Publish and Sell E-Books

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
1515 Students

Learn how to use free tools to publish an e-book, and then list and sell your e-books in the world's largest online bookstores.

E-books are blazing through the publishing world like a speeding comet, with thousands of previously undiscovered authors as the bright glowing lights in its tail. Independentâ€”indieâ€”authors are becoming overnight sensations in the New York Times and USA Today, on Amazon, and well, everywhere e-books are sold. In this course, you'll see how you can join their ranks by learning how to publish and sell your own e-book.

It's no secret that e-books now regularly outsell traditionally published books in online bookstores around the world. This is great news for authors, who no longer need a large budget to self-publish and promote their books. In fact, in this course, you'll learn step by step how to use free tools to turn your manuscript into a professionally published e-book ready for distribution. Or, if you don't consider yourself a ""techie,"" this course will give you the information you need to select the right publishing services to help you as you convert your manuscript so you're ready to sell it as an e-book.

Whether you're a first-timer or have already put out an e-book or two, this course puts you inside the publishing industry, sharing the tricks of the trade used by traditional publishers to make sure their books are in the best position to be found by readers. You'll learn how to target your reading audience, select bookstores, get your book distributed around the world, and even have your book added to your local library's virtual shelves. By the end of this course, you can have your publishing dreams come true by selling an e-book. Make it happen today!

Course Revised June 2013

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

E-book sales climb higher every day. In fact, e-book sales have put millions of dollars in the hands of previously unpublished authors, midlist authors who've had modest print sales, and established authors who've decided to strike out on their own. When you publish your own e-book, you can earn up to 10 times higher royalties! In this first lesson, we're going to do a whirlwind tour of the rise of e-books. We'll follow that with an overview of the major players in the industry and look at e-book readers. By the time you're finished this lesson, you'll be ready to start self-publishing your own e-book.

In this lesson, you're going to start getting your e-book ready for publication, much like you would prepare a great manuscript for an editor at a publishing house. You want to make sure you have a great story that hangs together or a nonfiction book that's error-free. One of the best starts you can give your e-book when you send it off into the world is to make sure it's up to today's standards—with proper grammar, spelling, and style. In this lesson, you'll find out how to use tools to make this task simple and fast!

Today, we'll start the first steps in the publishing process. You'll learn how to create a reader profile describing your ideal reader and apply what you've learned to your marketing plan. I'll share two of my book profiles with you and show you how they helped me write the book descriptions, select the titles, and create the covers. I've filled this lesson with lots of tips that will help you find readers for your book when it's launched.

For this lesson, we'll look at a few things you should do before publishing your book. First, we'll discuss copyright registration. This will ensure that you're compensated if someone uses part of your book once it's in the bookstores! To make your book available in bookstores, you'll also want to get an ISBN, which stands for International Standard Book Number. This identifies your book worldwide. I'll tell you how that works, and what your options are, as well. And finally, we'll examine CIP, or Cataloging in Publication, data. This is the information librarians add to their catalog so that they can circulate your book to their patrons. It's exciting to think about, isn't it? Pretty soon, you'll have a catalogued book!

This lesson takes you "under the covers" of your book to your title page and all the front and back matter you want to add. You'll need to consider the author name you want to use, or whether you want to use your own name at all. This is a big decision, so we'll look at a number of things you should consider. Once that's done and you've typed all the information into your book and formatted it, you'll learn how to add a table of contents and hyperlinks, so your reader can move around easily. This lesson will give you lots to think about and lots to do—and when you're done, you'll have included everything you'll find in any traditionally published book.

Today you'll learn how to add your cover to your book, along with any other essential images. Images aren't always perfect, so you'll learn some basic steps on how to adjust them. And you'll also learn how to check the file size of your book and ensure that it meets bookseller and distributor requirements. Once you've got everything just the way you want it, you'll learn how to convert your book file to a PDF, the most popular document file on the Web. And you'll even learn how to password protect PDFs to sell from your site!

What are your options for converting your manuscript into an e-book that users can read on e-readers? Your choices range from hiring a service that does it all to doing it all yourself. In this lesson, we'll look at the pros and cons of paid services and free services, and I'll show you how to use Sigil—free open source editing software—to convert your book to EPUB format and add metadata that will help with sales at online retailers. Not sure what metadata is? We're going to go into detail on that too, and you'll learn how to use the same tools as traditional publishers in the brick-and-mortar world to give your e-book an inside advantage. By the end of this lesson, your e-book will be ready to read on many popular e-readers!

In this lesson, you'll learn how to use an e-book management tool to do a number of different things, from organizing your own e-book library to converting your e-book to a multitude of formats. The name of the tool is Calibre. Calibre lets you add stars and comments to the books you've downloaded, as well as convert unprotected e-book files from one format to another, so you can read books you've purchased on your smartphone, tablet, or e-reader. By the end of this lesson, you'll know how to use Calibre to fine-tune your EPUB file and convert it to MOBI for the Kindle reader. You'll be amazed at how easy Calibre is to use—just follow the steps, and you'll have your e-book ready to upload to online bookstores in no time!

Publishing your own e-books is a business, and in Lesson 9 we'll look at the business end of things. There's always some paperwork required to start up a business, particularly on the Internet where you're dealing with online bookstores that could be anywhere in the world. Amazon is the world's biggest bookstore, and its headquarters are in the United States, so we'll look at their requirements first. They don't make the rules though—they only implement the ones set down by law. We'll also go through the business decisions you'll have to make, including adding DRM, pricing your book, and whether you want to make your title exclusive to one store. We'll wrap up the lesson by walking step-by-step through the questions you'll answer as you upload and publish your book!

This lesson opens up many virtual bookshelves for your new book as you learn how to select and work with an e-book distributor or aggregator. Even if you're an international author, aggregators can get you into any bookstore you want! It's an exciting time to be self-publishing, as there are many different options and tailor-made solutions. Even if you're starting out with a publishing budget of $0, your book can reach millions of readers. And if you're concerned about your technical skills, don't! In today's lesson, you'll also learn how a distributor can take care of everything for you.

When you decided to self-publish your book, you eliminated the publisher—who would have gotten the biggest share of income from your hard work. In this lesson, I'll show you how you can eliminate the bookstore too. That leaves all the money from sales in your hands! There are other advantages to selling your books directly, and we'll take a look at those, as well as some of the disadvantages. I'll outline the three main considerations for direct sales, and we'll do a quick overview of the many options you'll have for collecting money online and delivering books to your buyers.

This may be the last lesson of the course, but it's also one of the most exciting. We're going to look at additional ways to get your book in readers' hands. One of the first, of course, is libraries. How would you like to see your name and book come up when you search your library's online catalog? We'll also talk about getting into school libraries, and the Google Books Library Project that aims to digitize all the books in the world. Interested in your multimedia options? We'll cover this today as well, and we'll discuss your options for printing your book so traditional print readers can also have access to it. So be prepared to come away with new ways to have your books reach readers!

Linda Aksomitis

Linda Aksomitis has a master's degree in adult vocational/technical education, with a minor in English. She has published 25 books for readers of all ages (fiction and nonfiction), including numerous e-books, and she has a few thousand publication... Read more

Read Linda Aksomitis's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

The course clarified what I needed to know about getting a book on the market in one way or another, and that was my chief objective. The instructor was everything she should be and more and I learned far more than I anticipated. I had no idea the area was so complex.

Verified Student

A very well-done course. Gave me exactly the knowledge and experience I was after.

Verified Student

I LOVED the class and I'm so excited to have a detailed to-do list now to prepare my books for publishing!!

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Publish and Sell E-Books you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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CompTIA® Security+ Certification Preparation

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
363 Students

Prepare for the CompTIA® Security+ exam as you review the information you need to pass the test and earn this important certification.

The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts that computer security and related computer-support specialties will be among the fastest-growing occupations through 2018. CompTIA's Security+ certificate is widely regarded as the entry-level certificate for this fast-growing field. Getting that certificate requires passing CompTIA's challenging SY0-301 exam.

This course, the second of two courses, reviews the key terminology and concepts needed to ace the exam, all in a condensed format for rapid reading. The course provides helpful study tools, including crossword puzzles, games, and practice questions to aid your learning. All of the content is geared toward helping you prepare to pass the SY0-301 exam, so you can leave the test center with your Security+ passing score in hand.

Please note that youwill be subject to a CompTIA Security+ renewal process every three years.

We'll start off with a brief review of the Security+ exam and its objectives. Then we'll jump right into talking about access control. Authentication—verifying that a user requesting entry to a system or network is who they claim to be—is the first step in access control, which protects valuable and sensitive resources from unauthorized users and evildoers. In this lesson, we'll explore authentication, as well as its methods, protocols, and devices.

Last time, we talked about the authentication step in access control. In this lesson, we're going to continue our exploration of access control with a closer look at authorization and types of access control. Both of these are extremely important parts of the security policies protecting network resources. We'll take a detailed look at the elements that make up these two processes.

In this lesson, we'll cover the policy and administration of accounts in a secure environment. First, we'll go over the different types of accounts you might work with, including individual accounts and group accounts. Then we'll talk about password policies, which govern how to make passwords as strong as possible, when passwords should expire, and how to deal with lost or forgotten passwords. Lastly, we'll discuss permissions, privileges, and the administrative actions required to minimize vulnerability.

As network administrators, we're constantly managing risk. But what does that really mean? In this lesson, we'll investigate the elements of the risk management process, including vulnerabilities, threats, risks, and likelihood and the methods used to identify, determine, or calculate each. The ultimate goal of risk management is to reduce risk to a level that's acceptable to the system and organization. In this lesson, you'll discover the methods we use to figure out what level of risk is acceptable.

Do you know the differences between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning? When is it best to use each? In this lesson, you'll find out the answers to those questions. We'll take a look at the six phases of the penetration testing process, and you'll find out how vulnerability management works. Then we'll look at methods of software vulnerability testing, including black box, white box, and gray box testing. We'll wrap up the lesson with a discussion of disaster recovery plans and data backup methods.

How do we protect the crucial data that allows our organizations to function day in and day out? That's the question we'll address in this lesson. We'll start with a look at data loss prevention systems, which manage, identify, and protect data in its various states. You'll get acquainted with data encryption applications and hardware-based encryption devices. And we'll cover some considerations for off-site and remote data storage—what should you keep in mind about data when deciding where to store it and back it up? Maintaining your data's integrity and security is incredibly important, so you won't want to miss this lesson.

In Lesson 7, we'll focus on the security of application software. There are a few ways to make applications more secure, including application hardening and careful patch management. We'll see how these work, and we'll take a look at some common application attacks. You'll also see how to make sure the in-house software development process is as secure as you can make it. We'll even look at the ways in which a host computer is secured both internally and externally.

As businesses go global and standard business hours no longer apply, mobile devices are becoming more common in organizational networks. In this lesson, we'll look at the threats mobile devices introduce and the security methods for removing these threats. We'll investigate some internal measures for dealing with mobile devices, including what you can to protect data if a device is lost or stolen. We'll also explore what you should include in external security policies for mobile devices, and you'll see how technologies like mobile biometrics, voice encryption, and GPS tracking can help on the mobile security front. Mobile devices are only getting more essential to both our business and personal lives, so securing them is an increasingly important priority.

If you're working in IT these days, chances are you're working with virtualization in some form. But what exactly is virtualization? In this lesson, we'll build on what you learned about it in the first course. You'll find out how server virtualization works, and we'll explore virtualization software and hardware. You'll also learn how virtualization can benefit an organization, and we'll discuss the particular security concerns that come along with it. We'll finish up with a look at the various types of cloud computing available today.

If you work in network security, being cryptic is just part of the job! Cryptography, or encryption, is what we use to prevent unauthorized people from being able to understand or use intercepted data. In Lesson 10, we'll explore the concepts behind encryption and the primary types of encryption in use. We'll talk about the most common encryption algorithms and ciphers, and you'll learn about the secure transport of encrypted data.

With the Internet so integrated into our everyday lives, we depend on a security and validation system that most of us take for granted: the public key infrastructure (PKI). The PKI protects us, often unknowingly, against people and companies we don't know and may not trust if we did. In this lesson, you'll learn about the PKI and the security elements that work to protect you. We'll also talk about how and why they work.

The CompTIA Security+ exam covers a wide-range of security concepts, topics, terminology, and practices, as well as a bit of hardware and software. In this lesson, which is the last of the two prep courses for the Security+ exam, we'll review the key terms and concepts you'll see on the exam. We'll revisit what you really must know, and I'll give you some final tips for taking a CompTIA exam.

Ron Gilster

Ron Gilster is a best-selling author with more than 40 titles in print. He writes on topics including information technology (IT) certifications, real estate, and business. Ron has held a variety of IT-related positions, ranging from computer oper... Read more

Read Ron Gilster's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the CompTIA® Security+ Certification Preparation you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.