Category Archives: Questions and Answers

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:

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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.) .

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Questions and Answers

Question: What are some tips that can help me successfully publish a book through a major publishing house?

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Question: What are some tips that can help me successfully publish a book through a major publishing house?

Answer:

Well, to start with: you don’t publish. You write. Once you’re done writing, you write query letters to agents to attract one. The agent will get your book to a publisher. The publisher will get your book into bookstores.

Now, as for tips:

    • Get used to failure. You’ll be rejected repeatedly. But if you persevere, you’ll get an agent.
    • Get used to zero response. When you get an agent, get used to no communication, no responses to email, no responses to phone calls. Your agent will, eventually get your book in at a publisher, if you’re lucky.

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