EPUB has arrived and it is certainly a welcome release. As most tech savvy individuals would likely surmise, the name stands for electronic publication. More specifically, this is an electronic book format that is most commonly used in professional and amateur electronic publishing. The reason it is so popular is that is enables one to read eBooks on all manner of different eReaders.
Access via various eReaders is a huge plus. If you are seeking to publish an eBook, you want it to get the widest circulation possible. If it cannot be read by a wide range of eBook readers then you will completely limit the distribution of the eBook. With so much competition out there, it is doubtful that you want your eBook drastically limited in terms of where and how it can be read.
The EPUB format also opens the doors for publishers to create a fully digital publication designed to be read on all manner of different software and hardware applications.
EPUB is a format that is comprised of three open standards:
• Open Publication Structure • Open Packaging Format • Open Container Format
The inclusion of these three standards opens the door for it to be read by many different readers. Hence, it is the preferred eBook format due to the expansive nature of it. Most that decide to put the format to its proper use will not be too concerned with the engineering that goes into it; but, it is that engineering that makes the format work.
In short, this would be the preferred format in which to create eBooks. Gone are the days of trying to craft an eBook out of little more than a basic word processing program. With EPUB, a far more sophisticated program has been released and it can certainly aid in the development of a professional quality eBook. Granted, EPUB is not the actual program; it is a format. The need for a program such as Adobe InDesign would be required to actually create the eBook. That said, this is a format that works with many different programs and none of the programs entail difficult steps in order to deliver effective results.
This is not to infer that professional looking eBooks did not exist prior to the release of EPUB. They most certainly did. However, they were quite costly and often required contracting the services of a graphic design/publishing service in order to complete the required work.
As previously mentioned, this is no longer the case as EPUB delivers an effective, expedient, and easy solution to creating quality eBooks. Best of all, this is a system that is not difficult to use and can be employed with various publishing programs. You do not need many years of experience with desktop publishing in order to run the program. Even a novice can use it. Yes, it really is that simple.
Whether you are an amateur or a professional eBook publisher, you will want to work with EPUB as your established format. The reason for this is relatively basic: it works with all manner of different readers and that means the published work will be accessed by the largest audience possible.
Author Resource: Learn how to create and publish professional looking ePub documents. Spread your work to a larger audience with ePub. Sign of for one of our Adobe ePub Training Classes.
