Resources

Free tools, tips and links from SPR on writing and selling your book

Indie Authors: Your Copyright Page Needs Work

One of the first things an indie author should realize is that the printed version of their book does not have the same content as the ebook version and the differences start right in the front of the book.

It starts with the Copyright Page.
The first area that jumps out is the copyright page should be different. In fact, the copyright page should be different between the various ebook versions, i.e. Amazon vs. Barnes and Noble vs. Smashwords, etc.

After reviewing a couple dozen recent ebooks from indie authors, the first item that should be added to the copyright […]

2019-02-18T12:16:07+02:00August 22nd, 2012|Categories: Resources|

Self-Publishing News: E-Lending, Big Deals, Book Pirates

In this roundup: As recently discussed here at SPR, we are inching closer to the day when self-published eBooks will be stocked by libraries. Consider using your author platform to promote your local library’s eBook lending policy and make friends with your local library ahead of time. Also, is landing a publishing deal for your self-published book one of your big dreams? Plus, tips on how to know if your eBook has been pirated, and what you can do if it happens.

Two items from TeleRead regarding eBooks and libraries. First, “ALA OITP releases backgrounder document on eBooks […]

2012-07-11T08:28:23+02:00July 11th, 2012|Categories: News, Resources|Tags: |

In Search of Free Images for Blog Posts and Book Covers

Whatever your budget, chances are you could do with a few free photos for your author blog or even your book’s cover. This article explores several websites offering the use of royalty-free images at no cost to you. You also need to familiarize yourself with different types of licensing when using royalty-free images.

DON’T GET SUED

Before you download an image from anywhere, including the websites discussed in this article, be aware that there are rules, regulations, and laws governing the licensing and use of images found on the Internet. Improperly (translation: illegally) using a photo on your blog […]

2012-07-10T13:19:47+02:00July 10th, 2012|Categories: Lead Story, Resources|

Gee, Thanks! – Ebook Promotion & Giveaways

Media Bistro has put together a list of places where self-published authors can promote their eBook at no charge. The list was culled from Kindle Boards:

We’ve collected more information about the sites in a simple directory below, linking to the submission pages for these eBook sites. If you are an avid eBook reader, these sites are great for finding new books to read as well….

Note that there is a difference between free promotion (regardless of price) and promoting a free eBook, so read carefully. Also check the comments section under the Media Bistro post for possible additional links.[…]

2019-02-03T08:55:55+02:00June 30th, 2012|Categories: Resources|Tags: |

Book Dreams and Schemes: Questionable Promotion Offers

Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware has a warning for self-published authors about a couple of promotion “opportunities,” part of her series of posts on the topic.

The first of the “suite of services,” the Hollywood Book-to-Movie Treatment, costs a cool $3,299. For that, you get a 7-10 page “creative adaptation” of your book written by a screenwriter. Which screenwriter? What are his/her credits? Sorry, that info is not available. …

It hurts my heart, and my brain, to think that authors might actually shell out this kind of money for services that would likely net them zero results even if

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2012-12-20T11:42:50+02:00June 27th, 2012|Categories: Resources|Tags: |

Get 10% off at BookBaby

I was just contacted by a BookBaby rep who offered SPR visitors this code to get 10% off on premium services: Springbk10

It expires March 31, 2012.

About BookBaby:

Upload your eBook and pay as little as $99.

Signing up on BookBaby.com is fast and easy. You set the selling price, supply eBook descriptions, author bio, and even list out keyword search terms so that readers can find your eBooks online. You’re in control from start to finish and retain all publishing and ownership rights. Want to make it even easier? Choose our Premium Publishing Package that offers eBook

[…]
2020-02-21T03:48:13+02:00March 9th, 2012|Categories: Resources|Tags: |

Formatting your book with OpenOffice – Part 2

In Part 1 I started with a book in the standard format we all send to agents and formatted it in preparation for print. This article continues with formatting the manuscript for a particular book size.

Choosing a book size

Since I’m self-publishing, it isn’t likely my paperback will be stocked in Barnes and Noble. Potential buyers will probably see an image of the front cover online. When they receive my book, I want them to be pleasantly surprised by the quality.

Most of the books I examined that were similar to mine were 5.25″ x 8″. I also found […]

2012-03-03T10:22:18+02:00March 3rd, 2012|Categories: Resources|

Formatting your book with OpenOffice – Part 1

Although I’ve got a great publisher for the e-book edition of Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite, I decided to self-publish the paperback. Since I was already familiar with OpenOffice and unable to afford Adobe InDesign, I decided to invest some time to see if using OpenOffice was feasible.

The first step, always, is make a backup and put it somewhere you can’t mess it up.

Preliminary Cleanup

Editing always seems to inject typographic and formatting errors. So my first step was to insure that I didn’t have any tabs, double spaces, extra hard returns, or other debris in […]

2020-02-21T03:25:02+02:00February 28th, 2012|Categories: Resources|Tags: |
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