I'm going to attempt to make my own cover. Instead of plunking down several hundred dollars to have a
"professional" create my cover, I've decided to potentially endure hours
of frustration learning a photo shop program, before discovering that I can't get it to give me the look that I want.
I imagine of all things that people may outsource to a third-party, it would be their cover design. Not this guy! Let me start out by saying I know nothing about photo shop programs, and even less about cover design. However, I downloaded a free program called Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/), and have been trying to familiarize myself with its features.
The title of my book is based off of an expression I saw on a t-shirt. Since I didn't have a picture of the actual shirt, I ordered one. Getting a custom t-shirt made from a company called SpreadShirt (http://www.spreadshirt.com/) cost me $26.90. Now I just need to take a picture of the shirt, load it onto Gimp, and photo shop it in front of a backdrop of city lights. We'll see what kind of quality I can bring out.
In order to create the cover I've been referencing an informative post appropriately titled 'How to Make a Book Cover in GIMP' (http://selfpubauthors.com/2010/03/08/how-to-make-a-book-cover-in-gimp/).
I plan to put the cover photo together within the next week. Once I do I'll put a picture up. That way everyone can JUDGE it!
Oh yeah, bonus points to anyone who can tell me what movie I referenced in the title of this post!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
First Plan of Attack - KINDLE!
So I'm not going to get too aggressive at the start. I plan to put my work out there as an ebook first before setting it up for print-on-demand (POD). Kindle has a program called KDP Select which I'm intrigued by. Basically, when you upload your ebook through Kindle and enroll in the KDP Select program, Kindle has it exclusively for 90 days. During this period you have 5 days to promote your ebook for free. This is only to induce sales. After the period is up you're free to distribute your book through other retailers. For me, I think this may be beneficial for several reasons.
If you're an expert on Kindle - even a self proclaimed one - and just so happen to bump into this blog post, hit me up with suggestions.
- The 90 day period of exclusivity will give me time to format the book for retail with other distributors. I know with CreateSpace I'll have to do more design work for the back of the book as well as the inside jacket.
- Promoting the book for free will likely increase sales - even if I'm not technically making money - and gain exposure. Perhaps there's a way to manipulate this feature. Will have to look into that.
- I'll have more time to put together another promotional strategy for when the book is listed on Amazon, Kindle, Smashwords, Barnes & Nobles, etc. Already have some thoughts which I'll share later.
If you're an expert on Kindle - even a self proclaimed one - and just so happen to bump into this blog post, hit me up with suggestions.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Testing Positive...It's a Good Thing!
For some time I didn't want to show my work to others. I wanted to opportunity to go through what I had written and make changes. And I make a lot of changes! I'm not your typical spontaneous prose writer like Jack Kerouac. When I felt good about my writing, I'd then present it to others.
When I was younger I wrote a couple of screen plays. They were absolute garbage. You'd think the most difficult part of the entire writing process would actually entail the writing. It didn't. The most challenging part for me was to get people to read my work. The first place I'd turn would be family and friends. Often they'd start, but never finish. The first tell-tale sign that your words have potentially devalued the single sheet of paper they were written on. Now that I've gotten people to take a solid look at my current manuscript - and actually run the entire gauntlet - it gives me confidence I'm moving in the right direction.
When I was younger I wrote a couple of screen plays. They were absolute garbage. You'd think the most difficult part of the entire writing process would actually entail the writing. It didn't. The most challenging part for me was to get people to read my work. The first place I'd turn would be family and friends. Often they'd start, but never finish. The first tell-tale sign that your words have potentially devalued the single sheet of paper they were written on. Now that I've gotten people to take a solid look at my current manuscript - and actually run the entire gauntlet - it gives me confidence I'm moving in the right direction.
UPDATE - Where are we at?
Right now the book is almost done. I'm in the home stretch! Hallelujah! In total there are going to be 14 chapters, and I'm currently halfway through finishing the last chapter. It should be done by the week's end. Also, I figure I'll probably add an epilogue which will help lead into the next book (I've decided to make it a series).
As for editing, I like to think that I'm well along in that process. I've pretty much been editing what I've written the entire time. For example, last year I wrote the first 3 chapters. I edited those chapters and rewrote them while writing the next few chapters. When I left to go abroad I had finished 8 chapters. While away I editied those chapters and rewrote them several times. Basically, chapters 1 - 6 have been revised probably 5 or 6 times. Chapters 7 - 9 revised about 2 or 3 times. Chapters 10 - 12 only once. And the rest I need to get to. It's pretty evident since the first 6 chapters are decent - editorial wise - and then it slowly transforms into more and more grammatical dribble where I have omitted articles, inadvertently used the wrong verb tense, and even made up a new word. I know, I got a bestseller on my hands.
To be honest, I don't really like this system. The actual writing of the book has been too sporadic and it's hard - at least for me - to find a rhythm after taking a writing hiatus. However, given other circumstances and being out of the country, that's just the way it's worked out. Next time I'd like to compile a completed manuscript before I begin picking through it. Hopefully I will have invented more words by then.
As for editing, I like to think that I'm well along in that process. I've pretty much been editing what I've written the entire time. For example, last year I wrote the first 3 chapters. I edited those chapters and rewrote them while writing the next few chapters. When I left to go abroad I had finished 8 chapters. While away I editied those chapters and rewrote them several times. Basically, chapters 1 - 6 have been revised probably 5 or 6 times. Chapters 7 - 9 revised about 2 or 3 times. Chapters 10 - 12 only once. And the rest I need to get to. It's pretty evident since the first 6 chapters are decent - editorial wise - and then it slowly transforms into more and more grammatical dribble where I have omitted articles, inadvertently used the wrong verb tense, and even made up a new word. I know, I got a bestseller on my hands.
To be honest, I don't really like this system. The actual writing of the book has been too sporadic and it's hard - at least for me - to find a rhythm after taking a writing hiatus. However, given other circumstances and being out of the country, that's just the way it's worked out. Next time I'd like to compile a completed manuscript before I begin picking through it. Hopefully I will have invented more words by then.
Why self publish?
That's a good question. It's not because I want more money in royalties. It's not because I desire more self control over my work. Simply put, I was rejected. Not that I really put an earnest effort into it. I only submitted a query to about 10 literary agents. Most responded, and were polite, feeding me positive remarks - i.e. a bunch of crap - that my idea is promising but they just don't think the project is for them. That's fine, because my book is not for them. It's for a very specific market.
To be honest, I took the rejection quite well. It didn't feel nearly as bad as getting rejected by a girl or even from the varsity basketball team. Heck, I've felt worse getting rejected entrance into a downtown LA hipster bar that I didn't want to be at in the first place. I'm not the dress-to-impress type. If anything, rejection felt liberating.
So why send in queries to a literary agent? Basically, I just thought that was the process. Also, I wanted to get some professional criticism in regards to my work. I can only take so much of my friends and family's praise before I really want to hear from that one Simon Cowell cynic who tells me, "Jeez, this sucks!" Perhaps I'm misled, but at least then I'd get some genuine critical feedback and could think of ways to make the manuscript better.
But now that I've been shunned from the Corporate Literary World, I've cast my lot with the patrons of self publishing - the blue collar publishing industry, the schwag of literature as some book critics may lead you to believe. These are MY PEOPLE.
In many ways, self publishing is rather advantageous for someone like me. I can work at my own pace. Of course there's a timeline I'd like to follow - hopefully get the book up on Kindle within a couple months - but if I don't meet that expectation who cares. I also get to decide how heavily I want to be involved in the process outside of the actual writing. Do I want to make my own cover? Yes! Am I going to format the book? Yes! Will I be the one promoting the book? Nobody else will! There are people and businesses that can help expedite this process, for a fee of course. Again, the decision is all mine.
To be honest, I took the rejection quite well. It didn't feel nearly as bad as getting rejected by a girl or even from the varsity basketball team. Heck, I've felt worse getting rejected entrance into a downtown LA hipster bar that I didn't want to be at in the first place. I'm not the dress-to-impress type. If anything, rejection felt liberating.
So why send in queries to a literary agent? Basically, I just thought that was the process. Also, I wanted to get some professional criticism in regards to my work. I can only take so much of my friends and family's praise before I really want to hear from that one Simon Cowell cynic who tells me, "Jeez, this sucks!" Perhaps I'm misled, but at least then I'd get some genuine critical feedback and could think of ways to make the manuscript better.
But now that I've been shunned from the Corporate Literary World, I've cast my lot with the patrons of self publishing - the blue collar publishing industry, the schwag of literature as some book critics may lead you to believe. These are MY PEOPLE.
In many ways, self publishing is rather advantageous for someone like me. I can work at my own pace. Of course there's a timeline I'd like to follow - hopefully get the book up on Kindle within a couple months - but if I don't meet that expectation who cares. I also get to decide how heavily I want to be involved in the process outside of the actual writing. Do I want to make my own cover? Yes! Am I going to format the book? Yes! Will I be the one promoting the book? Nobody else will! There are people and businesses that can help expedite this process, for a fee of course. Again, the decision is all mine.
Monday, August 20, 2012
In the Beginning...
Wow...my first post. Let me start out by saying that this is not a 'How-to' as far as self publishing is concerned. If anything, it might serve useful as a 'How-not-to' in regards to getting your book self published. I'm not an expert, this isn't my job, and as cliche as it may sound - This Is A Passion.
For some time I've been pondering the idea of writing a book. I mean, who hasn't? Over the past year I've compiled a nearly completed manuscript, and as I put the finishing touches on it I've begun to dive deeper into the murky waters of self publishing. And believe me, I'm starting to realize there's a lot of crude that one has to wade through. As of now, I'm going to take the high road and do much of it on my own - formatting, cover, promotion, you name it! Given that, my non-expert expertise makes me think I've marginalized the book's chances for success. We shall see!
So why do a blog? Isn't there enough crap out there on self publishing? Why make the waters any murkier? Well, self interest usually lies at the bottom of most people's intentions. This is no different. The primary purpose of this blog is to record the process of self publishing. There's another book that I'd like to write, and it'd be nice to remember the mistakes I made this go-round. Thus, I may be including some random nonsense or inconsequential posts where it looks like I'm writing/talking to myself. Which is probably because I am. With any luck I'll make the process of self publishing my next bestseller that much easier. Umm...yeah!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)