You remain in complete control of the finished product because you get to decide what text, images, illustrations, fonts, etc. to use in your book.
You also retain the rights of your manuscript, unlike a traditional publisher.
The timeline from start to finish is much quicker than a traditional publisher, which often takes two or more years to complete.
You do not need an agent in order to get your manuscript noticed, accepted and published.
Unlike traditional publishers who only market their most promising titles, we offer marketing materials and promotional services you can choose to purchase at your leisure.

What is Print-on-Demand publishing?

Print-on-Demand publishing, or POD, is a method of book printing using digital technology that makes it easy and cost-effective to produce books as they are ordered, either one at a time or in large numbers. Instead of a more traditional mode of printing, which only prints a large number at one time, POD is an "as needed" printer so there are no wasted books and no need to store them. This also means that the book can be available for an extended period of time, instead of the book being "out of print" after one print run.

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

What is ePub?

ePub is the file format your manuscript must be in order for it to be compatible with digital content devices. This allows for your book to be distributed and read on select electronic devices (e-readers).

What is an e-book reader and how will it benefit me?

E-book readers are wireless handheld devices capable of downloading an electronic version of a book and making it available for a customer to read anywhere without a physical copy of the book. Formatting physical books into e-books gives you as the author another avenue to connect with readers and give them the book they want in the format they want. Companies like Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Apple have the largest e-book stores in the nation giving readers access to hundreds of thousands of books. Read more FAQ below to learn more details about each.

Where will my e-book be available for purchase?

We work with multiple partners for e-book distribution, and each partner maintains a very dynamic list within its network.

While we submit your e-book to as many channels possible, please understand that each channel or retailer reserves the right to refuse listing.

Currently our e-book publishing is compatible with the following devices:

Amazon Kindle (a wireless reader)
Sony Reader (a wireless reader)
Barnes & Noble eReader (an application for iPhone, Blackberry, Windows PC or Mac)
The nook (a wireless reader)
Scribd.com (an online site that turns files into web documents for easy sharing)
BooksOnBoard (which is available on the iPhone and iPad via the Stanza application)
Google eBookstore (customers can buy books through their Google accounts and access them on just about any device with a modern Web browser)
iBookstore* (Apple's online bookstore available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch)
Kobo Books

*All retailers reserve the right to accept or deny content for availability on their e-book stores.

Which format does each digital content device accept?

Currently, only Scribd accepts a PDF format for the text. Other partners, such as Sony and BooksOnBoard require ePub files. This is why digital formatting and distribution is now included in all of our Black & White and Color publishing packages.

Do I choose how much my e-book costs?

We will set the default price ($3.99) of all e-books at our discretion. However, vendors may choose to sell the e-books at a higher or lower price than what we set.

How much royalty do I earn from e-book sales?

You will receive 50 percent of the net payments received from sale of your e-book. Royalties will not be paid on copies provided free of charge or sold to the author. You will always receive 50% of the net sale when sold. (Therefore, if sold on Balboa Press.com at $3.99, you will receive $2.00. If sold in the retail channel at $3.99, the channel discount (varies by partner) will be deducted from the sales price and you will receive 50% of what is leftover.

When will the e-book be submitted to the channel?

When the print edition of the book is made active, we will submit the e-book to the retail channel.

How long does it take for books to be posted on retail sites?

It will take approximately four weeks after your book is printed for your e-book to appear on retail websites.

Can I request which distributors I want for my e-book?

No. Balboa Press e-books will be distributed to as many vendors as possible within our network, including future partnerships that we and our partners acquire. It is then at the vendors discretion whether or not they list the e-book titles we submit to them.

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Will I be able to see channel e-book sales in My Center?

Currently, your e-book sales will be paid quarterly in conjunction with print book sales. However, the online statement currently will not reflect these sales. We are working on adding these items to the monthly statement.

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How many devices will be allowed to share one file? Can the purchaser make copies?

For Barnes & Noble, the e-books can be loaned to friends for a specific period of time. The purchaser, however, cannot make copies or print the book.

What if my book undergoes post-publication corrections? Will the e-book file be updated as well?

Yes. All changes and corrections implemented on the manuscript, in terms of content, are also implemented on the e-book version. Any non-textual changes are subject to technical limitations and may or may not be cascaded to the e-book version.

Can color books be formatted as e-books?

Yes. As of Oct. 20, 2011, color books can be formatted as e-books.

Does my book format change for the Color E-book?

It is possible that the format may change from the printed version for the e-book version subject to technical limitations. Therefore, differences in appearance between your printed and e-book versions are to be expected. However, there will NOT be any changes to its content.

In order for us to make your color e-book compatible with most e-reading devices and ensure wider distribution, our team of developers will adjust the file format. In some cases, we may separate text from images. These changes enable readers to enjoy your color e-book regardless of the varying e-reader functionalities, ensuring a better reading experience. Nonetheless, everything will be done to retain as much of the original formatting as possible.

Will my e-book have an ISBN?

Yes. The e-book will have the same ISBN, regardless of the channel of the format it is sold in.

Back to main FAQ directory

Digital Readers

What is the Amazon Kindle?

The Amazon Kindle is the most popular handheld eReader device on the market. With access to 420,000 titles from over 100 countries around the globe, and growing, it provides the reader with unlimited choices of literature, at their fingertips, almost anywhere. As a Kindle user, you have access to top magazines and newspapers, as well as audio books. And with the Kindle for PC and Kindle for iPhone apps, you can read Kindle books even if you don’t have your Kindle with you.

How does the partnership with Amazon Kindle benefit the author?

Balboa Press' partnership with Kindle is a great opportunity for our authors to offer their digital content through the most popular e-reader device in the industry.

What is Google eBookstore?

Google launched an e-book store called Google eBookstore, which allows the purchase of thousands of titles through any Web-enabled computer, e-reader, or mobile phone instead of a dedicated device.

What is Kobo Books?

A leading global eReading service for smartphones, laptops, eReaders and any other device used for reading digital content, Kobo provides access of your book’s content (book block and cover) to book enthusiasts from more than 200 countries. Once your book has been digitally formatted, it will be made available for sale on the Kobo Web site. It can then be downloaded to a digital device that allows the buyer to adjust the font size and more for readability.

What is Scribd.com?

Scribd.com is the largest social publishing company in the world, the website where tens of millions of people each month publish and discover original writings and documents. On Scribd.com, you can quickly and easily turn nearly any file—including PDF, Word, PowerPoint and Excel—into a Web document and share it with the world.
Scribd.com is breaking down barriers to the publishing process, making written works available to people on the Web and mobile devices, and most importantly, fueling the conversations happening around them. It gives you, the author, an even larger audience.

It also gives readers the opportunity to view 20% of the book’s content prior to purchasing the full e-book edition. This will entice readers into purchasing content and is similar to the experience of previewing a book in a bookstore prior to purchase.

What is BooksOnBoard?

BooksOnBoard is the largest independent e-book store to date. It is also a vendor for most e-book readers. BooksOnBoard currently carries over 280,000 titles from the major publishers and small publishing houses. It currently offers eBooks in Adobe Digital Editions format and Adobe EPUB format for Adobe Digital Editions software (including Sony Readers), Mobipocket, Microsoft Reader and Palm/eReader formats.

BooksOnBoard is the second listed retailer on the Stanza, the largest e-Reading app on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch store (free). This outlet gives you another platform in which to advertise and sell your book.

What is the Barnes & Noble eReader?

The Barnes & Noble eReader is an application used to read Barnes & Noble eBooks on your iPhone, Blackberry, Windows PC or Mac. Without it, you will not be able to read Barnes & Noble e-books. Barnes & Noble e-books are encrypted to protect the authors’ work. Thus, other e-book Readers will not work with Barnes & Noble e-books.

The Barnes & Noble eReader can display styled text (italicized, underlined, etc.) and formatting as well as perform functions not found on other e-book readers. The Barnes & Noble eReader is free to download and is supported on multiple devices.

How will I benefit from distribution to Barnes & Noble?

Having your book added to the Barnes & Noble eBook store gives the public access to your books through various forms of digital media such as, the nook, PC, and Mac (by downloading the free Barnes & Noble Reader). Barnes & Noble is one of the largest retailers in the country, and having access to their e-store expands distribution opportunities for our author’s books.

What is the nook?

The nook is Barnes & Noble's digital e-reader (like the Sony Reader) with access to more than 1 million titles.

What is the Sony Reader?

The Sony Reader is another handheld device capable of downloading an author’s e-books through its online storefront called the Sony ReaderStore.

How will I benefit from the partnership with Sony?

Together with Sony, Balboa Press will give its independent authors the opportunity to offer content through the ReaderStore. Yet another way author titles can be made available to a multitude of readers through the Sony Reader.

What is the iBookstore?

The Apple iBookstore is an e-book store created by Apple. Books can be downloaded to an iPad, iPhone and iPod touch via the iBookstore.

Why isn't my book in the iBookstore?

It can take up to three months for your book to appear in the iBookstore. If your book is still not available after that period of time, it is possible that Apple did not accept your content. Reasons that Apple may choose to deny content include typos, poor editing, poor formatting and subject matter.

E-book Digital Conversion

Why are we offering e-book conversion?

On March 12, 2012, we began offering our authors who were previously published without an e-book the option to convert their book to an e-book for free. The publishing industry is becoming digital. An increasing number of readers are choosing to read on e-readers, such as the Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, over traditional books. Our goal is to help you reach as many readers as possible. We aim to convert all of our traditionally-published books into the e-book format.

What is needed to convert my book to an e-book?

You don’t need to do anything. We’re converting all titles that were published under a traditional package into e-book format. Once the conversion is complete, we will email you.

What types of books are eligible for e-book conversion?

All books published by Balboa Press that have not already been published in e-book format will be converted.

How much does the conversion cost?

We’re offering the e-book conversion service at no cost to our authors.

Why did I have to pay for this service in the past?

We’re continuing to expand and strengthen our list of services to help you reach success. Due to changes in the publishing industry, we have changed our policies on e-book conversion. We’re offering conversion at no extra cost to our authors for a limited time only.

Can I opt out of this service?

Yes, you can opt out. If you would like to opt out of this service, please contact us immediately. Email our Customer Service Team at customersupport@balboapress.com.

Back to main FAQ directory

Balboa Press FAQ

Printer and Publishing Style FAQ

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

Digital Readers

E-book Digital Coversion

Is Balboa Press a traditional or non-traditional publisher?

What is Print-on-Demand publishing?

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

What is ePub?

What is an e-book reader and how will it benefit me?

Where will my e-book be available for purchase?

Which format does each digital content device accept?

Do I choose how much my e-book costs?

How much royalty do I earn from e-book sales?

When will the e-book be submitted to the channel?

How long does it take for books to be posted on retail sites?

Can I request which distributors I want for my e-book?

Will I be able to see channel e-book sales in My Center?

How many devices will be allowed to share one file? Can the purchaser make copies?

What if my book undergoes post-publication corrections? Will the e-book file be updated as well?

Can color books be formatted as e-books?

Does my book format change for the Color E-book?

Will my e-book have an ISBN?

Digital Readers

What is the Amazon Kindle?

How does the partnership with Amazon Kindle benefit the author?

What is Google eBookstore?

What is Kobo Books?

What is Scribd.com?

What is BooksOnBoard?

What is the Barnes & Noble eReader?

How will I benefit from distribution to Barnes & Noble?

What is the nook?

What is the Sony Reader?

How will I benefit from the partnership with Sony?

What is the iBookstore?

Why isn't my book in the iBookstore?

E-book Digital Conversion

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