This was already included in the previous post. However, there was a pretty large introduction as to how I came upon it all and I figured that there might be people not interested in the backstory of my research. So, this post gets right down to my findings.
This is what I've found out in my preliminary research to self-publishing ebooks. If you are interested in self-publishing your manuscript, this may help to jump start your own research.
AMAZON
Amazon with the Kindle e-reader is the big fish in the sea. Kindle Direct Publishing is a way to get your book out there for free. (Didn't mean to rhyme. *laughs at myself*) You can find their home page here: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin.
They have a wonderful Kindle Publishing Guide that coaches you every step of the way: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help.
They also offer pretty large royalties: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A30F3VI2TH1FR8.
The sad news about Amazon is that they have introduced a program, KDP Select, that allows people to 'borrow' books for free. Many Indie Publishers were doing very well selling books between 0.99 and 2.99. At that price, it's like giving away books for free already and gobs of people hopped on those prices. Now, however, if someone can get a book for free by 'borrowing' it, then why pay? Even if it is only 99 cents.
This new program is concerning. Amazon says the author gets part of a pot of money when people borrow his/her book for free. This would conceivably work, if you are a top selling author. However, I'm not seeing the benefit for new, unknown, authors.
Even though this is scary, there are still a couple of upsides. First of all, in order for readers to borrow books for free through this program, they have to be members of Kindle Prime. Readers get a one month free trial, but after that they have to pay $80 a year and are only allowed to borrow one book a month.
If someone is using the Kindle to buy and read .99-2.99 books, and I'm sure there are people out there who do this, then Kindle Prime will not appeal to them at all.
Since the reader is only allowed to borrow 12 books in one year and has to pay 80 dollars for those 12 books, then the math is in our favor. Kindle Prime members would have to be borrowing books that cost way more than 99 cents in order for that to work out for them. Because of this, it may be that books selling for 0.99-2.99 are safe. I would assume that if someone is paying that much, then that person would be going for books that cost much more than 0.99-2.99 just so that they'd be getting their money's worth in the subscription.
The worst news about KDP Select is that if you choose to be a part of it, then you can't publish your book anywhere else for an allotted amount of time. Again, as a new and unknown author, I don't think this a good option for me. Thank goodness being a part of KDP Select isn't mandatory. You can still publish through KDP and not have to be a part of the Select program.
The second upside to all these new scary things that Amazing is doing is that, while Amazon may be the biggest fish in the sea, it isn't the only fish in the sea.
With that thought, I now introduce Barnes & Noble's publishing platform:
PUBIT!
The PubIt! homepage can be found here: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home.
Through PubIt!, you would be selling your book through the NOOK e-reader. They have similar royalty payments as Amazon. Information on their royalty can be found here: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=support#more_support.
Look under 'Pricing and Payment Terms.' This is also a pretty good support page. It's not as good as Amazon's and it took me awhile to find it, but there it is.
One thing I've noticed Indie authors doing is publishing on both the Amazon and Barnes & Noble platforms. Apple also has their own platform, as well as Kobo.
Apple is complicated and you need a Mac to work through their system. I do not have a Mac, so I didn't look into them any further.
KOBO
The technical requirements for kobo are also a bit daunting, but if you want to give it a try: http://merch.kobobooks.com/help/images/A_Vendors_Guide_to_Kobo.pdf
Kobo is also working on the developement of a self-publishing portal and you can submit your email address for notification of when it will be available: http://www.kobobooks.com/companyinfo/authorsnpublishers.html.
Hopefully when they get that finished, it won't seem as difficult to publish through their system.
AGGREGATION SERVICE PROVIDERS
Not all of the e-reader companies are working together. They each have their own thing and they, understandably, want to make money through their own products. The great thing about being an Indie author is that you can publish through all of them. The only thing they ask is that you not sell your book for less with another e-reader company. In other words, if you sell your book for $2.99 through, say, PubIt!, then you will have to sell your book for $2.99 through all the other e-reader platforms.
There are companies out there that will publish your book through several e-reader platforms at once. Amazon, however, likes to stand on its own, but there are some companies that will distribute to them too.
One suggestion would be to publish through Amazon and then publish through an aggregation service provider in order to get to all the other e-readers. Just remember, don't choose to put your book in KDP Select if you are doing this, because you can only sell through Amazon if you put your book in that program.
It looks like the easiest aggregate is:
SMASHWORDS
Check out their website here: http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords.
They reach Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, and the Diesel eBook store.
Royalties are 60% and they only take 15% of the net each time they sell your book. They have a very good support page with a wealth of information on how to publish through them: http://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq.
They even provide free ISBNs. For information on what an ISBN is, take a look at this page: http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/isbnqa.asp.
Just so you know, you don't have to have an ISBN to publish to the Kindle (Amazon provides its own number for your book, the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN)). So, if you publish through Amazon first, you don't need to worry about acquiring an ISBN before publication. The other systems require ISBNs, however, so going through Smashwords will get you one for free.
As with anything that seems fairly easy, there is a downside to KDP, PubIt!, and Smashwords: You have to format your ebook to fit their platforms. Depending on your skill level and patience, this can be a discouraging task. Each website for each publisher gives directions on how to format your ebook to fit each of their e-readers. It can be a long and arduous part of the self publishing ebook process.
There is a program that can help you in these conversions called Jutoh. This is an ebook editor for $39.00. You can find it here: http://jutoh.com/.
There are numerous individuals that you can hire to do these formats as well. I am not to this point with my own book, however, so I don't know any to recommend. I'm simply sharing what my limited research has turned up. Though, Smashwords does have a list of ebook formatters and cover artists. You can send an email to list@smashwords.com and request "Mark's List."
If you're not up to all that, never fear. There are aggregate providers that will do it for you for a fee, of course.
EBOOKIT
The homepage to eBookit can be found here: http://www.ebookit.com/index.php.
This company charges $149 to convert your book for just about any and all e-readers, including the Kindle. They will even help you with your cover. They seem to have a pretty solid plan and will distribute your book to all the major e-reader platforms. For another fee, they'll even advertise your book for you. You get the most profit if you sell through their store, of course, but even with their take on what you sell through Amazon, B&N, Apple, etc., this might be a low stress way of getting your formatted book out there.
The only worry I have with this company is the fact that they say that updates to your book are billed at "only $49.00 per hour." That seems steep and the 'only' part made me laugh a little. I'm not sure if this means they periodically have to update your book or if all updates are only done if requested by the author. They have a pretty good support page, though, which can be found here: http://www.ebookit.com/thefaqs.
BOOK BABY
This company seems to have a pretty solid plan as well. The home page to book baby can be found here: http://www.bookbaby.com/.
Book Baby's motto is "Self Publishing Made Easy." They will publish your book for as low as $99, which includes all conversions, and will distribute it to Apple's iBookstore, Amazon, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Copia, Gardners, Baker & Taylor, and eBookPie.
This company does not take any commissions at all, but they do have a $19 annual fee.
Here is their pricing list: http://www.bookbaby.com/pricing.
Book baby will help with your cover, with conversions, and will provide an ISBN for an additional $19. Here's how it works: http://www.bookbaby.com/howitworks.
That concludes the extent of my research. I have not tested any of these options myself, but having it all in one place will be helpful for when I get to the publishing stage of my books, if I decide to go the indie route. Hopefully this was helpful for you as well.
I also found this blog post by Henry Baum. It has some helpful information about eBookit and Book Baby and the comments are very helpful too: http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/04/ebookit-book-baby-publish-green/.
Happy writing!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
The Self-Publishing Option In Today's World
So, we all know about the Indie Revolution and have read many blogs and news articles stating that 2012 is the year of the Indie author. I have read this, at least. Like many others, I am intrigued by the success of Indie authors like Amanda Hocking. I've done a lot of research into the self-publishing option because of all the recent buzz. It turns out that there are numerous other people looking into this option as well.
I'm not usually one to follow the crowd, but in this case, I'm chasing after it. I feel like I'm ten steps behind everyone else, but the good news is that there seems to be room for all of us.
I first looked into self publishing five years ago. I was just getting into writing fan fiction and was becoming pretty popular in that area. It was then that I realized I could write fiction. Traditional publishing scares me to death. All of the restrictions I hear about it, all the changes that can be done to a storyline, seemed too overwhelming to me. So, I decided to look into self publishing just to see what it entailed. Just to keep the record straight and as an addendum here: I don't discount mainstream or traditional publishing by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just scared of it.
Five years ago, around 2007, self publishing wasn't looking like a good option at all. It was expensive. Many companies required you to buy a certain amount of books and you would be left wondering how to market the hard copies. I was reading articles about people selling books from their basements. Storage was quickly becoming the next part of that research and the entire process seemed so cumbersome and, quite frankly, not conducive to profit at all.
The author would be so far in the hole by the time he/she made a deal with one of these companies, spending thousands of dollars, that the author would be spending the life of the book simply trying to pay that money back. That wasn't an acceptable option. At that point, there wasn't anything on the web about publishing through an e-reader, not to mention the stigma of vanity press to begin with, so I quietly snuck away from it and never looked back.
I continued writing fan fiction. I was giving myself away for free, but it was such a rewarding experience that I couldn't stop. I was having so much fun. I got to know people, helped them with their own story lines, gave reviews, and got lots and lots of reviews in return. Those darn reviews were like a drug. I literally couldn't stop writing. I needed that review fix.
Then, around 2009, someone I knew got a publishing deal. I shared with her what I was doing with fan fiction and she blogged about me. Several more reviews came in. I was tickled pink about it.
She later shared a little advice with me: Stop writing fan fiction and start writing my own world. She boosted my confidence by telling me I had talent. Sure, I was getting positive reviews for my fan fiction, which were confidence boosters themselves, but this was a published author telling me I have talent. She even helped me outline a book with an idea that was stuck in my head. Still, though, I was scared. I continued writing, but it was still only fan fiction.
Next thing I know, I get an email from a friend in California who knows all about my writing aspirations. She said very little, encouraging me just to click on a link that she had included. By this time it was early 2011. The article the link led me to was about self publishing sensation Amanda Hocking.
I was in a frenzy to understand how this Amanda Hocking person did this and my Cali friend and I exchanged numerous excited emails discussing it. After all, I had looked into self publishing and it was virtually unattainable. How was this even possible? The article was talking about Indie publishing being so easy and I scoffed at that.
The more I read, though, the more I began to realize that I might have missed something, or that something wasn't there a few years before that was there now. It spoke of the Kindle and Amazon and I decided my research needed a reboot.
The Kindle came out in 2007. I knew of it. I knew other book companies were making and marketing their own e-reading devices. I just wasn't paying attention. I had no idea of the possibilities for unpublished, unproven authors like myself.
Well, I am paying attention now.
I am certain that there must be other people out there with a story similar to mine, scrambling to understand this Indie Revolution with the hopes that they can become a part of it. Perhaps what I have learned in my research will help someone to get the ball rolling. Perhaps everyone already knows all this stuff. I'm behind the power curve, as usual. However, I can't be the only beginner and we all have to start somewhere. If this post helps even just one person, then it is worth it to share.
AMAZON
Amazon with the Kindle e-reader is the big fish in the sea. Kindle Direct Publishing is a way to get your book out there for free. They have a great publishing platform. You can find their home page here: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin.
They have a wonderful Kindle Publishing Guide that coaches you every step of the way: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help.
They also offer pretty large royalties: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A30F3VI2TH1FR8.
The sad news about Amazon is that they have introduced a program, KDP Select, that allows people to 'borrow' books for free. Many Indie Publishers were doing very well selling books between 0.99 and 2.99. At that price, it's like giving away books for free already and gobs of people hopped on those prices. Now, however, if someone can get a book for free by 'borrowing' it, then why pay? Even if it is only 99 cents.
This new program is concerning. Amazon says the author gets part of a pot of money when people borrow his/her book for free. This would conceivably work, if you are a top selling author. However, I'm not seeing the benefit for new, unknown, authors.
Even though this is scary, there are still a couple of upsides. First of all, in order for readers to borrow books for free through this program, they have to be members of Kindle Prime. Readers get a one month free trial, but after that they have to pay $80 a year and are only allowed to borrow one book a month.
If someone is using the Kindle to buy and read 99 cent books, and I'm sure there are people out there who do this, then Kindle Prime will not appeal to them at all.
Since the reader is only allowed to borrow 12 books in one year and has to pay 80 dollars for those 12 books, then the math is in our favor. Kindle Prime members would have to be borrowing books that cost way more than 99 cents in order for that to work out for them. Because of this, it may be that books selling for 0.99-2.99 are safe. I would assume that if someone is paying that much, then that person would be going for books that cost much more than 0.99-2.99 just so that they'd be getting their money's worth in the subscription.
The worst news about KDP Select is that if you choose to be a part of it, then you can't publish your book anywhere else for an allotted amount of time. For this reason alone, I will never use this 'service.' Thank goodness being a part of KDP Select isn't mandatory. You can still publish through KDP and not have to be a part of the Select program.
The second upside to all these new scary things that Amazing is doing is that, while Amazon may be the biggest fish in the sea, it isn't the only fish in the sea.
With that thought, I now introduce Barnes & Noble's publishing platform:
PUBIT!
The PubIt! homepage can be found here: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home.
Through PubIt!, you would be selling your book through the NOOK e-reader. They have similar royalty payments as Amazon. Information on their royalty can be found here: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=support#more_support. Look under 'Pricing and Payment Terms.' This is also a pretty good support page. It's not as good as Amazon's and it took me awhile to find it, but there it is.
One thing I've noticed Indie authors doing is publishing on both the Amazon and Barnes & Noble platforms. Apple also has their own platform, as well as Kobo.
Apple is complicated and you need a Mac to work through their system. I do not have a Mac, so I didn't look into them any further.
KOBO
The technical requirements for kobo are also a bit daunting, but if you want to give it a try: http://merch.kobobooks.com/help/images/A_Vendors_Guide_to_Kobo.pdf
Kobo is also working on the developement of a self-publishing portal and you can submit your email address for notification of when it will be available: http://www.kobobooks.com/companyinfo/authorsnpublishers.html.
Hopefully when they get that finished, it won't be as difficult to publish through their system.
AGGREGATION SERVICE PROVIDERS
Not all of the e-reader companies are working together. They each have their own thing and they, understandably, want to make money through their own products. The great thing about being an Indie author is that you can publish through all of them. The only thing they ask is that you not sell your book for less with another e-reader company. In other words, if you sell your book for $2.99 through, say, PubIt!, then you will have to sell your book for $2.99 through all the other e-reader platforms.
There are companies out there that will publish your book through several e-reader platforms at once. Amazon, however, likes to stand on its own, but there are some companies that will distribute to them too.
One suggestion would be to publish through Amazon and then publish through an aggregation service provider in order to get to all the other e-readers. Just remember, don't choose to put your book in KDP Select if you are doing this, because you can only sell through Amazon if you put your book in that program.
It looks like the easiest aggregate is:
SMASHWORDS
Check out their website here: http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords. They reach Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, and the Diesel eBook store.
Royalties are 60% and they only take 15% of the net each time they sell your book. They have a very good support page with a wealth of information on how to publish through them: http://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq. They even provide free ISBNs. For information on what an ISBN is, take a look at this page: http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/isbnqa.asp.
As with anything that seems fairly easy, there is a downside to KDP, PubIt!, and Smashwords: You have to format your ebook to fit their platforms. Depending on your skill level and patience, this can be a discouraging task. Each website for each publisher gives directions on how to format your ebook to fit each of their e-readers. It can be a long and arduous part of the self publishing ebook process.
There is a program that can help you in these conversions called Jutoh. This is an ebook editor for $39.00. You can find it here: http://jutoh.com/.
There are numerous individuals that you can hire to do these formats as well. I am not to this point with my own book, however, so I don't know any to recommend. I'm simply sharing what my limited research has turned up.
If you're not up to it, never fear. There are aggregate providers that will do it for you for a fee, of course.
EBOOKIT
The homepage to eBookit can be found here: http://www.ebookit.com/index.php.
This company charges $149 to convert your book for just about any and all e-readers, including the Kindle. They will even help you with your cover. They seem to have a pretty solid plan and will distribute your book to all the major e-reader platforms. For another fee, they'll even advertise your book for you. You get the most profit if you sell through their store, of course, but even with their take on what you sell through Amazon, B&N, Apple, etc., this might be a low stress way of getting your formatted book out there.
The only worry I have with this company is the fact that they say that updates to your book are billed at "only $49.00 per hour." That seems steep and the 'only' part made me laugh a little. I'm not sure if this means they periodically have to update your book or if all updates are only done if requested by the author. They have a pretty good support page, though, which can be found here: http://www.ebookit.com/thefaqs.
BOOK BABY
This company seems to have a pretty solid plan as well. The home page to book baby can be found here: http://www.bookbaby.com/.
Book Baby's motto is "Self Publishing Made Easy." They will publish your book for as low as $99, which includes all conversions, and will distribute it to Apple's iBookstore, Amazon, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Copia, Gardners, Baker & Taylor, and eBookPie.
This company does not take any commissions at all, but they do have a $19 annual fee.
Here is their pricing list: http://www.bookbaby.com/pricing.
Book baby will help with your cover, with conversions, and will provide an ISBN for an additional $19. Here's how it works: http://www.bookbaby.com/howitworks.
That concludes the extent of my research. I have not tested any of these options myself, but having it all in one place will be helpful for when I get to the publishing stage of my books. Hopefully this was helpful for you as well.
I also found this blog post by Henry Baum. It has some helpful information about eBookit and book baby and the comments are very helpful too: http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/04/ebookit-book-baby-publish-green/.
Let us all now go and help make the prediction for 2012 true. Perhaps this really will be 'The Year of the Indie Author.'
Happy writing!
I'm not usually one to follow the crowd, but in this case, I'm chasing after it. I feel like I'm ten steps behind everyone else, but the good news is that there seems to be room for all of us.
I first looked into self publishing five years ago. I was just getting into writing fan fiction and was becoming pretty popular in that area. It was then that I realized I could write fiction. Traditional publishing scares me to death. All of the restrictions I hear about it, all the changes that can be done to a storyline, seemed too overwhelming to me. So, I decided to look into self publishing just to see what it entailed. Just to keep the record straight and as an addendum here: I don't discount mainstream or traditional publishing by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just scared of it.
Five years ago, around 2007, self publishing wasn't looking like a good option at all. It was expensive. Many companies required you to buy a certain amount of books and you would be left wondering how to market the hard copies. I was reading articles about people selling books from their basements. Storage was quickly becoming the next part of that research and the entire process seemed so cumbersome and, quite frankly, not conducive to profit at all.
The author would be so far in the hole by the time he/she made a deal with one of these companies, spending thousands of dollars, that the author would be spending the life of the book simply trying to pay that money back. That wasn't an acceptable option. At that point, there wasn't anything on the web about publishing through an e-reader, not to mention the stigma of vanity press to begin with, so I quietly snuck away from it and never looked back.
I continued writing fan fiction. I was giving myself away for free, but it was such a rewarding experience that I couldn't stop. I was having so much fun. I got to know people, helped them with their own story lines, gave reviews, and got lots and lots of reviews in return. Those darn reviews were like a drug. I literally couldn't stop writing. I needed that review fix.
Then, around 2009, someone I knew got a publishing deal. I shared with her what I was doing with fan fiction and she blogged about me. Several more reviews came in. I was tickled pink about it.
She later shared a little advice with me: Stop writing fan fiction and start writing my own world. She boosted my confidence by telling me I had talent. Sure, I was getting positive reviews for my fan fiction, which were confidence boosters themselves, but this was a published author telling me I have talent. She even helped me outline a book with an idea that was stuck in my head. Still, though, I was scared. I continued writing, but it was still only fan fiction.
Next thing I know, I get an email from a friend in California who knows all about my writing aspirations. She said very little, encouraging me just to click on a link that she had included. By this time it was early 2011. The article the link led me to was about self publishing sensation Amanda Hocking.
I was in a frenzy to understand how this Amanda Hocking person did this and my Cali friend and I exchanged numerous excited emails discussing it. After all, I had looked into self publishing and it was virtually unattainable. How was this even possible? The article was talking about Indie publishing being so easy and I scoffed at that.
The more I read, though, the more I began to realize that I might have missed something, or that something wasn't there a few years before that was there now. It spoke of the Kindle and Amazon and I decided my research needed a reboot.
The Kindle came out in 2007. I knew of it. I knew other book companies were making and marketing their own e-reading devices. I just wasn't paying attention. I had no idea of the possibilities for unpublished, unproven authors like myself.
Well, I am paying attention now.
I am certain that there must be other people out there with a story similar to mine, scrambling to understand this Indie Revolution with the hopes that they can become a part of it. Perhaps what I have learned in my research will help someone to get the ball rolling. Perhaps everyone already knows all this stuff. I'm behind the power curve, as usual. However, I can't be the only beginner and we all have to start somewhere. If this post helps even just one person, then it is worth it to share.
AMAZON
Amazon with the Kindle e-reader is the big fish in the sea. Kindle Direct Publishing is a way to get your book out there for free. They have a great publishing platform. You can find their home page here: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin.
They have a wonderful Kindle Publishing Guide that coaches you every step of the way: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help.
They also offer pretty large royalties: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A30F3VI2TH1FR8.
The sad news about Amazon is that they have introduced a program, KDP Select, that allows people to 'borrow' books for free. Many Indie Publishers were doing very well selling books between 0.99 and 2.99. At that price, it's like giving away books for free already and gobs of people hopped on those prices. Now, however, if someone can get a book for free by 'borrowing' it, then why pay? Even if it is only 99 cents.
This new program is concerning. Amazon says the author gets part of a pot of money when people borrow his/her book for free. This would conceivably work, if you are a top selling author. However, I'm not seeing the benefit for new, unknown, authors.
Even though this is scary, there are still a couple of upsides. First of all, in order for readers to borrow books for free through this program, they have to be members of Kindle Prime. Readers get a one month free trial, but after that they have to pay $80 a year and are only allowed to borrow one book a month.
If someone is using the Kindle to buy and read 99 cent books, and I'm sure there are people out there who do this, then Kindle Prime will not appeal to them at all.
Since the reader is only allowed to borrow 12 books in one year and has to pay 80 dollars for those 12 books, then the math is in our favor. Kindle Prime members would have to be borrowing books that cost way more than 99 cents in order for that to work out for them. Because of this, it may be that books selling for 0.99-2.99 are safe. I would assume that if someone is paying that much, then that person would be going for books that cost much more than 0.99-2.99 just so that they'd be getting their money's worth in the subscription.
The worst news about KDP Select is that if you choose to be a part of it, then you can't publish your book anywhere else for an allotted amount of time. For this reason alone, I will never use this 'service.' Thank goodness being a part of KDP Select isn't mandatory. You can still publish through KDP and not have to be a part of the Select program.
The second upside to all these new scary things that Amazing is doing is that, while Amazon may be the biggest fish in the sea, it isn't the only fish in the sea.
With that thought, I now introduce Barnes & Noble's publishing platform:
PUBIT!
The PubIt! homepage can be found here: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home.
Through PubIt!, you would be selling your book through the NOOK e-reader. They have similar royalty payments as Amazon. Information on their royalty can be found here: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=support#more_support. Look under 'Pricing and Payment Terms.' This is also a pretty good support page. It's not as good as Amazon's and it took me awhile to find it, but there it is.
One thing I've noticed Indie authors doing is publishing on both the Amazon and Barnes & Noble platforms. Apple also has their own platform, as well as Kobo.
Apple is complicated and you need a Mac to work through their system. I do not have a Mac, so I didn't look into them any further.
KOBO
The technical requirements for kobo are also a bit daunting, but if you want to give it a try: http://merch.kobobooks.com/help/images/A_Vendors_Guide_to_Kobo.pdf
Kobo is also working on the developement of a self-publishing portal and you can submit your email address for notification of when it will be available: http://www.kobobooks.com/companyinfo/authorsnpublishers.html.
Hopefully when they get that finished, it won't be as difficult to publish through their system.
AGGREGATION SERVICE PROVIDERS
Not all of the e-reader companies are working together. They each have their own thing and they, understandably, want to make money through their own products. The great thing about being an Indie author is that you can publish through all of them. The only thing they ask is that you not sell your book for less with another e-reader company. In other words, if you sell your book for $2.99 through, say, PubIt!, then you will have to sell your book for $2.99 through all the other e-reader platforms.
There are companies out there that will publish your book through several e-reader platforms at once. Amazon, however, likes to stand on its own, but there are some companies that will distribute to them too.
One suggestion would be to publish through Amazon and then publish through an aggregation service provider in order to get to all the other e-readers. Just remember, don't choose to put your book in KDP Select if you are doing this, because you can only sell through Amazon if you put your book in that program.
It looks like the easiest aggregate is:
SMASHWORDS
Check out their website here: http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords. They reach Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, and the Diesel eBook store.
Royalties are 60% and they only take 15% of the net each time they sell your book. They have a very good support page with a wealth of information on how to publish through them: http://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq. They even provide free ISBNs. For information on what an ISBN is, take a look at this page: http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/isbnqa.asp.
As with anything that seems fairly easy, there is a downside to KDP, PubIt!, and Smashwords: You have to format your ebook to fit their platforms. Depending on your skill level and patience, this can be a discouraging task. Each website for each publisher gives directions on how to format your ebook to fit each of their e-readers. It can be a long and arduous part of the self publishing ebook process.
There is a program that can help you in these conversions called Jutoh. This is an ebook editor for $39.00. You can find it here: http://jutoh.com/.
There are numerous individuals that you can hire to do these formats as well. I am not to this point with my own book, however, so I don't know any to recommend. I'm simply sharing what my limited research has turned up.
If you're not up to it, never fear. There are aggregate providers that will do it for you for a fee, of course.
EBOOKIT
The homepage to eBookit can be found here: http://www.ebookit.com/index.php.
This company charges $149 to convert your book for just about any and all e-readers, including the Kindle. They will even help you with your cover. They seem to have a pretty solid plan and will distribute your book to all the major e-reader platforms. For another fee, they'll even advertise your book for you. You get the most profit if you sell through their store, of course, but even with their take on what you sell through Amazon, B&N, Apple, etc., this might be a low stress way of getting your formatted book out there.
The only worry I have with this company is the fact that they say that updates to your book are billed at "only $49.00 per hour." That seems steep and the 'only' part made me laugh a little. I'm not sure if this means they periodically have to update your book or if all updates are only done if requested by the author. They have a pretty good support page, though, which can be found here: http://www.ebookit.com/thefaqs.
BOOK BABY
This company seems to have a pretty solid plan as well. The home page to book baby can be found here: http://www.bookbaby.com/.
Book Baby's motto is "Self Publishing Made Easy." They will publish your book for as low as $99, which includes all conversions, and will distribute it to Apple's iBookstore, Amazon, Sony Reader Store, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Copia, Gardners, Baker & Taylor, and eBookPie.
This company does not take any commissions at all, but they do have a $19 annual fee.
Here is their pricing list: http://www.bookbaby.com/pricing.
Book baby will help with your cover, with conversions, and will provide an ISBN for an additional $19. Here's how it works: http://www.bookbaby.com/howitworks.
That concludes the extent of my research. I have not tested any of these options myself, but having it all in one place will be helpful for when I get to the publishing stage of my books. Hopefully this was helpful for you as well.
I also found this blog post by Henry Baum. It has some helpful information about eBookit and book baby and the comments are very helpful too: http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/04/ebookit-book-baby-publish-green/.
Let us all now go and help make the prediction for 2012 true. Perhaps this really will be 'The Year of the Indie Author.'
Happy writing!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Where's Ironhide? 2009
Ironhide's travels in 2009. The first photo is my absolute favorite. I have a lot of fun making it look like this toy is actually there. Well, it is actually there...
Lifelike is the word I'm looking for. I have a lot of fun making the toy look lifelike, like he's really standing there, enjoying these sites and posing for some photos.
Atlantis, Bahamas
Parliament Square, Nassau, Bahamas
Key West, Florida
Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas
Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, FL
Lifelike is the word I'm looking for. I have a lot of fun making the toy look lifelike, like he's really standing there, enjoying these sites and posing for some photos.
Atlantis, Bahamas
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Passport Renewal Made Easy Part II
Did you all know that there is a limit to a blog post? I didn't know that until I tried posting my 'Passport Renewal Made Easy' post. It ended at STEP 2 when I tried to post it. So, 'Passport Renewal Made Easy' will have to be in two parts. I'll go ahead and start with STEP 1 again just so all the steps are in one place.
So, here's the rest of the post. This is continued from http://kyndrahatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/passport-renewal-made-easy_07.html :
STEP 1: For a passport renewal, you need to fill out form DS-82 . You can find the form here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html
STEP 2: You have to send in your current passport (even if it is expired). If it is expired, it has to have been issued when you were 16 years old or older. It has to have been issued within the last 15 years. It has to be your current name, or a name that you can legally show you changed (like if you got married, include your marriage certificate).
If none of the above applies to you, then you cannot use form DS-82. This blog entry will not help you. Go to this link for more information on how to proceed (or see the links below to see if any of them will help you): http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html
If the above does apply to you, proceed to step three.
STEP 3: Print form DS-82 and fill it out. DON'T FORGET TO SIGN AND DATE IT ON PAGE 1.
STEP 4: Staple your passport photo to the area indicated on the form. The passport photo requirements are outlined very well here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/pptphotoreq/pptphotoreq_5333.html
When you staple your photo, staple it just like this: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_4426.html
STEP 5: Get a check or money order ready. These are the fees http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html:
Choose one of the following options (Remember: this is for a renewal, not a first time applicant):
a. Adult Passport Book and Card: $140
b. Adult Passport Book only: $110
c. Adult Passport Card only (if you already have a book): $30
Consider both of the following options in addition:
a. Expedited Service: $60
b. Overnight Delivery: $12.72
In my case, I only needed a book. I don't know the benefit of a card yet, especially since you can just use the book for every border you cross.
So, in my case, I started with $110.
If you don't mind waiting about 6 weeks for your renewed passport, you can just send in the $110 with the application.
However, I added $60 for the Expedited Service. They say that it would be 2 to 3 weeks with this service, but mine only took a total of 7 days.
Add another $12.72 for overnight delivery. If I didn't add this in, I probably would have gotten the passport in 10 or 12 days.
Do not request these services on any extra papers. By writing a check for $182.72 (which is the total of $110 + $60 + $12.72) you are requesting these services already. Try to quell any obsessive/compulsive behavior; this is how you request these things, trust me (and I'm as obsessive/compulsive as they get).
STEP 6: Get a Document Mailer envelope. The website recommends Tyvek, but I got a USPS Express Mail document mailer envelope at the Post Office. DO NOT SEND IN A REGULAR LETTER-SIZED ENVELOPE.
STEP 7: Place old passport, form DS-82, check or money order for total (my case was $182.72), and extra passport photo (you get two when you get them at a pharmacy like Walgreens) in the envelope and seal it. Just place these all in there losely. Do not staple or paperclip anything together. The only stapling you'll be doing is what is required in STEP 4.
STEP 8: Write the word 'EXPEDITE' in large letters above the area where you put the address: http://travel.state.gov/passport/hurry/hurry_831.html
STEP 9: Fill out a USPS Express Mail address form that the postman will stick to the envelope (can be found at the post office). I am definitely saying you should use the US Post Office. Passport is Government and USPS is Government, so might as well keep it all Government. It must be Express Mail. I did Express Mail when sending my passport and paid the $12.72 for them to Express Mail it back to me. I think that was key to getting my passport in only 7 days. http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_4553.html
Address the envelope to (This is for the Expedited Service):
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_4426.html
STEP 10: Your passport should be back to you shortly! You can look at current processing times here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html
The Expedited Service time said 2-3 weeks when I sent in my form and passport, but it only took 7 days door-to-door!
----
If you need your passport in less than 14 days, go here for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html
If you are trying to get a passport for the first time, go here for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html
If you are looking for a Regional Passport Agency near you, go here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html
If you need to add pages to your current passport, go here for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/correcting/add/add_850.html
If you are looking to get your passport in a hurry, I'd say there is a risk involved with all options to get a passport. I'm sure there are some couriers that can get your passport to you in the time they say they will. If you're willing to pay the extra fees and need your passport RIGHT NOW, then I'd say go for it. Unfortunately, I don't know who to recommend since I have no experience with them.
In the end, it's best we all check our passport expiration dates periodically to make sure we don't get ourselves into a situation where we need a passport in a hurry to begin with. I know my husband and I learned our lesson!
Good luck and happy traveling!
So, here's the rest of the post. This is continued from http://kyndrahatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/passport-renewal-made-easy_07.html :
STEP 1: For a passport renewal, you need to fill out form DS-82 . You can find the form here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html
STEP 2: You have to send in your current passport (even if it is expired). If it is expired, it has to have been issued when you were 16 years old or older. It has to have been issued within the last 15 years. It has to be your current name, or a name that you can legally show you changed (like if you got married, include your marriage certificate).
If none of the above applies to you, then you cannot use form DS-82. This blog entry will not help you. Go to this link for more information on how to proceed (or see the links below to see if any of them will help you): http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html
If the above does apply to you, proceed to step three.
STEP 3: Print form DS-82 and fill it out. DON'T FORGET TO SIGN AND DATE IT ON PAGE 1.
STEP 4: Staple your passport photo to the area indicated on the form. The passport photo requirements are outlined very well here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/pptphotoreq/pptphotoreq_5333.html
When you staple your photo, staple it just like this: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_4426.html
STEP 5: Get a check or money order ready. These are the fees http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html:
Choose one of the following options (Remember: this is for a renewal, not a first time applicant):
a. Adult Passport Book and Card: $140
b. Adult Passport Book only: $110
c. Adult Passport Card only (if you already have a book): $30
Consider both of the following options in addition:
a. Expedited Service: $60
b. Overnight Delivery: $12.72
In my case, I only needed a book. I don't know the benefit of a card yet, especially since you can just use the book for every border you cross.
So, in my case, I started with $110.
If you don't mind waiting about 6 weeks for your renewed passport, you can just send in the $110 with the application.
However, I added $60 for the Expedited Service. They say that it would be 2 to 3 weeks with this service, but mine only took a total of 7 days.
Add another $12.72 for overnight delivery. If I didn't add this in, I probably would have gotten the passport in 10 or 12 days.
Do not request these services on any extra papers. By writing a check for $182.72 (which is the total of $110 + $60 + $12.72) you are requesting these services already. Try to quell any obsessive/compulsive behavior; this is how you request these things, trust me (and I'm as obsessive/compulsive as they get).
STEP 6: Get a Document Mailer envelope. The website recommends Tyvek, but I got a USPS Express Mail document mailer envelope at the Post Office. DO NOT SEND IN A REGULAR LETTER-SIZED ENVELOPE.
STEP 7: Place old passport, form DS-82, check or money order for total (my case was $182.72), and extra passport photo (you get two when you get them at a pharmacy like Walgreens) in the envelope and seal it. Just place these all in there losely. Do not staple or paperclip anything together. The only stapling you'll be doing is what is required in STEP 4.
STEP 8: Write the word 'EXPEDITE' in large letters above the area where you put the address: http://travel.state.gov/passport/hurry/hurry_831.html
STEP 9: Fill out a USPS Express Mail address form that the postman will stick to the envelope (can be found at the post office). I am definitely saying you should use the US Post Office. Passport is Government and USPS is Government, so might as well keep it all Government. It must be Express Mail. I did Express Mail when sending my passport and paid the $12.72 for them to Express Mail it back to me. I think that was key to getting my passport in only 7 days. http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_4553.html
Address the envelope to (This is for the Expedited Service):
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_4426.html
STEP 10: Your passport should be back to you shortly! You can look at current processing times here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html
The Expedited Service time said 2-3 weeks when I sent in my form and passport, but it only took 7 days door-to-door!
----
If you need your passport in less than 14 days, go here for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html
If you are trying to get a passport for the first time, go here for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html
If you are looking for a Regional Passport Agency near you, go here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html
If you need to add pages to your current passport, go here for more information:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/correcting/add/add_850.html
If you are looking to get your passport in a hurry, I'd say there is a risk involved with all options to get a passport. I'm sure there are some couriers that can get your passport to you in the time they say they will. If you're willing to pay the extra fees and need your passport RIGHT NOW, then I'd say go for it. Unfortunately, I don't know who to recommend since I have no experience with them.
In the end, it's best we all check our passport expiration dates periodically to make sure we don't get ourselves into a situation where we need a passport in a hurry to begin with. I know my husband and I learned our lesson!
Good luck and happy traveling!
Passport Renewal Made Easy Part I
I sent an expired passport in the mail Thursday, Jan. 29th with the hopes that maybe I'd get it back in 3 or 4 weeks. Now, this was a big maybe and a huge hope. Exactly one week later, however, and I mean only 7 mere days, I got a knock at the door. It was the mailman with a document envelope.
On the envelope, there was a request to waive the signature. I knew immediately that it had to due with the passport. However, my next thought was that they needed me to send something to them giving them permission to waive some sort of signature.
I opened the package with dread in my heart, thinking that now I'd have to wait yet another week for this passport. I looked in the envelope and, lo and behold, that passport was in there!
I thought for sure it was some sort of trick, a fake, a promise that the passport is coming and that they're showing me that this is what it's going to look like when it gets to me...Something like that that wouldn't really make much sense, but my active imagination was convincing me it had to be something other than the real thing.
No, it was the real thing! Oh, happy day!
I want to spread this good news to anyone who needs a passport renewal right away. It was so easy to do and I didn't have to use a courier.
Let me give a little bit of a background on how I came to learn to do this:
My husband and I are planning a trip in April for our 10 year Anniversary. As usual, we waited until the last minute. Despite that, everything was going along smoothly in the planning until we discovered that his passport had expired in January. Our travel agent suggested we not book the trip until we get the passport renewed. Since the trip is so soon, there was a possibility of it selling out.
So, I near-frantically started researching how to get the passport renewed in a hurry. The last thing I wanted to happen was to find that we waited too late to book and then completely missed the trip due to an expired passport.
I looked at using a courier. Some promise to get you a passport in 24 hours, or some such insanely fast timeframe. However, you pay dearly for this service...upwards of 200 more dollars for your passport, in addition to the passport fees. Those fees are already very high. Tacking 200 more dollars on something that's already 110 dollars is a reason to give me pause.
Not only that, but I started looking at reviews for said couriers and found that the 200 dollars isn't even refundable in a lot of cases. So, if you don't get your passport in the promised time, you can't get your money back.
That's just too much of a risk for me. It was actually an unacceptable risk, especially when I read in some reviews that people were still waiting after two week's time when promised a passport in 24 hours, after paying all that extra money! There were counter-reviews saying that you have to follow the directions of these couriers to the letter in order for it to work in the first place. One misplaced staple and you could be hosed. At those ends, I figured I might as well just send in the passport myself.
We called the nearest passport agency in our area and tried to make an appointment. That was when we found out that you cannot get a passport renewed in person at an agency unless you need your passport in 14 days. We don't need our passport until April, so we were out for an in-person renewal.
I thought about the courier again, afraid that if I didn't get some kind of help with this that we'd lose the booking for our trip and wouldn't be able to go.
I then found a website that looked promising: http://travel.state.gov/
And found this very helpful page: http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
This website has it all! Step by step instructions for getting a passport, renewing a passport, getting extra pages in an existing passport, visas...everything you'd ever want to know about how to get yourself a passport, a visa, or even a passport card. There is way more useful info than I can write about in this one post. Since we are only talking about passport renewals, let's get to it! (I have included some links below for anyone that may stumble across this post that is looking to get a passport for the first time.)
It took me awhile to go back and forth between all the links and instructions in the website. There is one thing this website is, and that is thorough. I'm going to include step by step instructions along with the links so you can reference where it's all coming from. This way, you won't have to go through all the trial and error research through the site like I had to do. You need your renewal in a hurry, right? No time to learn to navigate a website at a time like this!
STEP 1: For a passport renewal, you need to fill out form DS-82 . You can find the form here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html
(This blog post cut me off right at this point. Part II of "Passport Renewal Made Easy" can be found here: http://kyndrahatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/passport-renewal-made-easy-part-ii.html)
On the envelope, there was a request to waive the signature. I knew immediately that it had to due with the passport. However, my next thought was that they needed me to send something to them giving them permission to waive some sort of signature.
I opened the package with dread in my heart, thinking that now I'd have to wait yet another week for this passport. I looked in the envelope and, lo and behold, that passport was in there!
I thought for sure it was some sort of trick, a fake, a promise that the passport is coming and that they're showing me that this is what it's going to look like when it gets to me...Something like that that wouldn't really make much sense, but my active imagination was convincing me it had to be something other than the real thing.
No, it was the real thing! Oh, happy day!
I want to spread this good news to anyone who needs a passport renewal right away. It was so easy to do and I didn't have to use a courier.
Let me give a little bit of a background on how I came to learn to do this:
My husband and I are planning a trip in April for our 10 year Anniversary. As usual, we waited until the last minute. Despite that, everything was going along smoothly in the planning until we discovered that his passport had expired in January. Our travel agent suggested we not book the trip until we get the passport renewed. Since the trip is so soon, there was a possibility of it selling out.
So, I near-frantically started researching how to get the passport renewed in a hurry. The last thing I wanted to happen was to find that we waited too late to book and then completely missed the trip due to an expired passport.
I looked at using a courier. Some promise to get you a passport in 24 hours, or some such insanely fast timeframe. However, you pay dearly for this service...upwards of 200 more dollars for your passport, in addition to the passport fees. Those fees are already very high. Tacking 200 more dollars on something that's already 110 dollars is a reason to give me pause.
Not only that, but I started looking at reviews for said couriers and found that the 200 dollars isn't even refundable in a lot of cases. So, if you don't get your passport in the promised time, you can't get your money back.
That's just too much of a risk for me. It was actually an unacceptable risk, especially when I read in some reviews that people were still waiting after two week's time when promised a passport in 24 hours, after paying all that extra money! There were counter-reviews saying that you have to follow the directions of these couriers to the letter in order for it to work in the first place. One misplaced staple and you could be hosed. At those ends, I figured I might as well just send in the passport myself.
We called the nearest passport agency in our area and tried to make an appointment. That was when we found out that you cannot get a passport renewed in person at an agency unless you need your passport in 14 days. We don't need our passport until April, so we were out for an in-person renewal.
I thought about the courier again, afraid that if I didn't get some kind of help with this that we'd lose the booking for our trip and wouldn't be able to go.
I then found a website that looked promising: http://travel.state.gov/
And found this very helpful page: http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
This website has it all! Step by step instructions for getting a passport, renewing a passport, getting extra pages in an existing passport, visas...everything you'd ever want to know about how to get yourself a passport, a visa, or even a passport card. There is way more useful info than I can write about in this one post. Since we are only talking about passport renewals, let's get to it! (I have included some links below for anyone that may stumble across this post that is looking to get a passport for the first time.)
It took me awhile to go back and forth between all the links and instructions in the website. There is one thing this website is, and that is thorough. I'm going to include step by step instructions along with the links so you can reference where it's all coming from. This way, you won't have to go through all the trial and error research through the site like I had to do. You need your renewal in a hurry, right? No time to learn to navigate a website at a time like this!
STEP 1: For a passport renewal, you need to fill out form DS-82 . You can find the form here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html
(This blog post cut me off right at this point. Part II of "Passport Renewal Made Easy" can be found here: http://kyndrahatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/passport-renewal-made-easy-part-ii.html)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Where's Ironhide? 2008
I started taking photos of a 2007 Hasbro Ironhide action figure in various places in 2008. These are some of the early shots.
Universal Studios, Orlando, FL
Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom, Orlando, FL
USS Alabama battleship, Mobile, AL
I have so much fun with this!
I have so much fun with this!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Procrastinating Central
I can't believe I've nearly had this blog for a year now. And have I done anything to move myself forward to getting published? The short answer is 'No.'
Has anyone seen that Simpsons episode where Lisa Simpson is trying to write a book? She keeps finding other things that she feels she ought to be doing first, or she finds things that generally distract her in every way from writing even one sentence. That is exactly how it is for me! My husband and I got a good laugh out of that episode.
On one hand, I got a job last April that kept me employed and super busy for 9 whole months. I'm terrible in that I didn't even blog much during that time. If I wasn't writing my books, I certainly wasn't writing in my blog either. *sigh*
On the other hand, I'm scared. I spend a lot of time looking at people who are successful and trying to see what they do. There is a huge emphasis on social sites on the web and, for some reason, I've never been good at that. I get very few followers on every social site I join. Perhaps that has to do with my lack of updating? Oh yes, I'm sure that has something to do with it, LOL. Perhaps I should make a concerted effort to update my blog and send out at least one tweet a day.
I have a facebook account, but it's under my cat's name. I need to make one for my Kyndra Hatch penname. I've always been curious, though. Has anyone figured out the difference between facebook and twitter? It just seems I'd be writing the same stuff on facebook as I do (or should be doing) on twitter.
I'm getting off track from the subject of being scared, though. Anyway, I keep going over my book ideas and the events they contain and psyching myself out that no one would be interested. I'm not sure how to shake this feeling. I have to, though, or I'll never know if people are truly interested or not.
I think a lot of authors feel this way. It's a scary prospect, getting a first book out there. There are so many unknowns and we, as humans, are afraid of the unknown.
There is also the fact that I want to use my fanfiction plot for my original work. I've created my own world, taken everything out that isn't universal, taken the obvious copyrighted stuff out. It was a Transformers fanfiction, so basically I've taken the Transformers universe out of it. What I'm left with is the plot that has always been my own. I really like this plot and I'm having loads of fun playing with it now that it is in my own world. I'm not restricted by it being fanfiction anymore and it's amazing how it has changed and evolved.
Am I even allowed to do this, though? I've asked a lawyer and he said it would be fine. An editor friend of mine in Canada has been encouraging me to write it as my own original work for a couple years now. However, I'm still uncertain.
Another unknown with it is that the first book has an event that might be too tragic for many readers. I've tried to get around it, but that part of the plot hasn't changed, especially since it drives the entire storyline. Everything works out for everyone by the end of the series, but getting through and past that first book might kill it before it even gets started. It was received well in the fanfiction version, though...
I'm psyching myself out again, aren't I? My husband keeps telling me to write my book however I want to write it. The first thing I need is a manuscript...and then I go from there. One step at a time and quit psyching myself out.
Basically, it's procrastinating central over here and I need to quit finding reasons to procrastinate. LOL!
Has anyone seen that Simpsons episode where Lisa Simpson is trying to write a book? She keeps finding other things that she feels she ought to be doing first, or she finds things that generally distract her in every way from writing even one sentence. That is exactly how it is for me! My husband and I got a good laugh out of that episode.
On one hand, I got a job last April that kept me employed and super busy for 9 whole months. I'm terrible in that I didn't even blog much during that time. If I wasn't writing my books, I certainly wasn't writing in my blog either. *sigh*
On the other hand, I'm scared. I spend a lot of time looking at people who are successful and trying to see what they do. There is a huge emphasis on social sites on the web and, for some reason, I've never been good at that. I get very few followers on every social site I join. Perhaps that has to do with my lack of updating? Oh yes, I'm sure that has something to do with it, LOL. Perhaps I should make a concerted effort to update my blog and send out at least one tweet a day.
I have a facebook account, but it's under my cat's name. I need to make one for my Kyndra Hatch penname. I've always been curious, though. Has anyone figured out the difference between facebook and twitter? It just seems I'd be writing the same stuff on facebook as I do (or should be doing) on twitter.
I'm getting off track from the subject of being scared, though. Anyway, I keep going over my book ideas and the events they contain and psyching myself out that no one would be interested. I'm not sure how to shake this feeling. I have to, though, or I'll never know if people are truly interested or not.
I think a lot of authors feel this way. It's a scary prospect, getting a first book out there. There are so many unknowns and we, as humans, are afraid of the unknown.
There is also the fact that I want to use my fanfiction plot for my original work. I've created my own world, taken everything out that isn't universal, taken the obvious copyrighted stuff out. It was a Transformers fanfiction, so basically I've taken the Transformers universe out of it. What I'm left with is the plot that has always been my own. I really like this plot and I'm having loads of fun playing with it now that it is in my own world. I'm not restricted by it being fanfiction anymore and it's amazing how it has changed and evolved.
Am I even allowed to do this, though? I've asked a lawyer and he said it would be fine. An editor friend of mine in Canada has been encouraging me to write it as my own original work for a couple years now. However, I'm still uncertain.
Another unknown with it is that the first book has an event that might be too tragic for many readers. I've tried to get around it, but that part of the plot hasn't changed, especially since it drives the entire storyline. Everything works out for everyone by the end of the series, but getting through and past that first book might kill it before it even gets started. It was received well in the fanfiction version, though...
I'm psyching myself out again, aren't I? My husband keeps telling me to write my book however I want to write it. The first thing I need is a manuscript...and then I go from there. One step at a time and quit psyching myself out.
Basically, it's procrastinating central over here and I need to quit finding reasons to procrastinate. LOL!
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