Challenges, Chances and Risk Sharing When Self- Publishing Ebooks – Research into Author Preferences

The rapidly growing eBook market has created both chances and challenges for authors. As a number of self-publishing providers allow simple and cheap self-publication, millions of eBooks have flooded the market, many with little or no professional input (e.g. editing, a cover, layout). As the current literature offers close to no information on the experiences, perceptions and preferences of self-publishing eBook authors, field research was aimed at establishing first insights. It was found that the quick, simple approach to publishing, the wide distribution and maintaining full control over the product are rated as the most important characteristics of eBooks. On the other hand, the problem of standing out and the cost/time involved with obtaining so-called eBook building blocks (e.g. cover, editing, layout) are rated as the main problems of self-publishing eBooks. Concurrently, risk sharing business models, where services like providing a cover or editing are paid through a royalty model based on sales numbers are of interest to almost half of the respondents. In terms of marketing of self-publishing services, recommendations from friends or on forums are the most important factors. Perceived fair pricing of published, self-published and own self-published eBooks is €5, €4 and €3