Hi from a speculative poet

ChristinaSng · 04-23-2011, 01:05 PM

Hi everyone! I'm primarily a speculative poet but dabble in some fiction too. Took a few years off to raise my 2 still-small kids. I recently returned to writing and was pretty amazed by the proliferation of ebooks.

After reading a few ebooks on Smashwords, I thought I could publish some of my older collections there and also learn about the process. Pricing has been a tricky thing so I would be so grateful for advice. I know too that poetry is a very niche market but am hopeful with a long-term view.

It's great to be here, as part of a community again. I've lurked a little and finally thought I should say hi.

jbcohen · 04-23-2011, 01:17 PM

Some free advice for a speculative poet:

1) First, proceed to the writer's section of these forums and talk about your work there;
2) Download and install Calibre and Open Office, both a free. Calibre is a library management software that will translate your documents to multiple different electronic book formats so that you can reach the widest possible set of customers; Open Office is a free office suite of software like Microsoft Office, except is free. You can use that software to translate your work into different non-English languages and can be used in conjunction with Calibre so you can sell a Vietnamese Kindle version. Since Open Office supports over 110 different languages you can state that your customers can ask for any language and any format and using Calibre and Open Office you can sell your work in a form that is best for your customer, maximizing the chances that a perspective customer will buy.
3) Make sure your internet security suite is up to date, will need to be if you are going to do business on the information superhighway.
4) Download and install CCleaner (also free) (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner) which will clean up all of the piles of junk that Windows leaves around our PC.
5) Download and install Secunia (also free) (http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal) which will keep the software on your PC up to date so there is no holes in your PC's security.

ChristinaSng · 04-23-2011, 02:12 PM

jbcohen: Thanks for the advice!

MickeyC · 04-23-2011, 05:44 PM

Hi Christina and welcome to MobileRead

GeoffC · 04-24-2011, 02:38 AM

Welcome to Mobileread....

Have you seen User Poetry - do join in ....

neilmarr · 04-24-2011, 03:09 AM

Good to have your company, Christina. Best wishes. Neil

TrineDaely · 04-24-2011, 08:37 PM

Hello Christina! I have a poetry book I just did and am geared more towards novella-length fiction now. I priced my poetry collection at 2.99, I figured it sounded cheap enough to buy without sounding too cheap compared to other ebooks. That's all speculation on my part, so take it with a grain of salt. Good luck on your projects, I know how hard it is to concentrate when you hear "Mommy..." several times an hour. Or minute.

ImogenRose · 04-25-2011, 09:02 AM

Hello and welcome to MR!

Imogen

04-23-2011, 01:05 PM	#1
ChristinaSng Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: iPhone	Hi from a speculative poet Hi everyone! I'm primarily a speculative poet but dabble in some fiction too. Took a few years off to raise my 2 still-small kids. I recently returned to writing and was pretty amazed by the proliferation of ebooks. After reading a few ebooks on Smashwords, I thought I could publish some of my older collections there and also learn about the process. Pricing has been a tricky thing so I would be so grateful for advice. I know too that poetry is a very niche market but am hopeful with a long-term view. It's great to be here, as part of a community again. I've lurked a little and finally thought I should say hi. Last edited by ChristinaSng; 04-23-2011 at 02:39 PM.

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04-23-2011, 01:17 PM	#2
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Some free advice for a speculative poet: 1) First, proceed to the writer's section of these forums and talk about your work there; 2) Download and install Calibre and Open Office, both a free. Calibre is a library management software that will translate your documents to multiple different electronic book formats so that you can reach the widest possible set of customers; Open Office is a free office suite of software like Microsoft Office, except is free. You can use that software to translate your work into different non-English languages and can be used in conjunction with Calibre so you can sell a Vietnamese Kindle version. Since Open Office supports over 110 different languages you can state that your customers can ask for any language and any format and using Calibre and Open Office you can sell your work in a form that is best for your customer, maximizing the chances that a perspective customer will buy. 3) Make sure your internet security suite is up to date, will need to be if you are going to do business on the information superhighway. 4) Download and install CCleaner (also free) (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner) which will clean up all of the piles of junk that Windows leaves around our PC. 5) Download and install Secunia (also free) (http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal) which will keep the software on your PC up to date so there is no holes in your PC's security.

04-23-2011, 02:12 PM	#3
ChristinaSng Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: iPhone	jbcohen: Thanks for the advice!

04-23-2011, 05:44 PM	#4
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Hi Christina and welcome to MobileRead

04-24-2011, 02:38 AM	#5
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Welcome to Mobileread.... Have you seen User Poetry - do join in ....

04-24-2011, 03:09 AM	#6
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, Christina. Best wishes. Neil

04-24-2011, 08:37 PM	#7
TrineDaely Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 601022 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle 3	Hello Christina! I have a poetry book I just did and am geared more towards novella-length fiction now. I priced my poetry collection at 2.99, I figured it sounded cheap enough to buy without sounding too cheap compared to other ebooks. That's all speculation on my part, so take it with a grain of salt. Good luck on your projects, I know how hard it is to concentrate when you hear "Mommy..." several times an hour. Or minute.

04-25-2011, 09:02 AM	#8
ImogenRose PORTAL Posts: 7,204 Karma: 2884640 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (3G), iPhone	Hello and welcome to MR! Imogen

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