On Writing – Stefan Vucak https://www.stefanvucak.com Award-winning author of contemporary and science fiction novels! Tue, 02 May 2023 04:17:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.1 Authors, create your own audiobook! https://www.stefanvucak.com/authors-create-your-own-audiobook/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/authors-create-your-own-audiobook/#respond Mon, 01 May 2023 21:48:32 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=6078 Want to turn your novel into an audiobook, but the prohibitive cost is a turnoff?

Use an AI-based software tool that will do this for you at a very reasonable price, and distribute through Amazon ACX or Findaway Voices.

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Audiobooks

The explosive growth of ebooks, generated largely by self-published authors, has caught the attention of traditional publishers, and they now offer an ebook version with release of every new book. Ebooks are great for the industry, and enables authors to reach readers who would otherwise not be possible.

One aspect of publishing that has been around for some time is the availability of audiobooks. Due to the expense to produce an audiobook, this has ordinarily been the domain of traditional publishers. However, authors have an option to turn their literary masterpiece into an audiobook by using one of many available commercial companies that offer this service. Regrettably, this option is very expensive and time consuming.

An author must find a suitable company, select a narrator who will do the voiceover, agree on the price, proof the end product, and release the audio book to a distributor. Amazon ACX has an audiobook production and distribution arm, and authors can upload their own audiobook files. You can choose an exclusive 7-year contract, or the non-exclusive option, which allows you to distribute elsewhere. Smashwords/Draft2Digital uses the Findaway Voices audiobook creator/distributor, accessible through the Smashwords Dashboard or https://smashwords.com/audiobook, or directly with Findaway Voices, who distribute to the same outlets as ACX, and also to Google Play. You can upload your own audiobook file, and there is no exclusivity or locked contract. You must pick only one of these distributors in order to avoid duplication in outlets. Another choice is Kobo Audiobooks, Nook, Blinkist, Libby/Overdrive, and Scribd.

To produce an audiobook through a company can cost anywhere between $70 to $100+ per thousand words, or $250+ per hour, which generates about 2,000 words of audio. Let’s say you have a novel of 100,000 words. At $70 per 1,000 words, the cost will be $7,000. Despite any desire to release an audiobook version of their book(s) in a growing marketplace, few authors can afford such a service. Note: The stated prices are examples only, and authors should research this for themselves.

Lantern Audio https://lanternaudio.com/ can create and distribute your audiobook. Production cost is determined once an author makes a submission of his/her .docx file. Bound to be expensive.

Another audiobook creator/distributor is Author’s Republic  https://www.authorsrepublic.com/ They also allow upload of an author’s prepared audiobook.

PublishDrive https://publishdrive.com/ is an audiobook distributor. This site requires any MP3 file to be 129 kbps or higher.

Authors can also upload their audiobook to Kobo, who will then distribute it.
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/p/writinglife

We have all heard about the rapid growth of AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools, such as ChatGPT. In time, such tools may even be able to write a full novel! What is interesting, authors have an option to turn their novels into audiobooks by taking advantage of AI-based text to speech conversion tools that create an MP3 audio file at a very affordable price! With an MP3 file in hand, an author can upload his/her book to an audiobook distributor.

There are lots of online and downloadable text to speech conversion applications out there, but as with everything, authors need to be wary what they pick. Most tools I looked at have severe limits on the number of characters they can convert to an MP3 file. Some offer very few voices options, or restrict the user to a single male and female voice. Others offer voice choices which can sound mechanical. Better options, such as Natural Readers https://www.naturalreaders.com/ offer a great range of voices, but for commercial use where an author wants to distribute the generated MP3 file to an outlet for sale, a yearly fee of $588 is applied, or the author can choose to pay $99 per month and convert a maximum of 1,000,000 characters per day.

Another great option is Speechgen IO https://www.speechgen.io. For a fee of $49.99, the author can convert several files that in total are not larger than 1,000,000 characters. There are payment plans for smaller files. All options have a choice of natural sounding voices an author can choose from. The generated MP3 file can then be published anywhere. The only drawback to this software is that the system deducts ‘credits’ for every converted character. If you want to convert multiple novels, you must purchase additional credits when you reach the 1,000,000 character limit, but you can choose the number of credits you need without having to buy $49.99 every time. Compared to the cost charged by audiobook creation companies, Natural Readers and Speechgen IO are more effective ways for authors to create an audiobook.

Both software options offer an account deletion if an author no longer wishes to use the service. From a cost perspective, Natural Readers software is a much better option, as the author can convert many files into audiobooks during one month.

Before using any text to speech conversion software, an author must create a Word file that contains the text to be converted.

– Make a copy of your print or ebook file and rename it, eg: Book title – Audiobook.docx
– Remove any references to print or ebook and replace with ‘audiobook’.
– If you have one, remove your ISBN number, or allocate a separate number to this version of your book.
– Update your Copyright year if not the same as current year.
– Remove any Table of Contents.
– Remove all embedded pictures or tables, and anything the conversion software cannot read.

You are now ready to upload your file or copy/paste the text!

Happy audiobook creation…

NOTES:

A major problem with Speechgen and Natural Readers is that they create 64 kbps and 48 kbps MP3 files respectively. Findaway Voices requires a minimum of 129 kbps. Neither offer a change to their output bit rate, which will prevent an author uploading an audiobook to Findaway Voices. I don’t know what bit rate is expected by Amazon ACX.

It is very difficult to get any email response from Speechgen Support. I have been waiting several days for one!

Findaway Voices has exacting MP3 input file requirements that demands creation of separate files for an audiobook: Title, Front Matter, Body of book, Back Matter, Ending Credits, and Sample.

Good websites on audiobook production and distribution:

https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/self-publish-audiobook-production-and-distribution/
https://justpublishingadvice.com/are-you-self-publishing-audiobooks-why-you-should-be/

 

 

 

 

 

Good websites on audiobook production and distribution:
https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/self-publish-audiobook-production-and-distribution/
https://justpublishingadvice.com/are-you-self-publishing-audiobooks-why-you-should-be/

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Writers and Editors: Staging Your Home Office for Client Visits https://www.stefanvucak.com/writers-and-editors-staging-your-home-office-for-client-visits/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/writers-and-editors-staging-your-home-office-for-client-visits/#respond Tue, 04 Apr 2023 06:49:02 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=6051 A guest post by Virginia Cooper at Learn a Living When you’re a home-based writer or editor, you may frequently...

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Room Interior

A guest post by Virginia Cooper at Learn a Living

When you’re a home-based writer or editor, you may frequently meet clients from home to discuss projects, both in-person and virtually. In either case, it’s essential you make your workspace appear as professional as possible. Having a too-casual, homey environment could hurt your credibility and cost you business. A professional-looking space, on the other hand, will help you secure client trust and, thereby, more work.

Below are some suggestions from Virginia Cooper https://learnaliving.co on how best to present your home office space for virtual and in-person visits that also incorporate some key safety considerations.

Have a private space with a seating area

Your clients will want to discuss new projects or strategize on existing ones. As such, creating a distraction-free meeting space – with comfortable seating – is essential. Ideally, you should choose a room near the front of your home for extra accessibility, with a separate entryway if you can swing it for maximum privacy. Put in comfortable chairs or a leather couch where clients can talk, work, or wait comfortably.

Decorate professionally and tastefully

Strategic decorations, furniture, and work accessories can make your workspace appear more businesslike. Some simple and affordable suggestions include a functional office desk, an office chair, a computer, and a printer. For added effect, put in a potted plant, put up a picture, paint the wall a neutral color, get a rug, and install some modern-LED lighting you see at traditional offices.

Consider creating a common work area

You may need to collaborate with clients sometimes, such as when you’re demonstrating what you’ve accomplished so far, or editing a manuscript a client has written. A common work area makes this easier and adds to your office’s functionality. You could add a round table, with a few chairs, for people to brainstorm together, present paper documents, and look at the same screen comfortably.

Optimize your home office to be stress-free

Having your home office be as stress-free as possible is beneficial in several ways. It boosts your productivity, improves your attitude, and makes dealing with clients easier. To make your office less stressful for you, keep it organized and tidy. Consider Creating a storage system, both paper-based and digital, to be able to store, retrieve, and share important documents quickly. Having ergonomic furniture can prevent backaches and help you work longer hours. Letting in more natural light can help your health and make your office feel more lively.

Consider health safety during in-person meetings

Health safety – yours, your family’s, and your clients’ – is something you should consider, especially after the recent Covid-19 pandemic. The measures released by the CDC for customer visits are worth following (after adopting them for your home). Indeed explains them in detail.

To cover the important bits, keep windows open to boost airflow, wear masks, disinfect areas frequently, avoid physical contact, get air filters, and add UV in the HVAC. Using technology can help you limit contact. For instance, you can set up virtual meetings instead of in-person ones, collaborate online with digital tools, and use invoicing software for digital payments.

Follow best practices for virtual meetings

When you meet clients virtually, the same principles apply – you have to ensure the room they see on their screen appears presentable and businesslike. Some best practices to follow are limiting background noise, being in a quiet space, using a laptop or dedicated web camera (not a phone), ensuring the room is well-lit, keeping the cam at eye level, having a neutral background that’s devoid of distractions, having fast internet, having collaboration apps ready, and pre-testing your setup before the meet. Digital Samba offers related important considerations.

Take before and after pictures when making improvements

A full-fledged, beautiful home office is an amenity most home buyers would love to have. If you’re creating such a space for yourself, keeping track of all the changes you’re making may be a good idea. If you ever sell your home in the future, you can demonstrate all the improvements you’ve made to have your home appraised for a higher market value. Take before and after pictures, and maintain bills and receipts.

Conclusion

For the best results, get rid of any reminders that you’re at home, and keep the place clean. Strict no-nos include clothes, non-essential furniture, toys, and other knick-knacks. Put yourself in your client’s shoes. Does your office and work space look professional enough, and would you want to work with the person who owns it? If the answer is yes to both questions, you know your home office and work environment is ready.

Work Space

About Virginia Cooper

I’m a retired community college instructor. I always encouraged my students to see the real-world value in their education, and now, I want to spread that message as wide as possible! My hope is that Learn a Living will be a go-to resource for adult learners embarking on starting, continuing, or finishing their education.

In need of proofreading, editing, or manuscript formatting services? Turn to Stefan Vucak, author of 20 books. Connect with Stefan today!

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Dealing With Writer’s Block https://www.stefanvucak.com/dealing-with-writers-block/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/dealing-with-writers-block/#respond Sun, 05 Mar 2023 15:52:16 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=6040 One of the best ways to overcome writer's block is simply writing for fun. Don't stress over perfection. Instead, treat your work as a first draft that you can edit later.

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Writer's Block
Guest post by Boris Dzhingarov

Dealing with writer’s block can be a daunting obstacle, particularly for novice or amateur authors. Here are some tips, strategies, and remedies to help you get over the hurdle.

One of the best ways to overcome writer’s block is simply writing for fun. Don’t stress over perfection. Instead, treat your work as a first draft that you can edit later.

1 – Take a Break

If you’re struggling with writer’s block, one of the best ways to get back on track is to take a break. No matter what your genre of writing, taking a break can help clear your mind and provide inspiration for moving forward.

No need to abandon your workspace or current project – simply find something else to work on. Try to explore a different genre or plotline, or write something completely unrelated to what you’re working on now.

Another way to be creative is reading other people’s works. Reading can inspire and motivate you to start writing again, whether it’s your favourite novelist, a famous screenwriter, or another author who has had trouble with writer’s block themselves. Reading can help get those words flowing again.

Writing prompts can be a great way to jumpstart your creativity. These could be as straightforward as free association writing, or you could utilize tools such as Reedsy Prompts for thousands of short story and nonfiction prompts.

It’s essential to remember that never try forcing yourself to write when feeling blocked. That will only make the situation worse. Instead, focus on simply getting some words down on paper without feeling pressured by perfectionism.

For some people, taking a walk can be beneficial to get their imagination back into gear. You could also try doing some yoga or going for a run; just keep it to only a few minutes so as not to overexert yourself or strain yourself too much.

If you’re struggling with perfectionism, remind yourself that all first drafts are imperfect. This can be an effective way to break through writer’s block, as it will allow you to focus on improving the flaws rather than striving for perfection in each word.

Once you’re motivated to return to writing, create a schedule that works with your work habits. Remain consistent during these sessions in order to see real progress over time.

2 – Go for a Walk

Exercise can be an effective way to break through writer’s block. Furthermore, it promotes good health and overall wellbeing.

According to a Stanford study, taking walks can increase creativity and divergent thinking. Divergent thinking refers to the process of coming up with multiple solutions for an issue at hand. This type of thinking is especially beneficial for writers as it allows them to generate fresh concepts that may have otherwise gone unconsidered.

Additionally, taking a walk helps clear your head and give your brain something else to focus on. This is especially helpful when feeling frustrated or anxious – two emotions that can make writing challenging.

Another advantage of taking a walk is that it helps you connect with others. For instance, you and your partner could utilize this time together to discuss feelings and work through any problems that arise.

You can also take a walk with family and friends to improve communication. Having someone listen to you can be an excellent way to break down barriers and discuss any concerns that are interfering with work.

A walk can also help clear away nagging thoughts from your mind, such as having difficulty naming a character or needing to alter a plotline. Once these worries have been put aside, your brain will be freed to focus on creating content for publication.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking a walk can help alleviate stress and boost productivity levels. Exercising releases endorphins that lift your spirits and give you energy to tackle tasks at hand with greater efficiency.

Cleaning the house can also be a helpful tool in combatting writer’s block. Doing household tasks, like tidying the bathroom or washing dishes, will keep your mind off any frustrations you might be facing when working on your writing projects.

When you’re feeling stuck, it can be difficult to stay motivated and excited about your work. However, taking a walk and increasing your energy levels before returning home will likely increase the desire to write when you arrive back at your desk.

3 – Talk to a Friend

When you feel stuck on your writing, speaking to someone can be a beneficial idea. Not only will you be able to discuss the situation with someone, but it could also help clear your mind and generate some fresh ideas.

Finding out what might be causing your writer’s block and why can be beneficial. Once you identify what’s stopping you from creating, it will become much easier to break free and begin again.

Sometimes when you experience writer’s block, it could be due to something in your life recently. For instance, if you had a difficult breakup, having an honest discussion with a friend about it may help sort things out and prevent future misunderstandings. However, bear in mind that sharing such details may cause distress for them as well.

Another possible explanation for writer’s block may be your own anxiety or desire for perfectionism. This is an issue many writers face and can cause them to get stuck in their work.

To overcome this obstacle, it’s essential to remember that your writing will never be perfect. Instead of striving for perfection, consider it a first draft that will evolve over time. Doing this takes the pressure off and allows you to focus on honing your craft. You can try reaching out to your friend about this problem, either via text or in person. The location and timing are essential. Therefore, select an area where both of you feel at ease.

Avoid sounding accusatory or hostile, as this can only make the situation worse. A friendly and open approach will also make the conversation simpler for both of you.

Writer’s block can be overcome in several ways, most of which involve taking a break, taking a walk, or having an honest conversation with a friend. If these methods don’t help solve the issue, counseling or therapy might be in order.

4 – Do Something Else

Writing can be a frustrating endeavor for many writers, but writer’s block is an individual issue with many causes – sometimes procrastination, sometimes fear or anxiety. Whatever the cause, getting those words out can be an enormous obstacle.

If you’re feeling stuck in your writing, try doing something else. It can be as simple as finishing a task that has been put off, or going for a walk. Whatever it may be, take time out of the day to do something positive for yourself. There are also different types of writing you can try. Even writing for print is different than for sites. But, non-writing activities tend to help the most.

Another non-writing activity can help you feel refreshed and refocused when it’s time to resume writing. Watching a short film, reading an engaging book, or solving a puzzle all provide your mind with a break and allow for the generation of fresh ideas.

A simple clean of your workspace can help clear your mind and boost focus. Artists often work in rooms that are overrun with stuff. Taking time to declutter and unpack your workspace before beginning your writing is essential for success.

Once you’re finished, your space will be clear of any clutter that was hindering you from writing. This can provide the motivation needed to jumpstart your next project with fresh inspiration.

You may need to repeat this step a few times before you see results, but once you do, the effort will be well worth it.

Even when you don’t feel inspired, it is essential to keep writing. Doing this can help build a habit that will eventually eliminate writer’s block forever.

Writing can be done at any time of day, but for some people it’s easier to be productive when the environment is quiet and there are no distractions. On the other hand, for others writing late at night may be easier.

When writing a story that requires extensive character development, it can be beneficial to take some time away from the current project before beginning another one. Doing this allows you to focus on one character instead of feeling overwhelmed by the larger picture.

About Boris Dzhingarov

Boris Dzhingarov

I welcome you to a little part of my life. After graduating from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, with a marketing major, I quickly figured out the fact that I love traveling the world and experiencing everything that it has to offer. Nobody knows where I am going and what life will throw at me but every single day is special. I love my family and my friends. We always help each other and together we learned about the importance of forgiveness and trust.

This brings me to what you can find on Dzhingarov.com, a project that started as a way to share what I learned and help others. Initially, everything was about blogging, SEO, marketing, but then it turned into so much more as I was influenced by how much spirituality and meditation helped me. Although I do run a pretty successful SEO Company (ESBO), every single day, I learn more about myself, others and the beauty that the world has to offer.

Personal Website: https://Dzhingarov.com
Business Website: https://esbo.ltd
Twitter: @BorisDzhingarov
LinedIn: https://bg.linkedin.com/in/boris-dzhingarov-94157a54

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Publishing Your Book With Full-Bleed Made Easy https://www.stefanvucak.com/publishing-your-book-with-full-bleed-made-easy/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/publishing-your-book-with-full-bleed-made-easy/#respond Wed, 28 Sep 2022 00:38:57 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=5955 Authors who want to self-publish their literary masterpiece with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, or Draft2Digital, are generally aware how...

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Printing PressAuthors who want to self-publish their literary masterpiece with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, or Draft2Digital, are generally aware how to set up a Microsoft Word document, from which a print-ready PDF file is created, used by a printer to produce the physical book.

NOTE: At this moment, Draft2Digital does not print paperbacks with color content.

For an ordinary book, the author opens a Word document, clicks the Page Layout menu icon, goes into Page Setup, and fills in the margins and gutter parameters. Next, the author must define the size of the printed book. In goes the hopefully edited manuscript, and the print file is formatted with appropriate header, footer, and populated with any tables, photos, and what not. Done, the author uses the Word’s File/Save As option to produce a print-ready PDF file. Nothing really new here.

Time for some definitions for those not quite sure what these terms mean. Everything in this article is contained in the KDP Book Formatting website: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GKX2T59EVGFSMKQK, but I am providing a more digestible guide.

Trim size. The printed book’s width and height. The most common trim size for a paperback in the U.S. is 6” x 9” (15.24 x 22.86 cm). KDP and IngramSpark offer other trim sizes.

NOTE: For a KDP paperback with color content, the minimum trim size is 5.5” x 8.5”.

KDP Trim Sizes

Margins. Every page has three outside margins (top, bottom, and sides) and one inside margin, called the gutter, which specifies an extra space that extends from the book’s spine when the pages are flipped. Margins ensure that text isn’t cut off during manufacturing, and makes for easier readability. Page size must be set before setting margins. Margin sizes depends on page count and on whether there are elements with bleed. See the following chart to find the appropriate gutter margin size:

Book Margins

Bleed. This is a parameter that can cause authors some heartburn. Basically, bleed is a printer’s term that refers to what fits onto a page, such as images, background color, or graphics. For an ordinary novel where everything is formatted within specified margins, KDP will offer normal bleed as a default when uploading the manuscript.

Page With Bleed

Things get just a little more complicated when an author wants to insert any type of image or picture that will fill the entire page, ie: page content is outside the specified margins. To ensure every printable object within the manuscript reaches all the way to the edge of the physical page, it is necessary to modify the file’s physical size using the Word’s Page Setup parameter.

NOTE: The file size must be modified if even one page within the book contains an image that extends to the page’s edge, whether top, bottom or sides, or the inserted image will be trimmed back when the book is printed.

When a book is printed, all physical pages are trimmed to the selected trim size, eg: 6” x 9”. The printer cuts 0.125” (3.2 mm) from the top, bottom, and outside edges of the printed paper. In order for objects on each page to reach all the way to the edge of the page, those objects must extend past where the page will be trimmed by 0.125” (3.2 mm). For ANY printed book, the author MUST set up the book’s size as follows:

Height: 9” + 0.25” (0.125” for top, and 0.125” for bottom)
Width: 6” + 0.125”. The reason for this is that only the exterior edge of the page needs additional bleed.

Within the document, all margins must be set to zero (0). This will generate a warning, and the author must press ‘Ignore’.

NOTE: For a book of more than 40 pages, it is advisable to still set the gutter parameter.

For an ordinary novel, when uploading a manuscript to KDP, it will offer normal bleed as a default. When uploading a manuscript with full-page images or backgrounds, the author must select Full-Bleed. Once the book is uploaded, KDP will ask the author to open the Previewer that will show how the final version of the book will look. This is a necessary step to validate the look of full-bleed inserts and text content.

For those already skilled setting up the manuscript, KDP and IngramSpark offers helpful calculators for a book’s trim size and spine width.

https://kdp.amazon.com/cover-calculator
https://myaccount.ingramspark.com/Portal/Tools/SpineCalculator

Happy publishing!

 

 

 

 

 

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Publishing a Hardback Book with a Dust Jacket https://www.stefanvucak.com/publishing-a-hardback-book-with-a-dust-jacket/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/publishing-a-hardback-book-with-a-dust-jacket/#respond Tue, 17 May 2022 16:55:18 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=5835 I can only hope this article will inform authors of pitfalls awaiting them when publishing with KDP and IS, and how to get a dust jacket for their book.

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Bettie Macintyre - The Veranda
Recently, Bettie Macintyre asked me to proofread, format, and publish her book The Veranda, a delightful glimpse into the history of her parents, something of her life, and poems written by her mother.

Bettie wanted The Veranda published on:

–     Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
–     IngramSpark
–     Smashwords
–     Draft2Digital

I have done work for Bettie before, and saw no problem with her request — until she said, in addition to an ebook and normal paperback version, she wanted the book in hardback with a dust jacket.

Fine, I thought. I would turn to Laura Shinn who designed covers for my books and Bettie’s two other works, and we’d be on our way. Shortly afterward, that’s when I started to get more gray hairs. Laura is a top cover designer, but she had not done a hardback cover, nor a dust jacket, which is only available from IngramSpark (IS). One day, KDP might catch up and offer to publish books with a dust jacket.

Laura and I looked at the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) cover template generator for a hardback book, filled in the required details, which were simple enough to do, and Laura got her template. One thing that caught me unawares, my fault really, KDP offers hardback editions in a minimum 5.5” x 8.5” trim size. The kicker? I formatted the paperback version of The Veranda in 5” x 8” trim size, as the book is only around 150 pages. Nothing to do but reformat the thing in the larger hardback size. IngramSpark, on the other hand, has a more flexible trim sizes list and is happy to print anything in the 5” x 8” minimum size and greater. I guess KDP just wants to make life more difficult for authors.

KDP and IS offer several options for a hardback cover, which includes pasting a normal print cover artwork to the front at time of printing, which makes designing the hardback cover pretty much the same as for an ordinary paperback. However, I have never seen a hardback book with a fancy front cover design. All of them have a plain dark front/spine/back background that basically contains the book title and author name, which makes designing a hardback cover very simple. And that is what Laura did for Bettie’s The Veranda KDP and IngramSpark versions. On our way!

I don’t know how other designers go about creating KDP and IS covers, but Laura likes to use KDP’s template generator, because it is very simple to use compared to IS’s complicated version. The only catch when printing with KDP and IS, the cover designer must note that the calculated spine width for a KDP book cannot be automatically applied to the IS cover. IS uses a thinner paper than KDP, which means for the same number of printed pages, the spine width will be different.

That’s not a problem. After using IS’s spine width calculator to get the spine width dimension, instead of creating an IS template for the cover, the KDP template generator can be used instead. The cover designer must vary the printed pages number until the desired IS spine width is obtained, then generate the template intended for the IS version of the book.

Now for the hard part — the dust jacket. Lots of cover designers offer their services to make a dust jacket — at a hefty price. The author will simply have to choose which one to employ. Being the only publisher that offers printing a hardback book with a dust jacket, a cover designer has no choice but to use the IS cover template generator for the dust jacket. That’s where I hit a wall. The IS template generator demands inputting an ISBN number into the generator! Many authors don’t buy their own ISBNs, preferring Amazon and IS, and other outlets, to give them a free one. There are advantages and disadvantages not having a personal ISBN, but that is another discussion.

Bettie Macintyre did not have an ISBN for The Veranda, which meant Laura and I were stuck how to proceed. Buying an ISBN in the United States is very expensive, something I don’t understand, but never mind. To get over that wall, Laura Shinn made an insightful suggestion. During the publication of a paperback or hardback book, IngramSpark gives the author a choice of inputting their own ISBN, or getting a complementary free one. Eureka! Laura said I should start the publication process for The Veranda and allow IS to give me a free ISBN, which I did. Laura wanted to create the dust jacket for me, but her work schedule did not permit that in the timeframe Bettie wanted her book released. I had no choice but to seek another cover designer. The free ISBN was used as input into the IS hardback template generator to produce the dust jacket template. From there, apart from several ups and downs, it eventually all worked out and Bettie has her IS hardback with a dust jacket.

Reading this tale may give an impression of minor setbacks and a process of discovery. A process of discovery it certainly was, but the setbacks I encountered getting a cover designer for the dust jacket, false starts, some grinding of teeth, is a tale best not told or reflected on. I can only hope this article will inform authors of pitfalls awaiting them when publishing with KDP and IS, and how to get a dust jacket for their book.

A huge thanks to Laura Shinn for her insight regarding the ISBN stumbling block, without which getting the dust jacket done would have been more problematical.

The Veranda is available on Amazon.

Happy writing!

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6 Tips to Develop & Enhance Writing Skills for Blogging https://www.stefanvucak.com/6-tips-to-develop-enhance-writing-skills-for-blogging/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/6-tips-to-develop-enhance-writing-skills-for-blogging/#respond Wed, 06 Oct 2021 02:36:22 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=5735 Guest post by Danielle Roy Writing is difficult art, especially for individuals who don’t write often or for a living....

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Writing & Blogging
Guest post by Danielle Roy

Writing is difficult art, especially for individuals who don’t write often or for a living. The good news is that writing need not be excruciating. With a little discipline and willingness to learn, virtually everyone can enhance their writing abilities.

Many overlook the value of good writing skills. Learn more about how you can enhance what is perhaps one of the most essential abilities: written communication! Believe it or not, writing is one of the oldest modes of communication in our world that exists today, apart from the spoken word.

Just think about this. Although we cannot put any more time into mailing letters, there is always a kind of writing in our everyday contact, be it through text messages, daily emails, or posts you write on your social media accounts. Academic writing is another ballgame in the university area, and sometimes has a very distinct shape than other forms of writing. The simple reality is, you cannot attain a high level of college writing if your basic abilities are not improved.

Even if you choose a professional path that does not need writing as a source of revenue, it is crucial to be able to communicate effectively to ensure success in today’s competitive world-wide labor market.

Think about emails. It is not professional if you are sending an email that is not well thought out, and includes a lot of mistakes to your employer or colleague.

Here are six strategies to improve your writing abilities immediately:

  1. Make Writing a Daily Exercise
    We learn best by example, and this rule cannot be excluded from developing written abilities. When we read, we learn how others write in order to best communicate their message, and we begin to modify our writing according to our style. Take daily reading into your writing activities and try to add Search Engine Optimization words in your writing. SEO services in NY provide you these facilities.
  1. Read some more
    When we read, we find out how other people write to transmit their thoughts, and we can and start adjusting our writing style to one which we most relate to. Enter everyday reading in your writing exercises. Perhaps produce a review or a recap of what you read that day, using various parts of the writing style of your favorite author to establish your own voice.
  1. Be succinct
    Try not to write using difficult, lengthy words. They often confuse the reader and discourage them from understanding what you have to say. Keep your phrases brief. Don’t overuse filler words such as ‘extremely’, ‘really’, ‘just’, etc. This leads to construction of lengthy phrases and excessively uses the cognitive space of your reader.
  1. Don’t underestimate the power of a though session
    Editing is an entirely underrated and often overlooked part of the writing process. Errors in your writing will detract from your message and reduce your reader’s confidence in your writing. During the revision process, the brain often ignores some small errors. It is highly advisable to use an online editing tool such as Grammar.
  1. Develop a clear message
    There is nothing more irritating than not understanding a text which is not directly relevant. Think about what you want to say, what lesson you want your readers to take away, and make sure you make this point obvious from the start. Thinking about your audience is crucial: what do they want to hear, and how do you communicate this to them? Do you have to accept a more official or casual tone? Would humor assist you to promote your message, or should you get to the point in a more commercial way? These are essential factors that should be considered before the writing process begins.
  1. Sit down and write
    Sitting down and writing is sometimes the most challenging part of the writing process. You should have a clear concept of what you want to convey, as well as a broad idea of the message. It may look intimidating, but keep in mind that a lot of the hard work is already done. All you have to do now is make sure you’re prepared, sit down in front of your computer or notebook, and connect. No piece of writing will ever be flawless. Therefore, you must recognize when it is done and time to let it go. This is particularly important in content marketing as rarely, if ever, you have the luxury of making agonizingly beautiful blog postings full of poignant phrases that excites evocative imagination.

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Contractions – To use or not to use https://www.stefanvucak.com/contractions-to-use-or-not-to-use/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/contractions-to-use-or-not-to-use/#comments Sun, 06 Dec 2020 19:36:59 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=5557 Basically, contractions, sometimes called ‘short forms’, commonly combine a pronoun or noun and a verb. We use contractions (I’m, we’re, they’ll) all the time, mostly in speech, and we do it without thinking.

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Contractions

Before I get started, what are these pesky things?

Basically, contractions, sometimes called ‘short forms’, commonly combine a pronoun or noun and a verb. We use contractions (I’m, we’re, they’ll) all the time, mostly in speech, and we do it without thinking. It is something children absorb through social interaction as they grow, and makes conversation flow.

Contractions with I, you, he, she, it, we, and they:

’m = am (I’m)
’re = are (you’re, we’re, they’re)
’s = is and has (he’s, she’s, it’s)
’ve = have (’ve, you’ve, we’ve, they’ve)
’ll = will (I’ll, you’ll, he’ll, she’ll, it’ll, we’ll, they’ll)
’d = had and would (I’d, you’d, he’d, she’d, it’d, we’d, they’d)

Contractions with auxiliary verb and not:

aren’t = are not (we aren’t, you aren’t)
can’t = cannot
couldn’t = could not
didn’t = did not (I didn’t, they didn’t)
hasn’t = has not
haven’t = have not
isn’t = is not (she isn’t, it isn’t)
mustn’t = must not
shan’t = shall not
shouldn’t = should not
wasn’t = was not
weren’t = were not
won’t = will not
wouldn’t = would not

Contractions can also occur after nouns, names, here, there and now and question words:

Mike’ll be happy = Mike will be happy
Here’s your bag = Here is your bag
There’s your wallet = There is your wallet
That’s your choice = That is your choice

Some contractions, such as gonna and wanna don’t have an apostrophe. Of course, there are hundreds of contractions employed in the English language. With that out of the way, when to use and when not to use.

Use contractions in informal writing, particularly in dialogue. It makes reading easier and natural. That said, don’t overuse! By reading your dialogue out loud, your ear will pick up clumsy sentence construction and inappropriate use of contractions. Write dialogue like you would speak! Easy to say, but many writers struggle with dialogue, which makes life difficult for them. They are a tool writers should employ to enrich their writing.

When not to use the little suckers? Generally, avoid contractions in formal writing, such as business letters, essays, resumes, technical papers, and research papers. Avoid contractions in all academic writing, unless you are directly quoting someone, or it is in a reference passage that contains contractions.

The one pothole or speedbump writers stumble over is whether to use contractions in narrative or prose. There does not appear to be a hard and fast rule for this, but generally, writers should avoid using contractions in narrative. Sometimes, though, employing a contraction can add zest to the sentence and convey meaning much better. Mostly, I would say, don’t. However, if you want to use contractions in narrative, use them sparingly! The bottom line? Narrative writing should be clear, natural-sounding, and easy to follow. If an odd contraction sprinkled here and there does that, then go for it. If in doubt, don’t.

Happy writing!

 

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Authors Helping Authors https://www.stefanvucak.com/authors-helping-authors/ https://www.stefanvucak.com/authors-helping-authors/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2020 22:34:49 +0000 https://www.stefanvucak.com/?p=5530 The Internet and social media is awash with ‘How to’ books and articles for authors, experienced or starting out. If you are an experienced author, help those who are starting out to avoid traps waiting for the unwary.

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Authors helping authorsThere are three formative stages in an author’s life: the larva, the butterfly, and soaring eagle.

A budding young writer – and sometimes not so young – reads a stack of books and decides that writing doesn’t look all that hard and decides to produce one of his/her own. Our aspiring author, images of instant best sellers and movie deals sparkling in his eyes, may or may not understand the importance of manuscript formatting, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. This plunge into the turbulent waters of swirling words can be in the form of a short story or two, or a deep dive into a novel … with lead weights. Coming up for breath is by no means a certain thing, and he many end up floundering on the murky bottom. That’s the larva stage.

The butterfly stage can be an exciting time when the author posts his work on Amazon, Smashwords, or some other self-publishing outlet, and waits for royalties to come flooding in. Or it can be a sobering wakeup call that seeing his name in print does not automatically bring recognition or financial reward, or the letters he sent to dozens of literary agents end up unanswered. What a butterfly author does not realize, but may have read about on social media and ignored, is that predators lurk out there to snap up an innocent butterfly.

There are dodgy agents out there who demand up-front fees to promote our author, vanity and hybrid publishers offering fame and world-wide distribution of his book, provided he hands over a thick wad of dollars, and you never hear from them again. Then there are reviewers who demand payment. Our author may choose to get published with an ebook publisher, and gets suckered into a 30% royalty contract with no exit clause. Lastly, there are media companies who offer to turn the story or novel into a movies script and introduce the author to a producer or director – for a fat fee, of course. Yes, sir, there are lots of circling predators out there waiting to gobble up our butterfly author.

Then we have the soaring eagle author. This guy has seen it all. Perhaps he has been bitten by a predator or two, but managed to keep flying, his scars proud badges of honor. He may have started out getting published by an ebook publisher, and learned to cut the umbilical and self-published. He may have gotten lucky and has an agent and a traditional publisher, giving struggling authors trying to break into the market condescending looks. Or this author may have decided to share his hard won experience with those just starting out, and extend a helping, guiding hand.

The Internet and social media is awash with ‘How to’ books and articles for authors, experienced or starting out. How to write your novel, how to get a literary agent, how to get your manuscript edited … published … marketed … Enough! Too much information perhaps. How does a new author pick out the relevant stuff from the hype? There are only three ways I know off: research and research; seek help from LinkedIn and Facebook groups; find an author who has seen and done it all and ask for help. Of course, the combination of all three also works. A soaring eagle author may hear his/her call and extend a hand to help our budding author fly, steering past the traps lurking out there.

Are you a soaring eagle author?

A comment for our budding author: help your case by approaching the craft of writing in a professional manner. You will not help yourself by being sloppy, or that soaring eagle will dump you.

Read more articles on all aspects of writing and publishing on my website.

 

 

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