Good job, now get back to work!

Today I met with the gents at Zealous Melon (Z.M.) to set up a consultation for ebook publishing. Though it seems like I would be able to figure out most of what they offered on my own I have decided to go ahead and pay a (very reasonable) fee for some one on one consulting work.

So you've got a manuscript polished up and ready for e-print. If you're like me that represents more then a decade of scratching and frustration followed by 3 years of focused writing and revision. The manuscript is ready to go! Now what? Well, aside from formatting software, which is easy enough to obtain, you are going to need a ISBN and a new EIN number. This is basically a vendor number and a corresponding tax number. This is the process I am hoping Z.M. will help streamline for me. You can do it on your own, but there are some easy pitfalls I hope to avoid by working with a professional.

Z.M. also offered to act as my online publisher, but there does not seem to be any real detrimnet to self publishing and 'indie-publisher-scab-betrayer' has a nice ring to it.

It sounds like the legal process will take a few weeks to process, so I am going to jump right on it because there is a growing mountain of other tasks I have to completed before I formally release the novel. Here is some of the to-do list.

• A website for the novel. This will be my hub to collect/link all of my press materials: FB, blog, audiobook, link to the online bookstore etc. I am looking for a clean looking website template service that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. 

• Business Cards. Seems like a good idea. Who know who might be interested in booking my illicit literary services or having me to their elks meeting for a reading. 

• Promotional bookmarks! Since I am publishing online, I am thinking of some ways to spread the news in the analogue world. 

• Small print release of the 'interpolations.' I am extracting a small sample of my novel to have if/when I schedule a reading for the ebook release. This will be a chapbook style self published printing. 

•  Format the Manuscript! I have a meeting set up with my final proof reader this week. The manuscript should be ready for formatting in the next few weeks!

• Start recording the audiobook. This will start once the manuscript is finished. Publishing an audiobook is a whole other bag of worms, I am still researching. At the very least, I would like to be able to sell it on my website. Later on it will hopefully be on the iTunes store.          

• Get the Novel translated into French! This is back burner, but hey, all filthy novels should be translated into French. Duh. 

My goal is to publish in January. Presumably, a whole new world of lucky people will have brand new iPads after the holidays and will be figuring out how awesome ebooks are. BTW, I bought my first ebook! Not quite for indie-solidarity, I bought the Hobbit:) I couldn't find my old copy and I need to re-read it before I see the film. No complaints though. ebooks are neat. 

Have I bored you terribly? If so, get to work on that filthy novel, or write me for a book rec. In fact, find a copy of Venus in Furs. Read until your eyes melt and get back to me. 

Just read an interesting article in Forbes about indie book pricing. How much will this little gem of mine cost? Stay tuned for my next riveting tale of indie-publishing adventure.

T.S.