So The next topic in the group is Paperback/Hardback needs.
This one is simple. For both you need the Pdf of the Manuscript. The Difference is the cover size. You will need a larger cover for Hardback. This seems like a small post, but this week I am still fighting the exhaustion and felt like a simple post might be best.
There are places…Like Bookvault and a few others that offer things like sprayed edges and foiled pages and such if you want to do something really fancy. Those places do cost more for publishing.
I will be discussing the different places to find useful services for publication Next Week. It should be a much longer post. Soon, the Topic of Basic Marketing will be discussed.
Since I was 17 I’ve always hated my body And it feels like my body’s hated me Can somebody find me a pill To make me un-afraid of me? Seen every therapist, but I’m a cynical Don’t like to talk about my feelings I take another hit, I find another fake fix ‘Cause it’s easier than healing I don’t wanna be this way forever Keep telling myself that I’ll get better Every time I try, I always stop me Maybe I’m just scared to be happy Since I was 22 I’ve been with somebody who loves me And I’ve been tryna believe it’s true But my head always messes up my heart No matter what I do Seen every therapist, but I’m a cynical Don’t like to talk about my feelings I take another sip, I swear it’s my last fix ‘Cause it’s easier than healing I don’t wanna be this way forever Keep telling myself that I’ll get better Every time I try, I always stop me Maybe I’m just scared to be happy I don’t wanna be this way forever Keep telling myself that I’ll get better Every time I try, I always stop me Maybe I’m just scared to be happy Maybe I’m just scared to be happy Maybe I’m just scared to be happy I’m so scared of having something to lose I’m scared of being somebody new I’m so scared of all them seeing the truth ‘Cause right now I’ve got nothing But I don’t wanna be this way forever Keep telling myself that I’ll get better Every time I try, I always stop me Maybe I’m just scared to be happy Maybe I’m just scared to be happy (Maybe, yeah) Maybe I’m, I’m scared to be happy
My 2 cents –
This one hits hard for me. It feels like I am being called out.
So The next topic in the group is publishing platforms
I am always finding new places for publication. I am quite sure that I don’t have a full list. And each one has a different reason for the use. The best way to give you this is to list the sites and tell you my opinion about them.
Draft2digital – I use this to get the broadest reach. They have a sister site books2read that is useful to share the link…most of the places are available under one link. I will not use them for print materials (ie paperback and hardbacks) as the quality is terrible.
Kdp(Amazon) – They are picky and it is better to use their direct site than to use any of the other platforms to get it to Amazon. They are more likely to refuse it from an outside platform.
Google play books – I have yet to actually see sales here.
Barnes and nobles – I use this for print only. quality is good.
Ingram spark – This is the most aggravating site. their shipping for author copies are the best but they are a pain to set up. If you want to do the indie book stores you have to set wholesale prices at the 55% and it is recommended for you to allow returns. I dislike that. I use this for mostly author copies. especially because they charge 25 per edit you do.
Drive thru fiction – this is a new one for me. still learning about it.
payhip – direct sales.
There’s at least a few more but I don’t know about them.
I will Discuss the things you need to publish paperback versus hardbacks next week. I will be discussing the different places to find useful services for publication.
So I rarely sign my art. unless I am doing an acrylic painting I often feel like I am pretending to be an artist and signing my work somehow legitimizes it in ways I am uncomfortable with. I showed my son a pencil drawing that I felt was both done and excellent that I had signed. I said it was worthy of the signature. He said all of my art is. I realize that he is biased. But so am I in a fashion. I see my art daily. So I will always see its flaws. I only sign it if I think I am done and it is not immediately something I hate. sometimes I don’t sign because I don’t feel like it is done.
When he was younger my son said I ruin my own art because I don’t know when to leave it alone. I try to improve it until it is trash. He was not wrong. Which is why I am wondering if he is right here. Should I sign all of it ?
Okay, this seems complicated. It really is not. You need 2-3 programs max to make a decent Epub. All are Freeware. First is LibreOffice. You export the Manuscript after it is polished to an Epub. (It will be needing attention after that but it is minor.) Next you need Sigil. This allows you to open the file.
First go to stylesheet and go down until you see a line that says direction ltr there may be more but that entire line needs to be erased. It will cause the publication issues otherwise. You will now need to add a “Title” between the words title on each page. It really does not matter what you put here…as long as each page has something there. You can go through and adjust the pages by splitting and merging to get it to lay the way you want. Sigil is very user friendly. The other option is Calibre E-book management. There have been occasions when it has helped me clean up the Epub when I could not with Sigil. Make sure you update the TOC before you try to upload it to the publisher…
Do Not attach the cover to your Epub or the PDF unless you are selling it privately. As places like Draft2digital and Amazon both attach the cover and the book will end up with a double cover image.
I will discuss the places that you can publish(that I am aware of.) Next Week. I will Discuss the things you need to publish paperback versus hardbacks soon.
[Intro: Addie Nicole] I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds Metallic tranquility The pain gets buried beneath When I bite my tongue ’til it bleeds
[Verse 1: Addie Nicole] I know the guilt and shame you hide Kept your secrets deep inside I internalized them, blamed myself and Stepped in the line of fire Sacrificed myself but why You resent me every time So when you point that finger point it at the mirror like
[Chorus: Addie Nicole] I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds Mеtallic tranquility The pain gets buried bеneath But I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds ‘Til it bleeds
[Verse 2: Bradley Amick] I could destroy you with one line And the world would take my side But I’d never go that low like you seem to go every time Just be human, fuck your pride You’re addicted to the fight I want off this ride so I won’t spend another night
[Chorus: Addie Nicole & Bradley Amick] I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds Metallic tranquility The pain gets buried beneath The road is high and it’s steep I waive white flags, keep the peace In Eden’s garden of trees You place the traps, plant the seeds But I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds
[Bridge: Bradley Amick, Addie Nicole] Pain, pain, I put you through this Pain, pain, I put you through Pain, I put you through this Pain, I put you through Enjoy the hell that you need Deploy the darkness you seek Destroy yourself without me I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds
[Pre-Chorus: Addie Nicole] I know that you don’t believe
[Chorus: Addie Nicole & Bradley Amick] I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds Metallic tranquility The pain gets buried beneath The road is high and it’s steep I waive white flags, keep the peace In Eden’s garden of trees You place the traps, plant the seeds But I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds
[Post-Chorus: Addie Nicole] I’ll bite my tongue ’til it bleeds
My 2 cents –
I actually had a hard choice with this song. There is this version and the official version. The imagery is amazing. I decided to do a volume of cut poetry because of this song. (I have done Cut Poems before but this one made me realize I had a ton more to write). The vocals are amazing.
So The next topic in the group is Front and Back matter.
Okay… Let’s start with the front matter. Every book has certain things. 1. A title Page. 2. A copyright page. 3. when appropriate – a table of contents. The Title page is fairly basic. It should have the title and the author’s name. You can add details or graphics if you choose but they aren’t necessary. The Copyright page is often simple. Here is what I use:
Some add the ISBN to the copyright page. I do not choose to because each version is supposed to have it’s own ISBN and I don’t want to have multiple document files for the same book.
The Table of Contents is not always appropriate. Some books are not laid out in a manner that have multiple points of Content. So if it is necessary it is simple. You can simply list the contents and if you are feeling inclined add the page numbers where said content is found.
That is literally all of the front matter. Now for Back Matter…
This is up to the author/publisher what to include but some options are:
About the Author – a simple Bio perhaps with a picture. (I recommend the Bio be in 3rd person)
About the Publisher – much like the About the Author but focusing on the Publishing company.
Other Books published by the Author.
Ads – Some people sell ad space in their books. This is put in the back matter.
Teasers – If the book is part of a series then you can put a teaser for the next book in the back matter.
Other books by the publisher…This is a rare thing but when I have done it I listed the Anthologies we did.
Front and Back matter can help get the page count up if the book is smaller. There are occasions that you do not want to add pages though and it should be considered. Amazon will not allow words on the spine unless there is 75 pages. However, Children’s books are not a place where some of the back matter is appropriate. Books need a minimum of 24 pages for Amazon to allow them to be made as a paperback. That is difficult for Children’s books to achieve sometimes. There are other options than Amazon but Amazon also has the widest reach customer wise.
I will discuss the Epub with you Next week. And I am planning on discussing the places that you can publish(that I am aware of.) Soon.
