Ebooks are a relatively new invention. Standing for “electronic book,” ebooks offer as much information as their printed counterparts. Of course, that's assuming you're in the mood for something informative. If you want to entertain yourself with fiction, there are plenty of ebooks out there to satisfy your mood.



Anyway, the beauty of the ebook is not in its simplicity, but rather its ease of distribution. Virtually anyone can sell an ebook, regardless of their previous writing experience. In fact, some of the best-selling ebooks have been written by people who have average writing skills. What makes their material attractive is what they are offering in addition to their conversational tone.

Yet, some would argue that self-publishing can offer the same benefits to independent authors. In some cases distribution might even be easier, because there are places like Lulu or Createspace that will sell your work for free. You just have to be willing to collect royalties.

And this is where the problem lies. With an ebook, you get to keep the majority of your profits, even if you sell it on networks like Clickbank. So, it won't hurt you if you decide to sell it at a lower price. In the end, you would end up getting more money because your ebook's price would be more attractive to your audience.

However, with many self-publishing companies, lowering your price could mean earning next to nothing even if your book sells many copies. Consider Createspace, where over 40% of your earnings are taken. True, your book will be exposed on Amazon, but depending on its length, a $5 book may only earn you a couple of dollars… if that. And if you sell it at $3 or less, you'll be looking at cents for your earnings, not dollars.

In addition, as popular as Amazon is, customers do have to wait for their book to ship. This is never the case with an ebook. After a customer pays their fee, they are given immediate access. Indeed, ebooks offer instant gratification, which is what customers are craving for.

On the downside, though, there is a lot of legwork associated with writing and publishing an ebook. With ebooks, you must design the book itself as well as the website. On top of that, you will need to pay hosting fees. If you get your book put on Amazon, you don't have to worry about paying any fees upfront. True, your money will be taken out of your royalties, but at least such a setup gets your work out there.

So, when it comes down to it, what will earn you money faster, ebooks or self-publishing? Ultimately, it will depend on your own skills. If you already know the ins and outs of website design, ebook design and Internet marketing, you'll probably make money faster with ebooks. But if you lack this knowledge, self-publishing through networks like Createspace will give you a lot of exposure with no monetary investment. Basically, you'll be given a chance to do what matters most… writing the material.