The last few months we have focused on the number one reason why writers today choose self-publishing over and over again — CONTROL.  Via self-publishing, writers control book titles, book covers, book content (story and words), publishing, copyrights, and promotion.

But we also have to sell our e-books.  To do this, we turn to Direct Sale Vendors.  Direct Sale Vendors sell our e-books for a percentage of the sale.

Who are the top Direct Sale Vendors?

• Kindle Direct Publishing Platform (Amazon) — KDP
• Barnes & Noble ePubit Platform (Nook) – Pubit!
• Apple iTunes Connect Platform (iPad) – iBookstore

Starting in 2010, Apple announced the release of its latest creation—the iBookstore.  The iBookstore allows users with models of the iPhone and iPad to download e-books directly to their Apple devices.

Last week, we discussed the first four questions we must ask ourselves before uploading our book to the iBookstore to sell:

1)      Do we have access to a MAC computer?
2)      Do we have an Apple ID?
3)      Have we applied for the iTunes Connect platform?
4)      Do we have a converted manuscript in the ePub format?

So what’s next?

First we want to log into the iTunes Connect platform.

Once inside, Apple will take us through the process, step-by-step, after we’ve agreed to the Terms and Conditions.  This is where we will add our title and complete other information including:

• Book Details
• Contributor Details  — if self-published, the contributor is the author
• Publisher Details  — if self-published, the publisher is the author
• Language
• Publication Date
• Rights
• DRM — this can’t be changed once selected
• Categories
• Keywords
• Book Summary
• Author Bio

There is also a section requesting an ISBN number.  This is required to sell electronically via the iBookstore.

The ISBN number, or International Standard Book Number, uniquely identifies our published books internationally.  Also, remember to register all ISBN numbers (and book titles) with the Bowker Link Publishing Access System.

This may sound daunting, but it’s not.  By assigning an ISBN number to our publishing, we’re taking CONTROL of our stories, our products.  We’re saying that we are the publisher.

For more information on ISBN numbers, click here.

For more information about the Bowker registrations, click here.

The iTunes Connect platform also asks that users select each individual territory (United States, Germany, England, etc.) in which they would like to sell their e-books.  This section also requires the user to convert each price accordingly using the conversion method; however, it has been rumored that recent changes to the program will help automate the territories and pricing for authors.

Once we’ve completed all of the above sections, we’re ready to upload our book and book cover.  Upon completion, we will have the opportunity to preview our soon-to-be-published e-book.

That’s it.

Seems simple enough, right?

How long will it take iTunes to actually load our e-book to the iBookstore for sale?  It depends, but authors can usually expect anywhere from twenty-four to seventy-two hours.  In some cases, the first book can take even longer… but isn’t the wait worth it to have your book available on the three biggest Direct Sale Vendor platforms?

Come back next week when we continue our Direct Sale Vendor series with Kobo.  But for now…

Remember—selling  e-books through a personal website and through Direct Sale Vendors provides us with the best of both worlds when it comes to distribution and maximizing our revenue.

For more information on selling with direct sale vendors, please check out our free resource: Getting Started with Direct Sale Vendors.