Sizzling Summer Sale

Last question first: Yes, you can upload your own work to any website and keep copyright, you are just "paying rent" to the hosts for offering your work on their site.

These are the steps (do not expect to do it all in a day, or seven days, or a month, it takes as long as it takes):

1. Format your books (stories) in a Word (.doc) file for Smashwords (save files with smashwords or swords in the filename). They have very specific guidelines for the premium catalog: basically no fonts above 14pt, text in an easy to read font, no page numbers, copyright page must say "published on Smashwords" or words to that effect.

The formatting rules are to make the text into a long string of spaghetti ASCII code that can go onto any reading device and enlarged without any formatting problems (end of line breaks, tabs, etc).

2. Wait for the ebooks to be accepted into the premium catalog.

3. While waiting for (2) remove the "published by Smashwords" line on the copyright page and replace with Published by Levingston Press (or whatever). Save files with
kindle in the file name. (Two sets of files with either Smashwords or Kindle in the names, so that you don't upload wrong file by accident.)

4. Back to Smashwords, set price of one of the books to FREE. Wait till that book appears as a free download on the iBookstore or B&N. Inform Amazon and wait for them to price match.

I uploaded my files to Smashwords starting in 2008. I uploaded the Kindle files in February/March this year. Two of my books were available for free download from June 3rd until the end of June. If you start the process now, it will take several months before everything is set up.

If Don checks back and gives updates about how his books are going: how long it takes for his first book to go free, the number of free downloads that are made, and an idea of an increase in sales, then you can guage from his experience the time scale for your own books. Don has been adding books to Kindle for quite some time. He is in an ideal position to get the ball rolling. Anyone just setting out will have to be as patient as he has been. That's the way it works.

Thank you. I think I can manage to follow that. It seems much clearer now.

I realize it will take time.

Ann

I add my thanks. Shelagh, thanks for offering to send Dunn's River Falls file that would be great. I'm going to peck away at this.

Yes, a mind wall is similar to writer's block but much more inclusive :-)

Ann, I've not been able to make a book a free download on Kindle, which is why I was looking into the price matching idea that Shelagh is using. You can make it a free book on Smashwords, and as Shelagh says, Kindle may or may not match the price.

Smashwords has a very specific set of rules that you absolutely must follow and it took me a bit of time to figure it out. I've kind of got it down to basic now, but each book has to be reformatted in a style they can use, and if it isn't they just keep telling you to redo it. Other than my collections, I now have just about everything at both places.

But, Ann and DK, if you need help with the formatting I'll be glad to help. However, take the offer now, because I'm working on perhaps offering the formatting procedure as a service. I think there may be a demand for it, as a lot of people have trouble with the procedure, and it might be easier to pay for some help than to try and learn it all. So, now it a good time to tell me if you want me to give you a hand.

As this process plays out, I'll keep everyone up to date on how it going, and maybe several of us can tweak out a system that we can actually make a few bucks from.

Oh, and just so you know, Smashwords requires a cover of good image quality, and of course you want something catchy. You might want to give that a bit of thought.

Thanks, Don. I downloaded the Smashwords style book, and am studying it carefully as I go. Right now, I'm doing short stories, which ought to be a little easier.

So far, so good.

Thanks again.

Ann

Just trying to eliminate a lot of trial and error for you. No problem. Won't butt in again.

Forgot the cover bit - - - and I'm working on this this weekend. I may seek your help Don; Shelagh sent ...two formats. I think I'll make the cover a map of Jamaica and mark Dunn's River Falls with an X.

Shelagh wrote:

LynnCSWC wrote:

One of our characters kicked down a door and quoted a John Wayne line to boot.

Put the boot in?

Here's the excerpt from the book ...Val shoots the door open. When Chopper Dan enters, he uses his best John Wayne imitation saying, “Knock, Knock.”...

Shelagh, what I meant by 'to boot" was...as well. It's an expression I picked up somewhere along the line. I thought it was very punny 'to boot' and boot as in 'a covering for a foot usually worn by bikers and military types' of course I was tired when I wrote it...so that didn't help. Might also explain something else...he didn't actually kick the door in...that was from the movie.

I believe the quote is from a John Wayne movie, "McQ".

I hope that clarifies things for you.

dkchristi wrote:

I add my thanks. Shelagh, thanks for offering to send Dunn's River Falls file that would be great. I'm going to peck away at this.

Yes, a mind wall is similar to writer's block but much more inclusive :-)

Thanks D.K. for clarifying.

Thanks Shelagh for that step by step process. I might need it myself at some point.

E. Don Harpe wrote:

Just trying to eliminate a lot of trial and error for you. No problem. Won't butt in again.

Pardon me...did I miss something here.

Personally, I think it is great that you are helping others out.

You could have picked up the expression "to boot" just about anywhere in the south. I heard it and used it all my life.

DK, if you send me the word file, I'll format it for you in the way Smashwords wants it.

I'm sorry guys, but I can get the entire thing finished in the time it takes to try and explain the procedure or give anyone tips on how to do it. Not being disagreeable, but I don't have all that much more time than anyone else does.

I don't mind helping, but it's gotta be in the way that I can do it and not have to use any more time than necessary.

No, Lynn, you're really not missing anything. Ann just said she was going to work on it herself, and I said that's fine. In a roundabout way.

See my previous post for why I answered as I did.

I can just do it for someone quicker than I can teach them the procedure, or post back and forth with suggestions. And while I really don't mind, I seldom offer more than once.

Oops...this thing slides to different places after I post...so I guess I do miss some important part of the thread. I just want back and found it. Sorry to create even more confusion guys.

My Sizzling Summer Sale ends tomorrow. I will post the final tallies on Saturday.

Shelagh...what do I do with this thread after that?



Just saw Don's post. I agree about time constraints Don. I've been pulling my hair out lately trying to juggle too many balls in the air. I'm sure you are right about picking up the expression down south. I've lived here most of my life...even though I was born in southern New York.

LynnCSWC wrote:

Shelagh wrote:

LynnCSWC wrote:

One of our characters kicked down a door and quoted a John Wayne line to boot.

Put the boot in?

Here's the excerpt from the book ...Val shoots the door open. When Chopper Dan enters, he uses his best John Wayne imitation saying, “Knock, Knock.”...

Shelagh, what I meant by 'to boot" was...as well. It's an expression I picked up somewhere along the line. I thought it was very punny 'to boot' and boot as in 'a covering for a foot usually worn by bikers and military types' of course I was tired when I wrote it...so that didn't help. Might also explain something else...he didn't actually kick the door in...that was from the movie.

I believe the quote is from a John Wayne movie, "McQ".

I hope that clarifies things for you.

LOL! Lynne, I know the expression well and thought it was a pun. So was "put the boot in" which is an idiom meaning to kick something or to make a bad situation worse.

I didn't mean to sound unappreciative E. Don. It's just that, now that I have a better handle on what I need to do, I will enjoy the process.

You weren't butting in.

Ann

Don,

Your Rinky Dinks book is already on Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-of-the-south-town-rinky-dinks-e-don-harpe/1014197741?ean=2940011283222&itm=1&usri=e%2bdon%2bharpe

If Fire Fell from Heaven does not show up, I suggest that you lower the price of this to $0.00.

I knew the Rinky Dinks was there, Shelagh, but I can't lower the price. It's published through RJ Buckley, and I don't have any say so over it. As you know, the process with Smashwords is not exactly overnight. There's a pretty good waiting time between each step, and I'm at the stage where just about all of the books and stories have been approved by the human readers (or checkers) and the next step is for them to ship them to the various online book sellers.

I can look at the time table and see that they are scheduled to be shipped, but so far I haven't found a way to tell when that will happen.

I imagine as soon as Barnes and Noble lists Fire Fell for the Nook reader as a free book, then Amazon will decide if they want to match that or not.

Right now it's a wait and see thing, and that's what I'm doing. And hoping that the strategy will pay off.

I'm not a very patient person - I hope I can stay the course and receive the benefit....I'll email you off forum, Don. Thanks for your help and to Shelagh - the writing world is changing. I have a couple books ready to publish with a small press but now wonder if I should put them into this process instead. So difficult to be certain.

Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine is free on amazon.co.uk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Planemakers-Flying-Machine-ebook/dp/B0046REN9M/

Edited to add: 13 downloads in the last minute!

It's four hours since my last post and Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine is now:

#159 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
#5 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
#7 in Kindle Store > Books > Children's eBooks

Shelagh wrote:

LynnCSWC wrote:

Shelagh wrote:

LynnCSWC wrote:

One of our characters kicked down a door and quoted a John Wayne line to boot.

Put the boot in?

Here's the excerpt from the book ...Val shoots the door open. When Chopper Dan enters, he uses his best John Wayne imitation saying, “Knock, Knock.”...

Shelagh, what I meant by 'to boot" was...as well. It's an expression I picked up somewhere along the line. I thought it was very punny 'to boot' and boot as in 'a covering for a foot usually worn by bikers and military types' of course I was tired when I wrote it...so that didn't help. Might also explain something else...he didn't actually kick the door in...that was from the movie.

I believe the quote is from a John Wayne movie, "McQ".

I hope that clarifies things for you.

LOL! Lynne, I know the expression well and thought it was a pun. So was "put the boot in" which is an idiom meaning to kick something or to make a bad situation worse.

Ah, I get it now. Sorry, I can be a bit dense sometimes...or maybe not as informed as others on all phrase usage. Thanks for clarifying.

Shelagh wrote:

It's four hours since my last post and Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine is now:

#159 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
#5 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
#7 in Kindle Store > Books > Children's eBooks

I'm happy for you!

Final hours of our Sizzling Summer Sale. $2.99 each for Call Sign: Wrecking Crew (Storm Warning) e-books.

Amazon Kindle, U.S.:
http://www.amazon.com/Call-Sign-Wrecking-Warning-ebook/dp/B004INHK2G/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1309399051&sr=1-1

Amazon Kindle U.K.:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Call-Sign-Wrecking-Warning-ebook/dp/B004INHK2G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310941786&sr=8-1


B&N:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Call-Sign/David-McKoy/e/2940012975584


$2.99 (U.S.) each.

Thanks to everyone who has purchased a book so far.

Current Stats since beginning of the Sizzling Summer Sale we have sold:
Four for Kindle U.S.
Zero for Kindle U.K.
One for Barnes & Noble, U.S.

I'm working on a cover for "From Belfast to St. Joe" for Smashwords. What do you think?



Ann