WRITING YOUR BOOK

In case you feel intuitively to write a book to publish initially as an EBook and perhaps after that to do a paperback, but perhaps think it’s a costly undertaking, I am letting you know it is completely free to do. Your only cost will be purchasing a copy of your book at cost price (few dollars) if you want one.

They do all the work. They send it around the world. When someone orders the book on line or in a bookstore, it is then printed immediately and posted. It is not on bookstore shelves. You set the price (US dollars) but they may change it. It gives you an idea of a price to set. You can choose the royalty you want. I write books for people to read them so I keep the final price down by setting it so I have no royalty.

It is called ‘Print of Demand’ and is free to do with a couple of major publishers - Amazon and D2D. I recommend D2D. They distribute to Amazon and most of the world like Barnes and Nobles.

I use a PC (computer) and Word. So, if you have a Mac you would need to line it up with your system. I can’t even imagine trying to write a book on a mobile phone!!!! Perhaps buy a cheap laptop and put Word on it. Publishers accept Word docs.

Do the steps ahead first - bearing in mind that when the book is finished you will be choosing a book size. I choose 5.5 wide and 8.5 height, which is one of the standard sizes.  Font and colour is changed before you submit the file. Change to black print and size 12 fonts - is what the publisher requires. Use whatever style font you like, but it is best to use a clear font like ‘Times New Roman’. If you are adding a few images, they need to be a decent resolution (300DPI is perfect). They are likely to show as black and white for many people, so make sure they look good in that.

STEPS. This is simplifying it but it’s not hard. Read up on a few things about what is needed. But don’t get confused. You could just go ahead with the steps ahead.

1. Create a new Word document.

2. Set page margins (all) at maybe 1 inch each or 0.75.

3. Find a book title.

4. Be intuitive. Start writing!

5. Start with a ‘Preface’ page to say a bit about the book

6. Add a ‘Dedication’ page if you want to.

7. At the END of each chapter or page such as Preface...go to the Tools bar - Insert - and click ‘Page break.

(That makes sure a new Chapter starts on a new page.)

8. Finish your book. You may like to add a Biography and a Glossary if needed.

9. To create a book cover. Establish the size of your book. You need an image that is 1600mm by 2400mm height - at 300DPI resolution for the cover. I suggest you can use a free demo of ‘PhotoPad’. Download that software trial free onto the computer. Best to check pic size now so you discover if the picture is a large enough file to make the required size picture. Use a picture you have taken or that you know is copyright free (you can search for copyright free images) and that somehow fits your title.

Use a free creator like http://www.picturequotes.com/create?quote=. Upload the picture into it and write in the text. Position the text box where you want it. There are two boxes available to type in and position in different places. Title at top and author name in bottom box. Click save and download. Then you will need to crop off the frame that this free creator puts around it. Use ‘PhotoPad’. You can crop the picture. See ‘crop’ on tool bar. Then click ‘resize’ because your pic will have been made smaller from the picture quote software. Resize the pic to 1600 x 2400. You have your book cover ready to go.

8. Make sure you have done a good spell check on your book and maybe get a friend who could check and edit. Make sure layout and style look easily readable.  Look at a few other books to see what looks good.

You are ready to publish.

9. Go to D2D. It’s easy. Create a free account and password. https://www.draft2digital.com/

10. MY BOOKS. ‘Create new book.’ Fill in details. Add book title, etc. Upload 'the document' and 'Upload the cover' where it says to. Proceed through.

Make sure you PREVIEW the book and check each page. That preview is halfway down page on about the 2nd or 3rd page of the publication process. If something is not right in your book - don’t go any further. You can just click right out of it. It will still be there when you come back to it. When you return - just click on MY BOOKS and then your book title. So, fix whatever it is that is wrong in your original document and then UPLOAD it again. You can upload it however many times it needs to get it perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYngvgIJJMU     Publishing with D2D.

That’s roughly it!

Love

Sandy Stevenson