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.
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Lightning Source, CreateSpace, and Ingram Spark
Which is right for your book? Picking the right printer and distribution option for your book can be a confusing journey. Searching the web for answers will result in an overload of information and conflicting answers. Some people swear by Lightning Source, others...
Writing with Ryan: Pronouns
The pronoun is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers variety and freshness—a break from the monotony of names. To illustrate, here’s a sentence without pronouns: Ryan loves Ryan’s guitar so much that Ryan would take Ryan’s guitar everywhere if Ryan could. Phew!...
Writing with Ryan: The Importance of Editing
Whether it’s performed by a peer, a professional, or the author, editing is by far the most crucial stage of the writing process. It’s the only way to ensure high quality and optimum readability. Writing without editing is like getting dressed with your eyes closed,...
What Goes in a Book Marketing Kit?
A marketing kit is very useful when promoting your book. It can be sent to places that may be interested in writing a story about your book, reviewing it, holding a book event, or purchasing copies. It should also be brought with you when meeting with anyone in person...
eBooks 101: Understanding eBooks
EBooks are quickly growing in popularity and are starting to outsell their print counterparts. To reach both markets you should make your book available both in print and as an eBook. An eBook is an electronic version of a book. There are different eBook “readers” or...
Working With Image Resolution for Interior Book Images
Most book printers and publishers have image resolution requirements for images included in the book’s interior. Typically they will ask that all images be 300 ppi (pixels per inch) resolution and sometimes more. If your images do not meet these requirements they may...
Choosing the Right Font for your Book
Fonts are an important part of your book. They set the mood and can effect the readability of your text. Your book could have potential to be a bestseller but if someone has trouble reading it due to a bad font choice they might just put it down without finishing or...
Costly Mistakes, the Importance of Proofreading
Proofreading your book is one of the most important steps in self publishing. The cost of not proofreading or not proofreading properly can be high. Unlike traditional publishing, when you self publish the job of proofreading and editing is yours. When you send your...
How to Create Note or Journal Lines in Microsoft Word
Creating a book that has blank lines for readers to write on such as a journal or workbook? The instructions below will show you how to create note lines in Microsoft Word without using multiple underscores, which often do not format properly. First find your book’s...
Creating Proper Blank Pages in A Book Layout
Your book format will likely include a few blank left hand pages. These blank pages are used so that new chapters and front matter section,s such as the table of contents, dedication, foreword, etc., start on a right hand page in a book. These blank pages should be...