Indie Authors, Remember to Update Amazon Author Central after Each New Upload

Yesterday, I uploaded my eleventh e-book. Today I updated my Amazon Author Central page to include my latest offering.

As an Indie, we wear so many hats. For me, I am the author, the creator. Once done with a story of whatever length, I then become the developmental editor, eyeing the big elements, the order, the need for scenes/characters in the overall plot.

Thereafter, I morph into the copy editor, focusing on minute matters, such as commas, to make sure I communicate well with my reader. Speaking of, then I read through my tale, as its first reader. Just to make sure I didn't miss any large or small components.

At that time, I transform into the one-woman design/production department. Here I play with my cover a last time, maybe adding a tagline, plus preparing a description and choosing some key words.

When done, I proceed to the online forums and start uploading.

Anyway, thought we all needed a reminder about keeping our Amazon Author Central page current.

So much to do, so much to forget...

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor

http://bit.ly/DeniseBarkerBlog

http://bit.ly/AMAZONDeniseBarkerEbooks

http://bit.ly/BNDeniseBarkerEBooks

http://bit.ly/SMASHWORDSDeniseBarkerEBooks

http://bit.ly/KOBODeniseBarkerEBooks

NaNo Update

I really hate to abandon NaNoWriMo 2012, but I have chosen to. In my perfect future, my NaNos are not cut short and I get to attend at least one of my local Nights of Writing Furiously. Or the original Night of Writing Dangerously. Sigh.

Sometimes decisions entail choosing between something bad and something good. Boy, are those ever easy to pick. And then they work up to harder selections, like mine. Both for the best. Both within my author purview and both would move me forward.

But...

You knew that was coming, didn't you? Among all the November activities anyway—not to mention freelance jobs—I signed up for two online classes and have been enjoying both, mostly lurking. However the creativity class by Mary O'Gara has opened my eyes.

Why do we not see clearly what is right before us?

Anyway, through one of the homework assignments, I discovered I had seventeen WIPs. Eighteen if I count this 2012 NaNo idea. More than double the eight I kept talking about.

So, yes, I have yet another novel idea for NaNo 2012 and I will finish it, after I get some other projects finalized.

As an Indie author, with no extra time or money, I wear all the hats. So the creating part, the new novels, is just one step in a multistep process, which entails:

1. CREATING. Enough said.
2. EDITING. Checking for plot holes and irrational stuff that screams, What were you thinking?
3. COPYEDITING. Grammar and whatever else cleaned up.
4. ADDING. Front matter, such as your blurb/description and your copyright info page for each of the online venues you choose to use. I have my offerings on Amazon, B&N, Kobo and Smashwords; therefore, I make four separate title pages to accommodate each. Back matter, including your links to ALL your other books. (FYI: I previously listed each item grouped by website; now I just have a link to each store that leads to my author name search page.) Add in any free stuff from your own writings, like your prose poem or your inspirational article. Also social media links to Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest, if you like.
5. CATEGORIZING your current work, the two-to-four genre headings you wish (depending on the online store), along with seven tags, for use when uploading and coordinating with your title, your blurb/description, etc. Think SEO.
6. BEAUTIFYING with styles applied to your chapter headings and openings and time breaks.
7. SIMPLIFYING with a Table of Contents and links to each chapter. For your reader's ease in jumping around. Probably better used in nonfiction, unless you've compiled a collection of fiction (like short stories or whatever). I'm now inclined to add one no matter what.
8. WRAPPING with cover art (adding in your tagline, title and author name via GIMP 2 or whatever software you choose).
9. UPLOADING. Set aside a good chunk of time for this so you don't get frustrated. Let me amend that. Setting aside ample hours at least lets you not get antsy about the time running out too soon. There are still plenty of other details to ignite your ire.
10. PREVIEWING. This is where I spend a couple hours at best fixing any visual problems with my upload. Remember, I'm a do-it-yourselfer. For those of you who have someone who formats for you for all the venues, I bow to you. You are The Man.

Rinse and repeat. For each new book. For each online store.

Exhausting, isn't it?

Still, I now have ten steps defined within my Indie-publishing domain. None of that covers dealing with any social media or accounting or researching, whether a topic or cover art, or being sick or having unseen problems to address. Like I cannot find one of my nonfiction books, so will have to type it in from my Kindle edition. Unless I can email it back to me. Hmm. Have to check that out, too.

Stuff like that slows down the process.

The point is: creation is only the first step. Until I get my own assistant (yes, to dream), I must hit each step in the process. I cannot focus merely on creating, creating, creating without getting to all the other levels.

Hence my release of my NaNo participation this year.

It hurts. But I have additional clarity now. While I've already drafted a (very rough) 2013 production schedule, this new overview will help in nailing down the details, the dirty work, the stuff that I don't enjoy the thought of doing, yet feel invigorated once I've chosen to dig in.

I hope this helps someone else out there in Indie-publishing land who is busy, who is focused, who is immersed in the reading, writing, learning...yet not "producing" as in new offerings coming with each passing season.

It is a process.

I'm thinking a physical wall calendar with huge squares to write in to cover yearly/monthly/weekly goals on top of my daily ones will help me.

I'll let you know. Confronting the problem is part of the battle, right?

Best wishes to all you lucky NaNo participants. I'm there with you in spirit.

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor

http://bit.ly/DeniseBarkerBlog

http://bit.ly/AMAZONDeniseBarkerEbooks

http://bit.ly/BNDeniseBarkerEBooks

http://bit.ly/SMASHWORDSDeniseBarkerEBooks

http://bit.ly/KOBODeniseBarkerEBooks

For Me, It Is Indie All the Way

Looking into the new year just around the corner, we authors have more choices now than even a decade ago.  Ten years earlier, "self-published" equated to "vanity press," was much maligned and still involved a physical book, with the author fronting the costs.

Today we have Indie publishing.  I so love the new term and all its advantages, plus it involves very little seed money from the author, we can upload e-books in hours and see online in a day.  Indie-published.  That is the route for me.

Yet, if you deem traditional publishing to be your path, I will support your decision.  I still won't follow in your footsteps, but I believe we should do what best fits us, as individuals.  And let others do the same.

So while I cheer on my CPs who want to find an agent who finds an editor who offers that publishing contract, I will continue to e-publish my books.

I don't believe traditional publishing is on the way out--they are just revamping.  Still, I get more perks when I do-it-myself, so Indie is where I'm staying.  And since I do not foresee traditional publishing ever entailing the benefits I already enjoy while Indie-publishing, there is no chance of me crossing over to traditional publishing.  My choice.  My opinion.  If it changes, I'll let you know.  But don't wait by the phone--ha!

I maintain total control over my cover.

I maintain total control over my title.

I maintain total control over my name, or whether I should use a pen name.

I maintain total control over my production schedule, as I am a rather prolific author (even with day jobs as needed to pay my bills).  No matter how many publishing houses were to produce my books, it would still take a year or so before seeing it in print as per established procedures.

I retain more of the profits, being thirty-five percent on up to seventy percent.  From what I've read online, an author going the traditional route nets about eight-to-fifteen percent of total sales.  Because they are paying a percentage to their agent and to the publishing house, forever.  That the advances are less and now paid out in installments.  That the royalties are held up against expected returns.  That the royalties are paid bi-annually.

Whereas I pay a one-time flat fee to any freelancer I may hire to do cover art or other services as needed--not a continuing percentage of sales.

Whereas I get monthly royalties paid to me.

Yes, it is a lot of work.  I do the Final Edits.  I do the copy edit.  I create the cover, or hire someone more talented to do it.  If I'm doing my own cover, I scan in my artwork, alter it with Gimp 2.  It takes hours.  I upload my clean manuscript, then spend more hours tweaking the preview so it ends up just right.  I write my own synopsis.  I decide on my title.  I also chose to use my name for both the nonfiction I write as well as my romance novels.  Should I determine to go into another genre, I will give some thought to using a pen name.

I take care of my own bookkeeping, copyright applications, publishing needs like software, hardware, business cards.  I am truly a one-woman shop.  And I love it.

If you are more of the delegating type, you too can still Indie publish, just with more helpers along the way.

Or you may want to wash your hands of the whole glorious and wonderful mess and go the traditional route.

It is totally up to you.

But for me, it is Indie all the way.