One Down Three to Go!

I’m excited. After many weeks of labouring and puzzling over document set-up for printing in book form – all new word-processing stuff for me – I was ready to send (electronically) my manuscript and book cover for The Mouse and the Microlight to Createspace. They check it and make sure all requirements are correct and let you know within twenty-four hours. I heaved a huge sigh when mine was accepted.

I had a choice as to whether to proof read it online, or order a proof copy, or both. I did both. Proof reading online with Createspace’s reader really only showed me what it will look like as a book, you turn the pages as with a book, and because there were at least three illustrations per chapter I was keen to see how the layout looked. But I also wanted a hard-copy proof to see what the book actually feels like. And of course to put on my bookshelf!

The downside is that the proof comes from the U.S and takes a month to get here! It would seem everything gets faster in life except the mail service! An image immediately formed in my mind of an overworked, corpulent carrier pigeon with no GPS.

When the proof arrives, and if I’m happy with it, then I press the big red button and tell Createspace it can go live. This should happen about May 2^nd. It will then be available on Amazon. In the meantime I’ve started the same process for The Stowaways, the sequel to The Mouse and the Microlight. I must say it’s a darned sight easier the second time around – although I still had a problem with page-numbering in LibreOffice! Next in line will be A Red Waterproof Jacket, my own story about following a dream, and lastly The Sleighriders.

If you have the time and the patience self-publishing your own book is a hugely rewarding journey!

Self-Publishing in Paperback: Imprint

There are many decisions to make when you decide to self-publish your book as a paperback, and considerably more research and work than when publishing an e-book.

Something I was giving considerable thought to recently was what publisher name (imprint) I should use. An imprint is a trade name you create for your self-publishing business and is listed online and at the front of your book as ‘the publisher’. When you self-publish you can choose to use your own name or create a publisher name for yourself. I liked the idea of a snazzy and innovative publisher name on my book. I then read the views of other authors on this subject.

Some say that choosing your own publishing imprint name makes your book sound more as though it’s been published by a company than an individual, and many authors think it adds credibility and a certain status to their work. I have also read that many bookshops, reviewers, and readers refuse to consider self-published work. If you do choose to create your own imprint then from what I’ve read you are creating your own publishing company, and whichever country you are in you should check your local legislation because different taxation and administration requirements will apply in different countries. In some countries you may need to register your company name before using it, or even trademark it.

Other authors prefer to use their own name as their publishing name rather than attempting to camouflage the fact that the book is a self-published work.

I tend to rush into things and initially was all set to choose a shiny new imprint name for myself. Then I thought that if so many authors are choosing to do this then surely bookshops and readers etc. are aware of it and if it matters to them they will look up the publisher. You can soon tell if a publisher is a company self-publishing their own works. I also considered the points about creating a publishing company, legislation, taxation and administration; not stuff I want to deal with.

And so decision made. I decided I’d like to keep it simple, use my own name as the publisher’s name and maybe create a logo for my books.

Many years ago I made this logo for the back of greetings cards that I created for friends and family. It’s not suitable for my books but I still like it. I haven’t a clue why I chose a weasel!