Print Publication on Amazon

kennyc · 07-14-2013, 08:51 AM

Okay so I'm considering doing a print version of my recent science essay book. I've had a couple of requests for it. (as well as for my poetry book) but have avoided it so far, just seems messy and expensive. I also don't really care about selling everywhere (B&N, Sony, Apple, etc). I understand that I can use the Amazon subsidiary CreateSpace to do print publication and have set up an account there, but it's looks to be a pain in the butt and I'll have to create a specially formated version of my MS-Word (which is my master doc) in order to do it. For Kindle it's no more complicated than uploading the Word file and checking it, but this CreateSpace thing has templates and margins and fonts and all kinds of krap...somewhat daunting.

Has anyone done this?

What was your experience?

VydorScope · 07-14-2013, 11:52 AM

So, its really not that hard. I copy/paste my word doc in to the template, touch up any page breaks/etc. Then upload the result. Works well. I found it to be a million times easier to work with then Lulu or some others.

kennyc · 07-14-2013, 12:06 PM

Well that sounds encouraging. So just to be clear, you download the template from CreateSpace and then cut/paste the text in?

VydorScope · 07-14-2013, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Well that sounds encouraging. So just to be clear, you download the template from CreateSpace and then cut/paste the text in?

Well copy/paste not CUT but yes.

kennyc · 07-14-2013, 12:18 PM

Meh, who cares about the original.

kennyc · 07-14-2013, 12:24 PM

The thing that bugs me is having to maintain multiple versions/formats. As it stands this particular book is make up of stand-alone essays which can and will be published separately -- that means that any changes have to be made in three places - original article, Word Ebook doc and Print book doc...

What a pain....

VydorScope · 07-14-2013, 05:55 PM

That is where Scrivener is MAGICAL. Write once in it, set up your compiles, and BAM! Magic.

BeccaPrice · 07-14-2013, 06:16 PM

not so much anymore with Scrivener. Apparently the epub validation engines have changed some things, so that a Scrivener-compiled epub still needs some tweaking in Sigil to pass the validation engines now. Scrivener is apparently aware of this, but doesn't consider it worth issuing a patch for this just yet.

Dr. Drib · 07-14-2013, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

That is where Scrivener is MAGICAL. Write once in it, set up your compiles, and BAM! Magic.

Absolutely!

Don

VydorScope · 07-14-2013, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

not so much anymore with Scrivener. Apparently the epub validation engines have changed some things, so that a Scrivener-compiled epub still needs some tweaking in Sigil to pass the validation engines now. Scrivener is apparently aware of this, but doesn't consider it worth issuing a patch for this just yet.

Not sure what you mean, I just pushed out an epub that I am pretty sure is from Scriv... worked fine, passed all the validators... I am on a Mac so that might change things.

BeccaPrice · 07-14-2013, 07:09 PM

it might be only on the PC version - I've had to dink with the last two epubs I've compiled through Scrivener. I heard on That Other List that it's not a high priority to fix, though. On the other hand, the Powers that Be may have dinked with the validation engines again to make it a non-issue.

Lazer · 07-15-2013, 01:39 AM

I'm a big fan of Scrivener (for Mac) but when it comes to formatting for Createspace, I compile it as a doc, set the page size, page numbers, fix the orphans etc. and turn it into a PDF (using Word). It does take ME a pot of coffee but isn't a big deal, compared to writing, proofing, editing the beast!

L

KatherineMariaca · 07-15-2013, 08:10 AM

CreateSpace is very easy to use. Document set up is a breeze. I do recommend that you download one of CS's templates if this is your first time publishing in print as they have built in margins, etc.

So, simply download a template, copy and paste your work into it, go through it page by page to make sure everything looks good and you are done.

If you end up doing this often, you might want to invest in Adobe's InDesign which gives you a lot more freedom to design a book. For simple book designs (that still look great), use the templates.

Also: CS has a digital proofer. This simulates a print book. Go page by page through your book using this tool. You will probably see a few things you want to adjust. If so, make your corrections in Word and upload again (and again) until everything looks great in theDigital Proofer.

Then, order a print proof (cheap and fast) and go through everything again before approving your book for sale.

I know it sounds like a lot, but it is very easy.

Best of luck!

[Promotional text deleted - MODERATOR]

Edward M. Grant · 07-17-2013, 01:00 AM

I've found PDF is the only reliable way to get good output from Createspace, but I'm creating the .doc files in LibreOffice, so there could be some incompatibility. I had to create my own template because I never got theirs to work reliably.

07-14-2013, 08:51 AM	#1
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Print Publication on Amazon Okay so I'm considering doing a print version of my recent science essay book. I've had a couple of requests for it. (as well as for my poetry book) but have avoided it so far, just seems messy and expensive. I also don't really care about selling everywhere (B&N, Sony, Apple, etc). I understand that I can use the Amazon subsidiary CreateSpace to do print publication and have set up an account there, but it's looks to be a pain in the butt and I'll have to create a specially formated version of my MS-Word (which is my master doc) in order to do it. For Kindle it's no more complicated than uploading the Word file and checking it, but this CreateSpace thing has templates and margins and fonts and all kinds of krap...somewhat daunting. Has anyone done this? What was your experience?

07-15-2013, 08:10 AM	#13
KatherineMariaca Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2013 Device: kindle	CreateSpace is very easy to use. Document set up is a breeze. I do recommend that you download one of CS's templates if this is your first time publishing in print as they have built in margins, etc. So, simply download a template, copy and paste your work into it, go through it page by page to make sure everything looks good and you are done. If you end up doing this often, you might want to invest in Adobe's InDesign which gives you a lot more freedom to design a book. For simple book designs (that still look great), use the templates. Also: CS has a digital proofer. This simulates a print book. Go page by page through your book using this tool. You will probably see a few things you want to adjust. If so, make your corrections in Word and upload again (and again) until everything looks great in theDigital Proofer. Then, order a print proof (cheap and fast) and go through everything again before approving your book for sale. I know it sounds like a lot, but it is very easy. Best of luck! [Promotional text deleted - MODERATOR] Last edited by Dr. Drib; 07-15-2013 at 09:13 AM.

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07-14-2013, 11:52 AM	#2
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	So, its really not that hard. I copy/paste my word doc in to the template, touch up any page breaks/etc. Then upload the result. Works well. I found it to be a million times easier to work with then Lulu or some others.

07-14-2013, 12:06 PM	#3
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Well that sounds encouraging. So just to be clear, you download the template from CreateSpace and then cut/paste the text in?

07-14-2013, 12:18 PM	#5
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Meh, who cares about the original.

07-14-2013, 12:24 PM	#6
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	The thing that bugs me is having to maintain multiple versions/formats. As it stands this particular book is make up of stand-alone essays which can and will be published separately -- that means that any changes have to be made in three places - original article, Word Ebook doc and Print book doc... What a pain....

07-14-2013, 05:55 PM	#7
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	That is where Scrivener is MAGICAL. Write once in it, set up your compiles, and BAM! Magic.

07-14-2013, 06:16 PM	#8
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	not so much anymore with Scrivener. Apparently the epub validation engines have changed some things, so that a Scrivener-compiled epub still needs some tweaking in Sigil to pass the validation engines now. Scrivener is apparently aware of this, but doesn't consider it worth issuing a patch for this just yet.

07-14-2013, 07:09 PM	#11
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	it might be only on the PC version - I've had to dink with the last two epubs I've compiled through Scrivener. I heard on That Other List that it's not a high priority to fix, though. On the other hand, the Powers that Be may have dinked with the validation engines again to make it a non-issue.

07-15-2013, 01:39 AM	#12
Lazer Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1498858 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	I'm a big fan of Scrivener (for Mac) but when it comes to formatting for Createspace, I compile it as a doc, set the page size, page numbers, fix the orphans etc. and turn it into a PDF (using Word). It does take ME a pot of coffee but isn't a big deal, compared to writing, proofing, editing the beast! L

07-17-2013, 01:00 AM	#14
Edward M. Grant Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 3000000 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kindle Keyboard, Asus Transformer	I've found PDF is the only reliable way to get good output from Createspace, but I'm creating the .doc files in LibreOffice, so there could be some incompatibility. I had to create my own template because I never got theirs to work reliably.