File Under: "Learning Experience"
Mar. 22nd, 2011 01:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexandraerinSo, it's only in the last few hours... after looking at automated converters and converters-for-hire and editors and generators and so on... that I actually learned what the EPUB format is made of (dead simple HTML). The thing that's been the hardest part of putting The Gift of the Bad Guy to bed would have been the easiest part if I'd realized that sooner. I almost announced that the EPUB would be delayed again while I remade it "by hand"... there's a lot of pointless stray code left by conversion programs, though I think I removed everything that was causing problems... but I decided against it. I don't think Jack would stand for another "late night at the office". This project has really destroyed my rudimentary sense of work/life balance.
Also, as much as I want my first time out to be perfect, it is my first time. The next one will be better. And easier. So much easier. I've decided to use Sigil for my EPUB editing because of how seamlessly it moves between text and code. Instead of converting the same file I use for the PDF into EPUB and then trying to take out everything that doesn't look right and won't render correctly on simpler readers, I'm just going to copy in the text and then format it... I can't say why doing it the other way seemed smarter/faster, except for maybe the psychological appeal of "not starting over from scratch". But insofar as an EPUB isn't a PDF, starting over from scratch is really preferable. I mean, trying to make a pizza out of raw ingredients is easier than trying to make a pizza out of a bowl of chicken stir-fry, right?
Other things that I'm going to simplify for future offerings (and to some degree, for future sales of this one):
1. I'm going to keep offering font choices in PDF, but every reader program and device I tested the EPUB on had an option to change the font, so I'm going to offer three choices in the future: PDF Avec, PDF Sans, and EPUB.
2. Since the price is "one size fits all" (or rather "You pay what you like and get what you like."), I'm just going to package the three versions as a ZIP. Simplify the buying process, simplify the delivery process.
3. I'm going to have a hard, bright line between "the time I'm writing the book", "the time I'm putting the book together", and "the time I'm selling it". I was so on fire with this concept back when it started that I was trying to do everything at once. And for a while I was managing it. But that kind of energy never lasts forever. And then when the writing was finished and I should have been focusing my attention on getting it out, I kept having the urge to tinker. Next time: write until I'm satisfied it's good enough that I'd post it on the internet, polish it during the put-the-book-together phase, and then consider it set in stone when I go on to the marketing phase.
Anyway... I tested the EPUB on everything I could, but I don't have everything. If you bought the EPUB and you're having problems, please let me know. And be aware that some software/devices override the font choice to begin with, so if you put in your Sans copy and it's got serifs or vice-versa, look for viewing options to see if you can toggle that. Just another reason why I'm not going to do two EPUBs for the next one.
I haven't restored the "buy" buttons to the website just yet. That'll happen sometime today, but for the moment I need to put my mind on other things.
Also, as much as I want my first time out to be perfect, it is my first time. The next one will be better. And easier. So much easier. I've decided to use Sigil for my EPUB editing because of how seamlessly it moves between text and code. Instead of converting the same file I use for the PDF into EPUB and then trying to take out everything that doesn't look right and won't render correctly on simpler readers, I'm just going to copy in the text and then format it... I can't say why doing it the other way seemed smarter/faster, except for maybe the psychological appeal of "not starting over from scratch". But insofar as an EPUB isn't a PDF, starting over from scratch is really preferable. I mean, trying to make a pizza out of raw ingredients is easier than trying to make a pizza out of a bowl of chicken stir-fry, right?
Other things that I'm going to simplify for future offerings (and to some degree, for future sales of this one):
1. I'm going to keep offering font choices in PDF, but every reader program and device I tested the EPUB on had an option to change the font, so I'm going to offer three choices in the future: PDF Avec, PDF Sans, and EPUB.
2. Since the price is "one size fits all" (or rather "You pay what you like and get what you like."), I'm just going to package the three versions as a ZIP. Simplify the buying process, simplify the delivery process.
3. I'm going to have a hard, bright line between "the time I'm writing the book", "the time I'm putting the book together", and "the time I'm selling it". I was so on fire with this concept back when it started that I was trying to do everything at once. And for a while I was managing it. But that kind of energy never lasts forever. And then when the writing was finished and I should have been focusing my attention on getting it out, I kept having the urge to tinker. Next time: write until I'm satisfied it's good enough that I'd post it on the internet, polish it during the put-the-book-together phase, and then consider it set in stone when I go on to the marketing phase.
Anyway... I tested the EPUB on everything I could, but I don't have everything. If you bought the EPUB and you're having problems, please let me know. And be aware that some software/devices override the font choice to begin with, so if you put in your Sans copy and it's got serifs or vice-versa, look for viewing options to see if you can toggle that. Just another reason why I'm not going to do two EPUBs for the next one.
I haven't restored the "buy" buttons to the website just yet. That'll happen sometime today, but for the moment I need to put my mind on other things.
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no subject
on 2011-03-22 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2011-03-22 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2011-03-22 09:40 pm (UTC)Still won't be doing it immediately, though.
no subject
on 2011-03-24 09:30 pm (UTC)I frequent Smashwords often. ;-p