Create Captivating Interactive Books: A How-To Guide

The publishing industry today is undergoing a shift in terms of reader expectations, as well as the process of producing books. Today, more readers want to read books online rather than purchase physical books. The same can be said for students, who prefer engaging eTextbooks as opposed to physical textbooks. 

However, within the eBook vertical across all genres, publishers and authors are experimenting with different ways to capture new audiences. One approach is to deliver interactive books, which are transforming the way users read. The reading experience is no longer a one-sided, linear process but a dynamic, interactive, and participative one. 

This blog outlines how to make an interactive book with the right mindset and access to cost-effective technology solutions. 

Table Of Contents

I. What Is An Interactive Book?

II. 4 Stages Of Creating An Interactive Book 

1. Interactive Book Curation
2. Interactive Book Publishing 
3. Interactive Book Hosting 
4. Interactive Book Distribution 

III. Important Tips On How To Make An Interactive Book 

1. Pay Attention To the Interactive Elements 
2. Choose the Right Layout
3. Create Accessible Books
4. Leverage Data Analytics
5. Consider Providing A Downloadable eReader 

IV. The Takeaway

An interactive book is a digitized version of a book, enabling readers to have a dynamic, interactive, engaging, and immersive experience. 

Interactive books can range from text-heavy books with some interactive features, such as search and text highlights, to highly interactive books with 3D representations and interactive quizzes. So, the spectrums vary and are quite broad. 

The purpose of interactivity also varies. For instance, the purpose of interactive textbooks is to help learners grasp concepts faster and retain knowledge. On the other hand, an interactive graphic novel creates a deeply immersive storytelling experience for fans of this genre. 

As the demand for and interest in interactive books grows, many publishers are grappling with how to make an interactive book in a seamless, cost-effective way. 

The creation of an interactive eBook is a systematic process, and publishers must proceed step by step, as follows:

The first step is to identify what goes into your book and start building the various elements that go into the content using your digital publishing tool of choice. These can include text, images, and multimedia elements such as videos, audio representations, and assessments. 

Also, consider including relevant widgets such as calculators and widgets. Arrange all elements in the right order, and add important sections such as the index, blurb, and references. The use of automated digital publishing tools like KITABOO automates the process and offers an intuitive curation experience.

Once the basics are in place, make sure to add creative and marketing elements, such as the book cover and metadata, that power the discoverability of your book.

Select the right format for the interactive book and preview it carefully for any corrections and changes. Ensure that all interactive elements are working well. Then, proceed to publish.

However, even after publishing, you can continue to make changes.

Publishers looking to create and market multiple books can consider hosting their white-labeled eBook stores using digital publishing suites like KITABOO.

All books can be displayed and sold in one space, social media share buttons can be activated, and interactive books can go on sale or as part of a subscription package instantly. 

The final and most important step in creating captivating interactive eBooks is distributing them securely to authorized users.

Leveraging a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system enables publishers to control access to their content. DRM-protected books can be accessed only by authorized users. 

Here’s a snapshot of key tips on mastering how to make an interactive book:

There are many ways to make a book interactive. However, the interactivity must enhance the reading experience, not disrupt it. Choose interactive elements thoughtfully.

For instance, the use of multimedia can be beneficial for textbooks on science and math as an aid to simplify concepts and enable connected learning. Meaningless interactivity can be disruptive and reduce the effectiveness of the book.

So, it is important to identify the purpose of interactive elements and include them accordingly. 

Today, publishers must choose the right layout to optimize the reading experience. Here’s how they can do so:

• A reflowable layout is preferred for text-heavy books, enabling the book to easily reflow on any device. Both the fiction and non-fiction genres, which primarily comprise text, benefit from reflowable layouts. 
• A fixed layout is better suited for interactive books, which are heavy on multimedia. This format ensures that readers can access all multimedia elements without having the formatting disrupted. This format suits interactive graphic novels, coffee table books, travel books, cookbooks, textbooks, and children’s books. 

The interactive book is an innovation that is spearheading inclusion. It enables publishers to create accessible books that can be read by a diverse spectrum of users with disabilities, reading and learning challenges, and language barriers.

For instance, the digital publishing platform KITABOO enables the publishing of books in languages like Arabic and Urdu, which use a right-to-left script. Publishers can also introduce read-aloud features, easy adjustment of font sizes, and videos with captions to produce inclusive, accessible content.

This shift enables publishers to expand demographics and monetize their products further. 

Staying connected to the reader is an important step in the journey of creative, effective, accessible, interactive eBooks.

Platforms like KITABOO offer AI-powered content analytics dashboards that allow publishers to track user engagement at every step of the way. You can track which interactive elements are working and which ones are not. 

The ultimate step in the success of an interactive book is the actual reading experience and the ability to leverage all interactive activities effectively.

eReaders are known to provide an optimal experience. However, they can be expensive. Publishers can consider using platforms like KITABOO, which comes with a downloadable eReader app, compatible with multiple operating systems. 

We’ve outlined the basics of how to make an interactive book. The mastery of the creation process gets even simpler with access to the right technology.

For instance, access to a cloud-based, automated digital publishing suite gives publishers and authors the freedom to create highly captivating interactive books. They can reimagine the way a book is read and engaged with, and they can expand their reach to include diverse audiences. 

Today, publishing houses can leverage digital publishing platforms, like KITABOO, to make high-quality, interactive books for global audiences. Our cloud-based digital publishing platform is available in both a licensed version (one-time purchase) and a flexible subscription model.

Connect with us today to learn more!