Be a Purple Penguin!

Holiday Greetings

2011-12-11T10:42:00.001-07:00

Autographing Ebooks

2011-10-01T15:18:00.001-06:00

It seems like the publishing world is changing on a daily basis, and nobody knows where it's going yet. All the hype is about ebooks, ebooks, ebooks. Well, the other day I came across this cool little site that you all need to visit, and keep for your files. It's www.autography.com. It's bringing ebooks one step closer to being author/reader friendly by offering signed copies of ebooks, customized. Books are then available for download as either an epub or mobi file. Now how cool is that? Work it up with a QR code and voila... a great package.

2011-10-01T15:02:00.000-06:00

Ebooks, ebooks and more ebooks

2011-04-13T14:28:00.000-06:00

All the hype today is about ebooks. Everywhere you turn, you are told that ebooks are the wave of the future. That they are outselling, or soon will be outselling print books. Is it true?

Well, yes and no. In some cases, yes, the ebook is outselling the pbook. Should you be doing an ebook version of your book? Absolutely... sort of. It depends on the kind of book you are doing. Ebook readers still have a lot of limitations, so you have to look at a number of factors before deciding. If your book is fiction, then the answer is absolutely yes. If it's a complicated math book, well, that could be enough of a challenge that you should wait until the technology is there.

But in all cases, it's my humble opinion, that as of today anyway, you should do both a print book and an ebook because limiting options loses sales. And if you are doing that complicated math book, maybe you can do a less complicated short piece that could be done as an ebook to make it a supporting piece.

So, we can make that ebook for you, yes. But while you're at it, lets do a lovely print book too, because some of us still prefer "real" books.

It's cool to be a purple penguin

2011-04-13T14:18:00.000-06:00

SnapIt Screen Capture Software

2010-11-02T12:36:00.000-06:00

Is a convenient tool for bloggers or authors. When you write posts on your blog and you need to need to caputure and crop images from different sources - this tool will help!

Supports hotkeys, auto-saving, clipboard
Automatically copies screenshots to the clipboard
Tracks capture history, auto-saves captured images
Saves files in BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG and TIFF formats
Auto-names captured images

Additional information can be found here:

http://www.digeus.com/products/snapit/snapit_screen_capture_3_5.html

The Most Important Part of Publishing

2010-10-07T14:46:00.000-06:00

Some will tell you it's making a good looking book. Some will say marketing. Really, though it's very simple. The most important part of publishing is to have fun. Because the odds are against your for making money, the odds are against you making it big, but they are absolutely in your favor in having fun and enjoying the process.

There will be times when things get tough, when things seem to be runinng behind schedule, or costing more than you thought, when sale seem slow or distribution headaches get you down. When that happens, take a deep breath and stop to think for a minute why you started this. Why you wanted to publish a book. Then you should remember the joy you felt the first time you held your book in your hand (or, if you haven't published it yet, the joy you felt when you finished writing it!).

And when things are going great, stop long enough to enjoy the moment, because in these quickly moving times we often forget to stop long enough to just take pleasure in the good things. And you've accomplished something that most of the world hasn't so enjoy it. Keep that feeling alive and you'll overcome all the obstacles you'll face in publishing. Keep that feeling alive and you'll sell more books!

Paying Royalties

2009-09-21T11:06:00.001-06:00

If any of you out there reading this have to pay royalties, I'd like to tell you a story and recommend a program to you...

I've been using Dashbook (http://www.dashbook.com/) since its Beta testing version. And I've had my share of problems with it--like you do with most new software. But what I've never experienced with other programs, like I have with Dashbook, is immediate feedback, help and support. From a REAL LIVE PERSON! Actually, from their entire team. I've decided I'm really good at breaking the program (I'm a hard user, honestly. Very few could do the job I do of breaking it.). Of course I always break it worst at critical moments for me--when it's time to actually pay my authors, (over there at http://www.dragonmoonpress.com/), and it's usually urgent and I think often a result of the fact that I have a series one vista machine. Anyway, the guys really step up. For each problem I find or create, they fix it. Even if that means they have to work all weekend. When's the last time your software company did that for you?

If you need to track sales, pay royalties or otherwise deal with publishing specific sales, I'd highly recommend Dashbook. It really does work! I know other very satisfied customers too! And kudos to the team at Dashbook--you deserve the shoutout!

Why Should I Hire a Book Designer or Cover Artist?

2009-07-05T14:00:00.005-06:00

That's one of those questions that people ask. Sometimes even when they're asking for a quote on a project. Why should I hire you? Or any designer?

Of course my first response to that tends to be "you shouldn't!" Probably not what you expected me to say, right? My thoughts are this. If you're at the stage where you don't believe a professional can help you, then you shouldn't be out looking for one. You have to believe that a partnership with the right professional is the right way for you to go before I want to work with you. Otherwise, you are not likely to end up happy through the process and nor will I be. I want to be as excited by a project as you are. It's true. It makes it much more fun for me.

You should hire a book designer/cover designer if you are new to the publishing field and you want to be successful (as much as we can help you!). There are conventions and expectations that need to be met within the industry that we have spent years learning, crafting and perfecting. And in this every-changing-but-ever-the-same field, we can maybe save you some heartache.

Yes, we're going to charge you a fee. Sometimes a hefty one. But when you hand over your files to the printer, they're going to print (or we'll make it right), and when they do print, they are going to look good. More importantly, when you head out to sell your book, your book should be indistinguisable from those produced by the big publishers. There's a whole language in the publishing industry, just like in other industries, which can make it a steep learning curve. Ease of entry into the industry means that it's awfully easy not to be taken seriously. You only get one shot at it usually, so why not make it count?

Designers:

know convention and the industry standards
understand "printer speak", "publisher speak" and know they are not always the same thing
know what's happening in the industry
are likely to share insider info, whether you want it or not, so that your project is more successful
have probably worked with the big players
know about the sales and marketing of books
have expensive software to make your book look right
knows what is likely to sell
can save you from costly errors

There are things you need to consider when choosing your path:

what are you goals?
do you plan on doing one book, or more?
what is your market
who do you plan on selling the book to?
what's your commitment to the project?
do you have the tools (including software, resources and knowledge) to do it alone?

If you plan on making a few copies for friends and family, by all means do it yourself! Take some time to have fun with it, research the bits and pieces that you need to do, and go for it. There are even great online resources to make gorgeous books for your family out there (one of my favs is Blurb http://www.blurb.com/).
If you plan on making it something more, it's part of your business plan, or this is a step you have to take to bring you sucess, do it right. Designers have the right tools, the right knowledge and the right ideas to help you succeed. In the long run, you'll likely save money by doing it right.
I believe in what I do. I believe that I do it well, and I've got happy clients to prove it. I am selective about the clients I choose though. I don't accept everyone just because they can pay. I will turn down jobs that don't fit my skill set, or because I don't think the partnership between myself and the author will work. This is a very collaborative process and we need to work well together. It's your book -- but it's my job to make it look good. A different designer might go in a completely different direction, and that's ok too -- we all bring a slightly different vision to the table. So the next time you're wondering if it's worth it to pay to have someone to do a book... well, you be the judge. You're the one that has to decide. But don't ask me... I might say no. :^)

My Proof Doesn’t Look Like a Book!?!

2009-07-03T12:43:00.002-06:00

After a lot of work, you’ve finally sent off files to the printer and are waiting with bated breath. But what you get isn’t a book, it’s a proof.

Most traditional printers do not send bound proofs (Short run printers often do, but not necessarily). They send out a color version of the cover, that is a close representation of what your cover is going to look like when printed (depending on whether you are printing digital or offset, there may be slight difference. With offset printing, proofs are pulled off a proofing machine, which represents the final cover but may not match exactly. With digital printing, odds are the cover has come off the machine that the books will be printed on, and any differences you see later will be the result of a difference in calibration.) They will also send you a print out of the interior. I’ve seen them come as loose pages, pages stapled in signatures, perfect bound with a blank cover—in each case, the process you as the publisher/author will follow is the same.

A proof is a proof, no matter how it looks. Your job is to make sure that what you see represents what your book should look like.

Start with the cover, it’s shorter.

The Cover:
Your cover should have crop marks on it. This will indicate where the knife trimmer will cut it down once it’s been bound to the book block (or, in the case of jackets, where it will be trimmed before it’s applied to the case). Make sure that nothing falls within 0.5” that you hadn’t intended. Obviously, some things are designed to be cut off—called bleed items. Understand that book binding is a mechanical process—meaning there may be some shift and inconsistency when the book is bound and trimmed. So plan for it. Most printers will tell you 3/8”-1/4”. I always go with ½” to be safe, and because I like there to be thumb room. So check and make sure the title is spelt right, as is the author name. Check to make sure the spine stuff is where it should be. That color looks reasonably good. That the barcode is there, that the printed price is correct. That your back cover text is there and the fonts look right. Make sure the color looks reasonably close to what you envisioned (keeping in mind that it won’t match what you saw on your computer screen or what printed off your local color printer—ever!) That’s it. If it’s all there and looking good, sign off the proof sheet and move on to the book block. You may have noticed that I didn’t suggest you read the back cover text. You certainly can if you like, but at this stage of the game, you shouldn’t—and here’s why.

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE READING CONTENT
By the time you get to the printer’s proof, you should not be reading for content or contextual errors. You should have done that before you sent the proof off to the printer. At this stage it can become very expensive to make changes. An offset printer can charge anywhere from $15 a page to hundreds of dollars to replace a file at this point. It can quickly amount to huge dollars. This is the reason publisher contracts often have a “galley change charges” clause charging authors if they make changes at this stage. With digital printers the cost is usually lower, but it slows down the process and delays your book. Don’t do it. Learn to live with a little imperfection. I once heard the claim that every book goes to print with at least 7 noticeable errors. I would believe it.

Proofing the Book Block:
This is much the same as the cover, and really, should be just about as quick. Starting at the first page, you should see crop marks, again indicating where the book will be trimmed to size. Make sure that those crop marks are outside your safe zone, and that all your text falls inside the book block. Next check pagination—that all the pages are numbered consecutively and in the order you intended. Go back to the beginning and check your running headers and fonts. Make sure that they are there on the pages they should be, and not on the ones they shouldn’t be and that all your fonts look right. Make sure your chapters are in the right order, your name is right on the title page, as is the title. Check the copyright page and make sure the phrase “Printed in XXXX” (whichever country the book is being printed in) is there. If you have photos or line drawings, make sure they are acceptable. If it looks good, sign the proof form and box up the proof to return it to the printer. If you aren’t returning the proof—immediately recycle it. Why? Because if you don’t, you’ll be tempted to read it, and then you’ll find the little things, and you’ll want to make changes. And remember, content changes at this stage cut into any potential profit margin you might have, and delay your book.

And that’s about it. You send off your proof forms and wait in agony for the books to be delivered. If, however, you’ve discovered a grievous error and you must change it, there are some considerations.

Making Changes:
If you have to make changes at this stage, you’ve got two options, maybe three depending on the complexity of the change. Make the decision on how to proceed with changes based on the economics, or the printer’s preference.
1. Ask the printer to do it. Find out the charges first. Can you live with the “error”? (quite often you will be the only one that knows it’s an error), if you can, do. Don’t change it.
2. Make the change yourself (or your designer), and submit a new page(s) files, or a new cover file. Replacing parts of the file is often less expensive than the entire file (offset), because the process is different.
3. Replace the entire file. For big, consistent throughout the document errors. Or if you’re using a digital printer, they will often get you to replace the entire file since they have to re-rip it anyway, and it’s easier to start from scratch.
4. Reproof. Either digitally (PDF electronically) or hardcopy, depending on the complexity of the change.

Do NOT get into multiple redo’s at this stage. If things aren’t going well, stop and put the job on hold. Work on the file in-house (or with your designer), make all the changes to get things up to standards, then start the process with the printer again, because a proof at the printer stage is just to make sure the printed product is going to look the way you are expecting. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Proof Checklist:
Cover:
Color
Crop Marks/Trim Lines
Spine
Author/Title Spelling
Proof Form to Printer

Book Block:
Crop Marks
Pagination
Fonts
Copyright Page “Printed in…”
Running Headers
Photos/Art
Author/Title Spelling
Proof Form to Printer

(A gentle reminder... never read your book again - a single nagging incorrect piece of punctuation can drive you nuts :))

Free Resources for Self-publishers

2009-05-15T17:03:00.001-06:00

There are many free resources available that can help you with the burden of book production, promotion and selling. Most independent publishers are already aware of these sites and services, but if you’re just starting out, this list might come in handy.

1. Dan Poynter’s ParaPublising. Poynter is often referred to as the guru of self-publishing and he has been in the business for decades. His site offers articles, a free newsletter and PDF downloads that will explain many of the technical and promotional aspects of book publishing to the novice. Several of the PDF information packets are free.
http://www.parapublishing.com/sites/para/information/index.cfm

2. If you are creating your own book cover, you can make your barcode for free here:
http://www.tux.org/~milgram/bookland/
Just plug in your ISBN and follow the instructions. We’ve tested this service repeatedly and feel confident recommending it to others.

3. Books usually have subject headings on the back cover that help bookstores shelve them appropriately. To find the right subject heading for your book visit,
http://www.bisg.org/bisac/subjectcodes/index.html

4. For information on a variety of topics concerning small publishers, download a free copy of the PDF eZine, K is for Black, at http://www.bookcoverexpress.com/ (The download is on the upper right corner).

5. Need some old photos for your book? Check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/smithsonian/sets/ The Smithsonian has put hundreds of its images online and their usage agreement seems favorable for publishers.

6. NASA also has a great collection of images and most (not all, so read the conditions carefully) are free to use. http://www.nasaimages.org/ Some of these are the same space images you’ll find selling for hundreds of dollars on stock art sites.

7. Muddy River Media, http://www.muddyrivermedia.org/ offers a large collection of images, videos and other materials for non-profit, Christian projects.

8. There are a number of companies that will send out a press release for you, for free. If that’s something you’re interested in, check out http://www.i-newswire.com/submit.php

9. Need to receive faxes? We’ve been using eFax for many years (the free version) and love it. Faxes come right to your eMail. The free service (not to be confused with the free 30-day trial) does not allow you to send faxes, and you have to take any number they assign to you. http://www.efax.com/efax-free

10. Having trouble moving large files for book covers and interiors? We recommend You Send It. You can send files up to 100 MB in size, for free. https://www.yousendit.com/cms/liteaccount

Information provided by Cathi Stevenson, www.bookcoverexpress.com

Cover Designs

2009-03-23T17:31:00.002-06:00

I highly recommend Cathi over at BookCoverExpress. She's done some very nice, award-winning work, and believes like me that covers and interiors should be coordinated.

Your book should be unique

2009-03-23T12:10:00.000-06:00

Tens of thousands of books are released every year, and the number is growning. If your book doesn't stand out, the odds of you selling more than a few copies are pretty low. If you take a professional approach to the text, interior and cover - you may find yourself selling lots. And let's face it... the point of publishing a book is to sell copies!