the blog of author, illustrator and designer Kris Waldherr » Publishing Monday: How to make an iPhone app

11.02

Publishing Monday: How to make an iPhone app

With everything going on at the studio, it’s been some time since my last Publishing Monday post. Time to make amends for that!

No surprise: These days in the publishing world, the big subject is digital publishing, in a “sky is falling” hysterical way. Though I have a Kindle, I count myself firmly a fan of the pleasures of print publishing — it’s hard to imagine a book such as The Lover’s Path translated from paper and ink into pixels on a screen. Plus I simply like the tactile pleasures of curling up with a book on a rainy day.

Regardless, as anyone who reads this blog knows, I am excited by the opportunities offered by digital publishing, especially when it comes to iPhone app development. Though I’ve long been tempted by self-publishing for creative and business reasons, it was always that bugaboo of distribution which deterred me from seriously taking the plunge. Like most authors, I’d rather make books than hawk them. After all, who wants a garage full of books to sell? (And, living here in NYC, I don’t even have a garage anyway.)

But that’s the beauty of iPhone app development: Unlike traditional publishing, iPhone apps offer an easy distribution model for publishing entrepreneurs.

Here’s a simple diagram to sum it up:

‘Nuff said.

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One side effect of my expanding into app development: It seems like everyone wants to know how to make an iPhone app. I’ve been amazed at the numerous out-of-the-blue phone calls and e-mails I’ve received at the studio. But I understand the fascination. I know how excited I am by this digital frontier.

Distribution aside, how do you make an iPhone app? There’s no short and sweet answer — but I can point you in the right direction. What follows are some tips, culled from my most recent newsletter.

1. First things first: Sign up for Apple’s iPhone developer program. This will grant you access to tons of inside skinny as well as their SDK (Software Development Kit). The good news is that it’s free to enroll. Once you’re ready to send your app into the world, you’ll have to pony up a $99 yearly fee—a relative bargain.

2. More information: During the Goddess Tarot app blog tour, I was interviewed by Brokelyn.com about app development basics. I also wrote a guest post for Marshall Sponder’s Art in NYC blog about creating graphics for the iPhone.

3. Yes, there is an iPhone App Development for Dummies book out. (Am mildly abashed to admit I own it. I found it helpful.)

4. Finally, app developer Carla White wrote an e-book about how to develop and market an app. I highly recommend it. Though I came across her e-book after I developed my apps, much of what she’s written mirrors my experiences. It would have been interesting to have read it before I jumped off the high dive.

As for myself, I’m finding iPhone app very addictive. Much as I love traditional print publishing, here’s a lot to be said for the immediacy of app development — from start to finish, my apps took about two months to make it into iTunes. After that, it took me about six weeks to get my first payment. Compare that to a printed book, which can take nine months just to get printed after I finish, and far longer for royalties.

Brave new world indeed!

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Publishing – publishing childrens book | Point Article News Feed wrote on November 3, 2009 at 3:19 am:

[...] the blog of author, illustrator and designer Kris Waldherr …6 hours ago by kriswaldherr No suprise: These days in the publishing world, the big subject is digital publishing, in a âsky is fallingâ hysterical way. Though I have a Kindle, I count myself firmly a fan of the pleasures of print publishing â it's hard to imagine … [...]

Publishing Monday: How to make an iPhone app

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