Category Archives: Self Publishing

Questions and Answers, Success Stories

Miscellaneous Questions: How did you become a screenplay writer?

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

I took a single screenwriting class. It was relatively easy – if you watch movies and understand that every story is the Monomyth. It’s all about structure, showing not telling, and fitting your story into 90-120 pages.

Screenwriting was exactly what I expected it would be.

It wasn’t difficult, and – within three months of the class – I was already selling work and ghosting.

The only thing you have to remember is that this is a business; you’re just the writer. Finish your work, get your check, move on to the next project. If you get so attached to the story or the characters that you have to direct or want to act or believe that you’re going to have ANY input on the film at all, you will fail. Period.

Dead Tree Books, eBook, Questions and Answers, Writer Reference

Indie Publishing: Best software for creating eBooks

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Question:

What Windows application can I use to create beautifully looking e-books, withe possibility to export in both PDF and Kindle?

Answer:

There are a few options.

But first: PDF isn’t an ebook format. Please don’t make the mistake that others have by trying to sell a PDF file. If you want to create an ebook, there are two formats: ePub and Amazon’s format.  That’s it.  PDF is for creating fixed-format documents; eBooks are reflowable files that allow a reader to read them in the most comfortable way possible; larger font, smaller font, font they like to read the most, landscape or portrait, etc.  PDF files don’t play well with eReaders or apps, and they’re – ultimately – a format for making a document look the same on screen as it does if it were printed; it’s a print format, not an ebook format.

To your answer:

Continue reading →

Dead Tree Books, eBook, Self Publishing

Kindle Scout has officially rolled out!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Kindle Scout is a “reader powered” publishing program offered by Amazon where authors can submit their new never-been-published books and be considered for a publishing contract by Kindle Press.

Books that make the cut will be published by Kindle Press.  They’ll receive a publishing contract with 5-year (renewable) terms, a $1,500 advance, 50% eBook royalty rate, and Amazon’s “easy rights reversion” so you can get your book rights back when you’re done.

What makes this program unattractive is the 20% lower royalty rate than if you’d published through Kindle Direct Publishing yourself.  This rate is still 35% higher than if you’d published through a traditional publisher, so it’s kind of a push in my book.

What makes this program something you should look at is the advance (it’s not much, but it’s more than you’d get if you published yourself) and the all important “featured Amazon marketing.”  If you’re an author, you know that writing the book isn’t the hard part; it’s getting people to know you’ve written a book.  Amazon – the 800 lb. gorilla in the room when it comes to selling books and eBooks – sells more books than everyone else combined.  If they’re going to feature your book, then – by all means – you should welcome that!

Continue reading →

Questions and Answers

Question: Should I submit to a publisher or only publish on Kindle?

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Question: Should I submit to a publisher or only publish on Kindle?

Really crappy answer #1:

If you can get published via publisher, it is always better. The reason is that,
1) you automatically get support for editing your book from publishing house,
2) most importantly you became “validated” author as, most times self-published Kindle authors are not considered professional, because everybody can publish with Kindle even if their work contain plenty of grammar mistakes.

If your book is fictional book, you have less chance to sell your Kindle ebook if readers don’t know you (for example from your blog page, twitter account and etc.) .

Continue reading →