An experiment in self-publishing.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:16 pm

I'll probably get down to reading it this weekend. I thought I had Amazon Prime. But apparently my prime subscription through amazon student doesn't allow access to the rent option. But, as usual, it's a teeny-tiny amount and I don't really mind it.

Also, I can try to do some proofreading while reading it or if I go through the book a second time. I can't guarantee this because of time constraints and also a wierd funk of being reticent to do things of this nature.

Also, is there anyway that I can print it on paper? I rarely use the printer but I think I can squeeze in 4 pages into one (front and back.)

erik · Post by **erik** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:23 pm

Cynic wrote: Also, is there anyway that I can print it on paper? I rarely use the printer but I think I can squeeze in 4 pages into one (front and back.)

Place kindle over scanner? =-p

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 12:53 am

Well, you could google "kindle DRM" to find a way to strip that out (first link), convert it to text, and print that. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would work.

K: do you want actual editing, or just copy editing?

K · Post by K » Thu Feb 02, 2012 1:59 am

fectin wrote:Well, you could google "kindle DRM" to find a way to strip that out (first link), convert it to text, and print that. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would work.

K: do you want actual editing, or just copy editing?

Copy editing mostly, but if anything egregious jumps out I'd appreciate pointing it out.

JigokuBosatsu · Post by **JigokuBosatsu** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:47 pm

Good luck on this! I sell a few copies of my old serial novel on Kindle, without any promotion. Which is funny because it's up for free somewhere else. I'll download it once the tax return comes in and I have some disposable ducats.

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:27 pm

JigokuBosatsu wrote:Good luck on this! I sell a few copies of my old serial novel on Kindle, without any promotion. Which is funny because it's up for free somewhere else. I'll download it once the tax return comes in and I have some disposable ducats.

"Pay what you like" performances do quite well too, and the Humble Indie Bundle is a juggernaut. The exact same people who squawk at being forced to pay five dollars will happily pay ten when left to their own devices. Not all of them, obviously, but enough to be significant.

K · Post by K » Fri Feb 10, 2012 6:42 am

Ballz. Over 50 errors so far.

Well, apologies to everyone who's bought it so far.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:09 pm

Once I'm done with midterms, I'd be happy to list the errors I find. However, that's going to be at least a week.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:32 am

So now Dead City Gambit has been out for half a year or so. I'm a little curious as to how well it has done, and whether there are any follow-ups being planned.

Chamomile · Post by **Chamomile** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:45 am

Seconding that interest in how Dead City Gambit's done.

K · Post by K » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:17 am

Well, everyone who read it responded that they liked it, but my profound lack of promotion and internet presence has left me having sold a grand total of 40 copies. Amazon is just flooded with self-published fiction and there is an ocean of crap between the good ones.

Also, even my close friends don't seem to want to post a review, even a sock puppet review that could be tossed off in a few minutes. The only review I did get was from a girl I slept with a few times, and she gave me less than 50 words.

Sooooo..... complete waste of time?

It's actually making me think that marketing is as important as the writing. Or that I have no talent.

One of those.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:59 am

Marketing is really important if you want people to look at your product. Is the current version error-checked? The grammar issues were the main thing that kept me from making any recommendations to my circle of acquaintances.

K · Post by K » Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:03 am

Yeh, I corrected all the errors. It's a shame that the people who already have it can't get the corrected version for free.

JigokuBosatsu · Post by **JigokuBosatsu** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:28 pm

I'm sorry, I tried to download it but had such a hassle with Amazon that I said "Fuck it." Maybe I'll have another go when I'm not so cranky.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:30 pm

K wrote:Yeh, I corrected all the errors. It's a shame that the people who already have it can't get the corrected version for free.

Excellent. In that case, I have some people to talk with. I volunteer at a public library, and we have e-books in the collection.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:09 pm

I tried to write a sock-puppet review, but got error messages. I have had zero good experiences with kindle anything. Their program failed to transfer After Sundown to Kindle Format, and I can't seem to review things. I have no idea why their kindle shit works so shitty. By the way: the apple iBooks shit is also shit.

-Username17

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:31 pm

I wasn't be able to give it a good review. It's a great story, but it badly needed an editor. Worse, the least good parts were (mostly) front-loaded.

That said, I saw it's problems as lack of practice and lack of polish. It was well structured, well built, and interesting, but I think your rush to get it out the door really hurt it.

Sorry man. Don't give up though.

I was going through it making specific comments before everything got super busy. If that would help, I can clean them up and fforward them to you.