The Proof of the Pudding is in the Reading #Indie publishing

Proof Copy of Desiccation

The proof copy of my urban fantasy novel Desiccation has arrived! Here I am posing in front of my bookshelf that’s populated with the works of all those literary greats who have inspired me to write.

When I showed the book to my son, Joshua, he inspected the front and back cover, browsed through a page or two (just like someone visiting a shop or library) and declared, “Wow, it looks like a real book!”

I am so excited. But now to stay level and proofread it through with absolute concentration. The formatting looks good, but there might still be a sneaky little typo hiding somewhere.

My eBook version is ready, but waiting for conversion to html after I’m sure there are no typos in the paperback copy.

Then it’s all systems go.

But before  cracking on with the last stage, I’m taking a breather until next Tuesday to spend time doing something other than book-related stuff.

Am exhausted, but jubilant…

See you all next week xxxx

Author: Sarah Potter Writes

Sarah is a British eccentric who writes offbeat fiction, haiku and tanka poetry. When stuck for words, she sketches or paints instead. She's into nature conservation, sustainability, gardening, dogs, natural health, and reading. Her sociability is something that happens in short bursts with long breathing spaces in between.

44 thoughts on “The Proof of the Pudding is in the Reading #Indie publishing”

    1. What a coincidence. We visited each other’s blogs at exactly the same moment just now!
      Yes, Sylvia, I laughed at my son’s remark, too 😀 He has a very dry sense of humour and is always making me laugh.

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  4. So thrilled for you dearest Sarah, but not as thrilled as you look in your lovely photo! What a fantastic achievement…so proud of you and all your hard work. And now you have a ‘real book’ 😀 Enjoy your non-book related stuff for the next few days and so look forward to your news of the release of Desiccation 🙂 xxxx

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  5. Sarah…This is freakin’ fantastic! I’m so proud of you that I’m doing a huge dance for you over here….haven’t been around in a bit and was delighted to see what you’ve been up to…I wish you all the success in the world 🙂 Keep us posted on the progress…You want me to read and review?

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    1. Hi there, Little L. I can see you dancing from here! Thanks for your good wishes 🙂 Of course I’ll keep you posted on progress and let you know when it’s published. Would love you to read and review. As you can see from the 60’s-style sci-fi cover, I’m having a bit of “screamsville” fun with this novel.

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  6. I am not sure if you have ever read a comment of mine on an authors post befire. I usually get all the details when a book is published and submit on a written form to our county library for purchase. This way I may read it, not add to the crowded one bedroom apt and also support the author. I believe a book well read by many is also satisfying to you, WHEN this happens, Sarah!
    Notice I said “when” and not “if.” You have made it, Sarah! 🙂

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    1. Hi Robin, It will be available to libraries in the US, but probably not for a few weeks after publication. I don’t think it will be available in my country, though. Not quite sure how wide the distribution goes.

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    1. Hopefully, Dave, it will be available some time in the first week of December. Presently trying to get my head around coordinating the same publication day for the paperback and eBook version, while also signing up for Amazon Advantage. It is all most confusing. I’ve just posted on the CS forum, to see if anybody can enlighten me.

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      1. I found this tricky too. I uploaded and test read the kindle version first, only to find out at the end of uploading and proof reading the print version that I had the option to publish that version also as an ebook. Not that it mattered either way I guess. I actually preferred to format both seperately as they require different standards. So looking forward to your book!

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      2. Yes, I’m formatting my two versions separately and don’t intend to opt for the automatic conversion service on Create Space. Apparently, it’s very hard to convert a fixed PDF document to an html one with reflowable text, which is what they attempt to do, and get reliable results. With my paperback version, I have drop caps and various things that would not convert properly without a fancy programme to do it.
        By the way, now I know what you meant, with your own experience, about reading and re-reading and thinking you’ve spotted all the proof errors … grrrr. I am so glad that I ordered a proof copy and scoured it for errors. Can’t believe how many I’ve found, and yet I have read it through so many times (and other people have too). Much easier to spot them in a paperback than on-screen, so worth being patient, I guess, but as for achieving my self-imposed deadline for next week … not so sure.
        Now I have to decide which version to publish first, as it seems a logistical nightmare to attempt to do it on the same day. Also, have you any idea if I can sign up to Amazon Advantage if I’ve published the paperback first? Any suggestions gratefully received.

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  9. Pingback: The Quest for Zombie Art | Dave Farmer

  10. I can’t tell which is more wonderful to see- someone looking so proud, that cover art (right up my street!) or the bookshelves behind you!

    I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the release date

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    1. Thank you. The release date should be either the first or second week in December, but coordinating an exact date between the Create Space version and the Kindle one is possibly too much too hope for.
      Yes, I still love paperbacks but will read eBooks when they’re not available in paperback.
      Thank you for following my blog 🙂

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      1. I have been known to buy the paperback edition of a book I already have in Kindle format if I really love it.

        Essentially the book has proven itself worthy of shelf space 😄

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    1. It’s sort of going well, if it weren’t for me having the flu followed by a frozen shoulder. But today, to my delight, I uploaded my html file to kindle and found that I’d got all the formatting right, so it displayed correctly on all 9 devices when I tested it. Not published yet, as am still fiddling with pricing, book description, and keywords. On the homeward stretch. Will soon have an announcement to make and start being more social again. Am very aware of neglecting you, dear Cybele x

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  13. In answer to your question, I honestly can’t remember. I know that the print version takes a while to be accepted. 48 hours or something like that, it tells you in the CreateSpace dashboard. So if you prep both versions, get them loaded up but hit publish on CreateSpace copy first, then wait and keep checking until it’s gone green and available, and then hit publish on the kindle version, which goes live faster.

    Feels a bit hit and miss I know. If I recall there wasn’t an actual date or time I was given for the print version to go live, just a time frame like 48 hours. That said, when I uploaded an edited version the same thing happened, but it went through within hours, not the 24 they stated.

    I think they say that as a maximim not an actual iron clad time, and I found it’s usually faster than they state.

    So looking forward to it!

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    1. Thanks Dave for that info. Out of interest, did you sign up for Amazon Advantage? I’m still undecided about pricing, especially under-pricing. Just because people buy a Kindle version for $0.99 or download it for free, doesn’t mean that they’ll ever read or review it. What’s your thinking about this?

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      1. I didn’t recognise the name so I’ve just had a look. I’m not signed up to Amazon Advantage. From what I’ve read (especially in the Books guide section) this is geared toward sellers who already have books to sell – their own maybe or others such as clients or 2nd hand resellers possibly. I suspect in order for this to work for authors such as myself, and indeed you, it seems to point toward already having these in print and ready to be shipped.

        However, since CreateSpace is a print on demand service, there’s no need for an actual stock of your own book/s. I guess it may work if you’re with a publisher or an agent, say a small independent one, where you could place on order for 100 copies for example, at cost to you and the publisher, and then Amazon Advantage would work, in theory.

        Seems to me that you’d need that initial outlay to pay for the printing, and you’d have to manage the cost of sales versus cost of print production. Could be useful if that arrangement becomes necessary when you become a well known and highly sought after author! Or indeed if the demand outweighs Amazon’s ability to keep up with their own printing process. Or, on the other hand, if an author wanted a different style/format/layout for their print books than what CreateSpace have, then they could choose to have them printed independently and then use Advantage.

        Again, it seems to point to the author paying out for that service in order to use Advantage to organise and run their sales.

        Unless I have that all wrong of course!

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      2. As I understand it, signing up for Amazon Advantage is the only way you can earn 70% rather than 30% royalties, but only on your kindle version and if it’s priced over $2.99 and you’re using Amazon exclusively for ebook sales. When you publish on Create Space, your POD version and kindle versions should end up listed with each other, but only the latter is governed by Amazon Advantage. I think that’s how it works anyway. Also you are allowed a 5-day special promotion in every 90-day cycle, where you can charge less or offer a freebie.

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  14. Oh. I had the 70% or 30% royalty option with Kindle and didn’t sign up to Advantage, it was just part of the publishing/rights options. Also including in that process were a few legal and banking forms I wasn’t expecting.

    Both my kindle and POD versions are listed together as options. I have the option for the special promotions but haven’t used them yet. Planning to use them when I change ny cover and launch the second book.

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  15. How I missed this back in November, I have no idea. Kind of a ‘down-the-drain’ month, for me (not a lot of writing, blogging, or commenting; however, on the bright side, a lot of living)! Great news & picture.

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  16. This is a wonderful photograph of you and your fantasy book! I am very excited about this, Sarah! I usually put books on library requisition forms to have more than just me read the books. I live simply, in a small place and would not have space to have another book, in fact usually just take ones out of library snd return them! 🙂 🙂
    Congratulations, Sarah for “Dessication!!” ☆☆☆☆☆

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    1. I think my book will be available for libraries to order in the US, as I opted for expanded distribution, but I think there’s a time lag of about 5-6 weeks before it becomes available. Not absolutely sure how it works.

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    1. Thanks, David. It does look like a proper book, indeed, inside and out. I’ve even got some fancy drop capitals at the beginning of each chapter! They wouldn’t work for the kindle version, as I learned after some experimenting that you must keep it simple when documents need converting to html, unless you’re some kind of computer genius. All great fun, learning new stuff.

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