Keeping Posting Where I'm Posting vs. Self-Publishing on SmashWords

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Silver-Midnight

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I keep going back and forth with whether or not I'm going to publish any my works(present and future).

Anyway, I'm kind of deciding what I should do as far as to see if there is any interest in my stories/writing. I currently write/post on two different writing sites (The Valent Chamber and The Sweetest Taboo Forum). I was also considering getting a blog as well to promote the little the stories. Now, all of these, obviously, are free reads or whatever. I just want to be able to get feedback and see if there is interest in my stories.

Now, the other thing I could is self-publish through SmashWords. The bright side of this is the interest I receive would go past the scope of the people on those particular, even though, most likely they would make up 60 - 75% of my "fan base". This is because those two sites are dedicated to the genre I write for. The downside to publishing on SmashWords is that I don't have the money to make a good eBook, especially at least a reasonable cover, especially given that this will most likely be a freebie. I don't have Photoshop, nor do I know how to use it. I can't pay to use anyone's images or backgrounds. I'd pretty much be uploading a short story with my name/pen-name across the front with the title, if that much. This, of course, probably would highly reduce the chances of me being downloaded, even if it is a free book.

So, I, personally, think it would be better to keep posting where I'm posting, and maybe, maybe not add a blog. However, I wanted to get someone else's opinion just to see if I was looking at it from all sides.

I can't really say how much traffic I do or don't get on the sites either. However, people do review my work; it's not as though it's just sitting up there.
 

Elvirnith

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This is, ultimately, up to you. It sounds like you have a good thing going right now, so personally I wouldn't mess with it too much.

However, there are certain benefits you may gain from posting it on Smashwords - such as reaching a (possibly) wider audience. Going free will definitely help with this.

There is an up front expense, as you mentioned, but you can avoid a lot of this (such as manuscript formatting) by reading the tutorials out there on the net and teaching yourself. It will take a significant amount of time and effort, but it will cost you not a single penny.

There are also artists that will do covers on the cheap if you just want something simple. You don't always need to fork out $500 (or more) for a book cover, especially when you're on a budget.

So, again, it's up to you. There's benefits to both, but if you're doing well now, then it may not be worth the investment (at least right now) for you to change things up.
 

merrihiatt

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As far as the cover stumbling block, do you have a digital camera? You could take a digital photo yourself and upload it at no cost, then put your title and name on the cover. I took a fabulous picture of a birch tree last year and used it to make a journal cover for myself. It turned out great and could easily have been used as a book cover. Even using a colored background and a few text boxes can give you a basic cover (although not a terribly fancy one). Here's one I just threw together in about three minutes. Again, it's not beautiful, but you can see how just using simple text and color and even white lines can make a very simple book cover.

sanmplecover.jpg


There is a learning curve with formatting, but I've seen the basics posted many times here in the publishing forums and Smashwords has detailed instructions in the form of their Style Guide.

Just throwing this info. out there while you try to decide. Good luck with whatever decision you choose. And, keep us posted!
 

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I don't have Photoshop, nor do I know how to use it. I can't pay to use anyone's images or backgrounds.

Gimp is free and perfectly usable for things like book covers. You can buy stock photos licensed for e-book covers for as little as $1-2, though the selection is more limited on the cheaper sites.
 

Silver-Midnight

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Gimp is free and perfectly usable for things like book covers. You can buy stock photos licensed for e-book covers for as little as $1-2, though the selection is more limited on the cheaper sites.
No, when I mean I can't put anything in. I mean anything as in nothing, at least as of right now.

As far as the cover stumbling block, do you have a digital camera? You could take a digital photo yourself and upload it at no cost, then put your title and name on the cover. I took a fabulous picture of a birch tree last year and used it to make a journal cover for myself. It turned out great and could easily have been used as a book cover. Even using a colored background and a few text boxes can give you a basic cover (although not a terribly fancy one). Here's one I just threw together in about three minutes. Again, it's not beautiful, but you can see how just using simple text and color and even white lines can make a very simple book cover.

sanmplecover.jpg


There is a learning curve with formatting, but I've seen the basics posted many times here in the publishing forums and Smashwords has detailed instructions in the form of their Style Guide.

Just throwing this info. out there while you try to decide. Good luck with whatever decision you choose. And, keep us posted!

I don't have a digital camera, but I do have a cell phone with a pretty good camera on it. Did you use Paint when you did that or something else? Because I think I have Paint and pretty good version of Print Shop. I don't know if Print Shop will let me upload onto SmashWords though.

I mean I don't mind taking pictures of "random" things, because some covers I've seen I really didn't like, and I don't mind doing a simple cover either. I'm pretty sure I can place a few things together, make something nice, even if it's a sky. Then I can probably edit it in Print Shop.

However, there are certain benefits you may gain from posting it on Smashwords - such as reaching a (possibly) wider audience.

That would probably be my main motivation behind it. That, and getting used to the idea of seeing my name "in print" or really my books "for sale". I'm really going back and forth with the idea of publishing honestly, and this may help me finally decide on what I should do.

I don't mind doing the formatting or anything like, and I know there are tutorials that teach how to do it, as well as stuff on here too.

It's just a matter of if I really want to do it since the money part of seems to be partially resolved at least.
 
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merrihiatt

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I use Paint and Word and Photoshop (all in different ways). I generally make the cover in Word (I use stock photo images) and add the text I want and anything else that is appealing to the eye. I make it large, it takes up the entire page with .2 margins all around. Then I copy the entire thing into Paint or Photoshop and resize. To get the image in 300 dpi, I need to take it into Photoshop and resize it. It's not the best system, but I'm experiencing quite a learning curve with my trial Photoshop.
 

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Yeah, but I don't have Photoshop, any version. Are you allowed to use images that come with Photoshop/Printshop, or can you only use stock photos because you bought those? (I mean I bought my copy of PrintShop, and having the internet let's you access more photos from them.)
 

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I don't think you're allowed to use the images which come with those programs in a commercial situation.
 

merrihiatt

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I was using Microsoft Publisher for images at one time and contacted Microsoft about using a Publisher image for a book cover. The person on the phone said it would be fine, but since I didn't have the approval in writing, it didn't feel right. I asked if I could get it in writing and the gentleman said he'd transfer me. I ended up leaving a voice mail and no one ever called back. I think Old Hack is right.
 

Silver-Midnight

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Okay, thank you. Would I be able to make the cover in that program then? I'm not that good with Paint last time I checked, and MS Word, yeah, I'd need a tutorial.

I can use a picture I took myself though, right?

I don't know. I think I just might continue posting where I am right now, and then when I'm ready to publish, start submitting stuff in.
 
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merrihiatt

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Yes, you can use a picture you took yourself. You can use Publisher, but again, not their images. Once you have finished laying it all out, you will still need to copy it to Paint to create a jpeg image. You'll also still need to get a 300 dpi version of the image or your image will become pixelated.
 

Silver-Midnight

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I use Paint and Word and Photoshop (all in different ways). I generally make the cover in Word (I use stock photo images) and add the text I want and anything else that is appealing to the eye. I make it large, it takes up the entire page with .2 margins all around. Then I copy the entire thing into Paint or Photoshop and resize. To get the image in 300 dpi, I need to take it into Photoshop and resize it. It's not the best system, but I'm experiencing quite a learning curve with my trial Photoshop.

Is Photoshop the only one that resizes into 300 dpi images?

Also as far where I place my books, SmashWords, Amazon, and B & N are free, right?

I'm just asking, and trying to weigh all of my options.
 

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You seem hesitent about the amount of time/effort/skill/money it would take to self-publish. In such a case, I wouldn't recommend jumping in. Stick with what you're doing.

Concentrating on just writing rarely hurts a writer. :)

Maybe the time will come when you're confident you can put your best foot forward and that will be the right time for you to try it.
 

thothguard51

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If you decide to self publish, I would delete all the work on the other sites, even if you offer the book for free.
 
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