Experienced ebook author Ruth Francisco wrote a wonderful ebook-publishing guide for folks just getting started. She’s the author of Amsterdam 2012 and other popular titles. This post appeared on Authonomy and Kindleboards and is reprinted here with permission.
A KINDLE PRIMER
This is a fact: Epublishing is revolutionizing publishing, an event no less important to intellectual discourse than the penny newspapers of the nineteenth century.
Epublishing is a viable option to seeking a traditional publisher. Not only are established writers publishing original material to Kindle (and other ebook platforms), but indie writers are being offered traditional DTB (dead tree book) contracts based on their ebooks. While the ebook market is still only 9% of the total book market (as of 10/2010), it is a growing market. Consumers are expected to buy one billion dollars in ebooks by the end of the year. So let’s get aboard.
HOW TO GET STARTED
There is no charge to upload your manuscript to Amazon Kindle (or any of the other ebook platforms, including Smashwords, PubIt, Kobo, iPad, Borders, Android, Sony, and Diesel). You do not have to own a Kindle to publish on Kindle. You do not have to own a Kindle to read Kindle books (there is a free download application for your computer on the Amazon website).
There are a handful of simple steps. Prepare your manuscript, then proof and format it to perfection. Prepare your sales pitch, design a cover, decide on a price. Once you have these elements together, it takes only about one hour per venue. You can finish writing a novel on Monday, post it on Tuesday, and start making money on Friday (it takes a few days for Amazon to process it).
For Kindle, it is easier if you have a U.S. bank. Smashwords pays through PAYPAL, and is therefore more international. Kindle pays monthly, Smashwords pays quarterly.
PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT
1. COPY EDITING.
Have several people proof your work. Have at least three people (preferably fellow writers) read your manuscript for typos. And/or hire a professional (which will cost $300 – $1,000). If you need or want an editor, someone who chops and cuts and moves material around, and questions you about word choice, narrative flow, storyline, etc., that will run from $2,000-$8,000, and will take two weeks to a month.
Do an Edit/Find on redundant and passive words, such as ‘that’, ‘starts’ and ‘begins’, ‘of the’, ‘turned’, ‘the phone’ and ‘some of the’, ‘was’ and ‘were’.
NOTE: Kindle, Smashwords, and most ereaders allow readers to download a sample before buying your book. Most readers will do this, SO MAKE THE BEGINNING OF YOUR BOOK FABULOUS. It must read so a person is intrigued, has to know more, will not sleep until he reads more.
2. PREPARE FILES
Put all of your files into one Microsoft Word document (including title page), single spaced, justified. Times Roman or Arial font, or something simple. (Not courier.)
(NOTE: Many prefer using the EPUB file format. See Christian Cantrell’s Blog below.)
Before you upload to Kindle, check your formatting as Amazon converts it using HTML.
Make sure you have no tabs. Do an Edit Replace for ^t, replacing it with nothing. Then highlight your entire document, and use the Format, Paragraph, Indent first line feature. (Or you can double space between paragraphs.)
If you are using Word, go to your Tool Bar, and Click on your formatting display icon (the Paragraph symbol). Have a look at your manuscript. You might be surprised at what you find.
Kindle is much more flexible about format than Smashwords, but to save you from formatting your manuscript twice, you might want to abide by Smashword rules (which you can read at Smashwords.com).
Titles and headings should not be larger than 18 pitch (not for Kindle, but for Smashwords), and limit the number of extra line returns to 5 (again for Smashwords).
At the end of chapters, put 4 or 5 line returns (again for Smashwords).
3. COPYRIGHT PAGE
After your title page, you want to put something like:
Kindle Edition
Copyright, 2010 by Author Name
All rights reserved
For the Smashwords Edition, you’ll want to put:
Smashwords Edition
Copyright, 2010 by Author Name
All rights reserved
NOTE: You own the rights if you publish on Kindle or Smashwords. If a publisher reads what you have on Kindle, and wants to do a DTB (dead tree book), you have all rights to sell it to them. I know of several indies who have found publishers this way.
4. SAVE
When you are done formatting, SAVE AS a web page (HTML). This is the document you will want to upload to Kindle.
5. COVER
A great cover does a lot to sell a book. You can design your own with free online photos and a photo manipulation program. Photoshop is great but expensive. Gimp is free. An excellent list of websites where you can download free photos is:
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/resources/stock-photos.html
You want the title and author name to be really big, with a single intriguing image. A light cover, letters at least 1/4 the size of the cover, lots of red. Yellow is good for title. (Look at a Kindle book called THIN BLOOD, a brilliant cover.)
While you are working on your cover, reduce the image at times to 1-1/4 inch high—this is about how big it will appear on the computer. If it doesn’t pop out at you, or isn’t easily read, change it.
6. BLURB
You need to write a short synopsis, not more than 400 words. Shorter is better. Give the synopsis to friends and ask if they’d be intrigued enough to read the book.
SHORT BLURB: You need to write a very short synopsis of 400 characters. This shorter version you’ll need for Smashwords, and for self-promotion on blogs and websites.
Spend serious time on these synopses. This, apart from your cover, is your main sales tool.
7. PRICING
A lot of writers first post their books for .99 cents because a number of Kindle readers routinely buy only .99 books. It is a way to get a following. Think of it as an introductory price. The minimum for which you can get at 70% royalty is $2.99, which is why many indie Kindle books are $2.99. The DTB publishers often list their books at $9.99 or higher because they can. Many writers think it’s the DTB publishers’ way to suppress the ebook market, and to maintain a demand for DTBs. But readers have made it clear on the forums that they think it is unfair to post an ebook for more than a paperback.
In other words, $9.99 is probably too much for an indie ebook. Keep it under $5.00.
At some point you might want to change your price. If, for instance, you post at .99 cents and it sells like crazy, getting you to the top 100 Kindle Best Sellers list, you might want to keep it at .99 cents until you drop off. (The big deal about the top 100 is that it is a visible list that is promoted by Amazon. A major goal is to get on this list.) But if you are not making a lot of sales at .99 cents, you might as well go to $2.99 for awhile. I’ve had books that began to sell more when I raised the price.
There is no stigma for .99 books on Amazon. DTB Publishers sometimes run very cheap specials (or free) for their best sellers. Everyone, in other words, is trying to find a good price point.
Another technique–Amazon will “discount” your book if it is being sold cheaper elsewhere. You can sell it lower at Smashwords, or keep it the same and sign up for distribution at Kobo, which automatically discounts. Then Amazon will slash your price from say $2.99 to $2.39. People will think they are getting a deal.
You’ll simply have to test out what works best for you.
8. UPLOADING
You are ready to upload. There are a number of websites you can upload your ebook. Kindle, Smashwords, PubIt, etc. Kindle is the best, so we’ll start with that.
Go to
https://dtp.amazon.com/mn/signin
Register, then follow directions.
-Upload book and synopsis. Set price. Remember, you may want to start with a promotional price of .99 for two weeks, then move to $2.99 where you’ll get the 70 percent royalty
-Be sure to preview your book. It is laborious, but necessary.
-Add your bank account information with electronic routing number. If you are unsure about your wire routing number, call your bank.
-Follow directions and add tags, categories, and other information.
-Kindle takes several days to upload your book, and will send you an email when it is complete. While you wait, start working on your marketing strategy.
9. CHANGES
At any point after you have published, you CAN make changes. You can change the price. You can make editorial changes and upload again. You can change your cover and synopsis. Amazon may take your book offline for up to 48 hours, so you don’t want to do this excessively, but it is hugely comforting to know that once “it’s gone to print”, it’s not “carved in stone”.
10. BACKLIST TITLES
Many authors are uploading to Kindle previously published books when they get their rights back. You need a letter from your publisher confirming Reversion of Rights. Upload your book. Within a few days, Amazon will contact you and ask you to scan in your letter and send it to them. Within four or five days, your book will be approved.
-Smashwords does not require such a letter.
11. BARNES & NOBLE has recently established an epublication website, PubIt. It works much the same as Kindle:
http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home&code=4aa51434099049dc9bbb6f75872a952f
12. AMAZON KINDLE for UK WRITERS:
You have to join on the USA site with your UK password if you are already a customer, and when you create your account it has US and UK buttons to turn on or off.
UK royalty is 30% regardless of where you are. They send a check in £. If it is sold in US then they send a check for 70% (if it is between $2.99 and $9.99). They only send checks when it is over $100, and will charge you $8 per check.
13. PROMOTION
The most difficult part about selling ebooks is getting the word out about them.
For my first Kindle book “Amsterdam 2012”, I mentioned it on the Amazon Kindle forum and here on Kindleboards.com. That was it. And it took off, selling over 1,000 copies the first weekend. Most promotion is word of mouth–doing guest postings on other writers’ blogs, finding interest groups and pitching your book (e.g., if you have a book about dogs, pitching it to websites for dog lovers), participating in various writers groups, reviewing other writers’ works. The self-promotion is time-intensive, and, yes, annoying. But even traditional publishers insist their writers do a lot of self-promotion on their own (my last publisher asked me to hire a publicist!) There are some websites that review ebooks only. Soon there will be established review venues. Right now everyone is kind of flying by the seat of their britches.
AUTHOR COMMUNITIES to Join and to Promote Your Books:
– Kindleboards.com. Sign up and promote your book on the Bizarre forum. Participate in as many discussions as you have time for. Post questions if you want. Everyone is very helpful. These boards list a lot of other venues where you can advertise your book.
-Amazon Kindle, Discussions, Kindle Forum. There are several threads where you can plug your book. Let friends know about where you’ve plugged your book, so they can comment on your remark and keep it on the first page of comments. This helps enormously in sales. I do not recommend posting a new thread about your book, although many do. Several “trolls” are very harsh to writers who “hog” the forum for self-promotion. Use this venue with caution.
–Goodreads.com. Become a member and promote your book. If you spend time on their discussion boards and make “friends”, they can be really helpful.
–Nookboards.com. Become a member and promote your book.
-Soundings:Puget Sound Speaks. Promote on Board Index, Independent authors
–Mobileread.com. Become a member and promote your book on the authors’ promotion thread.
–Librarything.com. Become a member and promote your book.
–shelfari.com.
–Redroom.com. Become a member and post blogs entries and stories. They have weekly writing challenges that are widely read.
–NOTE: Whenever you see that one of your author “friends” has a post on the Kindle Forums, chime in, or ask them a question so they can respond, further bumping their thread. They will do the same for you. You can follow these forums–Amazon will send you an alert, if you want, every time someone posts.
AUTHOR BLOGS and REVIEW SITES: Here You Can Ask to Have Your Book Reviewed or be a Guest Blogger:
The Indie Spotlight Fill out their author’s interview questionnaire. They will post your book in about 3 weeks.
http://indiebooksblog.blogspot.com/
http://spaldings-racket.blogspot.com/
http://redadeptreviews.com/
http://simon-royle.com
http://dailycheapreads.com
http://candysraves.com
http://bookbuzzr.com
The Frugal Ereader
http://hf-connection.com (Historical Fiction Connection)
http://booksontheknob.blogspot.com
http://kindle-author.blogspot.com
http://coffeeandroses.blogspot.com
http://bellaonline.com
http://paperbackdolls.blogspot.com
http://www.kindleobsessed.com/
http://thecajunbooklady.com
http://theunreadreader.com
http://kindlereader.blogspot.com
http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com
Rex Robot Reviews
http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com
http://myreadingroom-crystal.blogspot.com
http://lostforwords-corrine.blogspot.com
http://www.jennsbookshelves.com/
http://www.booksandchat.net/
http://www.thenovelblog.com/
http://kindlehomepage.blogspot.com Kindle Nation Daily, a promotional site. Promotional blitzes start at $59.
http://www.kindleboards.com also has a daily paid promotion available.
Simon Royle has another good list at:
http://www.simon-royle.com/indie-reviewers
Scott Nicholson has a good list from his blog tour (emphasis on horror reviewers):
http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/booktour.htm
There are many, many more. It is a question of networking and favors, but this shared promotion is invaluable.
Other Promotional Tools to Know About:
– Tagging. On your book page on Amazon, there is a place where you can list “tags” or key words that help people find your book. Add tags, then go to Kindleboards and ask fellow writers to tag your book. This will get your book up on the rankings for specific types of books. Very important.
– Author Page on Amazon. Amazon now gives you an author page where you can write about anything you want to promote yourself. Put up a picture and stuff about yourself. You need to set up a separate page for Amazon UK.
-Facebook and Twitter. Lots of writers use Facebook to promote their books. Become a fan of other writers on FB, and they will do the same.
-If you have published DTBs, do a book giveaway on Goodreads.com.
-Blog tours. Contact all of the sites you would like to appear on, and ask to be a guest blogger during a specific promotion period. Line them all up, get your blogs prepared, and promote your tour. Several authors have sponsored a Kindle raffle for viewers.
14. READER REVIEWS
Reader Reviews are key to selling books.
-You can ask for reviews on Kindleboards.
-You can go to authonomy.com and post part or all of your book. When people comment on it, you can ask them to post their review on Amazon.
-Many reviewers on Amazon make their emails available. You can send them an email and ask them to review your book–sending them a free version or a Smashwords coupon.
-Amazon ranks Kindle books. Your goal is to get in the top 100, because there is a list of best sellers which gives you wide visibility.
-Once you start getting reviews, keep a list of people who liked it, and then email them about your next book.
-Facebook. Ask for reviews from your FB fans.
-Start a blog. If you can figure out something to say once a week (or every day) that people want to hear, you draw a lot of folk. Quite a few writers have started blogs where other writers can promote their works.
-Reviewing other people’s books is a good way to get your book reviewed.
-Youtube. Lots of people are doing book trailers on Youtube. So far, the time, money, and effort invested in book trailers has not translated into huge sales for most writers.
-It’s all about connections and relationships. Doing little favors for people, and they returning little favors.
15. PAYMENT
Kindle pays 70% royalties on books $2.99 to $9.99. For books .99-$2.99, and over 9.99 the royalty is 35%. Payment is 60 days after the close of the month. Smashwords pays 70% through Paypal and quarterly (unless it is sold through another outlet through Smashwords). PubIt: Books below $2.99: 40%; Books from $2.99 – $9.99: 65%; Books over $9.99: 40%
If you’re in the US, that minimum in royalties is $10.00 for payment to a bank account, and $100.00 if you want them to cut you a check. If you do require a check, then they charge an $8.00 fee out of that before they pay you.
16. COUPON
Smashwords allows you to create coupons for your books. You can give this virtual coupon (a number) to anyone, and they can use it to buy your book on Smashwords. You can do a promotional “giveaway” or “contest”, posting it on forums and websites.
17. OTHER RESOURCES
An excellent resource for epublishing is J.A. Konrath’s, “The Newbies Guide to Publishing”, only $2.99.
http://www.amazon.com/Newbies-Publishing-Everything-Writer-ebook/dp/B003I6496Y
Joe’s blog, http://www.jakonrath.blogspot.com, is also very informative, and very inspiring.
Also, adobe expert Christian Cantrell’s Blog is helpful:
http://www.livingdigitally.net/2010/09/everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-to-digitally-self-publish.html
18. NOTE
Don’t try to do it all at once. Work an hour or two a day on your book upload. Format it one day. Spend two days on the cover. One day for your synopsis. One day for uploading it. Once it is up, spend a half hour a day promoting it. First on Kindleboards, Mobilereads, Nookboards. Isn’t that better than fretting about your &$&## agent, or the piles of rejection letters?
Remember, once it is up, you start making money immediately. You ARE a published writer who is making money.
Now isn’t that what you always wanted?
You’ve got your ebook up at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the other major online bookstores, and maybe you’ve even had a few people review it (thanks Mom and crit group!), but you’re still waiting for the sales to start rolling in en masse.
If you’ve ever tried to make money online, you’ve doubtlessly heard of affiliate programs. For those who haven’t, it’s the internet version of working on commission.
A lot of agent- and publisher-hunting authors have a 15-second elevator pitch prepared for their novels. Should they ever corner an agent in the bathroom or have the opportunity to leap out at an editor from behind a potted ficus, they are ready to rattle that pitch off. An enticing little tidbit designed to sell the novel.
