Apple Books for Authors vs Reedsy

2023. Reedsy Marketplace adds Projects section for book collaboration



The Reedsy Marketplace has gone through a rather magnificent transformation, rather like a spaceship that suddenly realizes it's actually a supremely organized office. Beneath its sleek new exterior, a host of behind-the-scenes improvements hum quietly, making the entire experience feel as friendly and manageable as a well-trained towel. If you’re in the throes of working with a Reedsy professional—whether by flinging requests, haggling over offers, or hatching a book together—rejoice! You can now manage all these thrilling exchanges under the effortlessly labeled Projects tab. The whole system has been neatly reassembled to handle multiple projects without so much as a murmur, ensuring you can track everything—requests, collaborations, payments, and file sharing—with nary a bead of perspiration. To uncover every secret of your collaborations, simply click the cunning little arrow on the Manage button, which is almost as satisfying as opening a bag of your favorite snack. File sharing has reached new heights of simplicity, too: now you can toss files into messages with a graceful drag-and-drop flourish. And when you need to revisit your shared treasures, you’ll find every file from your exchanges snuggled up on your Files page, waiting patiently to be rediscovered.


2023. Reedsy adds cats to its Writing App



All of these renowned writers - Stephen King, Doris Lessing, Jorge Luis Borges, Alice Walker and Mark Twain - had a common source of inspiration: their cats. And now, writers using the Reedsy Book Editor can also benefit from feline companionship with the new "Reedsy Cats" feature. By toggling CAT mode after starting a new project, a cute cat will appear in your virtual workspace, ready to keep you company as you work towards your daily word count goals. These virtual kitties will spend their time sleeping and grooming, just like their real-life counterparts, while you focus on writing and boost your productivity.


2020. iBooks Author is being discontinued



Apple has revealed that iBooks Author will be phased out in July. The app will also be removed from various platforms, including the Mac App Store. Books previously published with iBooks Author will continue to be available. Moving forward, Apple is promoting two methods for distributing digital content. The first is direct EPUB or audiobook uploads through iTunes Connect. Apple has established a comprehensive publishing portal that covers all the details on publishing with them. The second method is Pages, their free word processing application.


2020. Apple launched publishing portal Apple Books for Authors



Apple has just introduced a publishing platform called Apple Books for Authors. It offers a comprehensive resource for authors interested in self-publishing or publishing companies looking to submit content. The portal includes guidance on all facets of ebook creation from bestselling authors, with some content presented in video format and authors detailing their personal workflows. You can learn about the sales reporting system and how to market your book effectively. If you want to submit an ebook directly to the Apple Book Store, there is a new publishing tool now available. Simply log in to iTunes Connect or create a new account, upload all the metadata and the book and start selling immediately.


2019. Reedsy launches Goodreads alternative for indie authors



Reedsy has introduced a new book marketing tool called Discovery, specifically designed to cater to independent authors. This platform offers a direct connection to hundreds of reviewers and thousands of readers. With the help of machine-learning algorithms and Reedsy's community, Discovery helps you find potential readers who would have otherwise remained unaware of your book. It's like Goodreads but for indie authors, with a much-improved interface. After you sign up, your book will be presented to a pool of relevant and experienced reviewers who will select which book to review. On your chosen launch date, your book will be promoted to registered readers who can browse the sample chapter, comment on it, appreciate your cover design, read the reviews, upvote the book and purchase it through online retailers.


2018. Apple iBooks is making it easy for publishers to earn commission



Apple introduced a new toolkit a few months ago for their iBooks program. It enables book bloggers, YouTubers, authors and content creators to embed audiobooks, books, badges, app icons, or a basic text link on their website, blog, or newsletter. Now, Apple Books Toolbox has added a valuable new feature that lets anyone quickly create interactive audiobook preview widgets. Select any audiobook available on Apple Books, adjust the dimensions and you’re set to display the embed code on a website or newsletter. These audiobooks will play a sample, allowing users to gauge the quality of the production. If someone purchases an audiobook from Apple, the publisher will receive a commission.


2017. iBooks Author gets new tools



Apple has released an update to its ebook creation software iBooks Author, which now includes the ability to add images and videos from Photos, the Mac photo management application. There are also some minor improvements, such as support for wide color gamut images. Many users have transitioned from iBooks Author to other digital publishing applications because this program is only compatible with Apple products and does not support Amazon, Google, or other online retailers. Critics have accused Apple of abandoning digital publishing. The latest iOS update removed subcategories within Magazines & Newspapers instead of addressing the issues, making it nearly impossible to discover new digital edition apps.


2016. Reedsy launched Google Docs for books



Reedsy, the marketplace for editors, cover designers and more, has introduced a book editor designed to seamlessly collaborate with your editors and produce a final manuscript. While this isn’t the first book editor, Reedsy’s book editor focuses on collaboration. It may not be as robust as Scrivener or Ulysses, but that’s not the primary goal. You can draft your manuscript in Scrivener and then complete the editing process in Reedsy. Think of this book editor as a Google Docs for books. It allows you to write and edit in your browser with everything saved in real-time. Multiple people can edit simultaneously, leave comments and track changes. It eliminates the cumbersome back-and-forth process associated with Word documents and confusing file names.


2014. Self-publishing startup Reedsy wants to compete big publishing houses



Self-publishing startup Reedsy has officially launched. It assists authors in collaborating with expert editors, book designers, marketers and translators to elevate their books to the next level. Reedsy will only engage with certified, industry-experienced freelancers, ensuring authors can find the best collaborators for their projects. Freelancers invited to the beta can register and create polished profile pages. They can showcase the books they’ve worked on, their professional affiliations and discuss the types of projects they’re interested in. Reedsy will be the first curated marketplace of its kind for publishing freelancers. Authors will be able to use Reedsy as a single platform to manage every stage of the publishing process. Reedsy is also developing a specialized eBook editor to facilitate smoother author-editor collaboration.