One good reason for traditional publishing

[gmw]

Someone else to share the stress!

I've just submitted the epub for my first book through BookBaby, it should start appearing on Amazon in a week or so I think (I'll post details in the relevant subforum after the book actually becomes available). I've also submitted a pdf to Lightning Source and I am waiting on the proof. So, ready or not, I've taken the plunge.

But I must say I've found the process stressful. Not difficult. Individually all the bits were easy enough to do, but there's that constant nagging question: Did I miss something?

I guess we all know the answer to that: Almost certainly. But did I miss anything big? (ie. embarrassing to me, or annoying to the reader.) I've had to stop myself from constantly re-opening the epub and pdf files. I've already been through them I don't know how many times. If I missed it before, I'm not going to see it now.

If I had a traditional publisher then, I imagine, many of these stressful final stages would have had someone else's eye over it all to help avoid big blunders. But, as it stands, I have no one else to blame for whatever is wrong with my publication when the reader sees it.

All of that is separate to the question of whether people will like (or even find) my book. That makes me nervous too, but - at the moment - it's whether the mechanics of it all is going to come out right that my mind is obsessing over.

There. That's got some of it off my chest.

Is this reaction normal? ... No, it might be best if you don't answer that. Let's try: Do other writers go through this obsessive worry with the final release of their book?

[GA Russell]

gmw, my understand of POD (print on demand) publications by self-publishing authors is that they are easily revised.

Your post suggests to me that you have the old mindset that once a book goes to the printer, that's it until the second edition comes out.

But in the new reality, you are free to upgrade the versions of your book as often as you like.

[kennyc]

Congratulations!

Good on you.

And yes, it is entirely an normal reaction!

As with all things there may be things you miss the first time, but learn, correct the errors and make the changes in the process for the next round!

but for now, CELEBRATE! Eat Chocolate!

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by gmw

If I had a traditional publisher then, I imagine, many of these stressful final stages would have had someone else's eye over it all to help avoid big blunders.

Not judging by the tradpub books I've read this year they wouldn't. They have just as many mistakes as the average selfpub effort. And when you did find them, or a reader sent you them, the tradpub wouldn't bother fixing them.

[gmw]

GA Russell: Yes they can be "easily" revised (at a cost), but that doesn't do anything for any bad rap you get for getting it wrong in the first place. And it doesn't stop the nerves from worrying - or not mine.

KennyC: Thanks heaps. Chocolate consumed, along with some very nice Irish Whiskey ... in fact I may just go back for more.

Mr Ploppy: I have indeed noticed a good number of errors in tradpub books, and not just new ones. I don't expect it to be perfect but ... well, I'd still like there to be as few technical hitches as possible (don't we all).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Not judging by the tradpub books I've read this year they wouldn't. They have just as many mistakes as the average selfpub effort. And when you did find them, or a reader sent you them, the tradpub wouldn't bother fixing them.

Definitely not my experience. The mindset of many self-published authors is still, alas, "I don't need the services of a professional editor". Big, BIG mistake. Authors who don't need editors are as rare as hens' teeth. I'm not saying that traditionally-published books don't contain errors - of course they do - but far, far fewer (in my experience) than many self-published books.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

gmw, my understand of POD (print on demand) publications by self-publishing authors is that they are easily revised.

Your post suggests to me that you have the old mindset that once a book goes to the printer, that's it until the second edition comes out.

But in the new reality, you are free to upgrade the versions of your book as often as you like.

This is not as true as one one like in my experience.

I tried this with my first book and both Amazon and B&N (as in 90% of my market) made it practically impossible for readers to get the new edition. For Amazon the readers would have to delete the book from their devices, all of them, AND from their account completely. Then they would have to BUY a new copy. With B&N, I could find no way at all to get an updated copy to a reader. Even if they did all of the above they still got what ever copy they purchased.

Smashwords on the other hand allows their customers to down load any copy of the story (including the ones I have pulled and replaced) released since they day of their purchase.

I did not bother checking how they other stores handle it.

Plus any damage to your rep is already done. If you do not get the book right the first time the reader reads it, most will just move on and not look back, ever.

So while we talk about how "easy" it is to replace a book with a new version, that is not my experience in reality.

Sorry I guess this does not reduce the stress

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Definitely not my experience. The mindset of many self-published authors is still, alas, "I don't need the services of a professional editor". Big, BIG mistake. Authors who don't need editors are as rare as hens' teeth. I'm not saying that traditionally-published books don't contain errors - of course they do - but far, far fewer (in my experience) than many self-published books.

I do not like the idea of agreeing with a Dalek, but in this case I do.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

I tried this with my first book and both Amazon and B&N (as in 90% of my market) made it practically impossible for readers to get the new edition. For Amazon the readers would have to delete the book from their devices, all of them, AND from their account completely. Then they would have to BUY a new copy.

That's odd. Amazon quite often send me an e-mail informing me that a revised version of a book that I've previously bought is available, and asking me if I want to replace my current version with the new version. It would seem, therefore, that there is a mechanism for updating books.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's odd. Amazon quite often send me an e-mail informing me that a revised version of a book that I've previously bought is available, and asking me if I want to replace my current version with the new version. It would seem, therefore, that there is a mechanism for updating books.

If so, that might be only open to the publishers? I have never seen such an email here, but you are in UK and I am in USA so Amazon might do things differently there?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

If so, that might be only open to the publishers? I have never seen such an email here, but you are in UK and I am in USA so Amazon might do things differently there?

I've seen this "update" notice (and actually updated a purchased book) only one time in the years I've bought books from Amazon. I've not seen any option/mechanism for doing this a a self-published author.

There seem to be a lot of topics on it at the KDP community:
https://kdp.amazon.com/community/sea...pdating+a+book

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I've seen this "update" notice (and actually updated a purchased book) only one time in the years I've bought books from Amazon. I've not seen any option/mechanism for doing this a a self-published author.

There seem to be a lot of topics on it at the KDP community:
https://kdp.amazon.com/community/sea...pdating+a+book

The first item I looked at in the results from that search showed this:

You can request that KDP Support contact your coustomers and notify them of the update.

They may or may not do the notification, but they should put the Update option ont the book in their Manage my Kindle Pages.

Well, I couldn't find the email esxdplaining their policy.

The have 3 classes for problem books.

The wors kind is a "Critical Update" this is reserved for Realy bad books (don't display on all devices etc) -- For thes books KDP will notify purchasers and offer to "Push" the latest version into the archive.

Non critical updates KDP Will notify and put the option on the Manage pages.

The last kind is when they will, at their option add the update link but not inform anyone of this.

You can add a note to your book's Blurb that an update is available for books purchased before.... and add the date of your update.

the address is :

kdp-support@amazon.com <kdp-support@amazon.com>

Be nice, be concise and be descriptive of the reason for the update.

That seems pretty straightforward (although I hope this chap writes books better than he writes forum messages!)

[kennyc]

.

[HarryT]

If you go to "Manage Your Kindle" at Amazon, and select "Available for update" in the "Your Library" drop-down, it'll show you the books that have updates available. I see that I currently have 6 updates available, 5 of which are from self-pub authors.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you go to "Manage Your Kindle" at Amazon, and select "Available for update" in the "Your Library" drop-down, it'll show you the books that have updates available. I see that I currently have 6 updates available, 5 of which are from self-pub authors.

No such link on my kindle page, and I bought my own book so my update should be showing at least.