Audiobooks and eBooks have changed the landscape for authors, publishers, and readers. Now, with sites like Gellmedia, it has become possible for authors to self publish, which has reduced the timeline for their manuscript to turn into a book that readers can enjoy.

An eBook author has access to a variety of services like single-channel services, distribution services, and services offered by consultants and literary agents. Whatever service an eBook author chooses to use, it is essential that they fully understand the services that they are committing themselves to.

Listed below are some of the questions eBook authors should consider in order to ensure they are not getting a raw deal.

Exclusivity of the service

Most of the publishing services marketed directly to authors operate on a non-exclusive basis. This means they can use their service to sell the author's eBook while also allowing the author to sell it wherever they like or use any other service.

Terms of the contract

Authors working with an agent to publish their eBooks are asked to sign a contract to ensure that the authors do not suddenly change their mind and take their eBook elsewhere. The publishing partner needs a contract to protect their side of the bargain. However, even the author needs to be aware about what the terms entail in order to ensure their interests are also protected.

Control on the pricing

Depending on the service, the author may have reasonable pricing restrictions or may be given complete control over pricing. Some eBook retailers may mandate that the author does not offer a more favorable pricing anywhere else. They are known for carefully policing the pricing and could also lower the price of the eBook if they find that it has been priced lower somewhere else.

Hidden fees and charges

In some cases, the author could end up paying more than the standard rates for conversion or formatting if the book runs very long. If they have an inconvenient file format that needs extra work, or have a lot of chart, table, or image formatting, the author might be charged more for the additional work. So, if the author's work has any kind of special needs, they can expect to pay higher charges.

Ownership of eBook files

Sometimes, authors have access to their eBook files, but they do not have the permission to sell them through other services. Usually when the author pays out of their pocket for conversion and formatting services, they also get access to the eBook files. Sometimes, working directly with the retailers enable authors to upload new and revised files as often as they want.

Gellmedia offers subscribers unlimited access to a wide selection of books from a variety of genres, with high speed access, so that readers will never have to wait to view their favorite content. They constantly update their content to ensure readers keep coming back to them for more.