If I use the iBooks Author program to create my own e-book, do I have to sell it through Apple’s online bookstore?
Apple’s iBooks Author software for the Mac lets you design your own interactive e-books with templates and built-in widgets. According to its frequently asked questions page, Apple requires that the finished work be sold in its iBookstore only if you keep it in the .ibooks format and want to sell the book for money.
To put a book up for sale in Apple’s online store, sign up for an iTunes Connect account to get the software and information you need to upload your creation to the iBookstore. Apple’s fee for distributing your book in its store is 30 percent of the purchase price.
If you do not plan to charge money for your book, or you export the final version as a PDF document or a text file, you are not limited to sales through the iBookstore and can distribute it elsewhere.
The iBooks Author software is free and works on Mac OS X 10.7.4 or later. More information and a link to download the program are here. Apple’s site offers a guide to using the software as well.