Self-Publishing With CreateSpace

 

Editing Services

Basic Copyediting: $160 up to 10,000 words. $0.016/word for 10,000+

Eg. 80,000 word book would cost $1,280 ($160 + 70,000 x 0.016).
Where Love Once Lived: $1,453 (CreateSpace editor – freelance magazine editor)
The Vengeance Squad: $1,162 (CreateSpace – same editor)
Love Lives On: $550 (I used a Christian writer friend who did more than copyedit.)

CreateSpace provides other editing services such as comprehensive editing, editorial evaluation, and multi-round editing. Read about all editing services here:

https://www.createspace.com/pub/services.home.do?tab=EDITING

Cover Design Services

CreateSpace provides a variety of services for cover design. For Where Love Once Lived, I chose the most expensive they had to offer, the Illustrated Cover, drawn specifically for my book. Cost: $1,199.

For my next book, The Vengeance Squad, I paid a friend $60 to do the layout and paid $25 for the photos. For Love Lives On and Job Seekers' Attitude Adjustment Guide, I did the layout myself and paid $10 for photos. Paid Bowker for ISBNs and UPCs.

You'll find links to all cover design services here:

https://www.createspace.com/pub/services.home.do?tab=LAYOUT

Interior Options

CreateSpace charges for assistance in getting your text ready to print. For my first book I paid $379 for this and another $100 when I wanted to change it. For the following books I did this all myself using the Microsoft Word templates CreateSpace provides free. See:

https://www.createspace.com/en/community/docs/DOC-1323?sitesearch_query=templates&sitesearch_type=SITE

Marketing/Publicity Services

CreateSpace provides marketing and publicity services such as book trailers, posters, press releases, reviews, business cards, bookmarks, etc., all priced higher than you can get elsewhere. I did of this for first book only.

For more information see: https://www.createspace.com/pub/services.home.do?tab=MARKETING

Royalties

Royalties are based on costs and selling price. There is a formula for computing the cost. This should be done before deciding on a selling price. See:

https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/ and click oh Royalties tab. Input includes trim size (mine are 5 ¼ x 8 inches) and number of pages. You enter a selling price and the calculator will show the royalty for books sold on Amazon, eStore, and through expanded distribution for U.S. dollars, UK pounds, and euros. Expanded distribution is an option for bookstores, libraries, etc. If you want to set the price of your book as low as possible, pick a price where the expanded distribution royalty is just slightly above zero.

You can buy books and have them mailed to you for book signings and such. The unit price remains the same regardless of how many books you buy. The only variable is shipping cost. I find it is best to order 36 books at a time. Love Lives On costs me $5.40 each including sales tax and shipping. The list price is $12.95 for Amazon, but I can sell for $10.00 and make about the same profit.

E-Books

You can set a different price for Kindle editions. There is no cost. CreateSpace pays a 70% royalty for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99. The royalty is 35% otherwise. CreateSpace will assist you with your ebook for a fee, but you can do it yourself here:

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin
You'll probably want to also set up on Barnes and Noble, iTunes, etc.

Bookstores

Bookstores can order books from Amazon as long as you've paid the $25 fee for expanded distribution. They won't order unless they've made a sale first since there is a no return policy.

Other Services

CreateSpace also provides some package plans with discounts for buying more. Costly $5,000+.

Pros and Cons

CreateSpace is an excellent way to get published quickly with as little or as much help as you need. I don't recommend it until you have exhausted possible traditional publishers.

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Haunting of Alligator Lake by B.J. Robinson

One of the things I love about Kindles and other e-book readers is that we now have more short stories to read. Authors don't have to tailor the length of their stories to fit the publisher's print process. They can write short stories, novellas, and novels of various sizes and find a market for them.

The Haunting of Alligator Lake is such a story. I'm not sure how long it would be in pages, but it is just the right length for a quick read on your Kindle. Often a short story is limited in the number of characters and number of situations the characters get involved in. This book was much fuller than most short stories I read.

It is about tales and fairy tales of white alligators and mermaid on Alligator Lake in St. Cloud, Florida. The story comes alive with likable characters who meet up with the alligators and mermaid in interesting ways. Allan and his wife Jan used to spend time together on the lake. Since her death, he goes alone. The stories about white alligators rescuing people meant nothing to him, since they didn't save Jan. Other characters may not have as strong a connection to the lake, but they probably form one by the end of the story.

Making Dreams Come True – Part 7

*********************************************************
If you haven't read the previous parts, you may want to do so first. See:

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 1

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 2

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 3

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 4

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 5

·         Making Dreams Come True – Part 6

*********************************************************
White Rose Publishing reply came October 20, 2009

Thank you for submitting to White Rose Publishing. I still enjoy your story, Where Love Once Lived, and it’s always wonderful to see characters get a second chance at love. I sincerely regret that I must pass on it.

Your story is well-written and the characters are realistic, but while there is romance in the story, it’s not the main focus. For a story to be considered a romance, the relationship between the hero and heroine should be the main focus and take up a majority of the pages. The hero and heroine should be together as much as possible and thinking about each other when they’re apart. Where Love Once Lived is a story about Brian’s personal growth rather than the relationship between him and Karen. As I said, it’s a wonderful story, it’s just not right for White Rose Publishing. Should you write a romance in the future, I do hope you’ll keep us in mind.

I decided not to cut more

Although they didn't say so this time, I felt I could get the book published as a romance if I was willing to do more cutting. However, I decided to publish the book myself. During the process, the copyeditor I hired said there seemed to be a scene missing. So I put one of the cut scenes back in. I think she was amazed I could write it so quickly.

While preparing to self-publish and learning how to make e-books, I continued to work on the bookstore idea, looking for a place and buying books and decorations. The business of planning a business kept me busy and I enjoyed it.

But God had other plans for me.

During the time I was searching for a building to buy, I met Celeste. At first, she went with me to look at the various locations. Then at some point, the idea of living alone upstairs in a bookstore begin to lose its appeal.

Both of us had thought we would never marry again, but God brought us together. Knowing I'd rather live with her than above a store alone, I abandoned my bookstore idea and asked Celeste to marry me. She said 'no,' because she felt it was too soon after Lois died, but I tried again later and we were married March 19, 2010.

Celeste and I got married and moved into a nice home close to where our previous homes were. I don't miss that bookstore one bit. I rented a storage space we called "the bookstore" and moved my books there until I could find time to dispose of them. I sold most of  the collectibles on eBay and gave the others to libraries.

Where Love Once Lived was published in August 2010.

TMI! TMI! TMI!

Have you ever thought what the Internet is doing to us by providing too much information too frequently?

My iPhone beeped yesterday and I started to read it, "Fox News Breaking News…"

"I don't want to hear it," Celeste said before I could get to the good part.

I was taken aback, as you might imagine. How could anyone resist hearing what follows the words "breaking news?" When I asked, she said she'd hear it sooner or later. Right now she wanted to enjoy what she was doing.

Actually, she was sitting with Scotch, the cat, on the swing on the screened-in porch reading a book so I could understand why she didn't want to hear some news that turned out to be so unimportant I can't remember what it was now.

Her reaction made me think about how the instant availability of information is negatively affecting us daily. One example is the way I used my iPhone to look up information during discussions at social gatherings. Rather than help, it tends to be a downer to always be right. Instead of an interesting discussion about who was or wasn't in a particular movie, I can access the cast list with a few clicks. But, as I said, it wasn't as helpful as you might think. So, at the last two parties I went to, I left my phone in the car and had some better conversations because of it.

Another example. I've found myself going to the computer more than once a day to check book sales. I check CreateSpace for print edition sales, Amazon for Kindle sales, and lulu.com for other eBook sales. I have to admit it is fun to see the numbers rise, but it is equally discouraging when they don't.

When my first book came out in 1983, I had to wait three months for a royalty report before learning how sales were going. Now, I'm lucky to wait three hours.

So, one of my resolutions for next year is to relax, enjoy free time, and check the news less.

How about you? Have you had problems adjusting to ease of access to information?

Kindle Prices Up!

Has anyone else noticed that the price of Kindle books is higher than before? I love to read on my Kindle. I can get books instantly wherever I am. It is easy to make notes and highlight phrases without destroying the book with marks. I can up the size of the font when I need to because of the lack of lighting or because of propping the reader up at a distance. And, best of all, I'm saving a few trees while saving money.

Lately, however, I'm not sure about that advantage of saving money.  I've started to see a change in the difference between printed editions and digital editions. When I bought Jan Karon's latest book, I ordered the hardcover because, at the time, it was cheaper than the Kindle edition even after taking into consideration the cost of shipping. Today (October 23, 2011) the Amazon.com cost for In the Company of Others is:

$14.40 Hardcover

$10.88 Paperback

$12.99 Kindle

Which one would you buy?

When Davis Bunn's latest book, The Book of Dreams, came out I had my review ready on the day the book was released because the publisher had sent me an advance uncorrected proof. Thinking I would have the first review posted on Amazon.com, I was surprised to see a one-star review already there. The one-star review was because the Kindle edition was $14.99 while the paperback was $10.19.

I went ahead and posted my review. See: http://www.amazon.com/review/R367FR2V2LEA5V/. While there I added a comment to the one-star review saying I didn't think it was fair for someone to use a review to complain about the price of the book, especially since the reviewer said he hadn't read the book. I went back a few days later and noticed the one-star review was no longer there.

I have two Christian Fiction books published through CreateSpace. One book is a little longer than the other. For the longer book, Where Love Once Lived, I charge $15.95 for the paperback and $5.99 for the Kindle edition. The Vengeance Squad paperback is $12.95 and the Kindle edition is $4.99. My royalties are about the same for paperback and Kindle.

Here are some more examples of recently released books:

John Grisham, The Litigators, $14.99 Kindle, $15.22 Hardcover (no paperback yet)

Nicholas Sparks, The Best of Me, $12.99 Kindle, $12.98 Hardcover (no paperback yet)

John Sandford, Shock Wave, $12.99 Kindle, $15.33 Hardcover (no paperback yet)

Sandra Brown, Lethal, $12.99 Kindle, $14.67 Hardcover, $10.19 Paperback

Stuart Woods, Son of Stone, $12.99 Kindle, $14.39 Hardcover, $10.87 Paperback

J.D. Robb, New York to Dallas, $12.99 Kindle, $16.25 Hardcover, $7.99 Paperback

This information was collected from a search of new releases on Amazon.com and are not books I have bought or even books I plan to read.

Like I said, I love my Kindle. However, I will continue to look for the best price even if that means buying a hardcover or paperback instead of a Kindle edition. I usually wait until I have enough books to get shipping free so that is not a concern.

Are you seeing a blurring of difference in the cost of paperback versus digital books? Are you, as an author, getting paid more for e-book sales? Will the increase in cost hurt the sale of e-books? How will you respond to the price increase of e-books?

How to Write and Publish a Novel

1. Read the type of novel you want to write. Lots of them.
2. Study genres and subgenres. Which one best suits the story you have in mind?
3. In the selected genre, what are the publisher's length constraints?
4. Make a list of possible publishers. What are they looking for? Do they accept queries from authors, or only agents?
5. Learn the craft. Take classes. Read books on writing. I found some great online classes.
6. Write a synopsis. Include story question, main characters and settings. See sample synopses.
7. Write an outline of scenes. Identify point of view character, scene goal, conflict, and, if it is important, date, time, weather. Estimate 2,000 words per scene.
8. Prepare bios of the main characters. Add other characters as needed.
9. Write the first three chapters. Don't ask me what a chapter is. You'll know it when you see it.
10. Revise the synopsis when needed.
11. Revise the outline when needed.
12. Edit the first three chapters until you are ready to share your writing with others.
13. Join a writers' support group where others will critique your work in return for your comments about their work. There are a lot of ways to do this. Some publishers will get new authors together to help each other. Organizations such as the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) have local chapters or online groups that do this. Romance Writers of America have subchapters. You Write On.com where you are assigned readings randomly. For each story you critique, you get a credit for a critique of your work.
14. Send copies of your work to your friends and ask for honest feedback, but believe in yourself.
15. Find manuscript contests you can enter. This is an excellent way to get useful feedback. The first level of the contests are usually handled by authors. But, if you come in first, second or third, you have an excellent chance of getting your work read by an agent or a publisher's editor.
16. Keep writing. If you are unpublished, agents and publishers don't care too much about how great those first three chapters are. They want to know you can finish the book.
17. Polish, polish, polish. Hire a professional copyeditor if you need to. It cost about $1,200 for each of my books. Unless you are an English major, this could be your largest expense.
18. Write a query letter. These are described in novel writing books and writing classes.
19. Update the list of possible publishers you made when you studied genres.
20. Make a list of possible agents.
21. Don't bother trying for an agent or publisher until the book is complete and has been professionally copyedited.
22. Editors and publishers want exclusive review time and they are sometimes slow, requiring three or more months to respond. Some authors send their queries out simultaneously anyway.
23. If you get an agent, great. Having an agent opens the door to more markets. There are many publishers that will not accept proposals from anyone except agents.
24. If no agent, send queries to publishers. Publisher's websites tell you how. They are slower than agents. Usually, you will need to send a query letter, a synopsis, and the first three chapters. If they like what you've sent, they will ask to see the entire manuscript.
25. Traditional publishing should be your first choice, because the publisher has the ability to market your book in many more places than you can otherwise.
26. If traditional publishing not possible, select a self-publishing company. I used CreateSpace.com for the print edition and the Kindle edition. I used lulu.com for the other eBook editions, including Apple's iPad. Research this.
27. You are the publisher and will need to make decisions about book size, font, cover, ISBN, barcodes, setting a price, etc. It can be learned, but it is not all intuitive. In my town, many of the members of writers league have done this and will be glad to help. It's much easier the second time.
28. CreateSpace and Lulu both use Print on Demand (POD) methods. The cost of the printed version is the same no matter how many copies you buy. Also, they will sell and ship books for you so that you don't have to do that yourself.
29. Bookstores will not stock books unless you allow for refunds. This can be costly, so most self-published books don't appear in bookstores. My book is available on consignment in two local bookstores on consignment.
30. If you self-publish you also have to do all the marketing. However, you would need to get involved in this with a traditional publisher as well. I've found that book signings with or without talks is the best ways to sell books.
31. Maintain a presence on the Internet and the social networks. I write a blog and maintain a website. Also, I work with other authors throughout the country to help advertise each others books.
32. Encourage people to review your book and provide free copies for reviewers. You need to have a strong Amazon.com page since they are the largest online bookstore. My book was a best seller on Amazon.com one day due to my concentrating sales on a particular day.
33. Write another book. 

 
   

Talking About Writing and Other Life-Changing Events

Friday, I had the opportunity to talk to a Christian women's group at the Berry Creek Country Club in Georgetown, Texas. I've talked to several groups since Where Love Once Lived came out last August and I never know exactly what I'm going to say. Sometimes the hosts suggest a reading. Other times they leave it up to me. This time the announcement said I would talk about the writing process.

I prepared a written speech. I read it out loud, timed it and changed it a number of times in the two weeks leading up to the luncheon. On the day of the speech, however, I intentionally left all my notes at home. I find I do better speaking without looking at a piece of paper.

There were four tables with nine or ten women at each one. We had finished eating and some had turned their chairs around so that they could see the podium. Without notes, I could easily make eye contact. A few heads nodded from time to time. There were some smiles, some laughter and some sighs from time to time. As a teacher, I know that learning happens when students have an emotional experience. Both laughter and sadness help people learn. Afterwards, more than a few women talked to me and said how much they enjoyed the talk.

I set out to give them the basics and began by telling them about the original idea of the story. That is, the bookmobile librarian I worked with back in the 1960's and how she helped people at each stop. Then I told them about that special sermon I heard one Sunday that gave me the belief that I could write a novel, and how I had to take writing classes for several years to do so. That led to talking about the conversion of the basic story to the one I ended up with and how Where Love Once Lived won several contests.

Then the talk took an unexpected turn, one that wasn't in the notes I'd left back at the house. When I got to the point where I said White Rose Publishing reviewed the complete manuscript and said they would look at it again if I would delete some of the subplots, I had to mention how the email from the publisher came at the same time I learned my wife had pancreatic cancer. I could see on their faces, they knew what that meant.

I told them I wasn't able to write for a long time afterwards, and that Lois died eight months later the day before Thanksgiving. Then, how I went to Halifax, Nova Scotia alone for Christmas and New Year's, hoping I might make the changes the publisher wanted. But, that didn't work.

I wasn't able to write until I started living again by going back to church, singing in the church choir and the community choir, and making plans for the future. I told them how I planned to sell the house and open a bookstore downtown where I could live upstairs.

And about that time, I told the women, was when I learned God had plans for me I hadn't foreseen. Celeste entered my life and that changed everything. Happiness let me write once more and eventually make the changes to the manuscript.

But, a year had passed. Publishers needs change. Mostly, though, I couldn't cut enough. White Rose publishes only Christian romance novels, and there were still subplots I couldn't delete. I knew the book was more than a romance and that I would have to self-publish it. So, I began learning about that process and settled on CreateSpace for the print edition, Amazon for the Kindle edition, and Lulu for the other eBook formats including the iPad edition.

Celeste and I married in March and the book was out in August, 2010.

I told the women about the new book, The Vengeance Squad, that should be published by the end of the year and how it was much easier to write than the first book. I also gave them a two-page handout describing the steps required to write a novel, from story idea to publication.

Artificial Wear and Tear of Library eBooks?

HarperCollins has initiated a new procedure for selling ebooks to lending libraries that sets a maximum of 26 checkouts per book. Since eBooks could last forever, the publisher has set an artificial wearing out time so that ebooks, like print books, will have to be periodically replaced.

How have libraries responded?

They're not happy. Especially at this time of reduced budgets and higher costs. Some have refused to buy more HarperCollins eBooks. Others are negotiating to increase the maximum from 26 to some larger number that more closely matches the lifetime of printed books. I've read that some hardback books are checked out hundreds of times with little wear and tear. Even paperback books last longer than 26 check outs.

As an author, I'm not so sure HarperCollins approach is unreasonable. Those sturdy library editions cost more because they're built to last. Electronic books sell for less than printed books because of the reduced manufacturing cost.

Here is an example of the cost difference: I sell the Kindle edition of Where Love Once Lived on Amazon.com for $5.99 and my cut is $4.16. The iPad version which sells for the same provides a profit of $3.36 after Apple takes its cut. It's less than that if the book is sold in UK or Canada, but not much.

In contrast, the print edition of Where Love Once Lived sells for $15.99 and my share from Amazon.com is $5.17. Books sold in bookstores and by other online outlets bring me $1.98 per book.

Since ebooks don't wear out, is it fair to the copyright holders for libraries to buy ebooks for less than the print editions and use them forever? Especially now with so many people switching to electronic book readers.

What do you think?

INTERVIEW: Shawna K. Williams, Author of Grace-Inspired Fiction

I met Shawna K. Williams through the American Christian Fiction Writers association, where she is an active participant in the online ACFW Book Club. She lives in Arkansas and says this about herself:

I'm a lot of things, so I'll list them according to importance; I'm a Christian, a wife, mother, friend. I'm also a teacher, writer, artist, rancher, and animal lover. These last few kind of jostle for my attention, and what's more important one day, isn't the next. I think that's true with everyone.

She is also involved in a non-profit ministry to help women get out of the sex trafficking industry. It is faith based, and their hope is to bring those they take in to Christ, but they also work to transition these women into a life far away from the industry, where they can get and hold a job, find and keep a home, and repair damaged relationships. She is helping to obtain donations of books and other items to help these women through this transition.

In All Things

What impressed me about Shawna is her writing. Shawna is the author of three books published by Desert Breeze, No Other, In All Things, and Orphaned Hearts, with a fourth book due out this year. I've read the first two and loved them both. Today, I'll be talking to her about In All Things.

Q: From talking to you about your book, No Other, I know you research the time period of your stories in great detail. In preparing for the sequel, In All Things, how did you learn so much about Hollywood stars during that time period? Do you have some inside knowledge of that time and place?

A: The setting and era were probably what seemed most daunting when I started this book. I've always had a fascination with Old Hollywood, and had already read a number of biographies about starlets of the day. I learned quite a bit about the internal struggles going on within the industry from these actresses own run-ins with the powers that be.

Mostly, I just researched the snot out of this thing. The last thing I wanted was to sound like a girl, born in 1970 and living in Arkansas, writing about 1950s Hollywood. It makes me really happy that you wondered if I had an inside source. I was able to find someone who worked as a makeup artist in the industry, and someone who worked as a costumer. Those ladies were helpful for clarifying several finer points. Other than that though, I just read everything I could get my hands on about the industry. I've got quite a collection of books about Hollywood history, agents and managers, on set etiquette, the technical side of movie making, you name it. One of the most fascinating books is called The Star Machine. It's about the factory like process Old Hollywood used to create its stars. Everything was manufactured! I used this as a basis for Meri's journey into stardom.

Any hints for a busy writer?

Q: I see you marketing your other books through various ways and helping other writers so much, it makes me wonder how you find time to write. Any hints for a busy writer?

                                

A: Don't sleep. I'm at home during the day, so that is a benefit for me. I try to use my spare time in the daylight hours to take care of the business angle. It's getting harder, though. I'm kind of struggling with a case of burn out at the moment, but still trying to hang in there.

I write at night after everyone has gone to bed.

Q: I try not to read book reviews for a book I plan to review myself so I haven't read the ones for In All Things. However, I heard you voice concern about your first negative review. Tell us how that made you feel at the time and how you feel now that you've had time to think about it.

A: I knew that sooner or later I'd get one because that's just part of the biz. I had wondered how I would react. In all honesty, I'm okay. Sure, I wish the person would have loved the book. There's a lot packed into it, and my hope has always been that readers will understand my intent and find something of value to take away. It's not an easy read though, and therefore it's not going to appeal to everyone. The reviewer who gave it a negative rating is also an author. From the books she's written, it's clear that she and I have very different preferences and are also writing to different audiences, so it makes sense that this story wouldn't appeal to her.

Q: There's not a nice way to say this, but I noticed your first book, No Other, was cluttered with problems that should have been caught by a good editor while In All Things had none that I noticed. What happened between the first and second book?

A: Ah...yes. When No Other came out Desert Breeze had just turned a year old. They were growing rapidly but the editing staff was still very tiny. Problems were creeping up in a number of books, but it has been addressed. There are now six editors on staff and they're able to take more time with each book. Also, an author approval round has been added. I love the company, and when they realized the quality was suffering they were quick to fix the problem. I do hope to go back and correct some of the typos in No Other at some point.

Oops!

Q: I read where you've signed a contract for a sequel to In All Things. Can you tell us about it? Have you written it already? Will it follow In All Things in time? When will it be available?

A: I signed a contract for The Good Fight, which will release in November 2011. I like to think of it as a spin-off from No Other and In All Things. Both of those books were mainly about Jakob and Meri. The Good Fight will focus on Roger, a character from No Other, who also had a small role in In All Things. The story takes place a few months after In All Things, right after Ralph is sent to prison. Roger is the DA, and he's faced with bringing Meri's dad to justice when he realizes that he's helping Galveston's mob family, the Maceo brothers (real mob family), relocate their gambling establishments to Port Delamar. There's a romance, of course, with Pennye, the sister of the kid Roger just prosecuted for murder. Oops!

So, we a have a new book to look forward to, and it sounds great. Thank you, Shawna, for sharing with us today. For more information about Shawna K Williams and her books, check her blog: http://shawnawilliams-oldsmobile.blogspot.com/.

Where Can You Buy a Book?

Click the Amazon ad for the Kindle edition. Shawna's books are available in all eBook formats. Click Desert Breeze for the others.