Writing is a delightful pursuit. As some great author once said, “It’s easy. You just sit down at the typewriter and open a vein.”
And then there’s the joy of editing, which I’ve tried to capture in this senryu:
editor slings red ink
bloodied words fly here and there
novel shavings
🙂
Alas! Those days are long gone when writers handed their books to an editor and the editorial staff did the fixing. Now it’s up to the writer to have the manuscript error-free and print-ready. Which usually means hiring a freelance editor.
Self-Publishing Options:
Print-on-demand companies like Amazon make publishing a price-painless proposition. Download a pdf, hit publish, and you’re good to go.
Now comes the joy of marketing. If a traditional publishing company is selling your book, they expect hands-on involvement from you. If you’ve self-published with Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, or any similar company, your hands are the only ones working the Ads & Sales desk. Unless you have kin and friends who’ll help promote your book, you’re on your own.
Thankfully companies will help in small ways. I recently made a deal with PrairieView Press, the printer/seller of my children’s book, The Rescuing Day, to list it in a flyer they are sending out to bookstores.
Plus, I’ve just made an agreement with Amazon.com to do a special free book offer for my e-book, Silver Morning Song.
As you see in my side bar, my book will be free on Amazon.com this coming weekend, November 22 to 26. So if you enjoy my blog, with it’s mix of short fiction tales, poetry and micro-poetry, take this opportunity to get your free copy. Here’s the LINK.
NOTE: I wasn’t given the option to list this on Amazon.ca, so I’m not sure if you’ll find the FREE COPY listed there. If you’re a UK reader, I plan to make the same offer on Amazon.uk next month.
And of course, if you do pick up a copy, I’m really hoping you’ll leave an honest review on Amazon. Even a couple of sentences will help. Thanks much!
Christine's Collection 
Helpful, Christine. I’m still working on my first book–not sure how I want to handle the publishing.
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Well, I guess I didn’t get into Distribution, but that may affect how you want to handle the publishing. Do you want to take the book to a printer and lay out 2-3 k to have the print it, then hand out, or mail out, copies? Income all yours (after print costs are covered.)
Or do you want to have one of the online sellers look after distribution for you so you can focus on advertising — and pay them part of your royalty for their listing and handling costs?
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You’re Canadian and you can’t list on Amazon.ca? What up?
Loved your senryu!
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I’ve listed my e-book on Amazon.ca, but KDP — Kindle Direct — doesn’t list my print book for sale on A.ca. I’m not sure why. (Because it’s printed and shipped from the USA?) Yet Canadians who list with Amazon but didn’t work through KDP, their books are listed on A.ca.
And this sale only offers me the choice of A.com or A.uk. One or the other — or I’d have done this special promo simultaneously on both.
Glad you liked my little verse. I should have had it for today’s word prompt: SHAMBLES. 🙂
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It’s just nuts how all the Amazons from all the countries don’t “talk” to each other. I left a review for a book on the .ca one and then was asked by the writer if I could on the .com one as she had no access… Load of donkey dung, no?
🙂 Yes, indeed, you could/should have 😉
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If a friend leaves a book review on Amazon.com, we can see it here under the ones left by CDN folks because they are linked. But if a friend leaves a review on Amazon.ca, as far as I can see, it never appears on Amazon.com. Sigh!
I was planning to advertise my book through one of the freebie/cheapie sites like BookBub or Reading Deals, but I read the fine prints and see that a book must have a minimum of five 4-star reviews on Amazon before most of them will list it in their newsletter. 😦
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It is totally ridiculous, don’t you think?
And that sucks… 😦
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In some ways it is, but when I think of all the hoops Canadian writers used to have to jump through to publish on Amazon (or in the US)…
When I first inquired about publishing my book, I was to send proof of ID to the US govt (Passport, Driver’s License — and no photocopies!) in order to apply for a US sales tax number. That way I could sell in the States. Now Amazon has streamlined that; we can apply for it through them, when we publish our books.
But they still are an American company and will favour/cater to their much larger market.
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Holy smokes…
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Looking forward to getting your book soon. Thanks for the info. It’s nice the way you explained things so that I can understand how the whole process works.
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You’re welcome. Thanks for your comment. I hope you enjoy the mix I’ve chosen for my book.
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I cant wait. I set a reminder on my calendar to download it Thursday!
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