Happy Thanksgiving!
More about the self-publishing, but First:
Last Clichés:
Hit the Spot—To satisfy or please extremely well. This American slang dates from the mid-19th century. It was widely popularized through a commercial jingle heard on the radio in the 1930s and 1940s: “Pepsi-Cola hits the spot, twelve full ounces, that’s a lot.” It remains current.
Nuts and Bolts—The essential components of something. This alludes to basic machine parts. Dates from the mid-20th century and is a bit puzzling. Why the use of nuts and bolts and not nuts and screws or wheels and gears? T.E. Allbeury used it in A Choice of Enemies (1973).
Chasing Rainbows—Trying to achieve impossible things, pursuing illusionary goals. Comes from the old tale about finding a crock of gold if one digs as the end of the rainbow, where it touches earth. Expressed in 19th century. A popular song – words by Joseph McCarthy and music by Harry Carroll – “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows,” based on Chopin’s C-sharp minor Fantasy Impromptu was published in 1918. Used in several motion pictures, including Ziegfeld Girl with Judy Garland and revived in 1946.
How many did you find?
I’ll drum some of the same ideas from Print Publishing into your head with an overview of E-Book Publishing:
- Determine your goal
- Find-tune your manuscript
- Hve it proof-read by at least two people (besides yourself)
- Make corrections
- Add the “necessary” pages
- Write the book “blurb”
- Create cover graphics
- Set up a KDP Account at Amazon
- Prepare the manuscript for online e-book publishing (KDP, for example)
- Preview online
- If you make changes, upload the new file
- Determine price and distribution channels
- When it is exactly the way you want it, release it for online publication
- Review and tweak any errors or problems as they come up throughout the life of the book
As you can see, the first 7 steps are the same as Print Publishing.
Now, let’s be your own person. #8 is set up a KDP account at Amazon. Just follow their step by step instructions. And you’ll have to sign on the dotted line to receive your royalty checks. You’ll be paid every month (at the end) for book sales from 60 days prior. i.e. January royalties will be paid end of March.
Download free Amazon KDP instructions available at kdp.amazon.com. KDP stands for “Kindle Direct Publsihing.”
After you get your manuscript formatted, preview it. If you make changes, you just upload the corrected version. EVERYTIME YOU MAKE CORRECTIONS EITHER FOR E-BOOK OR PRINT –RENAME THE FILE AND SAVE AND BACK UP ALL OF THE VERSIONS.
Don’t tear your hair out trying to do this on your own. It’s easy, but if you find it frustrating, then hire someone to help. I use Debora Lewis at Arena Publishing for my cover design and probably will use her for formatting from now on.
References for Print and E-Book self-publishing:
Search for “royalty-free” images. There are several photo sites out there.
Good Luck and Keep Writing,
Julie
