby, but the potential payoff keeps him motivated.