Adventures In Publishing...

I am two semesters away from earning my degree. It's a two year degree that's taken me five years to earn, but it will be my degree. I wouldn't recommend pursuing an education while full time homeschool parenting, but one has to work within ones own parameters; learn from me kiddies.

Anyway I have taken this semester off, but do not for one moment think that means I am not getting an education, believe me. I have become exceedingly well versed in the art of self-publishing. Bear in mind these things will not neccessarily be every person's experience, but they're mine. So I will proceed to share with you the things I have learned thus far:

Firstly (and this would maybe be obvious to anyone else, but remember we are talking about me here), the file format for a printed book will not be the same format as an ebook. With the route I have chosen, I needed one file in word and a second in PDF. And it can't just be one file converted to each format. An ebook page presents differently than that of a printed book i.e. three spaces between chapters in a printed book = blank screens on an ereader.

Also, ebooks do not require page numbers for the same reason you don't want too much space between paragraphs or chapters, the pages don't present the same way. But books still need'em because if you lose your place, you get start over. Yay!

Covers for an ebook are simple enough, but if you try to use the same cover format your book comes out "too little towel for so much body" wrong. Covers must be saved in two different formats as well.

Now, with an ebook it's either "lookin good!" or "absolutely not!" when it comes to acceptance. As in, it either meets format expectations 100% or you get to do it again, and again, until you get it right. Printed books are another matter. If you don't put page numbers in your file, guess what - no page numbers in the book. No title or name on the books spine = a clean white spine. Cause and effect, see? However as a self publishing author, the person who has to catch and fix those oopsies is the author (me). Which leads to lots of upload, wait for review, check proof, Crap! That's not right!, correct, upload, wait for review, check proof, What the fig! How did I miss that?, correct, upload, wait for review, check proof, Aw c'mon!, correct, upload, wait for review, check proof (please, please, please) Success!, approve for sale. I'm hoping to be at "Success!" with this next proof.

So much fun...