Monday, May 9, 2016

Lessons Learned - Part V



This is the last part of a series on self-publishing, written by a non-expert, non-techie author. I can only share what my experiences have been, and I hope it’s helpful to a few of you.

This week I’m writing about paperback self-publishing. There are a number of companies out there, and once again you have to do your research to decide which company is right for you. I use CreateSpace, which is linked to Amazon. It’s worked well for me.

If this is your first self-pubbed paperback, start at the beginning (like I needed to tell you that). You’ll see tabs for everything from an Overview, Cover, and Interior to Royalties and buying copies of your own book. By the way, buying your own copies is affordable, at least in my opinion. There’s even a button to click on to “Talk to a Consultant”.

As I’ve mentioned before, be sure you read everything. It’s up to you to prepare the best book possible.

Are you ready to create a book after reading all of the information? The first page will ask for the name of your project. What’s your book title? You can click on the type of project, which in my case would be Paperback.

It will then ask you to choose a Setup Process. I still use the Guided Process. I’m simply not techie enough to use the Expert Process. A lot of this is filling in the blanks.

After you Save and Continue, you’ll be asked more questions about your title and the author’s name, Edition Number, if it’s part of a series, and so forth.

The next step will be obtaining the ISBN number. If you recall, in another post I mentioned that the ISBN number is to a book as a social security number to a person. It’s an identifier specific to each book. Ebooks and paperbacks use a different set of numbers. You can’t use the same number for each version of your book. As with the ebook, you can purchase your own ISBN number or obtain one from CreateSpace.

The next step is the Interior. You have your choice of page colors. I like using cream colored pages because they seem to be easier on the eyes. Here you’d also choose the size of your book. These are trade paperbacks and 6x9 seems to be the standard size these days. On this same page, you can click to add your book file, or manuscript.

They offer professional design services, which you would pay for. I prefer to do my own work, which is no cost to me.

Next is your book cover. You can choose a matte finish or a glossy finish for your book. You can create your own cover (which I do), pay to have it professionally done, or build your cover online. I do a combination. I create my cover and then use the Build Your Cover Online function.  I use the Launch Cover Creator and when covers come up, I choose one called “The Palm”. It’s a cover that allows me to load my own cover instead of being pre-created.

When all is said and done, you can review and proof your manuscript. I suggest you look at it carefully. I’ve found, when my book is printed, that there are indents where there shouldn’t be any, and I can only blame myself. I missed something. If you find an error, you can go back to your original manuscript, fix it, and upload the book again.

The next step is Distribution. Again, fill in the blanks and read everything carefully. It covers Channels, Pricing, additional information, and a few other pertinent settings, and you can find out which book distributors will make your books available.

There’s even a portion that will offer marketing ideas, and if you don’t want to go through the hoops for a Kindle edition, you can do it from there.

That’s it in a nutshell. I’ve probably made it sound simple to some and confusing to others. Follow the steps provided by whatever company you’re using. Be sure to bring your patience along for the ride. If need be, ask for help. Most of the publishing companies are very helpful and easy to work with, trust me.

That’s it folks. It’ll make more sense when you’re actually taking the steps instead of reading about them.

I just finished a new book, the Time Travel Mystery I’ve been mentioning. I’m currently creating the cover, and then I’ll go back for more editing. After that, I’ll be following my own advice. I’d tell you the title, but at the moment I’m torn between two.

Until next time, I wish you the best with your self-publishing efforts. It’s not for everyone, but it sure works well for some of us.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

18 comments:

  1. Marja, thanks so much for writing this five part series on self-publishing. With all the changes constantly happening in the writing world, an author never knows what the future will bring.

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    1. Truer words were never spoken, Pat. We don't know (almost) from day to day what to expect. I hope this series had helped encourage someone and that it puts them on the right road. Thank you so much for stopping in today.

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  2. Will you share the two titles you are considering for your new book. With your whiz-bang followers, surely we can point you in the right direction.

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    1. Thanks for asking, Elaine. The titles are "Elsbeth's Road" and "Choosing One Moment". I'm leaning toward "Choosing One Moment", but you'd have to read the book to understand why. :) Thank you so much for stopping in today!

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  3. Although my son did the paperback versions of some of my books, I know he didn't follow all the steps you mentioned. If we go with CreateSpace again, I will copy this blog and give it to him. I'm getting excited about your time travel.

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    1. Thank you, Pat. I just take it step by step. However, your son is a lot more techie than I am. Maybe I'm taking steps I don't need to. I hope to have the book out in the next couple of weeks to a month. Thank you so much for stopping in!

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  4. 'Choosing One Moment' sounds more intriguing. Elsbeth's Road doesn't say anything about what the story might be about. Go with the Choosing one.

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  5. Thank you for the input, Elaine. The title you like has at least a little to do with the idea of time.

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  6. I've read the book, and it's terrific. I vote for Choosing One Moment. Marja, you say you're not tech savvy, but I don't agree. I couldn't imagine going through all these steps and not being stopped somewhere along the way. I'm looking forward to seeing your cover.

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    1. Thank you, Dorothy! Trust me when I say, I hit a few too many bumps in the road, but patience paid off. (Note: Dorothy has read the book because she critiqued and proofread it for me.) I'm working on the cover this week, and I've pretty much decided on the title you mentioned. Thank you so much for stopping in today!

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  7. Being the person who can't follow directions to save her life, I will probably not try to self-publish. But, I take my hat off to you for not only doing it but sharing in a way many of us can follow. Kudos!

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    1. Thank you, Sunny! Once you figure it out, the process can be fulfilling and fun. Thank you so much for stopping in today!

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  8. Excellent job, Marja. And your sharing is wonderful (and typical of your generous spirit!) Like Sunny said, Kudos!

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    1. Thank you, Madeline! I don't know how generous I am, but it's been fun. I'm looking forward to getting my new book up. I just hope I remember the process. :) Thank you so much for stopping in today!

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  9. Thanks, Marja. This is very helpful information. More and more of us will be going this route.

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    1. You're welcome, Maggie. The book world is constantly changing, and I'm sure you're right. Thank you so much for stopping in today!

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  10. Some more great information, Marja. One of my students, a Vietnam War vet, whose memoir I edited, is using CreateSpace, which he learned as he went through the process. The book will be out shortly. But so many other writers will appreciate the directions and advice you've provided.

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    1. Thank you, Eileen! I think your student will be happy with CreateSpace. They've been very helpful when I needed it, and the process isn't as difficult as it sounds. Thank you so much for stopping in!

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