Comments for Self-Publishing Review http://www.selfpublishingreview.com Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:14:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Review: God Hates Fags by Joe Wellman by Henry Baum http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/review-god-hates-fags-by-joe-wellman/comment-page-1/#comment-25137 Henry Baum Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:14:21 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15197#comment-25137 Editor's note: I considered writing the title as F*gs - but that's not the title. Editor’s note: I considered writing the title as F*gs – but that’s not the title.

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]]> Comment on How to use a book trailer to promote your book – and where to get a cheap one made. by ALISON HILL http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/04/how-to-use-a-book-trailer-to-promote-your-book-and-where-to-get-a-cheap-one-made/comment-page-1/#comment-25120 ALISON HILL Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:39:38 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=9638#comment-25120 Hi, thank you for the information on this site. I have made a book trailer and used shutterstock film footage and royaltyfreeTV.com music. A total price of £69. Then I downloaded a free trail version of Final Cut Pro X, and two weeks later after a lot of patience using You Tube tutorials on how to edit I made this book trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtmtrP7TcRk I am going to take you advise regarding the comments, my video looks a little lonely. Thank you Alison , Hi,
thank you for the information on this site.
I have made a book trailer and used shutterstock film footage and royaltyfreeTV.com music. A total price of £69. Then I downloaded a free trail version of Final Cut Pro X, and two weeks later after a lot of patience using You Tube tutorials on how to edit I made this book trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtmtrP7TcRk
I am going to take you advise regarding the comments, my video looks a little lonely.
Thank you
Alison
,

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]]> Comment on Review: There’s Always Another Case by William Thomas by J.P. Hansen http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/review-there%e2%80%99s-always-another-case-by-william-thomas/comment-page-1/#comment-25113 J.P. Hansen Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:45:21 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15246#comment-25113 It's unfortunate that the book dissolved into punctuation, spelling, etc. errors three-fourths of the way through. I hope the author realizes he can fix them up and resubmit to Amazon. I would hate to see a quality book die because of these issues. It’s unfortunate that the book dissolved into punctuation, spelling, etc. errors three-fourths of the way through. I hope the author realizes he can fix them up and resubmit to Amazon. I would hate to see a quality book die because of these issues.

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]]> Comment on The 99 Cent Debate by Francis Hamit http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/12/the-99-cent-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-25110 Francis Hamit Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:45:49 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=14810#comment-25110 Well, an update here: The 99 cent experiment on "The Shenandoah Spy" is over and was not successful. My goal really was 100,000 copies, in the spirit of what Darcie Chan was able to do with her first novel "The Mill River Recluse" (which is a pretty good book, IMO). She's sold over 400,000 copies in less than a year because of word-of-mouth and then publicity based on those numbers. My book has multiple five star reviews, so it was real bargain, but the increase in sales was not enough to make up for the margin sacrificed. The new price of $5.99 gives me more than ten times the profit per copy. I've heard that even stalwarts of self publishing such as Konrath are backing away from this "give away the store" tactic to build readership. And his audiobook editions always sold much higher prices. My usual 99 cent titles are short stories, not novels. That's also a way to provide a sample of your writing. Well, an update here: The 99 cent experiment on “The Shenandoah Spy” is over and was not successful. My goal really was 100,000 copies, in the spirit of what Darcie Chan was able to do with her first novel “The Mill River Recluse” (which is a pretty good book, IMO). She’s sold over 400,000 copies in less than a year because of word-of-mouth and then publicity based on those numbers. My book has multiple five star reviews, so it was real bargain, but the increase in sales was not enough to make up for the margin sacrificed. The new price of $5.99 gives me more than ten times the profit per copy. I’ve heard that even stalwarts of self publishing such as Konrath are backing away from this “give away the store” tactic to build readership. And his audiobook editions always sold much higher prices. My usual 99 cent titles are short stories, not novels. That’s also a way to provide a sample of your writing.

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]]> Comment on The 99 Cent Debate by Andrew Alexander http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/12/the-99-cent-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-25108 Andrew Alexander Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:30:56 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=14810#comment-25108 I'm going to price my book at $0.99. Why wouldn't I? My words are not worth anything, unless I have readers. I could care less than to think of ego from my writing. I’m going to price my book at $0.99. Why wouldn’t I? My words are not worth anything, unless I have readers. I could care less than to think of ego from my writing.

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]]> Comment on Real eBooks: Are We Still in the Stone Age? by Ron Fritsch http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/real-ebooks-are-we-still-in-the-stone-age/comment-page-1/#comment-25107 Ron Fritsch Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:19:31 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15421#comment-25107 I can't add anything to this discussion, but I do want the contributors to it to know how much I appreciate their sharing their knowledge of these matters with someone who very much needs it. I can’t add anything to this discussion, but I do want the contributors to it to know how much I appreciate their sharing their knowledge of these matters with someone who very much needs it.

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]]> Comment on Real eBooks: Are We Still in the Stone Age? by James Moushon http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/real-ebooks-are-we-still-in-the-stone-age/comment-page-1/#comment-25100 James Moushon Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:31:07 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15421#comment-25100 Tarah: Thanks for your comment. I feel that a self-pub ebook author that does not have the expertise to tackle the formatting part of the ebook creation should seek help from a professional. Standards or not it can be daunting task. I have talked to authors that just want to write but they find out early on that they need to be able to create the ebook and then market it. I think the point you make about checking your work on a Kindle is very important. I check my novels on a Kindle but before I have a completed book, I use Kindle for PC to check my work. I use Calibre to create an epub format. Then because I don’t own a Nook, I use Nook for PC software to review the formatting. Tarah:
Thanks for your comment. I feel that a self-pub ebook author that does not have the expertise to tackle the formatting part of the ebook creation should seek help from a professional. Standards or not it can be daunting task.

I have talked to authors that just want to write but they find out early on that they need to be able to create the ebook and then market it.

I think the point you make about checking your work on a Kindle is very important. I check my novels on a Kindle but before I have a completed book, I use Kindle for PC to check my work.

I use Calibre to create an epub format. Then because I don’t own a Nook, I use Nook for PC software to review the formatting.

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]]> Comment on Real eBooks: Are We Still in the Stone Age? by Eric Hammel http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/real-ebooks-are-we-still-in-the-stone-age/comment-page-1/#comment-25099 Eric Hammel Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:45:56 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15421#comment-25099 There's nothing written in stone that requires a self-published author to format a book for seven--or any--publishing platforms. Of the fifty titles my publishing company currently offers, around thirty are my own books, the rest are by friends or friends of friends, all of whom feel better off writing books rather than doing all the things a publisher does. I have also formatted (and edited) books--for pay--that I'm not publishing, because those authors decided to be self publishers without facing the biggest hurdle and hassle self publishers currently face. (Actually, the trick to Kindle formatting is the less formatting the better.) Fortunately for us all, the easiest formatting job we face is for Kindle, which all of us require as our main reseller. If even epubs for B&N is too much hassle (it isn't), you can live pretty well off only Kindle proceeds if your book does even moderately well. I think the reason formats and intake varies so sigtnificantly between and among resellers is their laziness and their ignorance going into a new realm of publishing. It will become easier all around as (a) the weak resellers leave and (b) the strong resellers realize that their quirks and unnecessary hurdles are dampening the number of books they are getting from self publishers who are reluctant or unable to master formatting and uploading. This business is in early days. Everyone is really still feeling around in the dark. It will mature. The question for us is, do we want it to resemble top-down traditional publishing, or can we start a movement that will have a place at the table as all manner of issues are settled? There’s nothing written in stone that requires a self-published author to format a book for seven–or any–publishing platforms. Of the fifty titles my publishing company currently offers, around thirty are my own books, the rest are by friends or friends of friends, all of whom feel better off writing books rather than doing all the things a publisher does. I have also formatted (and edited) books–for pay–that I’m not publishing, because those authors decided to be self publishers without facing the biggest hurdle and hassle self publishers currently face. (Actually, the trick to Kindle formatting is the less formatting the better.)

Fortunately for us all, the easiest formatting job we face is for Kindle, which all of us require as our main reseller. If even epubs for B&N is too much hassle (it isn’t), you can live pretty well off only Kindle proceeds if your book does even moderately well.

I think the reason formats and intake varies so sigtnificantly between and among resellers is their laziness and their ignorance going into a new realm of publishing. It will become easier all around as (a) the weak resellers leave and (b) the strong resellers realize that their quirks and unnecessary hurdles are dampening the number of books they are getting from self publishers who are reluctant or unable to master formatting and uploading.

This business is in early days. Everyone is really still feeling around in the dark. It will mature. The question for us is, do we want it to resemble top-down traditional publishing, or can we start a movement that will have a place at the table as all manner of issues are settled?

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]]> Comment on Real eBooks: Are We Still in the Stone Age? by Tarah L. Wolff http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/real-ebooks-are-we-still-in-the-stone-age/comment-page-1/#comment-25095 Tarah L. Wolff Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:17:14 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15421#comment-25095 I just went through the (arduous at times...) process of getting my self published book across the ebook platforms as well. I got the impression instantly that no regular Joe (or I should say no self published author that I know) would have an easy time getting their book even formatted correctly for the various conversion processes out there. Only because of my already quite ridiculous obsession with Open Office did I have a pretty smooth sail when it came to converting to the Kindle (as easy as tweaking the entire book formatting, adding my internal links and bookmarks etc. and then saving it as a .HTML file - it also helps that I own a Kindle and was able to check the file along the way) the Nook gave me no trouble either, however, Smashwords for me (because I don't use Word) was remarkably frustrating and very hit and miss when it came to the conversion process. It seems to me as though we're dealing with such a "new" thing, that the places and websites we're having to work with haven't even yet managed to perfect their own process in this situation and that gives us an even greater handicap. I think the idea of a "Standards" is great but I don't yet necessarily agree that those standards could be truly achievable for all authors without having to hire someone to do their formatting for them. Just some thoughts :) I just went through the (arduous at times…) process of getting my self published book across the ebook platforms as well. I got the impression instantly that no regular Joe (or I should say no self published author that I know) would have an easy time getting their book even formatted correctly for the various conversion processes out there. Only because of my already quite ridiculous obsession with Open Office did I have a pretty smooth sail when it came to converting to the Kindle (as easy as tweaking the entire book formatting, adding my internal links and bookmarks etc. and then saving it as a .HTML file – it also helps that I own a Kindle and was able to check the file along the way) the Nook gave me no trouble either, however, Smashwords for me (because I don’t use Word) was remarkably frustrating and very hit and miss when it came to the conversion process. It seems to me as though we’re dealing with such a “new” thing, that the places and websites we’re having to work with haven’t even yet managed to perfect their own process in this situation and that gives us an even greater handicap. I think the idea of a “Standards” is great but I don’t yet necessarily agree that those standards could be truly achievable for all authors without having to hire someone to do their formatting for them. Just some thoughts :)

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]]> Comment on Real eBooks: Are We Still in the Stone Age? by James Moushon http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2012/02/real-ebooks-are-we-still-in-the-stone-age/comment-page-1/#comment-25092 James Moushon Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:30:15 +0000 http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/?p=15421#comment-25092 Eric: I totally agree with your comment. You almost have to write and format to the Amazon standard because that is where the most action is and hope the other versions/platforms stick to the wall someway. When I converted and self-published my ebook, Call Off the Dogs, I ended with three different versions of the ebook. All formatted differently to fit the platform. I understand your problem with the 50 titles. I go back to 1980. That year I started a custom software company. Our first challenge was that every project we took on, the programming language was different. We went from TRS-80 to Apple II to PC clones to Alpha Micro multiple user systems, all with their own language. Finally when the field narrowed to Microsoft and Apple, we could actually start standardizing our programming. I am not advocating a Microsoft or Apple to take over but I do agree on the HTML type approach as a solution that you presented in your comment. (Everyone has accepted the Internet and its protocols.) I think that software will drive the acceptance of ebooks and their potential. However, I don’t know if Amazon will give up that control. The iPad and other Tablets have the power to handle much more than what we are giving them. By the way I have a RCA eBooki reader I purchased in 2003 that I would like to donate to someone. If you can find a new battery for it and if it will start up, there are about 20 ebooks on it. Second thought I probably shouldn't do that. I would be in violation of the ebook agreement. Erik, you need to write a blog on your comment. You are right on top on this one. Eric:
I totally agree with your comment. You almost have to write and format to the Amazon standard because that is where the most action is and hope the other versions/platforms stick to the wall someway.

When I converted and self-published my ebook, Call Off the Dogs, I ended with three different versions of the ebook. All formatted differently to fit the platform. I understand your problem with the 50 titles.

I go back to 1980. That year I started a custom software company. Our first challenge was that every project we took on, the programming language was different. We went from TRS-80 to Apple II to PC clones to Alpha Micro multiple user systems, all with their own language.

Finally when the field narrowed to Microsoft and Apple, we could actually start standardizing our programming.

I am not advocating a Microsoft or Apple to take over but I do agree on the HTML type approach as a solution that you presented in your comment. (Everyone has accepted the Internet and its protocols.)

I think that software will drive the acceptance of ebooks and their potential.

However, I don’t know if Amazon will give up that control. The iPad and other Tablets have the power to handle much more than what we are giving them.

By the way I have a RCA eBooki reader I purchased in 2003 that I would like to donate to someone. If you can find a new battery for it and if it will start up, there are about 20 ebooks on it. Second thought I probably shouldn’t do that. I would be in violation of the ebook agreement.

Erik, you need to write a blog on your comment. You are right on top on this one.

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