When I find myself answering a question frequently, it’s time to blog about it. Many writers ask, “What’s the difference between developmental editing and copyediting?” Or, “Does a substantive edit include proofreading?” What these questions have in common is some confusion about the four separate stages of editing. A manuscript that goes from draft to published book must pass through…
Here’s a guest post from Threepenny’s ace freelance designer, Phillip Gessert, on having the courage to take beautiful visual risks in designing a self-published book. +++++++++++++++ Seems like most of us are on the hunt for some kind of credibility. But we haven’t always got a firm grasp on how fluid credibility really is. Say you’re an indie author, and…
If you are self-publishing, chances are, you will hire a graphic designer to convert your Word manuscript to a print-ready InDesign file. InDesign is expensive Adobe software that makes your novel look like a book instead of a printed-out stack of manuscript pages. In managing dozens of layout projects over the years, I have noticed a few common misconceptions about…
I’ve just compiled all the questions clients have ever asked me about how to create e-books–and turned the answers into a step-by-step checklist. Short of having me sit next to you at the computer and tell you what to do, this $0.99 guide is the best way to navigate the process. From what services to use, to pricing, to assigning…
This week’s comprehensive post is by successful indie author David Rothstein. His Civil War novel, Casualties, is based on a true story about a woman who set out with a horse and wagon to rescue her husband from a Confederate POW camp. Besides being a compelling story told in a powerful, lyrical narrative voice, the novel has benefited from its…
Here’s a brilliant visual comparison of the costs and profits of traditional vs. self-publishing, courtesy Alex Nolan. Click on the image to see the full-size version on his site. Highly recommended.
I’ve said here and elsewhere, many times before, that it takes a lot of money to self-publish a book. You can write one for only the cost of your time, but to involve professional editors, designers, printers, and possibly even marketers is to commit several thousands of dollars of your own money to do it right. I make a living…
Have you ever tried to thaw a frozen chicken breast 30 minutes before dinner? Or fix the plumbing in the guest bathroom the Friday before your in-laws arrive? Then you know that rushing is a bad idea. If you are going to publish your own manuscript in a professional way, you need t-i-m-e, and lots of it. Twenty weeks, to be…
Agent Nathan Bransford says it’s a great time to be an author and entrepreneur. I’m cheering in the same crowd. Having worked with some remarkable, professional authors who self-publish their work, I know that a savvy writer can put out a book and at least break even. It makes me wonder what would happen if literature became more local, and…
Graphic designers are expensive. In my years as an editor, however, I have learned that they don’t charge half of what they are worth to authors, and that a $700 book cover or $500 layout job ought to buy them a pair of angel wings. In an increasingly savvy indie marketplace, an ugly book will embarrass you and hurt sales….
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