Five Helpful Tips for Aspiring Independent Author

I'm a fan of The Taste and this season I was rooting for Marina.

 

"I know what I know and I know what you don't know." ~ Marina / The Taste - Season 2.

 

 I love her drive and spirit. She is not afraid to showcase her ideas and I find that inspirational. It is a similar drive that fuelled many authors to publish independently. They're making waves in the publishing industry and so can you. It's an ambitious  feat but readers are always looking for the next best read. If it's a goal you would like to achieve, it's important that you prepare yourself for the journey.

 

Five tips you will find useful:

 

1. Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Word will make your experience easier. It will come in handy when you're formatting your document for publishing.

 

2. With intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Publisher you'll be able to create book covers and other marketing materials. See How to create an eBook cover in Publisher.

 

I created the following book covers in Publisher:

 

 

 

 

Proceed with caution! Creating eye catching book covers involves an understanding of complimentary color schemes, font choices and the image must translate to the concept of the story.

3. Learn how to use Windows Movie Maker and you'll be able to create book trailers. P.S the older versions are easier to navigate. The latest version sucks! It doesn't always pay to upgrade. Still, if you can get past the glitches, it's an excellent way to showcase your books. See Does This Book Trailer Make My Book Look Fat?

 

 4.  It's essential that you learn Createspace, Nook Press and Smashwords formatting guidelines. Personally, I found Smashwords formatting guidelines to be more cumbersome than  Createspace or Nook Press but its worth mastering. ** It will introduce your book into  the international market. Free Smashwords Formatting Guide.

5. Learn how to troubleshoot format markers. They will affect the appearance of your book. For example, adding headings and page breaks can cause the last paragraph of the previous chapter to automatically change to a heading style.

Surely there are other things that I can add to this list but these core skills will save you hundreds of dollars on each project. The money you've saved can go towards investing in a good editor.

Before I go, I'd like to share the following quote with you.

I hope you've found this article helpful.

 

 

Thou Shalt Not Smite Thee In The Name Of Success

For centuries, empires were built on the ruins of others. One might say, “It is the natural order of things.” Wars have casualties and they will continue to occur whether it is justified or not. The debris field that is left behind can be difficult to clean up. One has to repurpose what is left and begin again.   

As big as this world is, you would think it was big enough for everyone to feel safe to carve out his or her own destiny. Unfortunately, there are other disturbing trends. It is evident in the highly publicized feuds in the music industry, in workplaces and in reality competition shows like Big Brother.  It is disheartening when talented people try to malign others to get ahead.

I came across a quote by John B. Gough that highlights an important point.

"If you want to succeed in the world, you must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a-coming. You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until someone comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence."-- John B. Gough

The quote reinforces a value my parents instilled in me from a young age. It is important to build a career by providing the world with skillfully written stories that ignite dormant passions within the reader.  Therefore, I invest a considerable amount of my time writing in the hopes of perfecting my craft. Therefore, I shalt not malign the efforts of other. 

 

★★Valuable Writer Tips★★

★Use your time wisely by improving your writing.

★Research new marketing strategies to boost your readership. 

★Attend writer’s conferences. Some public libraries and colleges have FREE workshops.

★Connect with your core audience. For example, Facebook, create a fan page, street team, join book clubs, and Twitter.

★Find a critique partner who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.  It will be unnerving at first but it will improve your writing.

 

I Write My Heart, You Edit My Soul!



★★★★★

What would you do if you found an editor who finds all of the errors in your manuscript? I know what I would do. A special room awaits my editor. All of his or her basic needs would be met. He or she will enjoy secluded five star meals with a glass of wine. If it is a woman, I will do her hair and nails. On the other hand, if it is a man, I will order pay per view sport events to keep him happy and wax his back hair. Did I mention the door of the room would be replaced with bars?  An evil laugh echoes as I dangle the key on my finger.   Good editors are hard to find!

 

 

 

An editor is every author’s secret weapon. Depending on the length of your manuscript, it can cost $0.50 cents per page or $0.022+- per word to have it edited.  Therefore, I have tested three editing tools to help with the process.

 

Step one          http://www.spellchecker.net/

·         The program has thesaurus, spell, and grammar check.

·         It will not catch missing words.

Step two          http://www.paperrater.com/

·         It provides grammar, spell check and proofreader.

·         You can select the education level and type of document.

·         The software grades the document.

·         It will not catch missing words.

Step three     http://www.naturalreaders.com/download.htm

 

                 ·         Set the speed at negative one or less for clarity. 

 

                 ·         It reads text from documents and WebPages.

 

                 ·         You will notice missing words and discover plot holes!

 

    

Step four            Read your manuscript!

 

                ·           You will notice missing words! 

 

Step five            Repeat step one through four.

 

Using these programs will not take the place of an editor. It is important to familiarize yourself with these programs before you rely on them. Once you have mastered them, you will see the difference. Whether you have an editor or not these tools are helpful. By minimizing errors, an author can increase their chances of having an error free novel.

Open Mouth Insert Book!

I have been an avid Stephen King fan for many years. His books have always managed to engage my imagination.  I entered the worlds he created with ease. Despite all his success, there was a time when publishers failed to realize his worth. It’s hard to believe he endured years of rejection letters. Despite the rejection, he kept writing. Stephen invested in his dream until others were willing to. Then, Carrie changed everything for Stephen King. The manuscript made it through the almost impenetrable doors of traditional publishing. Even if you are not a fan of his work, you have to admire his determination.

Now imagine if your favorite author openly bashed self-published authors. It is an unfortunate occurrence. Once an author reaches a certain level of success many people look up to them. Yet, there is ample ‘self-published author bashing’ occurring. It is not wise to offend the people who look up to you. Reach out and give words of encouragement. It is important to remember that self-published authors are consumers who buy, read and recommend traditionally published books.

Many traditionally published authors decide to self publish series when their publishers end them. It’s a smart move and I applaud them for taking the initiative. They realize the value of keeping their readers happy. Books have errors whether they are self published or traditionally published! If you disagree, think back to your education.  Many textbooks meant to educate us had and will continue to have errors. 

“Every book you pick up has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones.”- Stephen King.  Keep writing, perfect your craft and do not let anyone kill your passion.  Glory does not always come from the mouth of others, sometimes it comes from knowing you are determined to succeed.