Amazon self publishing -anyone?

[in progress]

Originally Posted by Tobi

(except it appears that Microsoft "Word" is the optimum software required for the word-processing -and download of Word can cost a small amount of money.) I am looking into other possible free options for this.

Yes, a friend once showed me a free downloadable word processing program on the web which he liked a lot so no need to pay for one.

[Tobi]

Hi in progress, can you recall what that word processing download was? I would be interested in that!

[Nameless]

My 2 cents is finish the book, then see what's next. That way you won't sidetrack yourself from finishing the book, and when the book is finished, you will have more time to discover what needs doing next. Focus on one thing at a time. Now that you know Amazon is out there, and free, when the time is right, hit that "Easy Button" and it will most likely flow naturally from that.

Personally, I wouldn't pay anyone else something I could do for myself, and then give them perpetual royalties for formatting a cover (cough - just saying.....)

good luck with your book, Tobi. I'll be your first reader! Just let me know when it's sprung.

My earlier post here seems to have been taken down since I mentioned the name of the book I published on Kindle earlier this year. I had offered to give advice, and I'll do it again. Hopefully this time since I'm not going to say what my book's name is they'll leave this post up.

Publishing on Kindle, and CreateSpace (print-on-demand) is very easy. Kindle takes .rtf files so you don't have to use Word. It's really as simple as pushing a button to upload your text file to their site, their software converts it to the Kindle format, and then you can use "Emulator" software to look at your book on virtual Kindles, iPads, and iPhones on your computer. You can keep uploading various drafts until you get it right. If you have a Kindle you can download the file to your own device to check it out there.

The same with CreateSpace, you upload a .pdf file, it's converted and you can look at in in their "interior reviewer" which gives you a very good idea about formatting issues. Once you've got it right (you can do multiple drafts) you push "publish" and it's available for print-on-demand whenever any orders a book.

As to the cover, there are online companies that will do simple covers for reasonable prices (e.g, $100 for Kindle). It's also not hard to do yourself if you have design software, the Kindle and CreateSpace sites give guidelines.

[Tobi]

That's all very helpful information Kathleen. I appreciate it.
Yes, some forums are a bit strict about links that lead to commercial sites (I presume this would come under 'advertising') I know....all I did a few weeks ago on another forum, was mention that I would probably bring out my book on Amazon Kindle, when completed....and that forum took the whole thread down! I guess that was the reason, although it was never explained to me, and I received no warning about it.

I have never heard of .rtf files....(quick google search to check that out right now) And with the use of these files, "Word" is not needed? That sounds interesting.

I have designed a book cover, and am currently trying it out on a highly-critical writer's forum. That spurred me to do a better one....and now I fear I am making a nuisance of myself there....but the 'book cover dilemma' isn't over yet. I feel a determination to create my own, but that might be a bad idea....I'm unsure. I like the challenge, but we'll see....
Thank you for the valuable tips!

[Adrienne]

Hi Tobi,

Best wishes to you on your writing and getting your book published !

just a thought, you mentioned you designed a cover and are testing it out on a writer's forum.... maybe, if such a place exists, you could find an illustrator's forum to get opinions on your cover, since it is an illustration. You might get some more beneficial feedback from illustrators. Not all writers, illustrate.

Rtf file means "rich text file" and it can be produced by about any basic free word processing software. I have a mac and the "textedit" program that comes free with the computer saves in .rtf. Rtf allows some basic formatting, like italics and bold, but you can't do some of the more complex formatting you can do in Word. But if you are just doing a text-only book there's no reason you couldn't get away with using it for a Kindle.

Dream Angel has a good idea about asking visual artists for feedback on your cover. One thing to think about--when people are looking at ebooks on a device the images are usually small so make sure your cover is dynamic and the title is legible even when you reduce it to very small dimensions. I also spent time scrolling through books on Amazon in my genre for design inspiration.

Hey Tobi, I'm doing this, too! :)

My book will be out at the end of this month on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords. The best thing you can do for your book is start a blog and market it to an online audience. That way you have followers before you ever publish. Then you can give these people incentive such as a discount for buying the first week or something. Marketing the blog with keywords and search engine optimize it. Also open a website with the title of your book so people can easily find it.

I also hired an artist to design the front cover, because a front cover sells these days. Other than that.. its breathe in breathe out and take it one step at a time. Createspace is quite easy to use, so with a manuscript and great content--you can't go wrong.

If you have any marketing questions or about anything else let me know! I would be happy to help you--as this is what I do. Good luck!

[Tobi]

Thank you all for support and very helpful advice and tips.
I have spent days researching book covers (in my genre) and adapting ideas to suit my book. I still don't think I have it right though....
The problem is, the book is complex. It doesn't fit so neatly inside one genre entirely, which is typical of anything I do! So it is quite difficult to convey the essence of exactly what the book's about -in one picture! Such a challenge!

Dream Angel....thank you. That is a good idea.

Kathleen....I am a bit "duhhh"! Of course, rtf files are rich text files! Don't know why I didn't see that straight away....
Yes I have a rich text format already on my computer, Wordpad, which is great. But the one thing it won't do is 'page space'. Any files to be uploaded to the Kindle format have to be ready (with page spacing for chapters.)
I am unsure yet if I can upload any rich text file straight on to an application on the Amazon page, which is supposed to set things up for the correct format. Everyone is advised to only use "Word".....and only certain file extensions (can't remember what they are, but all my rtf options would appear to have the wrong file extensions!
I haven't got that far yet.
The provisional cover certainly works as a thumbnail -as far as being able to see the title fairly well. The cover is un-cluttered, quite sharp and very simple. But the subtitle lower on the page (which shows vital elements of what the book's about) becomes illegible in thumbnail. But for almost every book I've seen, this isn't unusual.
I know there's always the "elevator pitch" blurb, which goes underneath the thumbnail -that will help. But of course, the challenge is to get potential readers to click on that tiny pic in the first place.
My book is about a dog, so I have used her face on the cover. This, to my instinct, has a magnetism which might help. But it all does look a little "puppy-dog sweet" ....until you read the subtitle and blurb. So I may get a lot of 'bounces'.

MadamStar....Good luck with your book! You have also given me some really valuable advice, and probably will come back to you for some more tips yet -so watch out!
I definitely have to set the publicity wheels in motion. But I haven't quite finished the book yet; still have a couple of chapters to go.
I need to be a bit more left-brained to focus on that, and need to be so right-brained to finish the book! LOL! The more tech./internet stuff I do, the less I can write those chapters properly....and the more writing I do, everything else disappears!
haha....dilemma.....it will be fixed.

Thanks everyone

[Adrienne]

Originally Posted by Tobi

Thank you all for support and very helpful advice and tips.
I have spent days researching book covers (in my genre) and adapting ideas to suit my book. I still don't think I have it right though....
The problem is, the book is complex. It doesn't fit so neatly inside one genre entirely, which is typical of anything I do! So it is quite difficult to convey the essence of exactly what the book's about -in one picture! Such a challenge!

Dream Angel....thank you. That is a good idea.

Tobi, you're welcome !

just a thought about your cover... do something modern art/abstract .... then you don't have to worry about restricting it to a specific genre.

OR .... rewrite your book so it isn't so complex, lol ( just kidding on the re-writing idea )