There are a lot of slimy bastards out there. A lot. Seriously. And every one of them is just dying to screw you out of a dollar, or ten, or a thousand. Point is: people want your money.
Duh, right?
The problem is that slimy bastards don't come out and introduce themselves as slimy bastards. Usually, they come off as kind, interested, caring, and on your team. They make offers and promises, all under the guise of helping you out, but as soon as they get their grubby fingers into your wallet, everything changes.
It's tough to be a indie author, (it's also tough to be traditionally published, but that's a different set of problems) you have to carry your intellectual properties on your own. Writing. (duh) Editing. Formatting. Cover art. Finding reviewers. Finding readers. Social networking. Selling yourself and your work at every opportunity.
It doesn't take long to learn that you probably need some help. Unfortunately, when many of us get to the point where we realize we need a hand, it's at a point of desperation. Ink, sweat, and tears have gotten you this far... how can you give any more?
So you do a quick Google search:
"publishers"
"ebook publishing"
"buy cover art"
"cheap book editing"
"how to self publish"
And that's when the bastards show up.
"Free ebook help!"
"Let us do the work for you!"
"Ocean Front Property, Cheap"
"Author Loyalty"
There are a lot of folks out there who claim they have just what you need. Sometimes, it seems too good to be true. Most times, it really is. I don't know all the tricks, and I don't have all the answers. But I do have some guidelines that might steer you away from the slimy bastards. Use these, and look for other tips out there that might keep you from getting ripped off. It's easy to get excited about publishing something you've written, but jumping the gun could cost you more than you know.
1: Publishers don't ask you for money. Ever. No processing fees, no shelving costs, nothing. If a publisher is interested in your work, you will go through some negotiations (hopefully with your agent as a buffer between you and the publisher) about an advance, (money that they will give you as an investment, based on what they believe they will earn from your book) about royalties, (the money you will make per book sold, after book sales have paid the publisher back for your advance) and about the rights to your work (who can sell, distribute, publish, and convert the foreign/audio/movie rights to your book).
Publishers who ask authors for money up front are known as "vanity" publishers, and a huge majority of these companies are garbage. They are not there to help you get the word out about your book, they are there to take your money, and run.
(This rule stands for literary agents as well. They should never ask you for money.)
2: The act of self publishing a book has no up-front costs. Amazon.com does not charge you to publish a book with them. Neither do Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, or Apple. They are happy to let you publish your book with them, because they are going to take a small percentage from each book you sell. For example, when you publish with Kindle Direct Publishing, you will receive either 35% or 70% of the list price, depending on how you price your work. Amazon gets to keep the rest.
3: Cover art, formatting, and editing can cost a lot, or a little, or even be free; but it's very important you know who you're dealing with. When you find a cover artist, (or anyone else you are going to pay to benefit your work, including editors, book formatting services, etc...) search for work they've already done, try and contact authors or publishers they've worked with. It's important to know who you're giving your money to. If you do a little bit of homework (aka Googling) you should be able to find testimonials or reviews from real people. If there's a lot of accusations, or poor word of mouth out there, you might want to stay away.
Showing posts with label cover art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cover art. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Ken's Writing Tips: Editing
Hey there, everyone!
Now for my own thoughts on editing for indie authors :)
Finish your manuscript! Feel free to edit as you go, if that's your thing, (it's how I roll) but know in advance that you are still going to need to edit half a dozen times once you are all "finished" writing.
It's a sad thought, but one that you need to be comfortable with so that you don't make the mistake of publishing too early.
Once you've finished up your writing, and your manuscript is shiny and new oh so exciting, get ready to tear it a new one. That's right, that baby's going to need a facelift and some lipo before she's ready to share with the world.
"But she's so pretty! I mean, I know that all authors say that about their manuscripts, but in our case it's true. I've been working on this for so long and so hard and I know that every word and every sentence is relevant and pertinent to the story. She's beautiful, and I know the world is gonna love her just the way she is."
No.
A good first step that I've found is reading the story out loud to yourself. No mumbling or inner-monologue, read it out for you and all your super cool manga posters to hear. Every time you stumble over a word or phrase, it needs work. Cut it, change it, whatever you have to do. Just make it smooth. If you hear yourself say the same word three times in under two minutes, do something about it. Anything that sounds awkward to you, is going to read awkward for the folks that are kind enough to spend money on your book. Fix it.
Now you've read through the entire manuscript and it all flows so well that it practically rolls off of your tongue, so you're done, right?
No.
The next step I take is to find all of the common issues that writers run into. Heavy adverbs, too much use of passive voice, saying seems thirteen million times... ok, that one was mine, but you get the point. Luckily for all of us, there are tools out there that can help you identify these issues. I use Edit Minion. I can't tell you how much it has helped me with my writing.
Next, read it aloud again. You cut and changed things, now you need to be sure that your baby is still smooth.
Then, find some folks to read it for you. Not your mom. Or your wife. No one that is related to you, and no one that would fly across country to go to your funeral, if you died. These people are untrustworthy. They don't want to hurt you. Find strangers. There are forums and blog circles and whole websites dedicated to just this thing. I use Critters.org. Most of the folks there are writers, looking for the same kind of help that you need. You'll have to read for others, critique their work, but they will be doing the same for you. Be honest with them, but don't be a jerk.
Take what they say with a grain of salt. If they touch on something you noticed, or if more than one person mentions an issue, it probably needs to be addressed. But if someone says that calling a character beautiful makes her seem like a b*tch, you have every right to ignore their advice.
Take notes from your critique-ers.
Do more edits.
Read it aloud again. Fix as necessary.
"Then I'm done, right? My baby and I are ready for the world, ready to make a million dollars!"
No.
Walk away. Leave your baby in a file drawer or on a flash drive, and walk away. For at least two months.
"But she's delicate and she needs my love! And food... or something!"
No she doesn't.
Walk away. Write other things, blog about food or monkeys or your own writing process (wink). But walk away. When you come back to her, you are going to find that she's a teenager now. She's rebellious and not as pink and shiny as you remember her being. She has adverbs in all the wrong places and her dialogue is stiff and ridiculous at points.
Make more edits.
Read aloud a lot.
Make more edits. Now you can ask your mom to read it. She's still untrustworthy, but with your baby growing away from you, you're going to need some encouragement.
Get an awesome cover. Pay for it if you have to. No matter how many times we've been told not to judge a book by its cover, we still do.
Read aloud again.
Set up a blog tour. Your baby's been through a lot, but she's so close. She deserves to be sent off in style.
Read aloud one more time. Edit as you see fit.
Is she perfect?
No.
Is she ever gonna be perfect?
No.
If you're ready, and you think she's ready for the big world out there, it's time to send her off.
Publish in as many formats as you can. Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, and Createspace are just a few places that can help you with this.
Alright, this one was long.
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then
A quick note before we get started: From now on, I will be regularly updating this blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays I will talk about writer-type things, (my process, tips that you are free to ignore, other misc.) and Thursdays I will be posting this week's Flipped Book Review videos. Thanks for sticking with me as I work all this new craziness out!
Now for my own thoughts on editing for indie authors :)
Finish your manuscript! Feel free to edit as you go, if that's your thing, (it's how I roll) but know in advance that you are still going to need to edit half a dozen times once you are all "finished" writing.
It's a sad thought, but one that you need to be comfortable with so that you don't make the mistake of publishing too early.
Once you've finished up your writing, and your manuscript is shiny and new oh so exciting, get ready to tear it a new one. That's right, that baby's going to need a facelift and some lipo before she's ready to share with the world.
"But she's so pretty! I mean, I know that all authors say that about their manuscripts, but in our case it's true. I've been working on this for so long and so hard and I know that every word and every sentence is relevant and pertinent to the story. She's beautiful, and I know the world is gonna love her just the way she is."
No.
A good first step that I've found is reading the story out loud to yourself. No mumbling or inner-monologue, read it out for you and all your super cool manga posters to hear. Every time you stumble over a word or phrase, it needs work. Cut it, change it, whatever you have to do. Just make it smooth. If you hear yourself say the same word three times in under two minutes, do something about it. Anything that sounds awkward to you, is going to read awkward for the folks that are kind enough to spend money on your book. Fix it.
Now you've read through the entire manuscript and it all flows so well that it practically rolls off of your tongue, so you're done, right?
No.
The next step I take is to find all of the common issues that writers run into. Heavy adverbs, too much use of passive voice, saying seems thirteen million times... ok, that one was mine, but you get the point. Luckily for all of us, there are tools out there that can help you identify these issues. I use Edit Minion. I can't tell you how much it has helped me with my writing.
Next, read it aloud again. You cut and changed things, now you need to be sure that your baby is still smooth.
Then, find some folks to read it for you. Not your mom. Or your wife. No one that is related to you, and no one that would fly across country to go to your funeral, if you died. These people are untrustworthy. They don't want to hurt you. Find strangers. There are forums and blog circles and whole websites dedicated to just this thing. I use Critters.org. Most of the folks there are writers, looking for the same kind of help that you need. You'll have to read for others, critique their work, but they will be doing the same for you. Be honest with them, but don't be a jerk.
Take what they say with a grain of salt. If they touch on something you noticed, or if more than one person mentions an issue, it probably needs to be addressed. But if someone says that calling a character beautiful makes her seem like a b*tch, you have every right to ignore their advice.
Take notes from your critique-ers.
Do more edits.
Read it aloud again. Fix as necessary.
"Then I'm done, right? My baby and I are ready for the world, ready to make a million dollars!"
No.
Walk away. Leave your baby in a file drawer or on a flash drive, and walk away. For at least two months.
"But she's delicate and she needs my love! And food... or something!"
No she doesn't.
Walk away. Write other things, blog about food or monkeys or your own writing process (wink). But walk away. When you come back to her, you are going to find that she's a teenager now. She's rebellious and not as pink and shiny as you remember her being. She has adverbs in all the wrong places and her dialogue is stiff and ridiculous at points.
Make more edits.
Read aloud a lot.
Make more edits. Now you can ask your mom to read it. She's still untrustworthy, but with your baby growing away from you, you're going to need some encouragement.
Get an awesome cover. Pay for it if you have to. No matter how many times we've been told not to judge a book by its cover, we still do.
Read aloud again.
Set up a blog tour. Your baby's been through a lot, but she's so close. She deserves to be sent off in style.
Read aloud one more time. Edit as you see fit.
Is she perfect?
No.
Is she ever gonna be perfect?
No.
If you're ready, and you think she's ready for the big world out there, it's time to send her off.
Publish in as many formats as you can. Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, and Createspace are just a few places that can help you with this.
Alright, this one was long.
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Book Reviews! (and other stuff)
This is not a book review. Sorry if you got suckered in, but keep reading. The title is still pertinent.
I love writing. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember, and I will do it until it is no longer possible (death... or pirates take my hands and leave me on a deserted island and I have no voice-to-text enabled technology available and no matter how hard I try I just can't get my new loyal monkey sidekick to take the notes I need for the rough draft because he is far too busy typing hamlet and throwing poo at the birds that keep coming in and trying to eat my eyes since I have no hands of my own to slap them away). One of the best things that has happened through my writing in the last couple of years is finding that there are other things I enjoy as well.
I have recently become obsessed with graphic design. I am making new covers everyday, though I have no books to put them on. I also really enjoy doing book reviews. I love the chance to read new books, learn about new authors, and take new adventures in the worlds they create.
So, I have decided that I am going to branch out. With the help of some old friends and new friends, I am creating a new book review channel on Youtube, called Flipped Book Reviews. The channel is going to be lots of fun, with animation and humor and of course, book reviews. I would like to be able to focus mostly on indie authors and their books still, but I am also going to do some main stream reviews of books that I love to talk about. I don't know the exact launch date yet, but it will be soon. :)
So, the point of this blog: If you or someone you know would like to have a book reviewed, let me know. I am not promising that I will be able to do it, time will be limited with all the work I will be doing on each review, but I will do my best. I will not be accepting any forms of compensation for my reviews (as always) and I will continue to be honest. However, I don't want to look like a jerk. If I can't give a book at least 3 stars in my review, there will be no review.
I will still be writing!
Also, I am now building a portfolio of book cover art. As I am just getting started, I am keeping prices as low as possible ($50 as of today). I will post my own covers here in the next couple of weeks so people can see my work. If anyone wants to know more, just contact me!
Ok, that was a lot of info for one blog. Sorry :)
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then
I love writing. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember, and I will do it until it is no longer possible (death... or pirates take my hands and leave me on a deserted island and I have no voice-to-text enabled technology available and no matter how hard I try I just can't get my new loyal monkey sidekick to take the notes I need for the rough draft because he is far too busy typing hamlet and throwing poo at the birds that keep coming in and trying to eat my eyes since I have no hands of my own to slap them away). One of the best things that has happened through my writing in the last couple of years is finding that there are other things I enjoy as well.
I have recently become obsessed with graphic design. I am making new covers everyday, though I have no books to put them on. I also really enjoy doing book reviews. I love the chance to read new books, learn about new authors, and take new adventures in the worlds they create.
So, I have decided that I am going to branch out. With the help of some old friends and new friends, I am creating a new book review channel on Youtube, called Flipped Book Reviews. The channel is going to be lots of fun, with animation and humor and of course, book reviews. I would like to be able to focus mostly on indie authors and their books still, but I am also going to do some main stream reviews of books that I love to talk about. I don't know the exact launch date yet, but it will be soon. :)
So, the point of this blog: If you or someone you know would like to have a book reviewed, let me know. I am not promising that I will be able to do it, time will be limited with all the work I will be doing on each review, but I will do my best. I will not be accepting any forms of compensation for my reviews (as always) and I will continue to be honest. However, I don't want to look like a jerk. If I can't give a book at least 3 stars in my review, there will be no review.
I will still be writing!
Also, I am now building a portfolio of book cover art. As I am just getting started, I am keeping prices as low as possible ($50 as of today). I will post my own covers here in the next couple of weeks so people can see my work. If anyone wants to know more, just contact me!
Ok, that was a lot of info for one blog. Sorry :)
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
WIP Wednesday: Lots To Tell!!
Wow, I haven't posted anything in over a week... sorry about that. I do have an excuse, however. I have been getting lots of work done!
First off, I have been editing and editing, and my hope is to have it all wrapped up within a week from now. Wish me luck. Right after that, I have to finish all of my title pages, copyright stuff, and recheck formatting.
Then I submit to Lulu and the paperback is ready to go! I'll get some ARCs and hopefully find a few book bloggers to do a review for me. ;)
Then, I have to remove the formatting from the entire thing.
"What?!?" you may ask.
Well, in order for Smashwords to publish in all ebook formats; it has to be completely undone and then reformatted to meet their specifications. Which are nothing like paperback formatting specifications.
Once that's finished up; it's time to set a release date and start self promoting like mad. There should be HOPs and interviews and contests galore, so keep a look out and tell your friends to come by, read, and follow.
Nextly, (no that's not a word but I'm all hopped up on fresh dreams and coffee) I made my own, possibly temporary, cover art. I dig it and am impressed with myself for pulling it off. (look on up to the top of the ol' page, just in case you missed it)
Also, I have finished the book trailer for The River Runes! Here it is:
(big thanks to Chris Nichols and Cycledown for letting me use their awesome song; Autumn Fades)
So those are a few of the reasons that I have been absent from the internet. Haven't Facebooked, tweeted or blogged in over a week.
I'm okay with it :)
thanks for reading,
buh bye then
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