Curtis, Richard. And William Thomas Quick. How to Get Your e-book Published: an Insider’s Guide to the World of Electronic Publishing. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 2002. 278 pp.

If Richard Curtis and William Thomas Quick are correct, electronic publishing (e-publishing) will revolutionize the publishing industry. Whether e-publishing actually survives, however, is topic enough for another essay. Co-authors Curtis and Quick present a valuable resource for anyone remotely interested in this emerging technology. No longer does an author need the blessing and financial support of the traditional print publishing houses; Curtis and Quick guide the reader through the steps to legitimate publication.

Both comprehensive and expansive, this book covers the general e-publishing industry even though, as they note, specific companies and software may be obsolete by the time of print publication. Impressive was the lengthy discussion on marketing and distribution. The exhaustive argument of traditional publishing, self-publishing, and vanity publishing takes on new connotations with this digital format. Demographic research, self-distribution methods, and inexpensive advertising were thoroughly covered.

Further, Curtis and Quick speak of the two notions of an e-book. The first, and simplest to produce, is the scanned-in or digitization of text. The second is much more dynamic. Here an author incorporates text, video, and audio to assemble a multimedia presentation where the reader/user, is in control of navigating through the e-book engaged and actively participating in the experience. Both have their place in the digital world.

A.J. Liebling once said: “Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” With the help of Curtis and Quick, now anyone can. This book is highly recommended for writers who want an electronic presence.

Lesia Schnur