Nevermore – book one by Francis Booth

21 Things you might not know about Amazon Self-Publishing – by Francis Booth

Hastings-based writer, Francis Booth talks to Angela J. Phillip about the advantages of using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Francis has just finished making twenty of his books available through Amazon as both e-books and paperbacks. “It has been worthwhile and rewarding and much easier than you might think,” he says and offers the following checklist of points to note.

1. It doesn’t cost you anything. Nothing. Zero.
2. Amazon now allows you to create and publish paperbacks on KDP as well as e-books.
3. You can also publish an audiobook version through Amazon.
4. You keep the copyright and the right to sell the work in any form (film rights for example), and the right to take it off Amazon at any time; with a mainstream publisher you also keep the copyright but you will probably be locked into a multi-year contract.
5. Amazon gives you a free ISBN.
6. 

   Francis Booth

   You have your own Amazon Author Page where you can put pictures, biographical details, promotional videos and upcoming events; readers can click to follow you.

7. Your book will be available for purchase on Amazon within 48 to 72 hours of you uploading it.
8. Your paperback will be printed on demand (POD) so there is no minimum or maximum order quantity.
9. You can specify your own fonts and layouts for the paperback and you can include illustrations in both e-book and paperback versions, though they will be black and white in the paperback.
10. If you have an image for the cover you can design the complete wraparound cover online using Amazon’s Cover Creator; if you don’t you can use one of Amazon’s stock designs.
11. For the paperback, you can choose matte or glossy covers and cream or white paper.
12. Amazon customers will receive your paperback one or two days from ordering; Amazon Prime customers don’t have to pay postage.
13. 

    Everybody by Francis Booth

    The paperbacks are large format, well printed and highly professional.

14. You can set your own prices, subject to a certain minimum. You can also set prices for markets outside the UK. While you are publishing the book you can play around with pricing on the Amazon site to see how much you will make at various price levels.
15. You keep 70% of the selling price for e-books and 60% minus cost on paperbacks.
16. Your book will simultaneously be available in major countries like the US, Japan, France and Germany.
17. You can order as many copies of your paperback as you want for yourself at cost price plus postage. Cost price is 70p +1p per page.
18. After publication you can make changes to your book at any time without withdrawing it from sale; you can change anything except the title and ISBN.
19. There is a new desktop/laptop Amazon tool called Kindle Create that allows you to format your e-book; you can import your Microsoft Word document straight into it.
20. Your readers don’t need an actual Kindle; the Kindle app is free and runs on any computer, tablet or smartphone, including all Apple devices.
21. Amazon advertising will suggest your book to readers next to the authors and books you specify; there is no upfront charge for their advertising services.

Thanks so much, Francis for providing this checklist. There are so many more advantages than I had imagined and I look forward to trying it myself as well as posting a third article on self-publishing at a later date.

For further information, please see below:
Francis Booth – Author page on Amazon
Nevermore: Nevermore Series Book One by Francis Booth
Everybody I can ever think of: meetings that made the avant-garde by Francis Booth
Self-publishing with Amazon –  is it for you? by Roger Povey
……………………………

In the News
Poet Laureate’s job goes to Simon Armitage – At last someone has accepted the job and I would like to wish him well. Hope that he doesn’t fall into the same holes that Andrew Motion did. Hope it works out well and that he doesn’t regret it as I say in my Message to Simon Armitage.

Forthcoming
Literary Shed Writing Sessions run by A. Vasudevan
Two-hour weekly writing sessions in safe, creative spaces in Hastings and St Leonards
Tuesday 14 May, 10–12 (free) at Sea Kale, 29 London Road, St Leonards
Thursday 23 May, 10–12 (free) at Stooge Coffee, Hi-Store, 4 Trinity, Hastings
Thursday 30 May, 10–12 (free) at Hastings Central Library, 13 Claremont, 3rd floor, Hastings
On the first Thursday of each month, there is also a writing critique group in which members share work.
For further information, please email: aruna@theliteraryshed.co.uk, subject: WRITE-INS

Bookbuster 39 Queens Rd, Hastings TN34 1RE
Thurs 16 May, 6 – 8 pm Sheer Poetry – open mic poetry £2 entry

Printed Matter Bookshop 185 Queens Rd, Hastings TN34 1RG
Mon 20 May, 6 pm PM Book Club discussing Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean
Tues 21 May, 6 pm Book talk with Christine Lindey author of Art for All
Wed 29 May, 6 pm Book talk with Keir Milburn on Generation Left

Help Needed
I still need more suggestions for the two series of features on ‘Best Bookshops in Hastings and St Leonards’ and ‘Best Cafes for Readers and Writers in Hastings and St Leonards’. Thanks to those people who have already made contact. Please get in touch via Comments at the end of this post or through the Facebook group Hastings Bookchat or you can email: angelaphillip@mail.com

Books
This week I read #YouToo by Candy Denman that was featured last week in HOT Hastings Bookchat. It’s a fast-paced read that will get you turning the pages to see what happens next. (Dr) Jo Hughes is still (after books 1 and 2) struggling with her love life and her surgeries as well as trying to find out who is behind the sex crimes that keep happening. It was a pleasure to go with Jo and her friend, Kate to unwind and discuss the case (as well as their love lives) at The Stag, Porter’s Wine Bar, The Land of Green Ginger and The Crown. Not quite as good as going for real but a definite buzz.

Blogging and Writing
I’m still thrilled with Blogger and all that this free blog platform will do. The ‘subscribe’ button works perfectly and the blog displays very nicely on
mobile as well as on desktop. It is extremely easy to use.

With my own writing, I’m working on book three where fourteen-year-old Dani is missing her father and whenever I go anywhere I keep thinking about her. She likes wearing jeans with holes in but the holes have to be ‘just right’ and I can’t help looking at girls wearing jeans with holes in them. There was a girl on a bus this week whose jeans were almost totally a hole. Hmmm I thought and wondered whether Dani would like them.
………………….
Wishing you all a great week. Happy reading and writing. Go gently.

Angela J. Phillip

Also in: Hastings Bookchat