A bit of advice please...

[JamesO'Neill]

Hello, I have just written my first book and I have been advised to release it as a an eBook.

I was wondering if any of you could advise me on the best sites to upload to and can you use more than one.

Should I enable DRM or not.

and just another other advice in general would be much appreciated.

Kind regards

J

[HarryT]

Most authors get the overwhelming majority of their sales from Amazon, so that's the number one choice.

But before you do so, PLEASE make sure that you have your book professionally edited. That is (IMHO) the single biggest error that novice authors make: to think that they are the 1 in 100 whose work doesn't need to be edited.

[gmw]

You'll have to excuse Harry, he has a thing about editing . Which is not to say he is wrong, releasing a poorly edited book may cast a lasting stigma even over your future work. That said, many authors do publish their first books without professional help, sometimes coming back later to fix their first efforts if/when they get any income from their work to justify the expense. BUT, if you are unable to get professional help, at least look for good outside help. Don't assume you can do it all yourself.

Much can the same can be said about the cover.

To your questions...

There is no requirement to go with just one (unless you sign up for special offers requiring exclusivity for a limited time (make sure it is limited) - eg: Amazon KDP Select).

Again I agree with Harry, Amazon has to be on the top of your list. Make up your own mind whether their exclusive option would suit you (you only have to be exclusive for a few months, so it may do).

Other options to seriously consider include Smashwords and BookBaby, as these will distribute to many resellers for you (read the conditions etc. on the respective sites). Both those will deliver to Amazon too, theoretically saving you some effort, but I suggest you go direct to Amazon, it can save hassles later (words of experience here). There are others, but these are two I have used. I was with BookBaby for a while, but moved to Smashwords when BookBaby changed their offerings - but even so, I think BookBaby is worth considering. BookBaby is flashier, and easier to deal with if you aren't in America (but slow to respond to emails). While I have found Smashwords to be more generally helpful; their website isn't as flashy but is more functional.

Further advice is hard to give without knowing more. If the genre is non-fiction or specific types of fiction then your alternatives can be different to most popular fiction. If you have the knowledge to create your own epub (for example), then you may pick a slightly different approach than if you just want to upload a Word file.

DRM is a potentially contentious issue that regularly raises long discussions here (usually in other parts of the forum, thankfully). I chose not to use it, and my first reaction would be to advise you do the same, but it is a personal choice. Read the arguments and make your own decision. Again, your choice can also be influenced by the genre. For example, specialist non-fiction may see more benefit from DRM.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by gmw

You'll have to excuse Harry, he has a thing about editing .

Only because it is, to my mind, the number one mistake that novice (and sometimes not so novice, too) authors make, to think that their work doesn't need editing.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Only because it is, to my mind, the number one mistake that novice (and sometimes not so novice, too) authors make, to think that their work doesn't need editing.

I was just having a friendly dig, Harry.

If it wasn't for outside help, my books would be confusing readers whenever a character sat on a lounge (sofa), and that may have been the least of the problems.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Only because it is, to my mind, the number one mistake that novice (and sometimes not so novice, too) authors make, to think that their work doesn't need editing.

On the other hand, if an editor would take 10 hours to read a book, he'll probably take 20 at least to read AND edit it. At €50 to €60 per hour (which is a normal hourly rate in the Netherlands, for people who do freelance work), each editing pass will cost €1.000 to €1.200.

Assuming you'd need three passes, it'll come down to €3,000-€3,600 to have your book edited. Have a cover designed... which can take another 20 hours... and you'll be looking at roughly €4,500 or so to have your first book self-published.

If you're not using software that can generate e-books automatically and you need to have it created, add another €500-1,500 or so.

I can imagine that people forgo editing and use a stock photo and free font for a cover. I don't say it's good, or even enough, but I can understand it.

[Lemurion]

Every book needs editing.

Some writers can get away with self-editing, but not many. While it seems simple enough, there are two problems that often crop up: First, it's much harder to edit your own work than someone else's; that's true of anyone. Second, many authors, especially those who are new to the craft, haven't developed the skills.

Editing and writing are different skill sets, and to edit your own work you need both. You also need time. At a conservative estimate, it often takes twice as long to edit your own work as someone else's.

You can do it, but you need to go in with your eyes open.

[gmw]

Katsunami, cost is a big factor in this, particularly if you happen to write very long stories. When writing, for many of us, is something we do in a our spare time because we enjoy it, justifying the cost of competent professional editing can be difficult - especially when any realistic look at publishing has you understand that you may never recoup the expense. Of course, you then have to consider that lack of professional editing may end up being the reason why you fail to sell books. The old rock and a hard-place conundrum.

I agree with most of what you've said Lemurion, and there are tricks to aid self-editing. For example, I've found that read-back software helps me pick up many errors; the computer reads what is actually there, not what it expects to see, and I often hear errors that I haven't seen no many how many times I've read over it. But I still end up missing some.

But no amount of tricks will help you find errors due to ignorance. Unless you are especially skilled in this area, some ignorance in grammar and spelling is likely. And then there are very simple things, like my example of "lounge": all the people close to me use "lounge" the same way I do (as a piece of furniture, and as a room), it took outside help to highlight this as something likely to confuse a wider audience. The point being that we all need help, as much of it as we can get.

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by gmw

Katsunami, cost is a big factor in this, particularly if you happen to write very long stories. When writing, for many of us, is something we do in a our spare time because we enjoy it, justifying the cost of competent professional editing can be difficult - especially when any realistic look at publishing has you understand that you may never recoup the expense. Of course, you then have to consider that lack of professional editing may end up being the reason why you fail to sell books. The old rock and a hard-place conundrum.

I agree with most of what you've said Lemurion, and there are tricks to aid self-editing. For example, I've found that read-back software helps me pick up many errors; the computer reads what is actually there, not what it expects to see, and I often hear errors that I haven't seen no many how many times I've read over it. But I still end up missing some.

But no amount of tricks will help you find errors due to ignorance. Unless you are especially skilled in this area, some ignorance in grammar and spelling is likely. And then there are very simple things, like my example of "lounge": all the people close to me use "lounge" the same way I do (as a piece of furniture, and as a room), it took outside help to highlight this as something likely to confuse a wider audience. The point being that we all need help, as much of it as we can get.

Screen readers help a lot, as does printing it out in a monospaced rather than proportional font. (It changes the number of words per line, so everything looks different.)

However, as gmw says, you also need the skills and knowledge. You have to be a competent editor, and budget twice the time you would for someone else's work.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by gmw

You'll have to excuse Harry, he has a thing about editing .

Amen on Harry. I'm completely with him on his editing comments.

Other options to seriously consider include Smashwords and BookBaby, as these will distribute to many resellers for you (read the conditions etc. on the respective sites). Both those will deliver to Amazon too,

Has Amazon and Smashwords' rather famous break-up, which started in 2009, ended? As far as I know, only extremely select titles from SW now apotheose to Amazon, books that sell in the thousands, not less than. Has that changed?


Hitch

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

On the other hand, if an editor would take 10 hours to read a book, he'll probably take 20 at least to read AND edit it. At €50 to €60 per hour (which is a normal hourly rate in the Netherlands, for people who do freelance work), each editing pass will cost €1.000 to €1.200.

Assuming you'd need three passes, it'll come down to €3,000-€3,600 to have your book edited. Have a cover designed... which can take another 20 hours... and you'll be looking at roughly €4,500 or so to have your first book self-published.

If you're not using software that can generate e-books automatically and you need to have it created, add another €500-1,500 or so.

Where are you, again? I need in that market.

I can imagine that people forgo editing and use a stock photo and free font for a cover. I don't say it's good, or even enough, but I can understand it.

What matters is the design--not how it gets there, or from whence comes the stock image. I've seen extraordinary covers created with pretty ordinary art.

Vis-a-vis editing:

I know that this won't be a popular opinion, but I don't think lack of funds is an acceptable excuse. Amazon, et al, are not critique groups, nor writing courses. If a publisher (and that's what a self-publishing author is--a publisher) is going to put a book up for sale, it should be of the same quality as every other book that's up for professional, commercial sale. If that means that someone without money has to suffer through 5 different free critique groups, then so be it.

Once a book leaves the author's hands, and enters the publisher's hands--even if that's the same person--it becomes a commercial product. Nothing more, nothing less. No matter how much "sweat, heart, emotion" etc., was put into it, now it's just a product. A product that has to compete with all the others.

I mean, think of it this way: we've all heard authors say, "oh, I'll pay for an editor once I have some sales, and have the money to do it." Authors are providing an entertainment service, essentially, (or a knowledge service, take your pick), are they not? How would those self-same authors feel if I returned an "mostly done" ebook to them, and told them I'd hire a competent bookmaker when I could afford it? Do you really think that they'd be okay with that? I don't.

Books, bookmakers, vacuums, blow-dryers: they're products. The idea that "it's good enough" isn't good enough.

I truly don't understand that mindset--that it's "okay" to put up something that's less than Random House, or Ballantine, because they're "self-published" and don't have the money. Who does that serve? All that behavior does is reinforce the whole "self-published ghetto" idea, that Indypubs are the third-tier of books, behind trade pub bestsellers, and behind their midlists. I know it doesn't serve the reading public, and I don't see how it helps self-pubbed authors.

It's not out of reach for writers to find critique groups, beta readers, etc. Yes, it's a lot of work to do the labor of proofing, critiquing, and beta-reading other people's books, to "earn" their own critiques. But this short-cutting that happens today...the whole idea that what used to be a 10,000 hour writing career can be recreated in a month or two of writing--it doesn't work. We all see the dreck on Amazon, Smashwords, etc. But money alone isn't the answer: putting in the time and the work is the answer, if they don't have money. At least then, there's a reasonable chance that the book won't be rife with typos, if naught else.

Just my $.02. But seriously, folks: authors are selling a product. Just like every other small business in the world. Like every other entrepreneur. while I'm sure it feels unique to the people writing them, the end result isn't: it's just another product for sale by another entrepreneur. And unless they'd expect to buy less-than-perfect stuff from a small business, with their excuse that they don't have the funds to do it right...then they can't expect that to be a viable excuse for a publisher.

Hitch

[gmw]

Hitch, I don't think anyone here is arguing that an author shouldn't make every effort to make the book as good as possible - but the fact is that competent professional editing costs serious money. As it should. It takes lots of time and lots of skill, good editors well and truly earn their money.

But that money is an obstacle. If you don't have it, you have to find other ways to achieve a good result, which generally means relying on the kindness of others. I wasn't aware that critique groups would be considered useful for editing tasks. I've had many people read over my manuscripts, but the fact is that only a couple of them have the skill and attention to detail required for the job of proof reading - let alone any other facet of editing.

Yes, we should try to make our books as good as the big publishers. On the other hand, most of us aren't trying to sell our books for $10+ each, and we'd be foolish to try. Most consumers, whatever the product, make an automatic allowance with regard to cost. Yes, there are some that think a 0.99c ebook should be every bit as good as a $10 ebook in terms of production quality, but this isn't the rule. Which is not supposed to suggest that the author of the 0.99c book can get away with mistakes on every line, but does suggest that some handful of errors spread through the 100 pages (or whatever) may be forgiven - because, let's face it, even the big publishers let books through with some mistakes.

There will always be many out there willing to upload they're latest effort after spending a whole week, , typing it out, that isn't going to change any time soon (or, probably, at all). Whether you've spent thousands producing your book, or spent months doing everything you can to make your manuscript as perfect as you can, you are still faced with that reality. That, at the end of it all, your book may disappear into the mire of newly released work.

Good editing is critically important if you hope to ever escape from the mire, but let's not fool ourselves that good editing means your book will sell. So the question of cost definitely does come into it: Just how much money is a person able (let alone willing) to invest in this gamble?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by gmw

Yes, we should try to make our books as good as the big publishers. On the other hand, most of us aren't trying to sell our books for $10+ each, and we'd be foolish to try. Most consumers, whatever the product, make an automatic allowance with regard to cost. Yes, there are some that think a 0.99c ebook should be every bit as good as a $10 ebook in terms of production quality, but this isn't the rule.

What I cannot accept, though, are books that are full of spelling and grammatical errors, such as using "it's" where it should be "its", or "your" instead of "you're". That's just plain and simple ignorance and, for me, makes any book an automatic "fail".

Can I ask you a question, please? This isn't a criticism - just curiosity. In the text I've quoted above, you refer to a "0.99c ebook". I've seen many people say that their book costs "0.99c", when it turns out that they really mean that it costs 99c. Why do people write "0.99c" when they mean 99c? This seems to be a uniquely American phenomenon: I've never seen a British author say that their book costs 0.99p when they mean 99p.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Only because it is, to my mind, the number one mistake that novice (and sometimes not so novice, too) authors make, to think that their work doesn't need editing.

True. There is always someone who thinks their work is flawless. Of course even pro. editors sometimes miss errors I imagine as no one is perfect. And now with it being so easy to self-publish now days I can imagine there are a lot more badly edited books out there than there used to be.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What I cannot accept, though, are books that are full of spelling and grammatical errors, such as using "it's" where it should be "its", or "your" instead of "you're". That's just plain and simple ignorance and, for me, makes any book an automatic "fail".

Can I ask you a question, please? This isn't a criticism - just curiosity. In the text I've quoted above, you refer to a "0.99c ebook". I've seen many people say that their book costs "0.99c", when it turns out that they really mean that it costs 99c. Why do people write "0.99c" when they mean 99c? This seems to be a uniquely American phenomenon: I've never seen a British author say that their book costs 0.99p when they mean 99p.

I need an editor for my posts. Want the job?

I'm Australian, and a few more seconds thought would have had me remove the "c" or remove the "0.". Australia suffers a sort of schizophrenic influence from both UK and America. The core comes from the UK, but American influences have slowly insinuated themselves, largely thanks to TV and the Internet. I suspect this may be especially bad for software developers, like myself, where we have to get used to using "color" (for example) in an API, and then make hard choices about how we document our code. (eg: Is something like this: "To change the colour of the text use the Font.Color property." sensible?)

But, back to the point. I agree that books that a full of blatant errors simply should not happen. If a writer doesn't have the skill to fix them then they need to enlist the help of someone that can (paid or otherwise). Of course, in ignorance, they may not even realise the mistakes exist. But "full" can be a subjective term in this context. Some readers are very sensitive to even a few errors, others pass blithely over them. I suspect a lot depends on the quality of the story aside from those mistakes.