Ebooks + Math Website = Success

by Maria Miller

Math Mammoth Blue Series

I initially got the idea for writing math books when I was tutoring homeschooled kids. I saw some of the materials they used, and they weren't "up to par" in my mind to what I was used to. I also noticed how the mothers of these kids weren't exactly the best math teachers in the world - and who would expect them to be? They were just normal moms; it wasn't their expertise to know how math is best taught.

I also had a little experience with building simple web pages and my husband was doing some websites, so I figured I'd make a complete math website for homeschoolers, and sell the books alongside it.

So I started working on both of these projects: building a website with free math resources, and writing books. Note it wasn't just one book; from the very start I figured I needed to write a series.

My goal was - and still is - to put into a book form what I would present in a class; the way I'd present the concepts, the types of problems I'd want the student to do.

I got the website online in February 2003. It had worksheet generators, descriptions of the most popular homeschool math curricula then available, and a link list of online math resources. I can't remember now if I started my teaching articles section right at the same time or later. Later on I added a section for product reviews.

I finally got my books ready in June 2003. At that point, I chose the .exe format for my e-books. I started seeing some sales from the very first week, which isn't that surprising with hindsight, because my math website had already taken off and I had gotten link exchanges made, it was submitted to directories, etc.

Soon it became evident that I needed a better download system because I spent a lot of time answering download problem emails. Also I got feedback about the .exe form; the ebook didn't print nicely to pages but problems were cut in the middle. So right next spring I bought new software and changed over into the PDF form.

Ever since then, I've been expanding: writing more books and updating and revising my existing ebooks multitudes of times as I would see ways to write them better. Gradually I'd build better-looking web pages for the books on my HomeschoolMath.net site.

I started a blog also in the fall of 2005. It's strange; I initially started the blog in order to avoid writing a newsletter, which I felt the need for. But the blog didn't do it; it was too "new" a concept and not many found it. I eventually started my newsletter in the summer of 2006, and it is now much loved by my "audience" of thousands.

In the spring of 2006, I was contacted by a tutoring company to write materials for them. We agreed I'd make the material available to the public as well - and my Golden and Green series were born. At that point I also decided to get a more "professional" look to my existing books, and chose the name Math Mammoth for them. My original books became the "Blue Series" books. I built a totally separate website for the books (up until that point, I had had the ebooks in one section of my Homeschool Math site).

Ever since then everything has been escalating: sales, the number of books, the amount of work, contacts, partnerships, the whole gamut. I've made the books available as hard copies through Lulu.com. I've put the electronic ones into a few other online stores. I've even ventured to write a complete grade-level curriculum (LightBlue series), which at this point is available for grades 1-4, and more is in the works.

So I can definitely call this self-publishing journey a success. However, it wouldn't have happened had I not built a complete math website filled with free resources that people and search engines love. That has been my main "marketing channel" for years, though nowadays my marketing also includes a blog, a newsletter, and some paid advertising.

Maria Miller, MSC, book author, website author, and a homeschooling mom.