Create Space Pro Plan is definitely worth it!!

valeriec80 · Jul 2, 2009

My book just officially went on sale through the createspace estore today. I've sold seven copies today, which means that after one more sale, that $40 investment in the Pro Plan will have paid for itself.

I'm so glad I did it. Had I not, I would have had to essentially price my paperback out of the market. It was priced at $15 dollars just to produce it on Amazon, without my adding anything to the price. The Pro Plan knocked it down to $10 on Amazon and only $8 on createspace estore.

Yay Pro Plan!!!

DoomieBey · Jul 3, 2009

Seems like you are happy with your results. But what's the name of your book. You may be able to get that 8th book sold, if not more.

valeriec80 · Jul 3, 2009

The name of my book is in my sig--Breathless.

DoomieBey · Jul 11, 2009

Well congrats to you, Valeriec80! And a nice web page to go with it.

buttterflywilma · Jul 13, 2009

Congrats!!

Artphotos · Jul 16, 2009

valeriec80 said:
My book just officially went on sale through the createspace estore today. I've sold seven copies today, which means that after one more sale, that $40 investment in the Pro Plan will have paid for itself.

I'm so glad I did it. Had I not, I would have had to essentially price my paperback out of the market. It was priced at $15 dollars just to produce it on Amazon, without my adding anything to the price. The Pro Plan knocked it down to $10 on Amazon and only $8 on createspace estore.

Yay Pro Plan!!!

Congrats on your book and it is good to hear another endorsement for Createspace. I think I'll be switching to them soon.

nitaworm · Jul 18, 2009

Congrats!!!

valeriec80 · Aug 19, 2009

Another reason why createspace is awesome

I copy-pasted my copyright page from the first book I published to the next. I changed the title, but forgot to change my ISBN number.

While reviewing my files, createspace actually noticed that I had the wrong ISBN number and let me know before I ordered a proof. I would probably not have noticed on my own and sent the thing out with the wrong ISBN number.

Yay, createspace!

nitaworm · Aug 20, 2009

Awesome Valerie!

compuwhiz · Aug 20, 2009

Valeriec80, that is great and I bet it saved you a lot of headache in the future. I do like the fact that createspace checks your files prior to publishing, and gives you feedback on what needs to be changed if there is a problem.

Leigha · Aug 20, 2009

I recently found createspace and decided to try it out. I would like someone who has already used it to give me some advice if possible. How has your experience been with it? From what I see so far it seems very positive. I am just wondering how sells really are?
Do you get the copyright for your book before publishing it or do you somehow get it through them? Just not sure how it works.

Thanks for any info!

Nandi · Aug 20, 2009

It is in CreateSpace's (Amazon's) interest to make sure the ISBN is correct because the company cannot sell two different books with the same ISBN.

valeriec80 · Aug 20, 2009

Nandi--they still could have made an extra buck selling a proof to me, and then say, "Oh, sorry, you'll need to correct that AND order another proof."

Leigha--you don't need to register your copyright to copyright the information. Should you ever enter into legislation that involves the work, you'd have to register it. But the moment you write something, it is copyright to you.

As for sales, it really depends on you. Createspace does absolutely nothing to market your book except get you on Amazon. (and that takes up to fifteen days after you publish the book.)

HistorySleuth · Sep 12, 2009

Createspace

Congrats! I decided to do my local history book through them. Looking at the self publishing places, seems the best profit. Did you need separate ISBN numbers for each format of Breathless?

KatYares · Sep 12, 2009

I love CreateSpace. Simple and easy to use. No hassles. And yes, the pro plan makes it all very affordable.

Kat
(PS - my book is in my sig line too)

JFBookman · Sep 12, 2009

History Sleuth, it really is best to have a separate ISBN for each edition, otherwise the ordering systems may not be able to figure out what you are ordering.

Another good reason, if you really anticipate publishing as a business, to invest in a block of ISBNs (now there's a business model: selling numbers!).

I'm reprinting a book that was in print before and will have separate ISBNs for the paperback, the ebook version, and any other versions that come along.

valeriec80 · Sep 12, 2009

My understanding is that ebooks do not require ISBNs. I have certainly not assigned my ebooks ISBNs, only my print versions.

I did go ahead and buy a block of ten ISBNs from Bowker. But the only thing that's really cool about it is that it says my imprint's name on Amazon, not that the book was published by createspace. I sometimes feel like I paid $275 for this relatively unimportant privilege. My readers all know that I use createspace, and I could still put the name of my imprint on my books on the title page if I wanted. So...yeah.

I guess, at some point, if I decide to move the book away from createspace and publish it again with Lightning Source or something, it will be nice to own my ISBN and not have to give the book a new one (apparently, that could become an enormous problem).

Dunno. Some days, I wish I'd just taken the free createspace ISBN. All told, I've made about $230 dollars on my self-publishing venture--half that from smashwords. It doesn't make me feel like the ISBNs were worth it.

MickRooney · Sep 13, 2009

HistorySleuth said:
Congrats! I decided to do my local history book through them. Looking at the self publishing places, seems the best profit. Did you need separate ISBN numbers for each format of Breathless?

You do, and it is not a 'casual' requirement, but just like registering your book on publication with national libraries - it is a legal requirement. All formats, paperback, hardback, ebook edition must have a separate ISBN. The ISBN's for ebooks are a particular sore point with small independent presses operating on a shoe-string budget because they must assign individual ISBN's to the different formats within the ebook model of publishing, ie, Kindle, epub etc.

valeriec80 · Sep 13, 2009

MickRooney said:
You do, and it is not a 'casual' requirement, but just like registering your book on publication with national libraries - it is a legal requirement.

If it were really a legal requirement, I don't think it would be possible to publish ebooks without them. I suppose if you want your ebook listed in Books in Print, then yes, it would need its own ISBN to distinguish it from the other formats listed in Books in Print. But if you publish direct to Kindle, Amazon gives it its own identification number to distinguish it. If you publish via Smashwords, there aren't any print editions there for it to get confused with.

Truthfully, you can publish a print book via Lulu, and as long as you don't mind Lulu being the only place people can buy it, you don't need an ISBN. So I don't think that ISBNs are a legal requirement exactly. I think they are a requirement if you want your book listed in Books in Print or sold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

MickRooney · Sep 13, 2009

valeriec80 said:
If it were really a legal requirement, I don't think it would be possible to publish ebooks without them. I suppose if you want your ebook listed in Books in Print, then yes, it would need its own ISBN to distinguish it from the other formats listed in Books in Print. But if you publish direct to Kindle, Amazon gives it its own identification number to distinguish it. If you publish via Smashwords, there aren't any print editions there for it to get confused with.

Truthfully, you can publish a print book via Lulu, and as long as you don't mind Lulu being the only place people can buy it, you don't need an ISBN. So I don't think that ISBNs are a legal requirement exactly. I think they are a requirement if you want your book listed in Books in Print or sold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Agreed, 'legal' is too strong a word on the ISBN's, certainly not in regards to registration of new books to your national libraries - that is a legal requirement.

To qualify, if you want your book listed on the 'Books in Print' database and to be taken seriously as a commercial product for sale with online retailers and high street stores then you really must have an ISBN.

Vomaxx · Sep 14, 2009

I just looked over the First Amendment, and I see nothing that says you need an ISBN in order to exercise freedom of speech or of the press.

Artphotos · Sep 14, 2009

My book is sold in retail stores and on Amazon with no ISBN.

valeriec80 · Sep 14, 2009

Really, Artphotos? Huh. How'd you manage that? What is your book, incidentally?

JFBookman · Sep 14, 2009

valeriec80 said:
Dunno. Some days, I wish I'd just taken the free createspace ISBN. All told, I've made about $230 dollars on my self-publishing venture--half that from smashwords. It doesn't make me feel like the ISBNs were worth it.

You see, the editions that are out now and listed on Amazon will likely never be removed, so if you try to publish the book and change the ISBN, unless you have a legitimate edition change (new material or substantially altered) anyone trying to find your book may well find the old edition with the Createspace ISBN instead. Books have a long shelf life. Plan accordingly.

JFBookman · Sep 14, 2009

MickRooney said:
Agreed, 'legal' is too strong a word on the ISBN's, certainly not in regards to registration of new books to your national libraries - that is a legal requirement.

Hard to believe, I know, but in the USA there are no requirements about registering books, participation in copyright registration is completely voluntary, and the books that are deposited for copyright or cataloging purposes are the only ones sent to the "national library" i.e. the Library of Congress. Most likely different elsewhere. Are you required to submit books to the national library?

Create Space Pro Plan is definitely worth it!!

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

DoomieBey

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

DoomieBey

buttterflywilma

Artphotos

nitaworm

AW Addict

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

nitaworm

AW Addict

compuwhiz

Leigha

Nandi

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

HistorySleuth

Researching History's Mysteries

KatYares

Long time lurker

JFBookman

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

MickRooney

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

MickRooney

Vomaxx

Artphotos

valeriec80

Got the hang of it, here

JFBookman

JFBookman