Don’t Get Discouraged!

Steps to Publishing, Resources, and Links

Contact Me:

Located in Central Florida

I am looking forward to discussing your challenges, sharing your vision, and working with you on your exciting new eBook!

Your email will be accepted and responded to within 24 hours.

Designing and Implementing Your Road Map to Success

You must wear many hats to be a first time author, especially if you’re in a tight budget. You may find that you need eBook Support.

Here are a list of questions you should ask yourself:

How do you plan on marketing your eBook? How much do you know about website construction and search engine optimization? Are you prepared to comply with resellers submission? Will you be able to submit your eBook to Amazon by reformatting your book using their Mobilpocket eBook Creator? Can you convert your book to other eBook Formats? Can you graphically design your eBook’s cover, or do you know someone who can? How good are you at editing? Will you need a ghost writer? Is your eBook a technical manual or a how-to book of some sort? Do you have any technical writing experience? Can you convert your eBook to PDF?.

Steps to Self-Publishing Your eBook

There is no technology that can make you a great writer.

Technology itself changes too quickly for any busy person to keep up with.

Software doesn’t solve your challenges… people do.

Books are written by story tellers.

Story tellers are people.

If the human factor is not lost, any book can find its audience and be enjoyed.

After I completely edited my book and thought I was finished, I researched my options, and decided to try to self-publish my book on LuLu.com.

Book Size and Cover Style

The size of your book, binding, color, and cover will dictate what options you can chose from with regard to size. Because my book is written for young readers, I decided to publish it on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, perfect bind, full color cover, but black and white pages.

Reformat and Convert

I reformatted by book which I wrote in Word, to be double-sided with an inside seam, and created odd and even headers and footers. I then converted my book to PDF format to upload on Lulu.com. My book started to sell right away. Just as many PDF copies were sold as hardcopies.

Review: It is at this point, I ordered a hard-copy for my approval.

The Purpose of an ISBN Number

I then had to choose if I was going to hire Lulu to publish my book for me of if I was going to sell it myself. At first, I decided against hiring LuLu as my publisher. I did not have the confidence yet to take the plunge and make such a commitment. Therefore, I did not include an ISBN number in my book. Once you include an ISBN number in your book, it can not be edited. I still allowed it to be sold on LuLu in both PDF downloadable, and hardcopy format. But the book was not set in stone. However, without an ISBN number, it would not be sold anywhere else. I thought it was important, being a first-time author that I test the book’s reviews before I made any commitments.

Note: The ISBN number identifies the publisher, and the author.

After I received feedback from some prominent animal welfare advocates, I realized that a few of my pages were not detailed enough.

Note: Because I did not include an ISBN number in my book yet, I could edit it anytime.

Editing Your eBook While it’s Selling

Just because my book was being sold on Lulu didn’t mean I couldn’t edit it on the fly. This was one of the main reasons I did not agree to have them publish it and slap an ISBN number on it from the get-go. I wanted the freedom to tweak.

I made some minor changes, and once I felt comfortable with my book, and its contents, and uploaded it once again. Again, my book continued to sell.

Then, I took the major plunge!

I had purchased my own ISBN numbers, however, using one of my numbers would identify me as the publisher. Therefore, it would prevent LuLu to submit my book, as the publisher, to other book sellers. I decided not to use my ISBN number, and allowed LuLu to use their ISBN number, which identified them as the publisher.

Review: Once again, at this point, I ordered a hard-copy of my book for my approval.

Buying a Distribution Package

For a low price of $99, I hired LuLu to market my book as my publisher, however, I am still the copyright owner of my book, and I can delete the book and remove it at any time.

I uploaded the last version of my book, and waited.

*Update: Lulu.com has waived their $99 price, and their distribution package and ISBN numbers are FREE.

Selling your eBook Internationally

Three months later, they notified me that I needed to modify the number of pages, and insert their ISBN number, along with other data on the inside cover. Once again, I had to edit my book, convert it PDF, and upload it again for the very last time.

Because I have used Lulu several times for eBook self-publishing, I am familiar and comfortable with their options and procedures, however, they truly lack consumer support, and are very slow at putting your book in book stores like Amazon.

Review: Once my new ISBN number was inserted, and all of the pages were in proper order, for the third and last time, I ordered my final copy of my book for my review. I approved it, and notified LuLu that the book had been approved by me, and would not longer be editable. In order for me to edit my book at this point, I would have to create a different version, and the entire process would start all over again. It is very important that you approve your book before making that final commitment to have it published internationally.

You’re Not Finished Yet—Let’s Talk Marketing

If you think I stopped there, think again. There’s no way Amazon, Lulu, or any other bookstore is going to care about my book. It’s up to me to reach out, network, and sell my own book. So, I created a website just for kids, detailing my book, sharing reviews, and including excerpts. I also included many of the illustrations found in my book on my web page.

Several animal welfare rescues that I support included information about my new book on their web pages, which was wonderful! I also submitted my book to several animal rights contests. I asked several animal rights activists to review my book publicly, which also really helped.

More importantly, I began to design videos for YouTube and other video broadcasting sites to explain not only the purpose of my book, but show the importance of why children should read it.

My personal marketing efforts have sold my book. Be prepared, once your book is finalized, to broadcast it in any way you can find!

You can see my marketing efforts by visiting

http://www.HotDiggieDeeDog.com

http://www.TheDogLiberator.com

You can also view a sample of the videos that I designed introducing my book by clicking on the play button on the videos.

eBook Writing Help

Handy Dandy Places

Lulu.com

Booksurge.com

Google Books

Amazon’s mobilepocket

U.S. Copyright Office