Thoughts At One In The Morning is proud to present a blog post series for unpublished writers on the self-publishing world. I have asked four indie authors to share with you the different steps they have taken on their journey. They will discuss the writing process itself, the steps in between, and publishing itself. Please join us every week for a new topic on the journey to becoming an indie author!
Our Indie Author panel:
Marie Landry, author of Blue Sky Days
You can find her on her blog Ramblings Of A Daydreamer.
A.M. Hargrove, author of The Guardians Of The Vesteron series
You can find her on her blog A.M. Hargrove.
Avery Sawyer, author of Notes To Self
You can find her on her website The Teashop Girls.
Michelle Flick, author of The Owens Legacy: Revelations
You can find her on her blog Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!.
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This week on The Journey of Self-Publishing:
~Extras To Include~
What else do I need to include in the front and back of my book?
A.M. Hargrove: I add the dedication, acknowledgment and about the author, along with all my information on how they can find me--website addy, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I haven't yet added another author's work but that's something I'm definitely considering.
Marie Landry: Disclaimers, copyright, dedication, acknowledgements, about the author, other promotional information, sneak peeks into your other work or another author’s work. The Style Guide will tell you everything you need to know. Smashwords has a specific copyright blurb that you have to put in, and if you’re uploading to different sites, it’s just a matter of changing the name from Smashwords to, say, Amazon. I also looked at several books to get an idea of how to do the dedication and acknowledgements, where I wanted it in the book, etc. As long as it’s formatted correctly, there’s not much you can’t add, and the placement is up to you (I did dedication at the beginning, and my acknowledgements and bio at the end).
Avery Sawyer: You need to include “copyright 2012 [your name]” at the front. This is covered in the Smashwords style guide. Including acknowledgements and a dedication is up to the individual author. Some authors include excerpts or links to their other books at the end of their book. It’s not a bad idea, as long as you don’t overdo it (for example, including an over-long excerpt).
Michelle Flick: You should think about your acknowledgement, and about the Author page, the dedication, the table of contents, the cover page - you know all the things that books include that you don't think about because the manuscript has been dominating your entire existence.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Avery Sawyer: Nope. Although, when I come out with a second Avery Sawyer title, I will add an excerpt to the end of Notes to Self.
Michelle Flick: For my acknowledgements section, I am keeping track of the people who have helped me and trying to make it more personal for the next novel.
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Thank you for the great advice on extras to include!
Join us next week when our Indie Author panel will discuss in more detail Book Trailers and how you can make one for your novel.
I didn't even think about any extras to add to my book. As if the formatting isn't going to be difficult enough! At least now I know where to start.
ReplyDeleteHehe, I know. Every time I read a book and see acknowledgments, I think, AH!!! That's right!!! Lol.
DeleteSince I self-pubbed, I have gone to the people who were not included, because I was so dominated by everything else physically thanked them, and promised to put them in the next book. No one seemed to mind. They were all really proud of me, but I firmly believe they deserve to be thanked!
DeleteThat's a good idea in case you forget someone, but it's bound to happen at least once, I'm sure. :P
DeleteI'm glad these authors are suggesting these things to add. I hate reading eBooks that have nothing but the book. No author info or anything. Drives me nuts!
ReplyDeleteYes! It gives the book a better feel, more personal, and professional. :)
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