Live from the story: how to edit a manuscript: How to publish a book: practical advice

By Hiltraud Casper

The men and women who dedicate themselves to the difficult profession of writing novels, short stories, stories, in short, have amazed the world with their works, enamored all kinds of readers with their pose and verb, and have been considered in some cases rebellious. by his attitude. The greatest praise and the sharpest criticism have been written about them. They have been demonized as revolutionaries, branded as bohemians and adored as true 'dandies'. Even some less fortunate have become martyrs at the same time as many others have 'starved' in absolute anonymity. With all this and the vital need to tell something, the world of letters attracts people who want success and recognition. However, it is increasingly difficult to achieve literary glory although, on occasions,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trainera
• Release date: Jun 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9791222416175

Book preview

Live from the story: how to edit a manuscript

How to publish a book: practical advice

THEME

writer by profession

Services and costs

Those who refuse to pay

Alternatives to the current crisis

How to post if you are still an unknown author

The publishing world

contests

desktop publishing

literary advisers

learn to write literature

Tools for editing eBooks

Register your book protect your rights to

author

the options of publication that will condition the edition

from your book

The correction of your original

How to layout your book correctly

The design of the cover how

prepare it

Everything you need to know about the ISBN

Achieving our goals requires effort and discipline

Give and receive criticism

Resilience

Express and freely disseminate thoughts, ideas and opinions by word, writing or any other means of reproduction

DEVELOPMENT

Lulu and Bubok are recommended to also publish on paper, while Amazon KDP is focused on selling e-books in its store.

The self-publishing of books in electronic format either on paper It is one of the cultural trends of recent years. Thanks to this system, writers have the possibility of publicizing their works directly to their potential readers without the need for publishers. When it comes to self-publishing books on the Internet, there are different platforms that simplify the process through various options and, at the same time, have a space for the promotion and distribution of the works.

The best for…

Publish on paper and e-book: Lulu and Bubok

Distributing a work in several stores: Lulu

Have an easy editing process: Bubok and Amazon KDP

Managing Digital Rights: Lulu and Amazon KDP

Preview on supported devices: Amazon KDP

Introducing Advanced Publishing Services: Bubok

common features

The three platforms allow any user to distribute their works over the Internet. Authors and publishers who use them retain their copyright, as they only work for publication and distribution. When editing a work, it is necessary to follow a series of basic steps and recommendations. In general, you have to upload a file in a suitable format to the Internet (they usually accept formats such as Doc, Docx or PDF), create a cover, describe the book with aspects such as the synopsis, title or category and, finally, choose the sale price . It is important to follow the recommendations for the layout and editing of the texts, since they determine the final visualization of the work and give it a professional image.

When establishing the price of a work, in the case of electronic books, the price can be zero, although in Amazon KDP this is done through specific promotions of the work. However, in paper books, there is a cost of production and manufacturing of the publication that depends on the type of paper, number of pages or dimensions selected by the author.

The distribution of the net profit is 80% for the author and 20% for the platforms Lulu andbubok. Meanwhile, in Amazon KDP there are two options: in the first, the author earns 35% of the sale price; in the second, the distribution is 70% for the author and 30% for Amazon, once shipping costs have been deducted.

differences

Each of these applications allows the publication and distribution of a book by different procedures:

So muchluluasbubokThey are on-demand paper publication platforms and, in addition, they allow the electronic version of the work to be published.

Lulu makes it possible, as long as thea series of standards, distribute a work on paper on other channels, including Amazon.

Bubok has a varied menu of paid professional services: from the layout of the texts to the production of press releases.

Amazon Kindle Direct PublisherIt is intended for the publication of electronic books that can be purchased on some of the devices compatible with its store, including the iPad and the Kindle range.

The men and women who dedicate themselves to the difficult profession of writing novels, short stories, stories, in short, have amazed the world with their works, enamored all kinds of readers with their pose and verb, and have been considered in some cases rebellious. by his attitude. The greatest praise and the sharpest criticism have been written about them. They have been demonized as revolutionaries, branded as bohemians and adored as true 'dandies'. Even some less fortunate have become martyrs at the same time as many others have 'starved' in absolute anonymity. With all this and the vital need to tell something, the world of letters attracts people who want success and recognition. However, it is increasingly difficult to achieve literary glory although, on occasions,

Traditional publishers suffer from a chronic crisis, for this reason making a name for themselves in the circle of letters has become a closed preserve for people with captivating talent or famous people. But there is another way: self-publishing. And specialized publishers from all over the world are dedicated to this. For those who dream of writing a book and have approximately 1,000 euros, this door is 'half-open'.

Some figures indicate that this phenomenon has reached our country with force.

Services and costs

Publishers specialized in the publication of books by anonymous writers provide a series of services depending on the amount that is willing to pay. For the minimum price, about 700 euros, they convert the 'galley' into a book. From there, and always according to what is paid, the services include from thecorrection and editing of the text, to the design of the cover and the promotion of the book. In Spain, nearly 60,000 titles are published a year, of which 20% are self-published. The main difference between the edition of a traditional company and self-publishing is the circulation, much lower in number of copies for the second option. Many writers say this formula, so accessible to many, is born from digital publishing and new technologies, which have greatly reduced traditional costs.

Those who refuse to pay

Submitting texts in literary contests is the traditional and effective way to work professionally as a writer. some writers does not recommend this type of editorial for those who want to be professional writers. They maintain that this concept is valid for people who want to tell something in particular or for others with enough money to give away their autobiography on their birthdays. Herrscher, with a more romantic vision of the profession, relies more on literary contests as a way to carve out a future in the world of literature.

Opinion of the competition

Traditional publishers do not look favorably on this self-publishing initiative, they saythat they are a disaster and a scam. The intention of these companies is to take money from people, it is a way to take advantage of their dreams. In his defense, De Urquiza qualifies this type of opinion towards this alternative as 'prejudice'. We do not pretend to compare ourselves with traditional publishers. We publish books that have no place in the commercial circuit and this is the only way to do it.

What has been said so far highlights the current crisis in the publishing field. There has been talk of traditional publishers and self-publishing. His service consists of printing books in small print runs for users without editorial backing, but with the professional finish of a traditional edition. It focuses on digital printing techniques, which allow a single book to be produced at the same price as a hundred.

How to post if you are still an unknown author

For your book to be published by a traditional publisher, you should know that in principle you do not have to pay anything out of pocket, although you also have no guarantee that it will be published. These are the steps to follow:

Writing what is now still called a manuscript.

Submit the copy to a literary contest that rewards the winner with the publication of the book.

Send a copy to other publishers.

Submit the manuscript to a literary agent.

If you opt for self-publishing, this is the process you should follow:

Keep in mind that most of these publishers are on the Internet. Once you get in touch with the one that most convinces you, verify your postal address, which most must have, and before paying try to have a personal interview with a member of the company. If this is not possible, make sure that they give you sufficient guarantees that your manuscript will be published according to your interests and tastes.

Be cautious and do not pay more than 1,000 euros, as some are 'ghost companies' and can charge up to 3,000 euros.

Assess the 'packages' they offer.

Prices for an 'alternative' edition:

Basic package: It costs about 1,200 euros, although in some companies they reduce it to 700 euros if the same author designs the cover and the interior of the book. This cost also finances the payment of the code necessary for the public sale of the book and the copyright (ISBN).

Standard package: It amounts to 1,500 euros, which also covers some marketing services such as the creation of a website with the image of the book cover.

Best seller package: It involves an investment of about 2,000 euros, with the addition that they place the book on the commercial circuit and make it suitable for sale as an e-book.

One of the healthiest ways to unwind outside of work is to connect with the inner artist in all of us. Hence, there are not a few economists, engineers or doctors, to name three professions that have little to do with Literature, who spend their spare time writing. Many start because they are good readers, and with no other objective than to have a good time; However, after years cultivating the hobby alone, they are encouraged to dream that perhaps what they write could be bound and published in book form. How to do it? Although it is not an easy task, entering contests or contests can help to achieve it. Ultimately, many authors resort to self-publishing their stories through specialized Internet companies.

The publishing world

Not all publishers publish storybooks. What's more: in the literary world it is said that most publishers prefer novels. Hence, before sending a story to a publisher, it is essential to find out if it publishes them... and if it receives manuscripts (and, if so, under what conditions). They seem obvious, but few new authors take them into account. For the first, it is enough to study the publisher's catalog and explore the different collections that make it up; going to the library and reading some titles will help you better understand what kind of literaturesells the company in question. As strange as it sounds, the term company is not accidental, since publishers only publish books that they consider profitable, that fit their literary and commercial criteria. It also doesn't hurt to find out how many titles dedicated to the story it publishes per year -it won't be more than seven or eight- and research the editor's profile. All this will help to make the expectations that one forms reasonable.

Regarding the matter of the manuscripts, in the publisher's website or by phone you can get information about how to send them. Some publishers accept Word or pdf files, but others prefer paper text and postage. Once the manuscript is sent, the editor's response will take at least three or four months to arrive; not because it is slow to read, but because, on average, publishers receive more than 30 texts each month. Hence, if someone wants to have any chance, they should be careful in the aforementioned steps and not give reasons to be rejected at the first opportunity.

contests

If you get tired of being rejected by publishers, you can try to win a contest, mostly convened by institutions in collaboration with a publisher; the first contributes the money for the award and the second is in charge of publishing the winning book or books. Apart from the most prestigious contests – the Ribera del Duero, the Tiflos or the NH-, there are a large number of local, provincial or regional calls where you can try your luck, and with salaries ranging from 100 euros and up. In difficult times, professional authors such as the Chilean Roberto Bolaño or the Argentine Antonio di Benedetto survived in Spain by submitting their stories to these contests.

Publishers only publish books that they consider profitable, that fit their literary and commercial criteria.

The options are many.Through the Internet you can also be aware; pages like Writers.org either banner.com they list the bases of a good number of calls and report the winners.

desktop publishing

It is not easy to turn those stories that are on the hard drive into a book. The traditional channels are based on the approval of the quality of the author through an editor or a jury. However, the Internet has brought a new possibility: companies like Bubok or Lulu offer self-publishing for free, and without any filter. Free? Yes, free. What the customer wants? Also.

Unlike traditional publishers, these companies print on demand, that is, they only print a copy when there is a buyer who requests it. If he pays for two copies, they print that for him: two copies. The production cost per book is much higher than in the classic editions; however, this system lowers the final price by letting the authors publish what they want andtake care of everything: correct, layout, edit, spread, place in bookstores or libraries, and so on. What's more, to do, the authors even set the price. The only condition is that the price is above the production cost per copy that the company sets. According to the calculations of one of these websites, printing a 90-page book of 150 x 210 mm in black and white and with a glued spine costs 7.5 euros. From that figure, the author can ask for the money he wants for his work. Of the profit he obtains, 80% will go to him and 20% to the company.

Printing through self-publishing publishers a 90-page book of 150 x 210 mm in black and white and with a glued spine costs 7.5 euros

The phenomenon is recent -it has barely been running for a couple of years- and is part of the new technological culture; so it is still early to be able to assess its impact. In any case, it appears as one more option for those who write to get revenge on the editor who rejected them, the juries who did not recognize their talent or, simply, to share their stories with family and friends at an affordable price.

literary advisers

One reason why many authors do not pass even the first screening of a publisher, a literary agent or a contest is because their texts contain gross errors. Grammatical slip-ups, misspellings, papier-mâché characters, arguments repeated a thousand times... the range of errors to reject a manuscript is vast. An easy way to spot them is to print out the presumed masterpiece and ask a couple of friends who are reliable readers for their opinion. Another more professional, resort to the literary advisory service offered by some authors, writing workshops or people related to the publishing world. In general, these services can be divided into three large areas: grammatical and stylistic correction, editorial reporting, and literary evaluation.

The first optionfocuses on the text being correct, that does not contain grammatical and spelling errors, meaningless phrases, etc. That is to say: the minimum so that the text can be considered. This costs from 1 to 3.6 euros per page, depending on the number of words -the higher the volume, the better price- and who is entrusted with the task. In general, the file itself is corrected and the client receives a brief report with some explanations to understand the changes made.

Heeditorial reportit is a general evaluation of the quality of the work, and its cost ranges between 50 and 80 euros for a text of 10 to 15 pages. In this modality, the accent falls on the literary successes and defects, and the report includes advice and suggestions for improvement for the client. Of course, all this without great technical depths.

The writing workshops are around 75 euros if they are online and 90 euros if they are face-to-face

Finally, the evaluation enters fully into theanalysis of the narrative fabric: characters, structure, rhythm, atmosphere... The report offers details of a more technical nature and usually contains suggestions, examples and extensive clarifications. The evaluation of a five-page story can be charged between 75 and 100 euros.

In all three cases, these prices are only indicative figures, because the usual thing in the literary world is to send a representative sample of the text and request a personalized quote.

learn to write literature

In the last decade, writing workshops have proliferated in Spain. These centers offer introductory courses in creative writing, advanced story workshops, modern story reading workshops, or even tutorials for narrative projects. If one lacks a theoretical or practical base, in these places he will learn technical resources, meet new authors and discuss in a group about what he writes.

Prices are around 75 euros per month for online courses and 90 for face-to-face courses. Although most of the workshops belong to the private initiative, some municipal libraries, cultural centers or neighborhood associations offer them for free or at an affordable price. Both are a good springboard to enter the literary circuit with a better footing.

Tools for editing eBooks

This trend seems to indicate that the future of the publishing industry is forced by digital support. In this process of change in the format of reading and dissemination of writings, one of the alternatives is the self-publishing of books. In this sense, there are online platforms that allow any author to edit their written work independently and sell a printed version on demand. There are even different options to be able to edit an electronic book associated with one of the large book stores on the Internet.

bubok

In Spain, the platform bubok self-publishing, allows any author to sell their copy in both physical and digital format. Physical books, which are published on demand, have a minimum starting price depending on the type of printing and machining selected, while electronic books do not have a minimum price as they are not associated with this type of cost.

This platform has different editorial services to give a professional finish to the publication. Among them, it has systems to add a barcode or acquire a self-publishing ISBN. It also offers a servicelayout of electronic literature in format ePub , professional layout for the printed or correction version, among others.

iBooks Author

iBooks Author makes it easy to create interactive electronic literature. It presents a very visual and easy-to-use graphical environment, based on drag and drop. It has different options, such as using interactive images, videos, 3D objects or inserting widget from Apple. This tool also offers the option to export to other formats, such as plain text and PDF to upload to other pages or platforms. Among the limitations of this application is that the electronic copy created can only be put up for sale in the iBookstore (Apple's digital book store), or in iTunes U, oriented towards teaching.

At the time of putting the copy up for sale in the iBookstore , it is necessary to create an author account in iTunes