Wherein I Roll My Own in the Publishing House Line

Discussion in 'Self-Publishing' started by Catrin Lewis, Jul 6, 2016.

  1. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    No money invested on the cover. Just time. No money to pay a professional. None whatsoever.

    I had a bright idea for an alternate photo for the bottom that would be relevant but totally different from what I've tried so far. But Google search is useless and brings up everything except what my search terms are looking for. So damn frustrating.
     
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  2. Rosacrvx

    Rosacrvx Contributor Contributor

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    Just an idea. Ever thought of something related to the villain for your bottom image (instead of an architecture related image)?

    Oh, by the way, I noticed the font type you're using for the title. Not sure if it's a font type or a sketch. Very clever. Subtle clever. I like it!
     
  3. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Yeah I thought that too , if its an action book something that hints at the action ... otherwise from the cover it could just be a romance about architects

    also image search wise it might be best to go to a stock library site like shutterstock and use their search function instead of google image
     
  4. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    You've found images you're allowed to use for free? I know there are sites that offer free images, but make sure they're legit - sometimes they just steal images from someone rather than actually owning the rights, so you still don't really have the rights to use the images.
     
  5. AgentBen

    AgentBen Member

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    He says 'Just time' maybe he made his own cover. But as far as I know, there isn't a website where you can use images for free if the website is pure image based. (Getty images)
     
  6. Tenderiser

    Tenderiser Not a man or BayView

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    She :)

    There are plenty of sites where you can get CC0 images. But as Bay said, it's your responsibility to verify that the site has the rights to offer those images. Ignorance is no defence.

    I mostly use Pixabay.com for pictures for my blog. The selection is limited but beggars can't be choosers.
     
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  7. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    according to a post on page 1 she bought the images at about $10 each
     
  8. AgentBen

    AgentBen Member

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    But they say no money.
     
  9. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Lets not be too literal - she clearly means no money to hire a designer... you can't hire a designer for $30 ... at least not one who is any good
     
  10. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    Where cushions are comfy, and straps hold firm.
    (Gets excited, then falls to despair. Drags crayons on the floor, leaving a mournful
    trail on the floor of all colors.) Well played Moose boy, well played. :p
     
  11. Elven Candy

    Elven Candy Pay no attention to the foot in my mouth Contributor

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    I actually like this bottom picture best:
    [​IMG]

    To me at least, it looks like a city that's being built, and the see-through blueprintness makes it look like it's visionary, which ties it in with the "eye" in the title. I have to admit though, I really don't understand why it's called "The Single Eye," even after I read the blurb. I just keep picturing a Cyclops. Maybe it's just me (or the fact that it's well past my bedtime), but I think maybe you should focus on clearing that up with the tag line. Also, for me at least, whenever a book has a "this and that . . . then this!" tag line, the ellipses makes for a lot of silly drama. Replacing it with a comma makes the tag much more serious.

    The yellow band should stay! It makes for a nice contrast without looking gaudy.

    For the tag line (which I actually like or at least don't mind), maybe:

    - Never refuse the opportunity of a lifetime unless you're willing to pay the price.
    - If the devil offered you the opportunity of a lifetime, would you make the deal?
    - When your focus is straight ahead, danger can catch you from behind.

    I don't know, just some ideas I thought I'd throw at you because I like to pretend I'm helpful.
     
  12. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    Oh, sorry. I forgot. The brain is a sieve. Yes, in early May I purchased one image off Fotalia (which I won't be using), and got a package of five from Shutterstock, of which I've used three. I'm on the verge of using the other two, which is a pity, since I wanted to save one of them for the back cover of the printed version.
     
  13. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    Yes, but it's funny, he's a hard one to visualize and I don't have a clear mental image of him. Especially because he comes off to different people in different ways.

    Thanks!
     
  14. Dr. Mambo

    Dr. Mambo Contributor Contributor

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    Any updates for us, @Catrin Lewis? I've been following this thread closely since I joined WF.
     
  15. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    A quick thread update, then on to actually doing some work on publishing the novel.

    I've got my cover solidified, but I won't post it here as I don't need any excuses to fool around with it. All I can say is that when I show random people the image on my phone, they all light up and say, "I like that!" and correctly guess the genre right away.

    Next, as you can see from the Tuesday, 24 July post (#170) on my progress journal, I'm getting close to publication. I marked down a whole list of things I have to do in that entry, which I won't duplicate here. They did, as might be assumed, make it impossible to go live yesterday. But I'm determined to put The Single Eye up for presale before this day is over. After I finish this post I'm heading for the Kindle page and doing What Needs to Be Done.

    I saw the other day that the Kindle presale form asks you about your banking information. Gotta know where to send the money, right? That pushed me into doing something I'd been thinking about but hadn't pulled the trigger on. I already had an appointment this past Wednesday to sit down with a rep at my bank to discuss something else, and as long as I was there . . . I opened a bank account for my little publishing house. Yes, Hendrick Hill Books now has its own account, with its own debit card and its own checks. From henceforth all writing-related expenditures will go through there, even if I have to transfer money from my personal account to cover them.

    Well, maybe not gas money to go to conferences and so on. Or the new battery I need for my laptop. But website expenses, research books, publicity pieces, all the rest.

    Oh good golly. I really have committed myself, haven't I?
     
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  16. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    See the post above this . . . but I admit I've been putting a lot of material that should go here in my Progress Journal.
     
  17. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    I read the first page from the image on your blog. I like it, pulls you in. I want to read more.
     
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  18. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    All right, I've got the financial information registered with Amazon, W-9 for the IRS and all.

    But if I understand them right, to get the ms up for presale I either have to give them a .docx file and start over my formatting from scratch with Kindle Create . . . or I have to get my table of contents in a useable form so I can upload it in HTML.

    So tomorrow afternoon I'll do what I need to do that.
     
  19. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    :pop:
     
  20. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    RE: Uploading your image files along with your ebook ms.

    This thread is supposed to be about me behaving like a strong, sensible, stand-tall-on-her-own-two-feet grown-up businesswoman. But here's where I'm about to break down and cry like a five year old girl.

    WHY CAN'T I FIND THE INFORMATION I NEED ON THE KDP SITE SO I CAN UPLOAD MY MANUSCRIPT????!!!!

    Everybody else does it. Everybody else seems to be able to do what's needed. Why can't I? Gad, I hate that site! Every page that's supposed to answer my questions just tells me something irrelevant or repeats what I already know.

    And please, no question-begging comments on using MS Word (which I hate and refuse to own) instead of HTML. Barring a detail or two, I have the HTML file the way I want it, and it's a format permitted by Amazon. Besides, the problem that's frustrating me now would apply even if I were using Word.

    Rant over. Here's the issue: How do I incorporate my image files into the manuscript file they want me to zip and upload?

    The instructions on the KDP site just say to zip the manuscript and upload. I can't find a single place (and believe me, I've searched for a long time) where they tell publishers how to do this including the images.

    I've submitted this question to Amazon (sans the all-caps and the !!!!!), and now we get to see how responsive they are. Or not. The notice says to give them 24 hours. Or longer.

    My theory is that I zip the whole folder containing the ms and the images, and upload that. Is that right? If so, I should title it with my book's name, correct?

    Please, if you've uploaded an ms with images and know the way to do this, let me know.

    I'm heading out of town for nine days first thing Saturday. If this uploading delay means I have to post my book for presale that night from the motel, so be it. They're supposed to have free WiFi.
     
  21. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    your best bet would be to now convert the HTML file to Mobi, and to a PDF then upload those files directly to KDP /KDP print instead of messing with the KDP file generating thing. (this will also enable you to check more easily that conversion hasn't screwed up the formatting). Calibre can do it (shareware) or there are numerous online conveters

    Also when you say including the images, if you mean the covers I think you upload those seperately
     
  22. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    I was wondering if that might be an approach. I've just gotten Calibre installed on my desktop PC, but I'm getting a network error on the laptop. :bigfrown:

    However, I'm not doing the print version now, so I don't want a .pdf.

    Yes, true, the cover is separate. I've got that uploaded already. What I'm working with here are my display title and my publisher logo for the title page.

    When I get home from work I'll see how it goes. Right now the PC is displaying the Blue Circle of Death and the laptop isn't much faster.
     
  23. NigeTheHat

    NigeTheHat Contributor Contributor

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    IIRC, I just stuck the images at the points I wanted them into the Word file and uploaded it. Then checked the proof and adjusted it like 57 times. Can you do the same with your HTML version, using <img> tags?
     
  24. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    point of note - graphics will increase the file size which can cause problems ( Amazon put a minimum price on large files meaning you can't then price them low for promotions) two graphics aren't likely to cause a problem but its worth bearing in mind

    In general its probably not worth putting fancy graphics on the title page because who looks at it (or cares who published it) anyway.
     
  25. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    My novel The Single Eye is now up for presale on Amazon. Goodie. Am I celebrating? Am I giddy with joy and relief? No, and no. My gut is in knots and I still feel about to cry because of all the confusion and mystery.

    Why did the Amazon email help desk person ("Siri," if you'll believe that) tell me to run a Kindle Countdown Deal if I wanted to lower my price during prepublication? I'm not eligible for that, I haven't published yet!

    Why is my book listed with an ASIN, instead of the ISBN I put down for it?

    As with the suggestion from @big soft moose to run my file through Calibre, the solutions I'm getting here and that I'm blundering onto myself are working better than what I'm hearing out of Amazon customer service. The strain of it has me looking around nervously for Horrible Things to jump on me around the next corner, but I guess I'm making progress.

    So, post-Calibre, the graphic images are there, just fine. And Kindle generated its own Table of Contents for me; only, half the chapter numbers are missing. That will be the biggest problem I'll have to solve before my final submission deadline on the 20th.

    And I stumbled onto the fact that if I go into the right publication details page, I can "revise" my list price. Nobody who visits the Amazon book page will know it's special, but I can let the people I know that it's a good deal.

    And I saw that for some reason the form had gotten rid of the hyphens in my ISBN. That may be why Amazon didn't list it along with their ASIN, which, I learn, they give to every ebook they sell, regardless.

    (I resubmitted the form, with the hyphens in.)

    I'm taking a road trip (family business) starting tomorrow, and plan to get started early. So I shouldn't be here, should I? But I have to vent out the tension, or I'll never sleep anyway.
     

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