Digital Publishing

An Artisanal Approach

Presented by Amanda Gomm

Artisanal Ebook Design

Combining design aesthetics and technical expertise to realize the highest functional and aesthetic quality possible under current constraints.

Quality is…

a) Marketing Hypeb) Fitness for usec) Conformance to specificationsd) Customer Definede) All of the above (except a—a is evilish)

Who Defines Quality?

• External Customers• Readers• Reviewers• Retailers• Librarians

Readability VersatilityMobility

Who Defines Quality?

• Internal Customers• Designers• Editors• Project Managers

Beauty

Robust Design

Correctness Versatility

Satisfied Readers

Revenue

So What?

• Readers have thousands of alternatives at their fingertips • The Publisher’s role as gatekeeper is also filled by

reviewers, social media, retailers, and the customer herself

• We no longer judge books by their covers alone. The quality of the ebook acts as a promise to the reader of the quality of content

Artisanal Quality

Artisan

Content

Perfo

rman

ce

Reliability &

Durability

Suitability

SecurityAes

thet

ics

Availability

Perceived

Quality

Artisanal Content

• Timeliness• Correctness• Informative or entertaining• Value added• Readable• Revenue generating

Hint: What publishers already do

Artisanal Performance, Conformance & Serviceability

• Technical requirements are met• Sound performance on maximum devices• Conformance to device limitations• Preparation for technological advances• Readable, versatile & mobile• Correct & robust

Artisanal Reliability, Durability, & Continuity

• Know the probability of malfunction within a certain time period

• Understand obsolescence and the inevitable and completely indifferent torrent of technology

• Decide now how to handle the economic impact of depreciation

• Mobile & versatile• Protects revenue, versatile & robust

Artisanal Suitability

• Appropriate bells & whistles• Readable, mobile & versatile• Satisfies customers

Artisanal Safety & Security

• Buh Buh Buh Bummmmm: DRM• Mobile, versatile vs. Protecting revenue

Artisanal Aesthetics

• The technical constraints of eInk

Artisanal Aesthetics

• The technical constraints of EPUB & MOBI files• The device controls:• Interpretation of code• Implementation of standards• Available fonts and embeddability

Artisanal Aesthetics

• The technical constraints of EPUB & MOBI files• The user controls:• Font face• Font size• Margin size• Leading• Justification• Screen rotation• Image size

Artisanal AestheticsThe Publisher controls:• Font

• To embed or not to embed, that is the question—or it was for a while there. (Embedding fonts is so over.)

• Relative size• Capitalization• Style (bold, italic, underline)• Serif, sans serif, monospace

• font-family: “Palatino”,”Times”,”Light Classic”,serif;• font-family: “Helvetica Neue”,”Arial”,sans-serif;• font-family: “Courier”,”Courier New”,monospace;

• Readable & versatile• Beautiful, correct, robust & versatile

Artisanal AestheticsKindlePMN CaeciliaCourier

NookHelvetica NeueAmasisLight Classic

Sony Dutch Roman CourierSwiss701

Kobo

AmasisDelimaFelbridgeGil SansRockwellAvenirGeorgia

IbooksBaskervilleCochinPalatinoTimes New RomanVerdana

StanzaAmerican Typewriter

ApplegothicArial CourierCourier newDB LCD TEmpGeeza ProGeorgiaHeiti (J, K, SC, TC)HelveticaHelvetica NeueHiragino Kaku Gothic Marker FeltThonburiTimes New RomanTrebuchet MSVerdanaZapfino

Ereader Fonts

Artisanal AestheticsThe Publisher controls:• Font• Chapter breaks

• Forced page breaks is the new recto• Images• Justification• Size• Horizontal Rulez

• <hr class=“sweetestrule” />

• Readable & mobile• Beautiful & versatile

Artisanal AestheticsThe Publisher controls:• Font• Chapter breaks• Images

• Size• Mobi: <img class=“pictures” hisrc=“images/picture.jpeg” alt=“My Picture” />

• Quality• 16 shades of gray• File > Save for Web & Devices

• Placement• Readable• Beautiful, Robust & Correct

Artisanal AestheticsThe Publisher controls:• Font• Chapter breaks• Images• Tables

• Readability demands creative reimagining for the platform• Fixed layout EPUB

• Only displays correctly on Apple OS

• PDF• Downloadable content• Readable• Correct, beautiful, robust & versatile

Artisanal AestheticsThe Publisher controls:• Font• Chapter breaks• Images• Tables• Layout

• Leading• Justification• Margins• Portrait vs. Landscape• Columns

• Float those divs

• Readable & versatile• Robust, beautiful & versatile

Artisanal Availability

Anytime

Anywhere

Perceived Artisanal Quality

Author

EditorDesigne

r

Ebook Creator

Distributor

Retailer

Reader

Discussion

Questions, comments, and tales of your adventures in publishing are eagerly awaited!

Amanda Gommamanda@digitalbindery.com

503.208.4745www.digitalbindery.comFacebook: DigitalBinderyTwitter: @DigitalBindery

Tom McCluskeytom@digitalbindery.com