My trilogy is going to be free for a few days at the end of June (the week of my birthday!)
Help me celebrate my birthday by getting FREE digital copies of my books! And leave a review, if you want!
This helps me out a lot by boosting the traffic (and other fun numbers) for my books. It tells Amazon that there are people interested in them!
"The Moon and The Sea" Trilogy
Book One:
Free June 26-28*
Book Two:
Free June 26-30
Book Three:
Free June 26-30
*Please note that, due to how Amazon free book promotions work, I can only make Book One free for 3 days, as I've already used 2/5 promotional days this term
If you have any questions about self-publishing on Amazon, the free e-book promotion, or something else, feel free to send me an ask! I'm happy to help out fellow independent writers!
OKAY HERE WE GO here's the official final accountability thread for my WIP 🍄 Cavernous 🍄
If all goes well, (and barring final surface level copyedits and proofreading) this will be the last round changes I'm making before publishing. My life is literally in a bunch of cardboard boxes all over the house at the moment as I've just moved across the country so I wanted to make a visual checkpoint to share to keep myself on track in the chaos so that I can finish this sooner rather than later.
This will be my first time self-publishing, and I know there's a learning curve and a lot of work to do still, so I don't have a ballpark release date just yet, but stay tuned and apologies in advance for taking a stop-and-start pace with this one. I'd like for this book to turn out as polished as possible.
My writing partner / editor on this project (i.e. the other half of the KJ moniker) is going to be doing some passes on chapters or parts of chapters I'm having a hard time cracking - mostly dialog reworks. I'm extreeemely excited to see what she cooks up. I won't reblog this every time I finish a chapter, but every once in a while, and if people seem interested I'll elaborate about my process for each bit! Feel free to ask questions! (Or pester me if you notice I've gone a long time without making progress lol)
The cover reveal is HERE! I loved making this one so much and I'm so happy with how it turned out after all the versions it went through.
This book is about a shape shifting siren with imposter syndrome, a wall street type gargoyle, and the never ending business trip they're stuck on together.
The ebook pre-order link is here: www.amzn.com//B0CGQCKSY7
How do you format cover art for self publishing a novel?
if you use kdp, barnes & noble or a similar print on demand service, once you have your dimensions and page count it should be able to generate a format for you that is the proper size and it will have all the bleed and cut lines. if you’re going through a printer like printninja, they will also need to know what paper stock you’ll want (both internal and for cover) and then they will generate a template for you.
most online print shops will have guides like this or this and there’s tons of tutorials on youtube and the web if you search for how to format your cover art. lots of people self publish and there are a ton of resources these days!
I'm always scared to talk about my books because I know there are mistakes in them...
But here's the thing: I wrote them completely myself. Rewrote them. Rewrote them again. Edited. Proofread. Formatted them. And published them all by myself
Of course there are mistakes that I missed, but I'm extremely proud of the work I put into them.
So, if you're willing to overlook a misspelled word here and there (which gets better towards the third book anyway as I learned more ways to edit my writing!)
Then why not give The Moon And The Sea a shot?
Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PTHKBYV
Tips for self-published authors who can't afford editors, etc:
1 - completely rewrite your first draft in a new document, this will improve readability immensely!
2 - ask a friend or family member to beta read (you can send them a Google doc), tell them to let you know which parts feel boring and ask them if they don't mind fixing spelling mistakes they see
It's very important ONLY to ask them to change spelling mistakes, and ONLY if they don't mind. They're helping you out for free, and their time is valuable as well!
3 - Grammarly is free
4 - use a text to speech online app to help catch spelling mistakes (I find listening to my documents helps a lot to catch weirdly worded sentences or mistakes)
Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP: A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Authors
Shaina Tranquilino
November 13, 2023
The advent of self-publishing has revolutionized the world of literature, providing aspiring authors with an incredible opportunity to publish their work independently. Among the numerous platforms available, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) stands out as a popular choice due to its extensive reach and user-friendly interface. In this blog post, I will guide you through the step-by-step process of self-publishing your book on Amazon KDP.
Step 1: Prepare Your Manuscript
Before diving into the publishing process, it is crucial to ensure that your manuscript is polished and ready for publication. Take time to proofread, edit, and format your book meticulously. You can seek professional editing services or enlist beta readers to provide valuable feedback.
Step 2: Create an Amazon KDP Account
To begin the process, visit kdp.amazon.com and sign in using your existing Amazon account or create a new one specifically for KDP. This account will serve as the central hub for managing all aspects of your self-published books.
Step 3: Add a New Title
Once logged in, navigate to your Bookshelf page and click on "Create a new Kindle eBook/Paperback/Hard Cover." Here, you will be prompted to fill in essential details such as title, subtitle (if applicable), series information, author name(s), description, keywords/tags, and language.
Step 4: Upload Your Manuscript
Amazon accepts manuscripts in various formats like MOBI (.mobi), EPUB (.epub), HTML (.html), DOC/DOCX (.doc/.docx), RTF (.rtf), and others. Ensure that your manuscript adheres to their guidelines regarding font size, formatting, margins, etc., to guarantee optimal reading experience across different devices.
Step 5: Design Your Cover
An eye-catching cover plays a vital role in attracting potential readers. Amazon KDP allows you to either design your own cover using their Cover Creator tool or upload a professionally designed cover. Make sure to follow their guidelines for dimensions, resolution, and file type.
Step 6: Set Pricing and Royalties
Decide on the pricing strategy for your book based on factors like genre, length, market demand, and competition. Amazon provides two royalty options: 35% or 70%. The latter is available if you meet specific criteria (e.g., setting the minimum list price). Consider these options carefully while determining your preferred royalty rate.
Step 7: Choose Targeted Territories & Enroll in Programs
Select the territories where you want to make your book available. Amazon KDP offers expanded distribution channels as well as Kindle Unlimited (KU) and Kindle Owners' Lending Library (KOLL) programs that can boost visibility and reach.
Step 8: Preview Your Book
Before hitting the publish button, use Amazon's online previewer tool to ensure that your eBook appears as intended across different devices. This step allows you to spot any formatting issues or errors that may have been missed during manuscript preparation.
Step 9: Publish Your Book
Once satisfied with the final preview, click on "Publish Your Kindle eBook/Paperback/Hard Cover" Within a few hours, your book will be available for purchase on Amazon's website worldwide.
Self-publishing on Amazon KDP empowers authors by removing many traditional barriers to entry. By following this step-by-step guide, you can successfully navigate the self-publishing process and unleash your creativity onto the world stage. Remember to invest time in creating a high-quality manuscript and captivating cover design while adhering to Amazon's guidelines. With persistence and dedication, self-publishing can open doors to new opportunities for aspiring authors everywhere.
so I'm picking back up a short story I started in... well i got the idea for it in 2016, and I started writing it in 2021... and I think the last time I touched it was sometime last summer? Like, 2022 summer? And I'll be honest it's a pretty okay story so far but I have NO idea where i was taking this thing. Which is good, it's a thriller/murder mystery, but still. I didn't do ANY planning on it and now I'm trying to make it ready for self-pub by october and... yeah. I feel like I made myself a pretty nasty bed to sleep in XD
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Self-Publishing Thoughts #5: Wide Distro & How to Upload
Okay, so I’m not going to cover every aspect of distributing your book wide. There are so many options and so many things to consider. I’ll just cover the basics here.
For more resources on this, check out this post.
What Does ‘Wide’ Mean?
Going ‘wide’ means that you’re not publishing through only one distributor. For a lot of people, that one distributor is Amazon (specifically KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing).
Why Go Wide?
Some authors in certain niches can do very well with one distributor! One example is romance authors & Kindle Unlimited, or KU. Romance readers devour books there, and you get paid per page read if you enroll in KU. The issue with KU is that it’s exclusive- you can’t have your e-book anywhere else.
The general idea behind going wide is that you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket. If your distributor starts changing the algorithm or rules against you, or goes down entirely, you’re not as impacted.
Another benefit to going wide is that you can take advantage of various promos and sales happening across the various platforms. You can also reach a wider audience!
But How, Though?
Oh gosh. There are so many possible avenues here, and there are many schools of thought. I’ll show you two main routes.
#1: Using an Aggregator (Ingram Spark or Draft2Digital)
IngramSpark (IS) and Draft2Digital (D2D) are the biggest aggregate distributors for indie authors. They take your book and handle the upload to all the major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo.
Now, they do take a cut, and IS also charges to upload, but in terms of making your life easier? They’re a good option.
(Note: Amazon tends to prefer its own products, and doesn’t play nice with the aggregators. It’s recommended that even if you use IS or D2D, upload to Amazon separately. Will cover that later.)
#2: Going Direct
‘Going direct’ means that you’re uploading your book separately to the major retailers. Uploading to Amazon, uploading to B&N, uploading to Apple, etc.
The benefit here is that there’s no middle-man, and thus you make more money. However, it is more work.
What are YOU Doing?
Aw, thanks for asking! I’ve decided to do the following for The Stray Spirit:
e-book and paperback on KDP
paperback on IngramSpark
e-book on Draft2Digital
The reasons for this are:
KDP is still a massive market
IngramSpark does NOT handle e-books well, so I did print-only
conversely, Draft2Digital is still in beta stage for handling print, so I did e-book only
The ISBN Upload Issue...
If you trawl through the various indie author FB groups, Reddit pages, etc, you’ll find that a lot of folks have trouble uploading their books across multiple retailers when going wide. Some of the sites claim the ISBN is already in use, when in theory, you should be able to use the same ISBN for the same book and book type across all retailers.
Here’s what I did when uploading to the three companies stated above, and I haven’t had an issue so far:
Start the upload process to KDP. Get to the end, then Save as Draft.
In a new tab, start the upload process to IngramSpark. Get to the end, then Save as Draft.
In a new tab, start the upload process to D2D. Get to the end, then Save as Draft.
Once you’re confident you’ve got all your ducks in a row across each site:
Hit Publish on KDP first. Remember, Amazon does not play nice with others, so do what it wants first.
Then hit Publish on IngramSpark.
Then hit Publish on D2D.
If you are going direct to more retailers, this gets more complicated. For example, B&N also doesn’t play nice with others. I believe you have to publish that in between KDP and IS, but don’t quote me on that.
Omg my head is spinning
Yeah, same, buddy.
I’d recommend sorting out what type of distro is right for you & your genre. Keep both money and ease of use in mind. I chose not to go direct to all major retailers because I’d very quickly go bananas and give up.
Thanks for reading this far! If you’ve got going-wide stories, feel free to rb and share them!
Amazon KDP will now allow authors list their book under 3 catergories!
It used to be that Amazon would let authors select 2 catergories themselves and that authors could email Amazon requesting to be added to further catergories but in May 2023 they limited it to a maximum of 2 catergories removing the ability to ask to be added to more. They have now increased the maximum to 3 and authors can select these themselves.
Its all in their quarterly KDP newsletter if anyone wants to read it!
Fire was a powerful force. It can be humanity's best friend or worst nightmare. Tonight she prays it will be her friend. She needs it to get rid of the evidence.
Ava Oursler was always fascinated by fire. Flames held power over man. Ava used to be an arson investigator who could accidentally set her toaster on fire. Now she works homicide cases but will inevitably still set her toast on fire. Caffeine and chocolate hold Ava together as she balances a demanding career with being a single mother. When an old love, journalist Peter Newport, reappears during an intense case Ava is thrown into a stressful whirlwind.
Peter Newport is an ex-journalist who moved back to his hometown for a fresh start. When a spree of fire leaves poisoned bodies in their wake, Peter's curiosity gets the better of him. Running into his college sweetheart Ava, Peter and Ava team up to solve the crimes before they become the next victims.