Each month I get emails on this site. Sometimes they’re people asking for advice, other times they’re people telling me how stupid I am.
I thought it’d be fun to take a look at some of the questions I get from people. Maybe I can answer them here and you can get some ideas or solutions for your own problems, whatever they may be.
I thought it’d be fun to take a look at some of the questions I get from people. Maybe I can answer them here and you can get some ideas or solutions for your own problems, whatever they may be.
Question from June: How can I get my Book on Createspace? What problems will I run into?
A lot, more than you could ever imagine, enough to make you want to give up for good, and probably carry through on it.
Createspace is a bitch and if you’re new to it good luck. You might want to find someone that will do the formatting and uploading. What will that cost? I don’t know – probably anywhere from $50 to $500.
Createspace says itself that it’ll get you the cover you need for $399.
Fucking-A! Who has that? I sure don’t! I’ve got maybe $20 I can spend to get my current eBook cover turned into the PDF cover (complete with back and spine) that I need.
And let’s not get into the problems you’ll encounter when you have to copy/paste your eBook into a Createspace template (typically 6x9). And let’s not get into the problems nonfiction books hold either, especially with pictures or with internal color formatting and such.
What the hell am I talking about?
Take a look at these screenshots I took to show someone why their current manuscript would be so difficult to get formatted for Createspace:
Createspace is a bitch and if you’re new to it good luck. You might want to find someone that will do the formatting and uploading. What will that cost? I don’t know – probably anywhere from $50 to $500.
Createspace says itself that it’ll get you the cover you need for $399.
Fucking-A! Who has that? I sure don’t! I’ve got maybe $20 I can spend to get my current eBook cover turned into the PDF cover (complete with back and spine) that I need.
And let’s not get into the problems you’ll encounter when you have to copy/paste your eBook into a Createspace template (typically 6x9). And let’s not get into the problems nonfiction books hold either, especially with pictures or with internal color formatting and such.
What the hell am I talking about?
Take a look at these screenshots I took to show someone why their current manuscript would be so difficult to get formatted for Createspace:
As you can see, there are lots of problems that go along with Createspace formatting and uploading, and I’m just getting around to getting all my books on that platform.
It’s a super pain, and if you want help with your book, let me know. I do this for people, and depending on the severity of the job you’re looking at $50 to $150 with me.
I won’t take jobs like that above, simply because I can’t solve your problems. I mainly focus on people that have eBooks on Amazon now that want to expand into print, and also those that have nothing and need to start from scratch to get their book on the Amazon and selling.
If any of that jazz interests you, contact me and we can talk.
It’s a super pain, and if you want help with your book, let me know. I do this for people, and depending on the severity of the job you’re looking at $50 to $150 with me.
I won’t take jobs like that above, simply because I can’t solve your problems. I mainly focus on people that have eBooks on Amazon now that want to expand into print, and also those that have nothing and need to start from scratch to get their book on the Amazon and selling.
If any of that jazz interests you, contact me and we can talk.
Question from Pat: I don’t know anything about blog tours. How do I get one set up?
The best place to look for this is in my book Tour Your Book. It has 50 different sites that will help you, and this also saves you time from looking around on Google. Trust me – 10 minutes of that shit and you’ll be ready to throw in the towel!
If you don’t want to spend any money on my book then I’d suggest you check out the post I did on the Top 7 eBook Blog Tour sites on The Book Designer or check out the category on Guest Posts & Blog Tours. Most of what you’re looking for is in one of those places.
If you don’t want to spend any money on my book then I’d suggest you check out the post I did on the Top 7 eBook Blog Tour sites on The Book Designer or check out the category on Guest Posts & Blog Tours. Most of what you’re looking for is in one of those places.
Question from Ziggy: Can you check out my book if you maybe have time and possibly, well, I don’t want to come right out and say this, but could you leave a review too?
I don’t really do this stuff anymore, Ziggy. Personally, I don’t email people to check out my book or review it – that’s what I have a website for.
Besides, no one’s clamoring to review my books, so I don’t really give a damn about someone that’s got the same problem as me. If I was interested in getting a review from someone that didn’t care about my book I’d go to the Author Promotion Group on or the Authors/Readers Group, both on Goodreads.
Besides, no one’s clamoring to review my books, so I don’t really give a damn about someone that’s got the same problem as me. If I was interested in getting a review from someone that didn’t care about my book I’d go to the Author Promotion Group on or the Authors/Readers Group, both on Goodreads.
Question from Marty: How do I pay someone to promote my books?
This is a good question, and I have no ideas. You could pay me, but then you’re looking at a lot of money. Let’s look at one example.
Let’s say you’ve got a decent book and the cover is good and the blurb and look inside are all good – your three-legged marketing stool is in place.
So can you get BookBub? Well, let’s submit it. And let’s submit it to a few other big sites that cost a lot of money. Let’s say you get all of those (read more about 75 sites that promote eBooks here) and they want their payment. So for just a few top sites like BookBub and eReader News Today or Kindle Nation Daily you’re looking at $500 to $1,000 if not more.
Now let’s get some of those middling sites that aren’t going to be as effective but which will give you some exposure, and possibly even a few sales. That will probably cost an extra $200 to $300 right there. What sites are these? Bargainbooksy, Booksends…things like that.
But let’s not forget about all the smaller and free sites. If you want to do a free promo we need to get those. The good news is that you’re looking at just $50 to $150 or so, maybe less.
And let’s get all that social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and whatever other places you’re using. You do have accounts set up already, right?
I suppose we better get on Goodreads and get you set up there, if you’re not already, and if you don’t want to do it, then I better get an account set up with forums like Kboards and the Amazon Forum so I can get your name out there, or at least username.
So should I be paid for all that, and how long does something like that take?
Perhaps a better question is, ‘do you have $1,000 to $2,000 to spend on eBook marketing with no guarantee that you’ll sell even a copy, let alone sell a copy a month from now when it’s all said and done.
Still want to hire someone to do our eBook marketing?
Let’s say you’ve got a decent book and the cover is good and the blurb and look inside are all good – your three-legged marketing stool is in place.
So can you get BookBub? Well, let’s submit it. And let’s submit it to a few other big sites that cost a lot of money. Let’s say you get all of those (read more about 75 sites that promote eBooks here) and they want their payment. So for just a few top sites like BookBub and eReader News Today or Kindle Nation Daily you’re looking at $500 to $1,000 if not more.
Now let’s get some of those middling sites that aren’t going to be as effective but which will give you some exposure, and possibly even a few sales. That will probably cost an extra $200 to $300 right there. What sites are these? Bargainbooksy, Booksends…things like that.
But let’s not forget about all the smaller and free sites. If you want to do a free promo we need to get those. The good news is that you’re looking at just $50 to $150 or so, maybe less.
And let’s get all that social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and whatever other places you’re using. You do have accounts set up already, right?
I suppose we better get on Goodreads and get you set up there, if you’re not already, and if you don’t want to do it, then I better get an account set up with forums like Kboards and the Amazon Forum so I can get your name out there, or at least username.
So should I be paid for all that, and how long does something like that take?
Perhaps a better question is, ‘do you have $1,000 to $2,000 to spend on eBook marketing with no guarantee that you’ll sell even a copy, let alone sell a copy a month from now when it’s all said and done.
Still want to hire someone to do our eBook marketing?
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