Jera’s Self-Publishing Blog
Welcome to our blog! We post articles to help the self-publishing and indie author. You will find articles on writing tips, book design, cover design, eBook, book marketing, and of course information on the business of self-publishing.
Be sure to check out our self-publishing packages and our video library.
What I'm Accepting Right Now
I'm easing into semi-retirement after 25+ years in the field, narrowing my focus to novels, memoirs, and standard nonfiction. I'm not accepting complex book projects right now.
Jobs are now being scheduled in advance. Check my Availability Checker for the next open slot.
My job schedule is almost booked out until January!
If you need to get a new job on my schedule before then, please request a quote and submit a deposit ASAP.
Using Both CreateSpace (now KDP) and IngramSpark for Distribution
UPDATE: CreateSpace and KDP are merging, see notes below. CreateSpace and IngramSpark are two Print-On-Demand printers often used by self-publishing authors. They both print, and distribute, your book to online retailers, such as Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com. Authors...
Why Authors Need to Get a PO Box
One of the first steps you need to do when you decide to publish a book is to go out and get yourself a PO Box. Why? One word: Security. Without a PO Box, you will be using your home address in places that it is easy for anyone to find. Do you want your readers to...
Understanding Wholesale Discounts When Self-Publishing a Book
If you are self-publishing a book, you need to understand wholesale discounts and how it affects the amount of money you will make when you sell a book through retail channels. When I talk to authors about how to calculate their book’s profit they're often a little...
Five Reasons to Create a Publishing Company to Self-Publish Under and Two Reasons Not To
Many self-publishing authors form a business (publishing company) with its own name and publish their book under the publishing company's name instead of their own. Here are five reasons that you may want to do this, and two reasons you may not want to: You do not...
Section Breaks in Word: What They Are and How to Use Them
What is a Section Break? In Microsoft Word, section breaks are meant to divide your book into sections. In books, they are used between chapters and to divide the front-matter or back-matter pages. Section break should be placed after the title page, copyright page,...
Format Hanging Indents the Right Way
If you are writing a nonfiction book, you may have a section in the back referencing source material, such as other books or magazine articles. These references should be formatted with hanging indents. That is, the first line is flush left, and the following lines...
Self-Editing Tips
Your first draft of your manuscript is not your last draft. Neither is your second, third, or even your fourth draft! It will go through multiple rounds or edits, even before you hand it over to a professional editor (which I strongly suggest doing). Below are a few self-editing tips to help you get through the often-dreaded self-editing process.
Six Ways to Use Video to Promote Your Book
This month's article is on how to use video to promote your book. Video can be a powerful marketing tool, and if you are not yet using video in your marketing arsenal, you should be! Below are six ideas on how to incorporate video into your book marketing plan. 1....
Word Tips for Writers: Setting the Space Above Your Chapter Titles
Instead of using extra paragraph breaks to move your chapter titles down from the top of the page in Word, you should be using the Spacing: Before setting for the style. First, use a style for all of your chapter titles. Often, the default Heading 1 style is used. Or,...
Use Best Sellers Rank to Select the Best Category for Your Book on Amazon
Selecting the category for your book when uploading your book to IngramSpark, CreateSpace, or Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is an important step that is not given enough thought or research by many self-publishing authors. Unfortunately, it is often not...