Publishing is moving to the electronic age. More and more books are available electronically. Not only does this save you money, it is more convenient as long as you are comfortable with your electronic devices. Your first step into the world of ebooks is to explore what is out there.
Steps
1. Benefits.
Are ebooks for you? Brainstorm advantages of ebooks over regular books. Here’s a list to start.
- Many free ebooks available
- Many authors give away free chapters or previews of their ebooks
- Purchased ebooks are cheaper than printed books
- Read on computer or other electronic devices
- Easily carry them with you
- Can purchase / download instantly
2. Disadvantages.
Brainstorm disadvantages of ebooks. Here’s a list to start.
- No power equals no books
- Electronics more easily damaged
- May be hardware / software dependent
- Eyestrain
Compare the advantages and disadvantages. Are you leaning toward ebooks?
3. Ebook readers.
Proprietary readers are designed to read ebooks in a format they determine. Some can read other formats as well. Review the following list. How many have you heard of? Compare them and determine if a proprietary reader is for you.
- Kindle / Amazon
- Nook / Barnes & Noble
- Aura / Kobo
- iBook / Apple
4. Software readers.
Smart phones, tablets and computers have software that allows you to read ebooks. Examine ebook readers available for your electronic device. Choose one and install an ebook reader. Try free ebooks to see if you like the portability of ebooks. Here are a few applications to start your search.
- Acrobat Reader — get.adobe.com/reader
- GoodReader — www.goodreader.com
- eBook Search — ebooksearchapp.com
- Wattpad — www.wattpad.com
- Audible — www.audible.com
- Google Play — play.google.com/books
5. Reading ebooks.
Download an ebook and read it. How does it compare to reading a standard book? Would you be interested in changing to ebooks?
Places to Find Free Ebooks
6. Project Gutenburg.
www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:MobileReader_Devices_How-To
Choose from over 55,000 free ebooks. These are digitized by volunteers. They are available because the copyright has expired in the US. Also, check out the additional offerings available through their Partners, Affiliates and Resources links. These include links to similar projects in other countries such as Australia and Canada.
7. Manybooks.
Choose from over 29,000 free ebooks.
8. Free ebooks.
Site features new and independent writers and you get them free. The site includes both fiction and non-fiction.
9. Get free ebooks.
The site brings authors and readers into the world of free legal ebooks. In addition, it featured top compilations and even reader challenges.
10. Internet Archive.
Most of the books here are public domain, in other words free. Be sure to select “text” when you do a search so you only get actual books, not microfilm, audio recordings, etc.
11. BookBub.
BookBub is a service that alerts you to limited-time free and discounted ebooks that match your interests. It’s free to join. Many authors try to get featured as it gives their books and branding a boost.
12. Keep exploring.
There are many ebook sites available. The above list is only a small sampling. Use the links below or go to your favorite search engine to search for more. Enjoy your adventure through the world of ebooks.
Supplements
SUPP_Ebook Explorer_2in_12up_larajla
- Avery 2” round label printable, 12 up
SUPP_Ebook Explorer_Checklist_larajla
- Badge checklist
Sites to Explore
- www.the-ebook-reader.com/free-ebooks.html
- www.thebalance.com/places-to-get-free-kindle-books-1357954
- www.dailyfreebooks.com
- www.openculture.com/free_ebooks
- www.reddit.com/r/FreeEBOOKS
- www.hongkiat.com/blog/20-best-websites-to-download-free-e-books
- www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks.asp
- www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-best-6-sites-to-get-free-ebooks
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