# Create, Share, and Discover eBooks
CREATE Your E-Book or Print-Ready Manuscript
Bypass the high cost of hybrid/subsidy publishing channels and get your book ready to share with the world! Thanks to your Library, you can now create, edit, format, and export a professional-quality manuscript ready for e-book distribution or on-demand printing for free using Pressbooks Public, an online do-it-yourself book design and production platform.
To get started...
- Sign up for a free BiblioBoard account using your library card number
- Check out this YouTube playlist for free, on-demand training
- Bookmark the Pressbooks User Guide for future reference
Note: You can start using Pressbooks Public no matter where you are in the writing process. Upload files from your favorite text editor or use Pressbooks as a free alternative to word processing software. Not only will you have complete control over your own content, you have the option and ability to collaborate with other authors and editors. Bonus: When you're ready to release your book to the world, you can submit your e-book directly to the Indie Author Project.
SHARE Your E-Book with Readers in Florida
The Indie Author Project (IAP) is a publishing community that includes public libraries, authors, curators, and readers working together to connect library patrons with great indie-published books through the BiblioBoard Library platform. Authors are able to submit e-books directly to then be vetted by industry editorial partners like Library Journal and regional library editorial boards. Being selected by these curators can lead to expanded discovery, distribution, and networking opportunities.
To get started...
- Go to the IAP website to read the "terms of agreement"
-
Make sure your book is...
- An ePUB (strongly recommended) or PDF file
- In the English language
- An original work to which you own the rights
- Click "Submit your work" and follow the prompts
- Or submit directly from Pressbooks Public
The submission process takes about 5 minutes, and you are welcome to submit as many of your books as you would like. Once accepted, your work will appear in the Indie Florida Collection and be available to readers here in Jacksonville (and all over Florida).
The best of these books will also make their way into the Indie Author Project Select collection, which is available to participating libraries on BiblioBoard throughout the US and Canada. Once submitted, your book will be passed through the review process, and you will be notified within 4–6 weeks if your book has been chosen as an IAP Selection.
For more information, check out the IAP "For Authors" page.
If your e-book is chosen for IAP Select, you can also opt into a usage-based royalty program, where your e-book is sold in curated collections via library e-book platforms such as OverDrive, The Palace Project, cloudLibrary, and Boundless by Baker and Taylor. Note: This is only available to authors who are part of the curated IAP Select collections. The program is non-exclusive and built to be complementary to any current indie author marketing and sales programs.
The Indie Author Project considers indie-published authors to include any authors who have the rights to independently sell, market, and distribute their works, including authors who have fully self-published all of their works, as well as hybrid authors who may have the rights to some of their works and be under contract on others.
Indie authors are also invited to participate in the Indie Author Project Annual Contest. Submissions are accepted from April 1 – May 31 and winners are announced at Indie Author Day in November. There are cash prizes for the winner and two runners up in each genre, among other awards and perks.
DISCOVER E-Books from Indie Authors in Florida
Read the works of local Jacksonville indie authors and other Indie Florida books submitted through the Indie Author Project, including When a Stranger Comes, by Karen Bell, Jacksonville author and winner of the 2019 Florida Indie Author Project contest.
You can also discover the top indie books from around the country which have been carefully selected by Library Journal (and other publishing partners). Just look for the books marked with a IAP Select Award. IAP Select features NY Times and USA Today bestselling authors and numerous award winners, as well as talented emerging authors.
You can start reading right away, with no holds or waitlists on the BiblioBoard website. To read on the go, download the BiblioBoard Library app on the Apple Store or Google Play. Note: If you have an Amazon Kindle Fire, follow these instructions to side load BiblioBoard Library on to your device.
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Read Local Authors
Jacksonville Florida is the home of many talented writers. To make your work accessible to the entire community, Jacksonville Public Library created the Local Author Collection. Physical items in this collection are housed at the Main Library and available for customers to check out through the Library's catalog.
Add Your Work to the Local Author Collection
To be considered for inclusion in the physical collection, please visit:
- Submit to the Local Author Collection (if you are donating a copy of your book)
- Market Your Book to the Library (if you would like the Library to purchase your book)
FREE Writing and Publishing Workshops
At the Library, you'll find the people, resources, and books you need to keep make your dream a reality. Get help writing and publishing your next book with FREE Writer's Lab workshops! We offer a variety of workshops throughout the year and at events like Jax Book Fest (Writer's Day). Please note: Attendance at some "hands-on" style Writer's Lab programs are limited to enhance the experience or because of room size.
Find upcoming writer's workshops
Find a Community of Writers
Looking to make friends with and learn from other local authors? Need help with writing, editing, publishing or marketing? Network with other Northeast Florida writers! The Authors Roundtable is a local 501C3 that supports authors in reaching their highest potential. Meeting on the first Saturday of every month at 10:15 a.m. – live at the Main Library – authors participate in educational forums, workshops, classes, and events. All genres are welcome.
Find them on the Conference Level in the Learning Space across from the Center for Adult Learning.
More FREE Resources for Writers
Writer's Lab is part of Library U, a collection of programs and classes for adults as well as free email newsletters that keep you connected, sharing ideas and learning. You can also meet and learn from published authors at Lit Chat author programs or dive into local history with History Chat.
You'll also want to check out our many free research databases and digital resources.
First, you can improve your digital publishing chops with hundreds of on-demand courses from LinkedIn Learning. They have expert-led video courses on Digital Publishing, Graphic Design (for those of you designing your own book covers), and more. Second, several of “The Great Courses” cover writing and publishing very well and they're available for free on Kanopy!
