What Exactly Is an Ebook?

You've probably stumbled across the term on numerous occasions, but it may never have occured to you the impact that this form of communication could have on spreading your ideas.

Simply stated, Ebook (also written e-book or eBook) is short for electronic book. The two most common formats for Ebooks are PDF (Portable Document Format) and those created for readers such as Amazon's Kindle and Sony's PRS-700BC. Blazonfire has experience designing and publishing in both forms..

Advantages of PDF Ebooks

• Easily transferable via Email or on CD/DVD
• Easily downloadable from your website or read within a browser window
• The PDF reader is available free from Adobe
• Can be printed
• The text is searchable and can be hyperlinked
• Navigation can be added with clickable page jumps
• Multimedia can be embedded into your Ebook (video and audio)
• Special effects such as layer reveals can be included in your Ebook
• Easy to customize to your preferences
• There is no consumption of paper, ink, etc.
• Can be updated easily and never go out of print
• Your readers can complete interactive electronic forms
• Password-protect your Ebook

Ebooks are all about spreading messages and sharing ideas. You have something to say, and your audience is out there. They want to listen… but you have to make them hear you.

When someone opens up your ebook, first impressions are everything. Style matters. Sometimes, you can judge a book by its cover. Whether they realize it or not, creative images, clean layout, and intuitive navigation all send a message of professionalism to your readers. You are an authority-- a source to be trusted. Let Blazonfire show you just how good your ideas can look.

 

Paperback Books

Sometimes, nothing can replace the romance of curling up on the sofa with your favorite book. For those who wish to publish paperback books, we offer complete design services similar to EBooks. We can provide the cover design, copyediting, typesetting and layout. We'll also publish your book through one of the major Publishing On Demand services available online such as Lulu and CreateSpace.

No longer do authors need to go through the difficult task of finding a publisher to print their book. Plus, the cost of publishing online is virtually free. Printing and delivery charges are picked up by the consumer, so no up-front printing fees are necessary and there's no cost to warehouse books. Anyone can publish a book! We're happy to show you how easy it is.

 

Kindle

The most popular E-Reader is the Amazon Kindle. If you want your message to be available in as many different forms as possible, you'll need to add this to your publishing repertoire. Many Amazon shoppers will only purchase books that are available on the Kindle due to the low cost and convenience. You can search for a title, purchase and download a book in under 60 seconds.

Another advantage of publishing on the Kindle is the host of reading apps available. If you have an account with Amazon, you can download a free app for the iPhone and Blackberry mobile phones, the Windows PC and Mac computers as well as the Apple iPad. There is no need to purchase separate Ebooks for each device. Each Ebook you buy will work across all devices.

Design and layout for the Kindle is somewhat akin to writing HTML or website code. We have the experience to convert your document so it displays and reads easily with a professional appearance. We test each of our projects on an actual Kindle to ensure quality control. Plus, it gives us an excuse to own one.

 

Production

Ebooks and paperbacks are produced using a variety of software programs. For design and illustration, we use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Layout and formatting is completed in Adobe InDesign. For final touches including interactive forms, multimedia embedding and navigation, Adobe Acrobat Professional is our choice.

Do you need to know these technicalities? Probably not. But we want to appear way cool for using these powerful applications.

By far, the best way to see what Blazonfire can do for you is to visit our samples page. Of course, we're always available and happy to answer any questions you may have. Drop us a line.