Illustrated Ebooks

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SummerDaniels
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Illustrated Ebooks

Post by SummerDaniels »

With the release of the Kindle Fire, Color Nook, iPad, etc. - is there a market for illustrated ebooks.

Not comics or graphic novels necessarily, but well illustrated ebooks.

For a novel that sells at $2.99 for example, would a "special edition" that included key illustrations depicting the character, certain scenes, etc. - be outrageously priced at $3.99 or $4.99?

Would it find a market ...?

As an author I find it fascinating to have this new area of opportunity opened up and I am considering exploring it at some point.

Thoughts?
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Scott
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Post by Scott »

Interesting topic!

I think it will happen and will have a market. They might even make movie-tie-in editions, which they already make for paperback/hardcover, but now would have illustrations within the book.

I prefer the e-ink, classic feel though. I think it has the technical advantages of modern ereaders while still maintaining the advantages of a regular book such as the focus being the text rather than pictures and such.

But for those who choose color tablets over e-ink readers, there is an obvious market to sell more than just black-and-white piles of text.
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Post by Bluefirerose »

I agree there is a market out there for this. I myself wouldn't spend the extra money, but I have the very first kindle and it suits me just fine. However, I have friends that have the kindle fire and I know they would love this idea.
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Post by BearMountainBooks »

I'll be reviewing a children's book that has some illustrations and some pictures on the blog tomorrow. I think the children's market is a pretty key market for illustrated works. There is a mix of photos and illustrations in these stories and I do like that idea better than the ones I've seen that use "rendered" art. With stock photo places, it is easier than ever to add pictures, that is for sure. These books didn't overdo it and I think for anything longer the illustrations would have to be enhanced, but they work.

The book is this one (sorry I don't know how to make the link- the title is Tania's Quartet) by Kanika G.
Maria saw her first dragon while gardening. The gnome tried to take pictures, but dragons are very fast. The fairy finally snapped a shot, but the dragon came by and flamed it to ashes! No one wants to get burned so, sadly, there will not be pictures!
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Post by ALynnPowers »

I could definitely see a market for this! I live in Tokyo (sorry, I feel like I mention this every time I make a post!! But it's relevant, I swear!) and most people use public transportation to travel, which means, they have to carry around everything they will need for the day. It seems like everyone around me has some kind of tablet in their bags, and it's not uncommon for parents to bring their kids into a restaurant while they have lunch with friends, set the tablet in front of the kid, and the toddler just goes to town playing ABC games and whatnot. If parents can get full-color books to keep their children entertained in public, without having to lug around the extra weight while they are out doing their errands, they're going to be all over that. I would be if I had kids. I don't know that I would necessarily get any books for myself, but for a younger audience, I could see it opening up.
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Post by booklovingolfer »

I think illustrated ebooks would add a lot to some books. I would like to read certain action packed books that were illustrated.
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Post by BearMountainBooks »

CleanSweep by Ilona Andrews has a couple of illustrations. I didn't care for the idea much. The illustrations were nothing like I had already imagined the characters. They were STELLAR illustrations--gorgeously done. They just didn't add to the book reading for me personally.
Maria saw her first dragon while gardening. The gnome tried to take pictures, but dragons are very fast. The fairy finally snapped a shot, but the dragon came by and flamed it to ashes! No one wants to get burned so, sadly, there will not be pictures!
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thatsahoot
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Post by thatsahoot »

I think there's a big market for illustrated ebooks as well, and agree that the children's market is large. I've seen very young kids with their own iPads and many using Mom and Dad's devices (especially smart phones) to keep them busy at appointments, dinners at restaurants, on travel, etc. Although I'm not sure I'll do that with my own kids, I AM sure I'd rather they were reading on that phone than playing Angry Birds.

I put together a list of available Caldecott eBooks (from Amazon and Kobo) on the website for my business (That's a Hoot Books).There are a lot of missing award years, or only one version of the book available online. I've got other award-winning eBook lists there as well but none of those are illustrated.

Prices commanded for Caldecott books range from $6 to $14, with the average around $10.
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ThosHowellBookReview
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Post by ThosHowellBookReview »

I've been experimenting with illustrated eBooks for Nook, Android, iBook and Kindlle. I use InDesign software to layout the eBooks. Glad to see this topic here on the forum, I expect illustrated eBook to be a fast growing market.
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its a mun thing
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Post by its a mun thing »

Aside form Comics and Japanese Manga I loath them. Don't ask me why but I get very furious when a book contains empty pages with one or to sentence dressed up with some drawing. And I'm completely outraged by the new Happy Potter Illustrated Book I mean okay that its a lot of colorful ink but why 50 bucks for one book?
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