ePublishing Isn’t Free: The costs and requirements of professional ebook publishing Presented by: David Wilk, Booktrix Self-publishing is really nothing new, just ask Tom Paine or Martin Luther. There are quite a few well known writers who paid for their own work to be published at one time or another, among them Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, and Robert Creeley. In the cultural blooming of the sixties and seventies, self-publishing reached what were then new heights. Today, with more than 150,000 self-published and author-financed books published annually (and growing), it’s no surprise that more published and aspiring writers than ever are talking about taking the means of production into their own hands. The emergence of a substantial market for ebooks and web-based digital publishing has completely changed the dynamics of author, publisher and reader relationships. Every publisher today ought to be thinking about what they do, and what is the value of what they do. Whether you like it or not, people believe that anyone can be a publisher, and since perception very often defines reality, it’s time to think long and hard about the kinds of things that publishers do to create value. Knowing what all those elements are (not to mention the “secret sauce” that makes one publisher different from another) will be increasingly important as we look at redefined roles throughout the publishing ecosystem. So whether you are a traditional book publisher, an agent looking at digital publishing as an opportunity, a start up publisher or entrepreneur, or an author faced with the choice and option of publishing your own books, it is critical to know what is involved in digital publishing. Not only the steps, as they are different from or the same as the steps in print publishing have been, but the overall ecosystem that surrounds and supports digital publishing. Here we are going to outline what exactly goes into the publishing process (not how it has always been, but how it is today). After all, anyone looking to disrupt an industry ought to know what it they are trying to change, and anyone looking to defend his or her position ought to know exactly what they are defending. -------- David Wilk has broad experience in book publishing, sales, distribution, marketing and digital technologies.He operates Creative Management Partners, providing content creators and owners with a range of publishing services, including editorial, print and digital production, sales and marketing strategies, website development and consulting services. Websites include booktrix.com, livewriters.com, writerscast.com, prospectapress.com. Wilk writes and speaks about the book industry. He is Director of Marketing for Good Business International (www.good-b.com) and a partner in Aerbook (www.aerbook.com) creating next generation ebooks for tablets and smartphones. Current and recent clients include publishers, authors, thought leaders, corpor