Createspace Advice: Tips to Mastering Print Publishing

Hello, friends. It's lovely to see your bright, smiling faces this fabulous Monday morning. So yesterday was my birthday, but that wasn't the most exciting part of my week. Last Wednesday, I received the first print copy of and I nearly died of excitement. (It's an actual possibility. Look it up.)

As a self-published writer, you have to ask yourself some big questions. Which platform are you going to use? Are you going to print copies or just stick with ebooks? When I first decided to use Createspace to print my book, I was a little overwhelmed. What size book should I pick? What kind of cover should I use? 

After months of research, I finally pinned down all of my preferences. Here's my best Createspace advice:

Set a Publishing Timeline

As a first-time self-publisher, the last thing you want to do is rush yourself. After you finish writing your book, try to make a flexible publishing timeline. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Developmental Editing: Two to three weeks depending on your editor. Tanya Gold takes two weeks, and helps you outline a schedule.
2. Book Cover Design: This is the big one. It can take anywhere from two to four weeks depending on adjustments. Because I fell in love with my original design by Natalie Olsen, it only took two weeks. Note: when picking a designer, find someone who is familiar with Createspace and the dimensions, etc.
3. Proofreading: This can be overlapped with the book cover design, as mine was. For me, it took about two weeks. Note: Allot for a week or two between receiving your developmental edits and sending the updates to the proofreader.
4. Interior Formatting: Interior formatting is what makes a book look like a book. I formatted my own book, using Joel Friedlander's Book Design Templates. This took me about a week to navigate. Need help? Try Crenel Publishing.
5. Print Time: Since I'm kicking off the book release with a book launch party, I need to place a bulk order. Since Createspace is a print-on-demand service, this can take a while. I made sure to give myself at least a month of print time, just in case.

Buy Your Own ISBN

Okay, some of you may disagree with me here. Through Createspace, you have a couple options. You can either use a free ISBN from Createspace or you can purchase your own at Bowker. Let me break it down for you:

1. Free ISBN: pros: You get to keep your money. cons: You most likely won't be able to sell your book in bookstores/lend them to libraries.
2. Bowker ISBN: pros: You are your own publisher. With the free ISBN, Createspace is listed as the publisher. Also, this is a universal ISBN. It's accepted by Ingram, Createspace, wherever. cons: It costs money. Too much money.

For more information, read this post from The Book Designer or this one from Ksenia Anske.

Order a Print Proof

The Createspace website is very user-friendly. It's designed in a series of steps, and helps you to navigate your way to a published print book. You upload your files directly onto the site and within the next 24 hours they will approve them. Once this is completed, you'll view the digital proof.

While it's not necessary, you should order a print copy. I chose expedited shipping, and received it in three days. It's really important in order for you to see what the book actually looks like on paper. From there, you make changes and approve.

Sort Through the Details

With print publishing, there are a thousand tiny details. It helps to have a good concept of these before you start the process. Here's what I've got for you:

1. Trim Size. Yes, you'll have to choose the size of your own book. You'll need to have this fairly early so that your cover designer can fit the proper dimensions. I chose the 5.5x8.5" option, which is pretty common. Tip: Createspace provides templates that you can provide to your cover designer to help with sizing.
2. Page Color. This one is a pretty easy choice. For fiction writers, cream colored paper is the standard.
3. Pricing. This gets a little trickier, because it involves royalties. Thankfully, Createspace provides a handy little calculating tool to figure out just what you are making. For me, I'm pricing my book at $12.99. (The ebook will be $2.99.)

Set a Book Release Date

For this one, you'll want to set a release date far out enough that you can get print copies delivered to you—if you're planning a launch party, that is. Additionally, you'll want the extra time for promotional/marketing reasons. If you're a first time self-publisher, you don't need to do any mega-marketing. Focus on writing more books. Still, you'll want to get the book wherever you can. More to come on this later.

Discussion Time: What are your Createspace questions? Do you have any Createspace advice to share with us?

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These Are the Moments Book Cover Reveal

The happiest of Mondays to you all! So, this week is a pretty big week for me, and I'm so happy to finally share with you the cover of my first novel, These Are the Moments. If you've been tuning into my Twitter/blog/newsletters for a while now, then this is a pretty exciting moment. Moment, get it? Let me take you back to when I first revealed the book title. Wow. It's finally real!

Since we're not going to have a "true" post today, I just wanted to take a breather and celebrate this incredible day with you. Let's get a little nostalgic. Let's break out the tissues:

On Ordering My First Proof

So this weekend, I finished making all of the proofreading edits from the lovely Miranda Martin and wrote my dedication and acknowledgments. Note: when reading the acknowledgments, picture me two glasses of champagne deep at 2:00 in the morning. Yep, that happened.

With Createspace, you have a 24 hour window that they take to approve your cover and your interior files before you can order the first copy. So naturally, I spent my Sunday refreshing my email on my phone. I got the email around noon and proceeded to jump up and down as I submitted my credit card info, for my book to arrive this Wednesday.

On Receiving My Book Cover Design

Let's flashback to Easter weekend. I knew that I would receive the four proofs for my book cover design on that Monday, so I couldn't sleep on Sunday. Around 5 in the morning, I checked my phone. Groggy. Barely awake. And there was the email. You know how sometimes you feel like your heart catches in your chest and you just need to lie on the floor? Yep, that was me.

I loved them all, but the one above struck me immediately. I thought, it's like Rainbow Rowell, and more than anything I could have ever thought up in my non-visual brain. I woke up my mom to make her look at them with me. This was it. I was an official author.

On Sharing My Journey With You

This blog has been such a gift. And maybe that's cheesy, and maybe that's okay. I never could have dreamed how valuable it is to have a place to visit every week, where I can share updates about my book journey, and hopefully help you a little with yours. I was so nervous when I shared the first scene. And now, I share scenes from the prequel every single week.

There are some of you who are regular readers, and I want to thank you for that. Your time is valuable and the fact that you pencil me in at all blows my mind. I've come to know some of you personally, and every week, I'll think, oh, Brett is going to love this scene or I can't wait to read Karah's comments! I am blessed beyond measure.

I can't wait until May 26th, when you get to hold the book in your hands. This journey is beautiful, and we're just starting.

Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you.

Writing Tips for Students with Pema Donyo

Are you a student trying to balance it all? Introducing my friend Pema Donyo, a published writer, blogger and college sophomore. She’s an amazing inspiration for writers and provides great writing tips for students like herself. I'm so happy that she's here to spend some time with us.

You're on, Pema!

photo via unsplash

Here's your intro question. Tell me about yourself in less than 70 words. 

I'm Pema Donyo, a current college sophomore. I'm also the author of One Last Letter, Revolutionary Hearts, and The Innocent Assassins - and more to come! Cheesy Hallmark movies, peanut butter, great romance novels, and learning more about business and the publishing industry keep me going. I post about my latest writing struggles, gush about my favorite reads, and recommend helpful articles on my blog.

Goal for next year? Write more.

You're a blogger, published writer and a college student. Tell us how you got started writing.

My love for writing began with a major love of reading. THE SCHOOL STORY by Andrew Clements was a huge source of inspiration for me. It's a middle-grade novel that chronicles a twelve-year-old girl publishing her first book. After I finished reading that story, I realized age wasn't an impediment to being published - nothing was. If you can dream it, you can do it. And if you can write it, you can share it with the world.

Let's put you to the test. What's your best advice for young writers trying to keep it all balanced?

Prioritize what matters most to you at different times in your life. Short version? There's a time for everything.

I'm a firm believer in writing every day. Instead of checking FB for five minutes, set up a writing sprint for yourself. Or wake up ten minutes earlier to jot down a few plot points. Writing is therapeutic, and it can counter some of the stress you may experience from all the other crazy events in life.

Lots of writers/bloggers still in high school and college take a hiatus during the school year. If that works for you, take a break. It's better to focus on a few things at a time than spread yourself too thin. School and homework should be the number one priority during the school year - there will be lots of time for writing during vacations and school breaks!

If you could be the author of any novel in history, which novel would that be and why?

Can I pick a series of novels? Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. I love the character development of each of the protagonists as we follow them along their lives. One of my dreams is to write a series about a set of characters with the same longitudinal time span. A girl with a burning desire to write and a large scope for imagination? There aren't many other characters out there like Anne Shirley.

And finally, before we let you go, what's the best advice you've received and how did it get you here today?

Keep writing. Promotion can wait. Gaining more followers can wait. The writing can't! Write the material you want to read; write the plots that you're dying to flesh out. These are going to be the stories that will manifest themselves into the best versions of your work.

I used to be caught up in the promotion aspect, but then I realized my true source of happiness comes from producing stories. And that's the only way readers can find your work - if you're writing stories and putting them out there for people to enjoy.

Another piece of writing advice: finish your stories. It can be discouraging to start a great edge-of-your-seat idea, become super excited about it... and then the first chapter isn't up to your expectations. As I said above: keep writing! Perseverance will improve prose. After all, edits only happen after words are already on the page. Stick with your story and see it through.

Discussion Time: Are you a student with dreams of writing a novel? Where do you struggle the most? Tell us in the comments!

How to Find a Book Cover Designer

Good morning, friends! When I was searching for a cover designer for These Are the Moments, I did not know the first place to start. A great cover can make or break a book sale for you. Let’s dive into the process!

Like learning how to find a freelance editor and how to find book bloggers, I had to find out where to search for a cover designer.

First up? The best places to look for designers:

Do The Research

Google is your friend.

I'll be honest with you. I didn't have the first clue about where to find a cover designer when I first started the publishing process. I knew that I wanted a good quality designer at an affordable price, but beyond that, I was clueless. 

When it comes to finding a book cover designer, take it to the search bar. Make sure to search based on your unique need. Try "affordable book cover designers" and "book design for self-publishers." Where should you search? A few suggestions: 

• Search Engines. Because, obviously.

• Pinterest. Fun fact? This is where I found my cover designer. Probably not the most effective way, but it worked for me.

• Amazon. Have a crush on a book cover? Pay attention to who designed it! From there, you can contact the designer for rates.

Use your resources.

If you have friends with self-publishing experience, ask about their experience with their chosen designers. Take to Twitter with the hashtag "selfpub" and see what kind of response you receive. 

Try Reedsy.

There's an amazing new website called Reedsy, by my friend Ricardo. (No, that's not an affiliate link. Just a total fan over here.) Reedsy is a simple way to connect writers with cover designers and editors.

You review the designer/editor profile, and then reach out to them with your project. From there, they'll send you a bid with a price suggestion, and you'll make your choice.

How to Choose Your Designer

When it comes to choosing a designer, there are three things you need to consider:

1. Affordability. Know your budget before you even begin to look. Think of this as wedding dress shopping. You may fall in love with the fancy Vera Wang, but your savings account may be left crying.

2. Experience level/reviews. You want to make sure your designer is a professional. Browse their portfolio and their customer reviews. When communicating with him/her, pay attention to the response times and the way he/she handles business.

3. Your book. When you browse through this designer's work, can you envision what he/she could do for your book? So much of choosing a designer is gut instinct. It's taking a leap, and praying that you stick the landing.

Be Prepared

Have Your Book Ready.

There's a great chance that your designer will want to read your book for inspiration. Have an edited copy prepared to send, as well as ideas of what kind of design you may want. 

Know Your Timeline.

Designers can take anywhere from two to three weeks, so make sure to budget this time into your publishing plan. There are definitely designers who can accommodate a faster turnaround time, but for your sanity, make sure you give yourself ample time.

Be responsive. 

This is someone's livelihood. Make sure you are responsive and clear about what you're looking for in a design. If your designer reaches out to you with a question, be ready with an answer!

Images vs. Illustrations.

Personally, I didn't want a stock image for my book cover, so I made sure to seek out a designer who could accommodate this.

Discussion Time: What do you know now about how to find a book cover designer that you wish you had known before? If you're looking for a designer now, what are your struggles? 

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First Novel Advice: Ten Writing Tips I Learned from Finishing a Novel

And it's Monday again, my friends. I hope you're fully caffeinated, because I've got a serious post for you today. Have you written a novel? If so, you know that there are some days when you look at all of those carefully chosen words and think: I really made this? Okay, that's every day.

But what about if you're not quite there yet? What if you're mid-novel, mid-chaos, mid-headache? Well, that was me just a few months ago. Staring at the screen. Thinking everything sounded terrible. Thinking I'd never actually finish. But miracle of miracles, I did. And you can too.

Here's some of my best first novel advice, in ten snapshots of learned lessons:

On Writing...

1. First Drafts are generally garbage. If you're one of those lucky few with a magical touch that turns words into gold, good for you. But since I wrote my whole first draft on paper, I could barely make out what I'd written. First drafts are where you want your mind to wander, explore and drift. It's okay to feel lost. You're probably going to change it all anyway.

2. You actually have to put words on paper. Sometimes, "writing" means staring into space, hopping on Twitter and talking about writing. This will get you nowhere. Setting a writing schedule allows you to maximize your time and gets you that much closer to completing your novel. And remember, free-writing is your best friend.

3. Characters don't always play nice. When I started writing These are the Moments, I thought I had a good grasp on who these characters were. But when I tried to force them into settings or plot lines, they usually veered off the path. Characters play by their own rules. It's your job to let them. Sentences like those are what make non-writers think we're crazy. 

On Editing…

4. Editing is the devil's greatest secret. You finish your first draft, and you're feeling pretty good. You have a book, mostly. You think you're awesome. And then you read it. The characters are all over the place. Plotholes the size of craters litter your manuscript. And you're this close to giving up. But then you read this article, and the world gets a little brighter.

5. Hire an Editor Friend. Editors are writers' greatest weapons, apart from erasers and naps. When I found Tanya Gold, I knew she and I were the perfect match. Not only was she excited to work with me, but she was excited about the work itself. This was a huge advantage for me, and it made working with her fun and beneficial. Learn how to find a freelance editor here.

6. Beta Readers, Beta Readers, Beta Readers. Maybe you're stuck between drafts. Maybe your characters are all wrong, your dialogue seems dry or you need help picking an ending. Don't stress! Find people you trust to give your manuscript a quick read. Here's how to find beta readers for your novel.

On (Self) Publishing...

7. Take your time. If you're looking for first novel advice, this is key. When it comes to publishing your own novel, take the time to do the research. What's an ISBN? Which platform should you use? How do you format an ebook for Kindle? All of these are answers you need to know. Debating on traditional vs. indie publishing? Here's a quick guide for you.

8. Build Your Author Platform. If a book publishes to no audience, is it really a book? (Yes, it is.) However, it helps to have a solid base to start. Learn how to connect with readers through social media, so that when the time comes to publish, your name is already out there. I started blogging over a year ago, and have grown my blog by writing a blog series, accepting guest posts and maximizing my SEO.

9. Marketing, Marketing and Marketing. This goes hand in hand with building your author platform, but remembering that you and your book are two products of a single brand is imperative. Developing your products and finding new ways to reach readers is crucial. What unique quality sets you apart from the crowd? Learn more about marketing for writers in this article.

And a bonus...

10. Writing is a calling, a habit and a passion. When I first started writing, it was a hobby. A way to tap into my very active imagination. But now, it's developed into so much more. Writing is something that I have to practice at in order to improve. Writing is often tedious and stressful, but fulfilling and exciting. If you're lucky enough to call yourself a writer, recognize your talent and appreciate it.

Discussion Time: What have you learned from writing a novel? What do you hope to learn? What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started writing?

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