What's the best way to self-publish for fun, and not for profit?
February 23, 2010 6:36 AM Subscribe
What's the best way to self-publish for fun, and not for profit?
Hi, a few years back I participated in the National Novel Writing Month. It was fun. Since then I've been tweaking my novel, and I think it's at a point where it's ... well ... corny, but readable and engrossing if I say so myself.
What's the best way to get people to read it?
I am OK with it being distributed electronically for free, both in terms of what the reader pays, and in terms of what I need to pay to get it out there. After all it's just for fun.
Also, how would I do it, if I want to be reasonably anonymous? I mean, I've written nothing untoward, it's just schlocky in a way that would be embarrassing to myself if the people I know, connected me with it.
Thanks!
Hi, a few years back I participated in the National Novel Writing Month. It was fun. Since then I've been tweaking my novel, and I think it's at a point where it's ... well ... corny, but readable and engrossing if I say so myself.
What's the best way to get people to read it?
I am OK with it being distributed electronically for free, both in terms of what the reader pays, and in terms of what I need to pay to get it out there. After all it's just for fun.
Also, how would I do it, if I want to be reasonably anonymous? I mean, I've written nothing untoward, it's just schlocky in a way that would be embarrassing to myself if the people I know, connected me with it.
Thanks!
jaffacakerhubarb: "... specific distribution channels..."
Once you upload something to Google Docs, you can "publish" it with one click. Once there, I don't believe it can be traced back to you.
If anyone wants to try, here is a neat article about chili that I typed out of a book.
posted by Joe Beese at 7:03 AM on February 23, 2010
Once you upload something to Google Docs, you can "publish" it with one click. Once there, I don't believe it can be traced back to you.
If anyone wants to try, here is a neat article about chili that I typed out of a book.
posted by Joe Beese at 7:03 AM on February 23, 2010
I used lulu.com for a project and was very happy with it. You can download a template word doc to format your file, upload it, and make it available as print or download. You set the price. If you like, the download can be free, and the print version can be just the cost of printing. It comes out looking quite professional. And you can do all this at no charge. Basically you just pay printing costs for the print version. My 83-page paperback costs about $6 to print.
posted by selfmedicating at 7:31 AM on February 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by selfmedicating at 7:31 AM on February 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
You can make it availble for the Kindle through their Digital Text Platform.
posted by FreezBoy at 7:54 AM on February 23, 2010
posted by FreezBoy at 7:54 AM on February 23, 2010
For a different version, podiobooks.com has lots of new authors who read their books a chapter at a time and store them as podcasts.
posted by CathyG at 8:29 AM on February 23, 2010
posted by CathyG at 8:29 AM on February 23, 2010
Also chiming in that Lulu is a good service. I've never used their digital publishing features but I have used their printing services and distributed myself. They put out a high-quality product as long as you upload a well-formatted and well-designed PDF.
If you're looking to make the book available online, Wordpress or a similar platform would allow you to serialize it, which has the added bonus of letting people throw your feed into their feed reader (or what jaffacakerhubarb said).
posted by burnfirewalls at 9:19 AM on February 23, 2010
If you're looking to make the book available online, Wordpress or a similar platform would allow you to serialize it, which has the added bonus of letting people throw your feed into their feed reader (or what jaffacakerhubarb said).
posted by burnfirewalls at 9:19 AM on February 23, 2010
also poke around Web Fiction Guide. It's a self-listing directory of online serials, plus a forum for related matters.
I have good experiences with Lulu's printing service, but have experience doing print design, so I did the layout and cover myself, so can't vouch for their author services.
Serializing on a blog plus having a link for buying the book (e- and print) on lulu is probably how I'd do it.
Absolute Write's self publishing subforum has a lot of information and resources.
posted by itesser at 10:34 AM on February 23, 2010
I have good experiences with Lulu's printing service, but have experience doing print design, so I did the layout and cover myself, so can't vouch for their author services.
Serializing on a blog plus having a link for buying the book (e- and print) on lulu is probably how I'd do it.
Absolute Write's self publishing subforum has a lot of information and resources.
posted by itesser at 10:34 AM on February 23, 2010
Seconding podiobooks if you're willing to put the effort into recording.
posted by NoraReed at 11:31 PM on February 23, 2010
posted by NoraReed at 11:31 PM on February 23, 2010
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If you're asking about specific distribution channels, I can't really help. Sorry!
posted by jaffacakerhubarb at 6:50 AM on February 23, 2010