Created by the book industry, for the book industry

For an empowered, informed supply chain

Established in 1991, BIC is an independent, not-for-profit organisation at the heart of the book publishing industry. We pride ourselves on working collaboratively with key stakeholders in the UK book industry to produce quality training courses that are created and delivered by expert, highly respected trainers on a wide range of supply chain topics. Being a not-for-profit organisation, BIC is able to offer all of its training at highly competitive rates. If there is a topic that you would like us to provide training on, that we do not provide at present, get in touch; we also welcome enquires about the provision of bespoke in-house courses.

All of BIC's production courses are designed in conjunction with a panel of Production Directors from leading publishing houses to ensure that they focus on what you need to know. Each course contains a formal assessment recognised by many of the UK’s publishing houses.

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BIC's eBook Creation: Investigated & Explained Course

Purpose of the Course

The pace of change in publishing is ever-increasing, not least in the creation and use of eBooks. Consumers and devices are becoming ever more sophisticated and the demands on publishers to keep up are immense.

This seminar-based course provides a great overview of the creation of eBooks, the routes to market and the changing technology available to publishers and their customers. It’s a complete introduction for those new to eBooks and a great update for those with some experience in eBook production.

Benefits of Attending

This course provides delegates with a deeper understanding of the techniques and processes involved in the creation and sale of eBooks. Delegates will gain the knowledge and tools to be pro-active in their role, better express their requirements and solve or even prevent problems efficiently.

To ensure our attendees get the most out of the day, we limit the number of delegates for this course to 10.

Course Level

This course is aimed at those who are or would like to be responsible for the production of eBooks. It is aimed at those new to eBook production and those who have learnt ‘on the job’. This course will be useful to: production teams, editors, designers, self-publishers, authors and librarians.

Course Outline

All theoretical elements in this course are accompanied by their practical application. Each section contains a problem-solving element, to enable the attendees to gain an understanding of the potential pitfalls, how to avoid them and how to spot them if they do occur. The topics covered will include:

• What XML is and how it’s used
• The different digital workflows and the pros and cons of using them
• The limitations of the devices that are currently on the market and their impact on eBooks
• The difference between apps, eBooks and online products and how to select the right one
• The pros and cons of Digital Rights Management (DRM)
• What metadata is, how to use it effectively and how this impacts discoverability
• How to decide whether eBooks should have a bespoke design or replicate the printed version
• What HTML5 is and when to use it
• The different file formats available and when to use them
• How to specify eBook requirements to a supplier
• How to decide whether fixed format or reflowable is right for your eBook
• What interactivity and enhancements are available and how to choose the right one

Read the full course outline here.

The Trainer

Ken Jones

Founder, Circular Software

Ken is a publishing software expert with over ten years’ experience as Technical Production Manager, software trainer and developer at Pearson and Penguin Group UK. Ken now specialises in writing applications for publishers and offering training and consultancy on print and digital publishing software and workflows.

Feedback for this Course

"A great introduction to the rapidly evolving world of eBook production with practical guidance on the options available, standards used and some pitfalls to avoid." - Neil Wilson, The British Library

"I know that going on this course has enabled me to do my job more effectively, partly because it taught me things I didn’t know and new ways to approach the work but also because it reinforced what I did know and made me feel more confident." - Leah Cullen, BookSource

Date and Frequency of this Course

Thursday 6th June 2024. This course will run once in 2024.

Bespoke and In-House Training

BIC is committed to providing high quality, accessible training for the book industry. We are able to provide both bespoke courses and in-house training to suit your requirements. This courses is suitable for in-house training so please do contact us to request further information or to make a booking: [email protected].

Course Location

Online / Live virtual training

Course Length

This is a full day course.

Prices

BIC Members £310.00 + VAT

Friends of BIC £362.00 + VAT

Non Members £420.00 + VAT

Fully discounted rates apply to BIC members only.

Not sure if your organisation is a BIC member? Check our members list here.

Alternative Payment Option

If you would prefer BIC to invoice your organisation directly, please contact [email protected]. Please note that this process will incur a £25.00 administration fee.

Course Cancellations

Please note: as we price our training courses so competitively, the running of them is dependent on there being a set minimum number of delegates registered by the time the booking period ceases. For this reason, please be aware that unfortunately some courses may be cancelled if this requirement is not met. Should this happen, BIC will arrange for full refunds for all training courses booked. We will liaise with registered delegates at least 1 week prior to each course date regarding this. BIC apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Refund Policy

Please take a few moments to familiarise yourself with our refund policy.

Should you need to cancel your ticket, refunds may be given as follows:

• Up to 6 calendar weeks (i.e. 42 calendar days) before the event: full refund minus Eventbrite fee
• Less than 6 calendar weeks, but more than 2 calendar weeks (i.e. 14 days) before the event: 50% refund
• Less than 2 calendar weeks before the event: no refund

If you (or a colleague in your place) do not attend the training course you have booked, no refund will be given.

Please note: Tickets are transferable within your organisation.