hello everyone
after much blood, sweat, tears and red wine, I've finally self published my novel. If anyone would be kind enough to take a look you can see it at www.lulu.com/content/2072117
I must say that the Lulu self publishing process was a total pain in the backside, but they do tell you up front that the onus is on you to get it right, so I guess the problem lay with me.
Anyway. It feels good to hold MY book in my hot sweaty little hands! Now I just need to force my family and friends to help me market it.
Lee Crompton | May 14, 2008 - 13:03
Firstly, congratulations. I was going to start self-publishing through xlibris.com, but then they started charging. There's a few out there now that charge hundreds (sometimes thousands) of pounds to get a book to the print ready stage. Lulu's great as there's no up front fee but like you said, the DIY formatting can be a pain in the bum if you're not careful.
Did you buy an ISBN/barcode through them? If not and you'd like to have your book listed on Amazon, WHSmiths, Borders, Waterstones etc, maybe check out www.positive-publishing.co.uk
Anyways, all the best and well done.
Briarcal | May 16, 2008 - 14:03
Thanks Lee. I did buy a barcode, which was one of the main bugbears. You can't buy the barcode until you have uploaded your cover. Then, once you get the number, you have to take the first cover off, get the barcode put on, and upload it again. It took ages to get right. Anyway, it's done now, and I just have to wait for Amazon and so on to list it. Thanks for your comments, and good luck with your writing
Abandoned: available from www.lulu.com/content/2072117
or my website: jeanettemccarthy.co.uk
Briarcal | May 16, 2008 - 14:03
Thanks Lee. I did buy a barcode, which was one of the main bugbears. You can't buy the barcode until you have uploaded your cover. Then, once you get the number, you have to take the first cover off, get the barcode put on, and upload it again. It took ages to get right. Anyway, it's done now, and I just have to wait for Amazon and so on to list it. Thanks for your comments, and good luck with your writing
Abandoned: available from www.lulu.com/content/2072117
or my website: jeanettemccarthy.co.uk
Briarcal | May 16, 2008 - 14:04
Thanks Lee. I did buy an ISBN, which was one of the main bugbears. You can't buy the ISBN until you have uploaded your cover. Then, once you get the number, you have to take the first cover off, get a barcode put on, and upload it again. It took ages to get right. Anyway, it's done now, and I just have to wait for Amazon and so on to list it. Thanks for your comments, and good luck with your writing
Abandoned: available from www.lulu.com/content/2072117
or my website: jeanettemccarthy.co.uk
patmac | June 11, 2008 - 13:42
If your book is published through Lulu the first place to go is the forum over at www.lulu.com. In the communities section there is a reviews and ratings forum.
There you will find several people who will look at your book and tell you if you have any obvious faults in it. Supposing that you have none of those, and the artwork is impressive, the blurb apt, the prose excellent and the general layout satisfactory then it's time for you to search for a formal book reviewer.
(If the lulu review process does find errors in your book it's as well to get those fixed before attempting to find an external reviewer.) A handful of the authors over on the lulu site are extremely accomplished and have had their own books formally reviewed several times.
Good luck. It's a long process, but in some cases it can also be a very rewarding one.
Pat
My latest killing is:
http://www.bookscape.co.uk/short_stories/human_sacrifice.php