Publish yourself on ebooks

[ken barber]

https://kdp.amazon.com

This is a fairly easy process to publish your work as an ebook. Havent dont it myself but am considering it.

[Rilbur]

I usually use Smashwords.  It actually feeds into Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and several other stores.  Just upload a (properly formated) .doc file and it converts everything for you.  

 

A word of warning, with whatever service you use:  Word documents have a somewhat notorious reputation amongst those forced to work with them outside the word ecosystem.  Converting to HTML, or more to the point Epub, is a fickle process.  The data word produces, 'claiming' to be good HTML, is often...  well, crappy.  You'll need to eyeball the final results, and it may often surprise you to discover what those final results *are*.

 

Cardinal sins you won't even realize you're committing until its too late to fix it include setting paragraph indentations /line breaks manually with tabs and extra return strokes instead of through proper styling.  Everything looks fine in the word doc, then blows up when you convert.  If you do things like selecting the entire document then setting a new font, well, that's likely to blow up in your face.  Use the styling features built into word (the 'header', 'paragraph', 'subtitle' stuff generally in the upper left somewhere) and usually it won't blow up too badly.

 

Tools like Scrivener can not only help make the writing process easier, but allow easy output into a large variety of formats.  I strongly suggest converting over.

[ken barber]

Thanks for the Tips Rilbur. I am struggling with the whole publish issue. I want to share my work with everyone but not sure I want to do it commericaly

[Rilbur]

Thanks for the Tips Rilbur. I am struggling with the whole publish issue. I want to share my work with everyone but not sure I want to do it commericaly

In the case of Smashwords, you have the option to set 'free' or 'name your own' price points.  I use them to give readers access to my completed works in a variety of formats, more than anything else.

[Jack Schaeffer]

I am interested in looking into self-publishing now that I have completed my first "book". I'll look into Smashwords, but I have questions. 

 

1) How do these online services "market" your book on the e-book retail sites? How would anyone ever find my book or know it was worth reading?

2) How do I design or acquire graphics for cover, back, etc.

3) How in the world do I decide on a price?

3) Are there disadvantages to self-publishing?

4) Does Smashwords link to Amazon?

5) Which authors here on CastleRoland have published any of their works?

 

Any input would be very helpful.

[Rilbur]

I am interested in looking into self-publishing now that I have completed my first "book". I'll look into Smashwords, but I have questions. 

 

1) How do these online services "market" your book on the e-book retail sites? How would anyone ever find my book or know it was worth reading?

2) How do I design or acquire graphics for cover, back, etc.

3) How in the world do I decide on a price?

3) Are there disadvantages to self-publishing?

4) Does Smashwords link to Amazon?

5) Which authors here on CastleRoland have published any of their works?

 

Any input would be very helpful.

 

1)  They don't -- unless you purchase a marketing package.  Self-publishing means taking on all the duties of a publishing house, including advertisement.  All sites like Smashwords really do is handle distribution and payment -- you've 'hired' them for their service.  (At the rate of free)

2)  Make it yourself, or pay a proessional.

3)  Personally, I usually use Smashwords name-your-own-price.

3 (number two))  You're doing all the work yourself -- but the flip side is, you don't have to convince someone your stuff is worth publishing.

4)  You can purchase the books through amazon, if that's what you mean.

5)  Just me, I think.

 

If you're wanting to do this to make money, it's a job same as any other business.  Including a not insignificant amount of risk; in order to make money from it, you're going to have to devote yourself to it more than full time, leaving you with little to no time to keep a roof over your head.

[Jack Schaeffer]

Rilbur,

 

Thanks for your input. Since I need a roof over my head and I like to eat, I'll have to think about all this a little more. I'm mostly just curious about pushing the writing thing as far as I can. It's such a subjective business to involve one's self in. I love to read, just never thought about how the book made it's way to my hand in the first place.