E-book – Jean's Writing

You ever feel the need to slow the hell down?

Published on November 18, 2016July 13, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

Well, I do, but don’t. Sigh…

I should plaster the phrase “Slow Down” in every room of my house! Slow down road sign

Maybe that would help me avoid a lot of problems.

Three weeks ago, I fell into a dark parking lot. I was rushing and not aware of an obstacle in my path. Result, my front teeth were damaged and I’m gonna be out of a butt-load of money.

Last week I released the e-book for my third children’s picture book, A Reluctant Little Prince. Yay, good so far.

Next, release the print version. I was ready, or so I thought. Seemed as if it was taking forever. I wanted to get this thing out before the holidays.

I checked the online proof. Looked for glaring issues like typos and margins. What I didn’t catch, all the pictures were in B&W!

Thank God I decided to wait for a physical proof to arrive before hitting the final publish button.

Now, I’m waiting on Createspace to let me change the set-up. Ugh! If only I’d been a bit more cautious going through the set-up phase, I wouldn’t have to redo the entire thing. If only I’d been a bit more cautious in that dark parking lot, I wouldn’t be looking at thousands of dollars in dental work.

Patience is not one of my virtues.

Okay, enough bellyaching. Deep breaths and work on a new project while I wait for Createspace to help me fix this mistake.

One thing I know for sure, being an Indie is not for the faint of heart.

I’ll let y’all know when the print versions of A Reluctant Little Prince is available.

Interesting links at the bottom. Keep reading.

What about you? Have you made costly publication mistakes?

Did it cost time or dollars?

Or maybe you’re a very patient writer?

I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or

Click the “write me” tab or look for me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

What’s Your Biggest Challenge as an Indie? Open Thread By Angela Quarles

11 Mistakes New Self-Published Authors Make at Just Publishing Advice

7 Completely Stupid eBook Publishing Mistakes by Ryan Hanley

Marketing and Publishing Checklists for Writers by Jane Friedman

How To Publish A Book 101 by Joanna Penn

Do you know how to publish an ebook with pictures?

Published on November 2, 2016March 25, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell38 Comments

Using MS-Word?

Success at last! When I loaded it up to KDP, everything worked!

If you write children’s books or comic books, I’m sure you’ve heard of Kindle Kids’ Book Creator. This program is terrific. However, the program limits which electronic devices that can open and read the book.

I wanted my picture books to be available on e-readers and tablets. I found out after using KKBC for A Most Reluctant Princess; this wasn’t possible. Using KKBC limits which electronic devices available. Since publishing my first picture book, I’ve read tips, blogs, instructions, and watched videos searching a way to use MS-Word.

No one had the answers I needed. So, I began experimenting until I figured out a process that worked.

My new book, A Reluctant Little Prince, in e-book form, is written on MS-Word and can be read on a Kindle. Yay!

For the print version, I use a great program called Serif PagePlus and published it with Ingram Sparks. But that’s for another blog post.

Want to know my secret?

Put the picture inside of a text box! So simple!

Did this help?

What do you think?

Do you have a tip for adding pictures to ebooks?

Watch for my new children’s ebook! Coming Soon!

I’d love to hear from you, let me know how you’re doing! Leave a comment or click the “write me” tab or look for me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Do you know how to add sound to your book?

Published on March 17, 2016March 15, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell35 Comments

Again! I learned something new today!

I had no idea a soundtrack could be added to an ebook. Who knew? Probably all of y’all, I’m usually the last to hear about all of this new-fangled techie stuff. But this is so way cool.

Will I use it? Not sure.

Why? Because when I pick up a book I like to shut out the world around me. I don’t enjoy listening to music or multi-tasking when I read. I prefer a quiet room or my porch on a warm sunny day.

Now my grandkids are different. The teenagers in our family enjoy reading with music blaring through headphones attached to their ears. To me, that’s a distraction.

However, I can remember a time when I did homework listening to the radio so maybe it’s not so different. Music comforts us, romance and relaxation.

And music is important to storytelling. Without music, movies would be boring.

But fiction writers can’t rely on music to create the tension or sounds to show a motor, river or a moving object. Or can we?

Ever heard of Booktrack?

Well, I hadn’t until now. Wow, seems I’m always the last to know the latest new fangled software.

I learned this program can add a movie soundtrack to your ebook. Is your hero drowning? Add the sounds of a rushing river. Need to add fear and tension? You can add a music score worthy of an Oscar. With sound, the writer can use sound to convey what’s happening instead of words to make reading the scene richer and more like a movie.

I learned that I could add background noise during character dialog. Such as glasses clinking, a door closing or a gun shot this takes writing to a whole different level.
This program can turn your novel or novella into a screenplay.

Is this the way of the future?

I’m not sure how much this will catch on but I think there is definitely a place for the technology.

Booktrack Studio Free App in Google Play

Step by Step how to – BookTrack Video Tutorials

Self- Publish BookTrack Studio Facts

Use BookTrack for Marketing Booktrack Authors Group

So what do y’all think?

Here to stay or a fad?

Use it or lose it?

Talk to me in the comments or reach out on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Do you believe luck helps your success?

Published on February 10, 2016February 7, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

Maybe the short answer is yes.

I’ve heard the definition of luck described as preparation meeting opportunity or some shit like that. There is probably some truth to the quote, but I think luck takes a lot of work.

Do you need luck to be a successful author?

Wouldn’t hurt. And preparation too.

Indie Authors need to draw attention to their books. If not, even great books can disappear into obscurity amid books floating in the world-wide web of outer space.

lost_in_space

How can our books stand out?

We must have a strategy.

Long gone are the days you can publish an ebook and voila instant sales. Even if you give away your book on Amazon it might not give you a significant boost in rankings. No, after you hit the publish button, the work is just beginning.

I’m always adding sites to better understand how to do things. And marketing is one of my weak points. It’s something I don’t get. Hopefully, by the time I’m ready to publish another book, I’ll be better equipped to handle that side of self-publishing.

I think Ruth Nestvold has some good tips on ebook promotions. Still, not sure I understand how the Permafree works, nor that I’m sold on the effectiveness of Facebook ads. After all, I’m still a green Indie.

Click below and read her suggestions. Let me know what you think.

HOW TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR EBOOK SALE PROMOTIONS (STARTING OUT AS AN INDIE AUTHOR) By RUTH NESTVOLD

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to with a click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.