Recipe for Success

Holy shit. The work and research is both coming along we'll and stacking up. I've continued reading blogs and exploring websites. The world of Indie publishing is clearly a growing industry. On one poll, listing the top selling ebooks, 2 self-published titles were on the best sellers lists, right along side of novels released by major publishing houses. Of course, almost all of the titles and descriptions sounded like either spy or romance novels. My novel could be considered romantic and/or suspenseful. Especially if you consider filth and existential angst great genre fiction:)

Back on subject... I read one blog, from what seemed like a writer pretty similar to me. She was poignantly overwhelmed by all the details. There are 5 major ebook reader platforms. I'm in the process creating an apple connect account, which is basically how you sell a product on the iTunes bookstore. Of course, my buddies at Z.M. walked me through this process but it was not particularly difficult. Frankly, I have no idea how to sign up for the other ebook platforms, kindle, amazon etc... but with the abundance of online info and support, I think I will be able to figure it all out. My strategy is to take one thing at a time and set realistic expectations for myself. Sure I would love to sell 50,000 copies and resettle in Paris, but there is probably not enough corporate strife and mouth breathing in my novelty catch the hearts of mainstream America.

The goal is to get it out there. I have a full time job and run a not-for-profit in my 'free time'. This novel as taken me a decade to finish. I don't want to take a decade to publish it. So, setting deadlines and doing the best I can to get it out there will just have to be enough.

I am working on a website (I already use weebly for my company website), laying out a small print chap book and organizing a public reading to celebrate the release in my community. This will all come together by the time I get the novel formatted for ebook publication. The time line and tasks don't end there of course but that is my 'one thing at a time' strategy. Feel free to ask any questions. I also have a draft of the website (work in progress!!!) online, theturnpikebythomsibbitt.com. Feel free to send feedback or questions my way.

Don't let a fear of failure or a fear of success stop you. In fact, those things are irrelevant. Just do everything in your power, one thing at a time. Your novel may not be perfect or brilliant, so what. Just make sure it is exactly what you mean it to be.

That's my 2 cents for the day. Give em hell.

Thom

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.

indie publishing: start to finish

To begin, I must admit that my original impulse to start a blog was because I read somewhere that when self publishing, a 'captivating' blog is a good idea for self promotion. Now that I am actually on the verge of self publishing a manuscript as an ebook for the first time, it seems a better use of my time (and probably yours) if I think of something a little less cloying and self serving. So I thought I would spend the next couple of months at least, sharing my experience of self publishing. Perhaps there are other poor souls out there, who are equally haunted by a manuscript and must must must find a why to get it out there, if only to exorcise the beast. 

I have been working on this manuscript with some diligence for 10+ years. My plan is to publish it on ibooks as well as release an audiobook on iTunes, which I am currently recording in my bathroom. 

SO, whiteout further ado, Self publishing:

The first thing I learned with a simple google search about ebook publishing was that most legit writers and publishers look at publishing like crossing a picket line and breaking a strike. Words like:
cowardly, cheaters, lazy and hacks populated the first few articles I read on the subject. Not exactly the most encouraging research.

Undaunted however, I quickly found a bunch of resources. If you are sane enough to be a Mac user, you have probably found a bevy of apps, such as ebook author, audiobooks builder and podcast publisher. So far these all seem like usable and functional ways to get your manuscript formatted and up and rolling for publication. 

I am using garageband to record the audiobook. If you are interested in how this process goes, I will give an update and any pointers I discover in a future post. First of all: drink water and use lip balm.

Some questions I still have: negotiating with apple to get the novel in some visible area in the bookstore. Also, how easy is it to use this platform to publish with Amazon, kindle, etc? The one thing I learned right quick is that you cannot read an ebook on your laptop. As absurd as it is, you need a tablet of some variety to review your ebook and if you want a copy:) I happen to know someone at an apple retailer, so I got a good deal on an iPad 3. I have already started to layout the manuscript and can read it easy-peasy on the  iPad. Hopefully that will be the end of my free advertising for Apple. As a qualifier, I am a devotee of the company, but I am not employed for them or affiliated with them in any way!

To help get some of my questions answered, I have set up a meeting with a local start-up that specializes in ebook self publishing. The company is Zealous Melon. I will post about what I learn with them next week. They do training, consulting and will also work as a 3rd party, to negotiate online publication. Not sure if I will be able to afford their services, but I am in the information gathering stage, so we'll see what happens.

Well... I think that is my first post. If you are interested in my novel, I will tell you it is a Miller-esk pseudo-memoir. There is a split narrative taking place in New York City (where I spent college and the subsequent decade) and on a cross country motorcycle trip. Nothing too original, but it is a pretty filthy self indictment dealing with pain, addiction, and self-cannibalization. Charming, no? 

But self publication... if that doesn't get your heart racing, nothing will. I will hunt down some hateful diatribes about indie publishers and we can share their enthusiasm together:)

Here is to bravery, new industries, hard work and hacks.

Kind regards,

Thom