Category: KDP

How to Compare CS with KDP That Will Help You Publish

FeaturedHow to Compare CS with KDP That Will Help You Publish

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. Wednesday’s I try to focus on the Church. This week I am taking a deeper look at How to Compare CS with KDP That Will Help You Publish.
As I prepare to publish my latest novel I thought a few comments upon publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) versus CreateSpace might be appropriate. This is especially true since this is my first ‘fully KDP printed book.’ What I mean by that is this has been a KDP project from the start. Previously I either published with CreateSpace or started with CreateSpace and published with KDP.
My first overall observation is that Kindle Direct Publishing is every easy to use. As I have progressed with the book I have noticed that KDP is actually a tad simpler to use than CS. It is easily understood, information is easily inputted, and the whole process is user friendly.
Now let’s take a look at some specifics.
TITLE

As with CreateSpace Kindle Direct Publishing is very easy to use. For the Title you simply enter your book’s title. If it has a Subtitle you can enter that in the appropriate box. It is a very easy process equal to the CreateSpace experience. I am very pleased.

DISCRIPTION

With the allowance of up to 3247 words you have ample space allowed for your description.

SERIES

You can input the Series and Series Number if your book is a series. Because I want the Series to be prominently displayed on the cover I enter the Series name and number in both the Subtitle and Series boxes.

EDITION NUMBER

An edition is a particular version of a book. The edition number tells readers whether the book is an original version or an updated version. If this is the first time you have published this book, enter the numeral 1. If the book was previously published and the version you are publishing contains significant changes, enter the numeral 2 (and so on).

AUTHOR

Probably most of you won’t have the same needs as I do. My author name is R. Frederick Riddle. Like in CreateSpace the input form has a First Name, Middle Name, and Last Name. Since I am primarily focused upon my middle name, I want it to be displayed on the cover. However, if you provide the middle name in the middle name box it won’t be displayed. So I simply type R. Frederick in the First Name box. Works like a charm!

CONTRIBUTORS

If there are multiple authors you will want to list them here. This is similar to the Author entry. You can add as many authors as you need. Since I am the only author of my books, I skip this part.

PUBLISHING RIGHTS

Here you have two options:

  • I own the copyright and I hold necessary publishing rights.
  • This is a public domain work

Simply indicate which option is correct.

KEYWORDS

You are allowed up to 7 key words or phrases. It is recommended by experts that you use keywords that are not in the Title, Description, or Category. This can be difficult, but think about possible ways someone might seek to find your book. There appears to be some debate about whether words or phrases are best, so I recommend a mix. Again this is comparable to CreateSpace.

CATAGORIES

You are allowed up to two categories which I believe was the same in CreateSpace. Simply make your selections and carry it out as far as possible.

ADULT CONTENT

You’ll see this sentence: Does this book contain language, situations, or images inappropriate for children under 18 years of age?
Then you either select Yes or No.
Choosing Yes does not mean your book is pornographic, it simply seeks to identify the age appropriate level of reader.

ISBN

This might actually be a tad easier than CreateSpace. You are given choices for your ISBN.
An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique 10-digit number assigned to every published book. An ISBN identifies a title’s binding, edition, and publisher. An EAN, or European Article Number, is a 13-digit number assigned to every book to provide a unique identifier for international distributors. The 10-digit ISBN is converted to a 13-digit EAN by adding a 978 prefix and changing the last digit. To publish a book, you can use either a free KDP ISBN or use your own valid ISBN (purchased directly from your ISBN agency).

PUBLICATION DATE

Your publication date is the date on which your book was first published. You cannot change it after publishing your title. If you leave this blank, KDP will automatically use the date on which your book goes live (i.e. it is available for sale) on Amazon.

PRINT OPTIONS

INTERIOR & PAPER TYPE (you can choose):

  • Black and White interior with Cream paper
  • Black and White interior with White paper
  • Color interior with White paper

TRIM SIZE

6 x 9 in. or a different size.

BLEED SETTINGS

Setting your interior to “bleed” allows printing at or off the edge of a page. It is used to support images and illustrations. Most books use “no bleed” unless there is a specific reason to apply “bleed.” Changing the bleed settings will not change the manufacturing cost.

PAPERBACK COVER FINISH

KDP supports Matte and Glossy finish. If memory serves me CreateSpace may have had more choices, but this seems ideal for most authors.

MANUSCRIPT

Upload a manuscript of your book interior content. For best results, we recommend using a formatted PDF file to create your paperback. You can also upload a DOC (.doc), DOCX (.docx), HTML (.html), or RTF (.rtf).
You can also download a KDP Template.

BOOK COVER

We recommend a book cover for a good reader experience. You can create a cover using our Cover Creator tool or upload your own book cover. If uploading your own book cover it must be PDF.
To use Cover Creator click on it. You will go to a very easy to follow page that will guide you and provide the tools necessary to taking advantage of their gallery.

BOOK PREVIEW

Preview your file to check for formatting and print quality issues. This is mandatory to continue onward. Every time you upload a new manuscript or make changes affecting the book’s interior you will be required to Launch Previewer.

SUMMARY

This shows a summary of your decisions plus the printing costs of the book.

TERRITORIES

If you don’t hold worldwide rights to sell and distribute your title, you must indicate the territories in which you hold rights. If you are publishing a public domain title, keep in mind that the duration of copyright varies between countries/regions, so ensure you set your territory rights to only include those territories where you have determined the book is in the public domain.

PRICING & ROYALTY

The List Price is the price a customer sees on an Amazon detail page. In certain marketplaces, the List Price displayed to the customer will include local VAT which is added on to the List Price you provide.
I always use Expanded Distribution.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

It can take up to 72 hours for your book to be available for purchase on Amazon. Until then, the book’s status will be “In Review” on your Bookshelf.
By clicking publish I confirm that I agree to and am in compliance with the KDP Terms and Conditions.

PROOF COPIES

Order proof copies of your book before publication. Proof copies are printed using your latest uploaded book files which may differ from your book’s live version. They will also have a “Not for Resale” watermark on the cover and a unique barcode but no ISBN. You pay only the printing cost for your selected marketplace times the number of copies. Shipping and applicable taxes will be applied at checkout.
This is the only place in which I’ve been disappointed. I liked where CreateSpace allowed you to have the book proofed right there online and you discovered the errors, etc. KDP only allows you to order a printed proof copy as far as I can tell. This will take more time. However, the disappointment is minor since it will allow me to actually hold the proof copy in my hands. Thus I will get the feel and appearance!

FINAL THOUGHTS

I have been very pleased with the whole process of publishing the book although I haven’t published yet due to Final Edits that I am currently undergoing. But that is simply me uploading a new and improved manuscript plus another Book Preview.
So when comparing CreateSpace with Kindle Direct Publishing you (in this case I) can expect the same and, in some cases, better experience with KDP than with CreateSpace. This is always a good thing. It means that we, as authors, can focus on our writing and not so much on the publishing end of the process. In my opinion this has been a transparent upgrade that benefits me (and I hope you) as an author.

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle
ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.
If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Indie Publishing

FeaturedIndie Publishing

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. Today I am writing about Indie Publishing.
Back in 2014 when my wife and I decided to establish T&R Independent Publishing we didn’t know what to expect. What we did know was that I was bringing eleven years of writing experience and she was bringing not only business experience but an MBA to the business. And enthusiasm.
But Why Did We Choose to Become an Indie Publisher?
To be honest we were unhappy with the results of so called Self Publishing. Whatever sales were being made didn’t translate well in the form of royalties. But of greater importance was the lack of control. We’re not control freaks, but when you pour your heart and talent into a project you want to have control of how it is published and marketed. It was with that in mind that we started our new business.
Let’s take a closer look.
Why form our own publishing company?
Up to that time I had been publishing using what is commonly called self publishing companies to publish my books. But as I studied these companies I discovered:

  • They control the content of the book
  • They control the cover of the book
  • They determine the royalties
  • I still had to do most of the marketing

In other words, while we had more freedom and control than we’d have with a traditional publisher we still didn’t really have control of anything that really mattered. By going independent and truly publishing by ourselves, we would:

  • Have control over the content of the book from cover to cover
  • Have control over the cover of the book, including what photos we can use
  • Determine the royalties (You have choices with the KDP platform)
  • Still do the marketing

Now don’t get me wrong. We don’t consider ourselves masters of the publishing universe. Rather we believe that if the author is going to invest his/herself into writing a book, any book, then they deserve to benefit from it.
Example
With traditional and self publishing companies the average author’s royalties are scaled. It varies from publisher to publisher but in general it might go like this: 8% of retail for the first 2,500; 15% for the next 5,000; 25% thereafter. Now the numbers just used may not be accurate today, but the concept is true.
But by doing my own publishing using the KDP platform I can receive 35% or 70% right from the start depending on choices we make! That is a huge difference.
What about the content?
With traditional publishers you generally have to first go through an agent who then tries to find a publisher. The agent has certain criteria which may involve you changing the content of your book. But just finding an agent can be long and frustrating. Then the agent gets to tell you whether the book is good enough for publishing based on their expertise.
Even self publishers exert control. For example, say you are writing a book and you quote from the King James Version Bible. It is possible, if you use their editing service, they will substitute a different version whether you agree or not. They may also reject passages they don’t like. In other words, just because you are pleased with your results they might not be and can act accordingly.
Another thing involved is the ability to correct. No matter how or to what extent you have had your book previewed and edited, there is always the chance of errors. Moreover the publisher may have printing errors. I ran into this with my books. I was sent a ‘Proof’ copy and given about three days to review, find errors, make corrections, and return (electronically, of course). Three days may sound like a lot when using the internet but if the publisher made errors, which in this case they did, the finding and correcting  could be extensive, which it was. As a result I was only able to make a limited number of corrections and then it was published. And once published I could not make any corrections without going through the submission process again including paying money!
But by publishing the book myself I am able to take my time and do a more thorough job of previewing and editing. And, if there are still errors in the published version, I can correct the errors and republished at no cost to myself! Since the forming of T&R Independent Books we have reviewed, unpublished, and republished our books after editing.
And now with the merger of CreateSpace into KDP we have even greater simplicity. We haven’t republished anything yet since the merger, but it is my understanding that we can, if we choose, leave the existing book version published while we make corrections and then republish! That is HUGE!
What about the Cover?
In previous blogs  I wrote about CreateSpace’s Cover Creator and the Photo Gallery. We have recently published books by me using KDP’s Cover Creator and Photo Gallery. I liked CreateSpace’s gallery, I like KDP’s more!
I won’t go into all the details again other than to say we can use one of their free pictures or we can upload a picture of our own. We don’t have to deal with the publisher to get permission like we did with my previous self published books with a publisher. Even though we had a certificate proving we owned the rights, they rejected the photo and the certificate. But as the publisher we not only can but did use it.
And one last thing: Writing a book can be and is stressful; so is marketing. Having greater control over the publishing removes a lot of stress; and having greater control over price and royalties is far more rewarding.
Have you considered publishing your book yourself?
More and more authors are discovering the value of a DIY (Doing It Yourself) approach commonly called Indie Publishing. Yes it requires more work on your part, but it’s worth it in many ways.
ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.
If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Everyone Has A Story

FeaturedEveryone Has A Story

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. Today I am writing about Everyone Has A Story.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Everyone has a story” sometime in your lifetime. I believe this is true. Most people don’t realize it, aren’t interested in writing, or don’t know how. But all of us have life experiences that can be instructive or entertaining to the rest of us.
I write stories. I write Bible based stories and I write speculative fiction; I also write historical novels. In fact, you could say I write Biblical historical novels, American historical novels, and Futuristic historical novels. In the last cast it would be a history that hasn’t occurred yet.
What Kind of Stories Are You Talking About?
All kinds. You could write about your trip out west. It could be instructive, entertaining, or just a plain telling of the trip. Your story can go in a lot of different directions. How you write the story is up to you.
The same could be said for a purely fictional account loosely base on an historical event. This would require some research, but the labor would be worth it. Research usually enriches the story being told, so I encourage you to do research.
What Kind of Research?
Depends on your story. The more complicated or extensive it is the more research you need. Good research tends to enrich the story.
But I’ve Never Written A Book Before!
There’s always a first time. And while I don’t necessarily recommend it there are ghostwriters who’ll write your book for a fee. But before that try writing a rough draft by yourself. The draft won’t be perfect but it will be a start. You can also purchase books or borrow books from the library to help you write.
Writing can be fun.
But What About Finding an Agent or Publisher?
I’m neither for or against agents, but I don’t usually write about them. The reason is I favor Indie Publishing where you are the publisher. My Friday blogs deal with publishing. I favor KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) because it is easy and generally free. And the quality is good.
Most of your Traditional Publishers require you having an agent. The process of finding an agent who is willing to represent you can take months, perhaps half a year or longer. Then the agent may take months to find a publisher and the publisher may take up to two years to publish your book. In my view that is way too long!
What About Genre?
Genre is basically a category of artistic expression. It is not just writing books, but that is all I will cover here. It is one of the first things you should check out. Different writers may have different ways of discovering their genre. The best way that I know of is to find other books that are similar to what you want to write. Then find out what categories those books are under.
When I wrote my first novel about space I thought the genre was science fiction. But a reader of this blog told me that Christian Science Fiction is known as Christian Speculative Fiction. So friends, family, and others can help you find out what your genre is. Once you discover that then learn the principles regarding it.
Can I Make Money Writing?
The short answer is yes. There are multiple ways of making money. Whether you can or not is something you must decide. However, if you enjoy writing than I believe that should be your first consideration.
Hone your craft, stick with it, and publish it. All of this can be done for free. And you can get your book out there. Then there’s the matter of advertising and other marketing ideas. In the end a love for writing or a real commitment to writing can sustain you for a long time.
If you have a story to tell why not tell it?
ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.
If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Moved to Kindle Direct Publishing

FeaturedMoved to Kindle Direct Publishing

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. Today I am writing about moving my books to KDP.
It is rather timely that on the day I usually write about publishing that I actually moved all my books to KDP. I accomplished this task in only a few minutes.
How Did You Do It?
I opened my CreateSpace account. There I was greeted by a message telling me I can move my books. So I clicked on the “Start Here” tab and the process began. While I did some other things, including this blog, the move took place.
How many books transferred?
Fifteen books were moved. This included books drafted but never published plus books that I had unpublished. So you will not see those extra books.
So How Does This Impact Your Writing and Publishing?
My last book I published was at the beginning of the month and I used KDP exclusively. I was very pleased with the feel and the end result. One thing I noticed was their gallery of pictures for covers appeared to be more extensive. That pleased me as well.
In general, the process was very easy.
Do You Do Print or eBook First?
I didn’t change my normal practice. I always create the print book first. Then I strip all the page numbers, headings, etc. and create the digital version. I don’t rely upon them converting the print to the eBook or converting an eBook to print. I’m not familiar with their process and I feel I have more control the way I do it.
Will Royalties Be Different than CreateSpace?
That is my understanding as far as when paid. However the percentages appear to be the same. Time will tell, but I expect it to be a non-issue.
So You’re Happy With The Change and Won’t Look Elsewhere?
That is correct. I realize others compare themselves to CreateSpace and to KDP, but I view KDP as the best. I’m very happy with the move and the ease of working with KDP.
ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.
If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Task Force Hunter

FeaturedTask Force Hunter

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. Today I am writing about my latest publication, Task Force Hunter.
As mentioned on Tuesday I have just published my latest speculative fiction book, Task Force Hunter. This book was published exclusively with KDP. In other words, it was published in both print and digital using the KDP platform. And I like the way it turned out!
Task Force Hunter is Book 3 of the Christland series. In this book Earth has launched its first, and thereby most powerful, task force. While not in numbers its destructive power is that of an armada. Its mission: Find and capture the escaped Christians.
But General Abner Smith has a different plan, namely to find and destroy the Christians. He has previously enlisted the aid of Colonel Don Michaels not knowing the colonel was both a Christian and harboring the General’s former sex slave. In fact, the Colonel was supposed to have disposed of her.
Because of inadequate information the Task Force didn’t know where the Christians had gone. They had two possibilities Murphy 212 c and Ross 128 b. Andrea Stevens has just graduated from the Space Academy, been quickly promoted up the chain of command to Captain and now promoted to Admiral. Although highly irregular and suspicious looking, her promotion was real and she was now Admiral Andrea Stevens.
That new responsibility combined with her falling in love with her 1st Officer, and the presence on her ship of Colonel Michaels who she knows is a Christian, complicates her life. Meanwhile the Pauline Space Force has been formed and is rapidly building up for an expected battle. But would they be strong enough to resist what they expected to be an overwhelming force?
As the author of this novel I am very excited. I loved writing it. Even the research was enjoyable! Check it out!
ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.
If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Insights from Task Force Hunter

Insights from Task Force Hunter

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. Tuesday’s I try to focus on Insights. This week I am taking another look at Task Force Hunter.
I have now published my 3rd book of the Christland series called Task Force Hunter. Published exclusively through KDP, Task Force Hunter explores war in space. In this book Earth launches the mightiest space fleet ever, a veritable space armada consisting of seven spaceships, including the Battleship Clinton. This is a book of war and peace.
Today I have a new Insight. What will war be like in space?
Unless Jesus returns for His church beforehand war in space is likely.
Why?
War is likely because of human nature. Man struggles against man to dominate the world. There are periods of peace but it can be argued that there is always a war going on some where in the world. It is as natural as breathing.
So What Will It Be Like?
Basically war will make use of exotic weapons as well as the knife, arrow, or poison. I’m not sure if this is true, but it seems like war breeds scientific development. Which in turn breeds more wars.
The Final War
The Final War actually takes place after the millennium when God overcomes Satan. But the last war of recorded history will be the Battle of Armageddon. That war will bring in the Millennium (1000 years) Kingdom. Christ will rule and peace will reign for a thousand years!
ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.
If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.