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So I got a notification from WordPress that I have been on here for 12 years. Wow. That seems like it has flown by. I have made quite a few changes in those twelve years. I have stumbled a lot. I am grateful for those who do read my rambling and hope to continue to grow.
There are a lot of software that are used for formatting and some are good though expensive. I have been using Libre office for a while now.
First priority is to set the page and margins. All the books from Fae Corps Publishing (except for the children’s books ) are 6×9 and have 1″ margins all around. I do that for convenience purposes. The children’s books are 8×8 with the same margins.
After the page specs are set up you choose the font. Many publishers will go with Times New Roman. I personally don’t like it. I go with Book Antigua or Garamond. Both are easy to read and are still slightly different from the other publishers. I enjoy the idea that I am unique in my books. If you choose a different font be sure it is an easy to read one .
Once you have the basics you can put in the other details. this includes setting the pictures you want to use and setting the chapter settings and front and back matter.
I will focus on the front and back matter next week. The fun reason for using this program to do the formatting is that when it is done you can print it to pdf and export it to epub. you will have to fix the epub but it is a step forward. trust me when I say you will need both the epub and the pdf. I have also found having the doc format useful.
[Verse 1] Gazing through the window at the world outside Wondering will mother earth survive Hoping that mankind will stop abusing her sometime
[Verse 2] After all, there’s only just the two of us And here we are still fighting for our lives Watching all of history repeat itself time after time
[Chorus] I’m just a dreamer I dream my life away I’m just a dreamer Who dreams of better days
[Verse 3] I watch the sun go down like everyone of us I’m hoping that the dawn will bring a sign A better place for those who will come after us this time
[Chorus] I’m just a dreamer I dream my life away, oh yeah I’m just a dreamer Who dreams of better days
[Bridge] Your higher power may be God or Jesus Christ It doesn’t really matter much to me Without each other’s help there ain’t no hope for us I’m living in a dream of fantasy, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 4] If only we could all just find serenity It would be nice if we could live as one When will all this anger, hate and bigotry be gone?
[Chorus] I’m just a dreamer I dream my life away, today I’m just a dreamer Who dreams of better days, okay I’m just a dreamer Who’s searching for the way, today I’m just a dreamer Dreaming my life away, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
My 2 cents –
I notice the celebrity deaths…I can’t help it. This one hurts, but I am grateful that he was able to do a goodbye concert. It feels like he went out on his own terms. I realize that everyone’s playing Mama I’m coming home … I understand the reason why , and I love that song but I feel like he had such a good discography that I wanted to share a different one. Ozzy was a legend . I cannot help but pay tribute to that. May he rest well and his memory be a blessing.
Obviously I use Canva. I also use the feature that Barnes and Nobles has. I upload the front and rear cover and get the spine from them. The cover option in Canva is slightly too small. The dimensions of the cover need to be 1600×2268 and the base size is 1400x…
The temptation to use the templates should be avoided. Everyone sees those. I made the mistake of using the template with no modification once. There were at least 50 other books with the same cover. If you see a cover in the templates that you love…modify it and make it suit your book more. The rear cover should not be busy. You want your blurb to be visible.
Amazon has templates that give you a pdf cover. You merely add your image. The easiest way is to use Libre Draw and remove the text and lines. These will flag as unembedded fonts if you don’t. Then save it directly as a PDF. This is what you want for the feature at Barnes and nobles. They ask you for the title, the author name, and the text color and spine color. They have a limited font selection but it is a good one.
If you are good with art programs(such as adobe or gimp) you can do the spine yourself. I just don’t know how to get the text to lay right on my own, so I use the tool.
The idea seems to be floating around that you have to match your cover to the genre. There is some cases where I would argue that you should personalize the cover to match the book. If you do, then it should fit the genre.
Now I am of the belief that doing the creation process does not have to be expensive. That being said, I do have the pro version of Canva. It costs me $13 a month to have my pick of the photos. Could I do it on the free version? Yes but I enjoy the options. Otherwise I will be recommending freeware or software that is not costly.
Who’s sorry now? Who’s sorry now? Whose heart is achin’ for breakin’ each vow? Who’s sad and blue? Who’s cryin’ too? Just like I cried over you
Right to the end Just like a friend I tried to warn you somehow You had your way Now you must pay I’m glad that you’re sorry now
Right to the end Just like a friend I tried to warn you somehow You had your way Now you must pay I’m glad that you’re sorry now
My 2 cents –
I notice the celebrity deaths…I can’t help it. I remember listening to Connie Francis as a teen. (One of my Aunts really liked the 50’s rock.) I come by my eclectic music tastes naturally. She wasn’t one of the ones that I listened to relentlessly but I did like a few of the songs. I cannot help but pay tribute to that. May she rest well and her memory be a blessing.
so I have been trying to consider the Saturday thing and I came across multiple people this week asking for ideas for cheap covers or ways to do things cheaper when Self Publishing.
I am firm on my beliefs that you should hire an editor for your work. That being said, you can do everything else for yourself to save money. I am not saying you will be able to do it as well…but it is possible. I am going to start talking about self Publishing and some of the snarls.
I will talk about each step of the process. I will give advice on how I have been doing this. I don’t know how long this series will take but I think it may be fun.
I can see you’re strugglin’ Promise you’ll find love again Yeah, it will be alright Why are you so hard on yourself? Yeah, why you gotta try so hard? Counting calories and carbs Another trip across the world I go so hard tryna Make you feel just like a queen You don’t need a camera to make a scene You were born like that, no Maybelline When you first wake up, you’re bad to me Pop another Addy, no sleep tonight Can’t push the wheel slow, I’m speedin’ right Over to the crib ’cause we need to slide But you take so long makin’ up your mind Little black dress, Dior bag Can leave ten times, I’ll take you back Why you wanna look like someone else? Why are you so hard on yourself? I can see you’re strugglin’ Promise you’ll find love again Yeah, it will be alright Why are you so hard on yourself? Try not to fall apart You’re perfect just the way you are It will be alright Why are you so hard on yourself? Why you gotta compare our lives To pics you see on your timeline? Another shot of Hennessy I try so hard not to Act like a dick when I’m ’round your friends Mood swings up and down again Hollywood Hills, where we play pretend No one happy, but they’re good at fakin’ it Pop up in the party, show face tonight I don’t really smoke, but I need the vibes She love to get high, she need the flights Standin’ so high, swear she could fly And just like that, you get sad Let’s go home, girl, this party’s so wack Why you wanna be like someone else? Why are you so hard on yourself? I can see you’re strugglin’ (yeah) Promise you’ll find love again Yeah, it will be alright (it’ll be alright) Why are you so hard on yourself? (Yeah) Try not to fall apart You’re perfect just the way you are It will be alright Why are you so hard on yourself? (Oh) Girl, when you look in a mirror I hope you see what I see clearer, yeah All that I want you to know Is that you’re perfect the way that you are Oh, the way you are (oh, the way you are) Oh-oh, ooh Oh, why are you so hard on yourself? I can see you’re strugglin’ Promise you’ll find love again Yeah, it will be alright Why are you so hard on yourself? Try not to fall apart You’re perfect just the way you are It will be alright Why are you so hard on yourself? Oh-oh, oh-oh (yeah) Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
My 2 cents –
I myself have felt like this. on both sides of the song. I am sure that others have too.
Pattimouse 