I am, of course, referring to on paper. As part of my Kickstarter for Wherever Would I Be, there was an add on for having a character named after them in my next book. I probably should have thought that through better given that said next book is a murder mystery. [strained smile] The detectives are all named for my favorite characters on my favorite procedural shows. The main character’s nickname is after Willie Garson’s character on White Collar – one of my most favorite characters every written (and he was THE BEST option to play him). I love how characters get their names, whether by the writer or a nickname within the story. For Mozzie, we learn the heartwarming truth that his chosen name is after a teddy bear he had as a child when he was orphaned, a teddy bear named Mozart. My MC will have Moz as her nickname. (Garson sadly passed away in 2021. Rewatching this show also hits a bit different these days.)
Eight friends took me up on this add on – to name a character after them. Eight. I was thinking one or two might. Not eight. Good thing it’s a serial killer story. 😛
That being said, it’s a very different experience when you write about a character you made up and killed off than it is when said character has the same name as a friend of yours. This week, I wrote a chapter where we find one such victim and then, after they are ID-ed, inform their mother. It was really hard to get the image of my friend out of my head, and I definitely felt all the feelings when writing the mother in mourning in learning what happened to her child.
Here are the answers to the second six questions Goldstein asks on his podcast. To read the first six, see last week’s post.
What is the sexiest film? — Unfaithful with Diane Lane, Richard Gere, and Olivier Martinez. I had no idea what the film was about going into it – I just adored Richard Gere and would watch anything he was in. Looking back, I can say why I felt this way about the film, though I don’t think I could have verbalized it then – this was the first film I remember seeing where a woman was allowed to own and chase her desire (granted, she did it through an affair, which is not a laudable move). She wasn’t shamed by the writing for this desire/wanting – she was allowed to explore and live it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the film, but if memory serves, Martinez’s character did pursue her at first, but ultimately, she was the one who sought him out over and over. (The ending is terrible, though.)
Which film do you most relate to? — Feed the Fish. It was filmed and takes place in my home county – and there were so many times where a plot point would just really hit home about what it was like having grown up there. One bit was one of the characters had like twelve jobs, so they kept popping up everywhere. That was my life there every summer through college.
Which film is objectively the greatest ever? — Schindler’s List. (And I saw this before I understood the true magic of Liam Neeson.) It was during a film studies course that I was the TA for, and I remember being blown away by it. And devastated by it. This is probably, now that I think about it, the catalyst for my interest in WWII historical fiction novels. The acting was incredible. There were some truly beautiful shots and choices made. There is, of course, gruesome violence – so if you’ve never seen the film before, make sure you’re in the right mainframe to do so. My second choice for this would be the first John Wick movie – stick with me here a moment. Yes, there is a lot of violence in this film – but the skill with which it is pulled off is incredible. The story is heart-breaking – watching Wick pine for his dead wife. His motivation – well, I won’t spoil that one for you, but he becomes the reluctant hero to avenge another death. The thing that makes it for me, though, is the cinematography – it is outstanding! Violence aside, this is a beautiful film.
Which film is the one you’ve watched the most? — I can’t pick just one here because there are several that I watch repeatedly. Either when I’m too stressed to watch something new, or I need something to fall asleep to, or something I can listen to when I’m working. The American President, While You Were Sleeping, Kissing Jessica Stein, and I’ve recently added Free Guy to that list. All movies about people finding themselves (and, sometimes, love).
What’s the worst film you’ve ever seen? — Premonition. Now, I love Sandra Bullock as an actress. If she’s in a movie, I’m going to see it. But this one missed the mark for me. And if my love of Sandra Bullock isn’t enough to get me through it, then it must be bad. I think the concept was interesting (a woman living a terrible week of her life out of order), but the execution of it just missed so many marks. And the twist at the end… which I won’t spoil. Just – no.
What is the film that’s literally made you laugh out loud themost? — These days, I find it takes a lot to get my to the point of laughing out loud. I’m not a big fan of ‘low-brow’ comedy (and you can keep the fart/poop joke humor). But I remember a series of movies that came out in the late ’80s and early ’90s that would get my howling. Good Morning, Vietnam. Down Periscope. Grumpy Old Men. My sister and I used to watch these all the time and just holler. Though it’s been a bit since I’ve watched any of them. Should probably watch again and see if they hold up…
At the end of the podcast, Goldstein tells his guest that there is only enough room in the casket to take one film with them into the afterlife – so which one would they take? For me, Anne of Green Gables. If there turns out to be an afterlife, I’d like to sit and watch this with Nana again.
As I wrote about in my last post, I started listening to Films to Be Buried With a few months ago, which is Brett Goldstein’s podcast. I really enjoy listening – it doesn’t matter if I have any idea who the guest is or not. The notion of a conversation about life through film is a lovely one. So I thought I’d answer the questions myself that Goldstein poses to his guests.
The podcast begins with Goldstein informing the guest that they’ve just died and asks them how they died. If it were me, my death would likely be caused by me tripping over absolutely nothing but my own two feet and cracking my skull on something. 🤷 I’m a klutz with too many close calls already. I’m just playing the odds here.
What was the first-ever film you saw? — I honestly couldn’t tell you because there are so many films from my childhood that I remember (we watched a lot of movies back then). The thing, though, that seemed to tie them all together was trauma. WHY was there so much trauma in those films? Looking at you The Land Before Time, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, All Dogs Go to Heaven… Ok. Well, that last one is on me. I don’t know which one came first – I just remember being devastated by them all…
What was the film that scared you the most? — Tremors. I was WAY too young to see this film, but Reba was in it, so I guess that made it ok in my parents’ eyes? (I wasn’t even double digits…) I remember watching it with my dad, and it terrified me. I’ve always had vivid dreams, so this just sent me off the deep end. I tend to avoid horror/gore for this reason, and I’m just now realizing this film is probably why… (To be fair, Twister along with my fear of tornados also scared the &$%# out of me.)
What was the film that made you cry the most? — I mean, aside from all those traumatic films from my childhood…? In my late teens/early twenties, I was big into RomComs (I still enjoy them, but I’m more jaded/realistic these days). Looking back, I realize I needed the happy endings. There was always a happily ever after to look forward to. And then [spoilers coming – but to be fair, the film came out in 2001] I watched Sweet November. I could not for the life of me understand why someone would find their happy ending (even if it would be short-lived due to her health) and walk away from it. I was so ready for him to change her mind, convince her to stay with him, that when he takes the blindfold off, and she’s disappeared/walked away – I lost it. I wasn’t ready for it. For a long time, this was the film I would watch when I needed a good cry.
What film is TERRIBLE but you love it? — Mamma Mia. So many people hated this film, and there are definitely some cringe-worthy things about it (sorry, but Brosnan should never sing in public…and surely not when being recorded). But Meryl Streep is delightful, as always. And Colin Firth…well, do I need to say more than that? (He’s handsome, British, and awkward. Just my type. I guess I did need to say more.) Christine Baranski and Julie Waters were comedic geniuses in it. But the film is, at its heart, a farce – so everything is over the top. I get why people panned it. I’m just willing to overlook all of that to see Firth.
What is the film you once loved but watching it now you realise it’s terrible? — Never Been Kissed. Nothing against the actors or their performances. But the idea of a high school teacher falling in love with one of their students (even one who is actually age appropriate because he didn’t know that!!) is just completely cringe-worthy looking back (not to mention the part where her brother follows suit and starts dating a high school gymnast…). When it came out, it checked all my RomCom boxes [spoilers – but come on, it came out in ’99] – the longing from a distance, the ‘thinking I screwed it all up’ moment, and the moment when your heartstrings are officially tugged as he finally comes to the pitcher’s mound (a little late, of course) and kisses her. As a high school student myself when it came out, the notion of how inappropriate their ‘friendship’ was didn’t occur to me – not until I was an adult and a teacher myself. I had friendships with some of my teachers in high school, but never one that crossed the threshold of the classroom, let alone crossed any other sort of lines. The lines he knowingly crossed before he knew she was of legal age… Well, we call those red flags these days.
What is the film that means the most to you? Not because of the film it’s self, but because of the memories, you have of it. — Anne of Green Gables, the CBC miniseries by Sullivan Entertainment. My maternal grandmother introduced me to it (and all of my cousins, actually), and I LOVED it. I loved the story. I loved the cast. But, mostly, I loved watching it with my nana. I couldn’t even tell you how many times we watched (it was certainly the most requested film when we were there, which was weekly). And I can never pass up a PBS marathon of it. (I also own them on DVD and am writing a story that takes place in that world.) I lost my nana in 2007, and watching it reminds me of her and helps me feel closer to her.
I spend a lot of time in my car during the academic year since I have quite the commute. Previous to my last move that took me farther away from campus, I used to play music and sing along. Well, that’s not a big deal if your commute is fifteen minutes. At the moment, if I sang the entire way, I’d have no voice left long before I’d reach my destination. Kind of hard to teach without one.
When I first discovered podcasts, I had one that I listened to – but I also only had a five minute commute, so it didn’t take long for me to fall behind. Today, I have several that I juggle – but they help keep me awake (and entertained) whenever I’m on the road. So I thought I’d write up a little recommendation list in case you are looking for something to listen to.
Stuff You Should Know – My first podcast, which I encountered not long after they started airing. If you listen to this show, perhaps you also remember those first few pre-Chuck episodes that were like five minutes long. These days, they have three episodes a week, two coming it at about 45-60 minutes, with a ‘short stuff’ between that runs about 10-15 minutes. I really do love listening to this podcast. I love to learn, and they have taught me about so many interesting topics. They are well-researched, and I trust their credibility. I also just enjoy listening to the banter between the co-hosts, Josh and Chuck. It’s a good time all around. I’ve only ever skipped one episode because it came with a trigger warning for squeamish people…which I am. You can jump around, but I would recommend listening to episodes you think you might not have any interest in – they do a really good job of making even seemingly boring things interesting, as well as breaking down difficult topics to make them more easily understood.
How Did This Get Made – I remember discovering this a few years after it launched, and I started downloading them. I did get through the first couple episodes, but my commute was so short back then that I didn’t have time to keep up. When I ended up with a much longer commute and therefore more listening time, I started trying to catch up – though by that point, their full back catalogue was only available through a subscription with Stitcher. I listen via Apple Podcasts, which has the last six months available. The podcast did start up Matinee Mondays where they pull an episode from ‘the vault’ and air it again, so you can eventually listen to them all even without a subscription. Generally, they’ll pick an episode that fits whatever new film they are talking about. I will offer that you don’t necessarily need to watch the films before listening (though I’m sure that will add to the experience – though sometimes it’s fun with the more absurd films not to have seen it while listening to them trying to react to it). I will throw out there that this may not be a podcast to listen to with kids in the car. There are at times some raunchy jokes, as well as swearing in just about every episode.
Armchair Expert – I started listening to this when it first launched – I was a fan of Dax Shepard from Parenthood, and as an introvert, the notion of a long-form interview really resonated with me (we introverts prefer in depth conversations over small talk, which is likely why I’m not a fan of talk shows where interviews are a few minutes and guests repeat the same couple stories). I particularly enjoy the Experts on Expert thread (where they interview experts in their fields) and Flightless Bird (with David Farrier, a New Zealander who got stranded in the U.S. during COVID and began a podcast under the Armchair umbrella where he explores the strangeness of our country). They have a couple other podcasts under their umbrella, like one on dating and another on freezing your eggs/fertility, and more recently a series called Armchair Anonymous where they post prompts and then virtually meet with folks to hear their stories. The celebrity interviews, which was the original podcast, is also engaging – even if you don’t care for the celebrity, you can still learn some interesting things. There is also a fact check after these episodes where his co-host, Monica Padman, checks the things folks say throughout the episode (later into the series, their producer Rob also speaks up more, and I find him delightful). As time has gone on, the fact checks have grown more into the three checking in with each other and telling stories.
Smartless – I’ve been a fan of Sean Hayes since Will & Grace, so when he, along with his buddies Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, started up this interview podcast, I had to give it a listen. These episodes are about an hour. They come out first to their subscribers (through Wondery, ad free), then are available elsewhere a week later. They start with the three catching up, telling stories and poking fun (which carries throughout the episode – depending on who the guest is). Then, one will introduce their surprise guest – the other two don’t know who they are about to interview. Again, because it’s a long-form interview, you get to learn things about these folks that you probably didn’t already know. It’s especially fun when one of the three hosts fans out over one of the guests.
From Smartless Media comes my new favorite podcast, Just Jack and Will, where Sean Hayes and Eric McCormack are re-watching and discussing episodes of Will & Grace. It’s like someone made a podcast just for me… I love this show so much, for so many reasons, and so far they have discussed three episodes – and I find myself smiling through the entire conversation. The behind-the-scene tidbits and memories from Hayes, McCormack, and their guest (so far Max Mutchnick, Jimmy Burrows, and Debra Messing) are great – but the way it sounds like no time has passed just continues to make this such a comfort show.
Films to Be Buried With – This is my most recent find, though the podcast has been out since 2018. In this, Brett Goldstein (who you likely know as Roy Kent on Ted Lasso) has a discussion with their guest about films. The premise is they have died (and they get to choose how they died), and they reflect on their life through the lens of films they’ve watched. It’s a lovely premise (death aside, of course) and a fun listen – even if you don’t know the guest.
Badass Writers – I first encountered Kathleen Foxx via writing twitter, and she’s one of my most favorite people to follow. In addition to creating a welcoming writing community on that platform, she has a podcast where she interviews authors (full disclosure, I was one of the authors), as well as agents and editors, granting access to knowledge for writers trying to make their way through the querying trenches. If you’re a writer, give it a listen, and make sure to follow her on twitter.
Where Should We Being? – I first heard Esther Perel via her interview with Armchair Expert. She has her own podcast where she counsels couples through conflict. Normally, this is something that is kept behind closed doors – but with this podcast, these conversations come to light and can help others feel less alone in their own lives and conflicts. This is a podcast with ‘seasons’, so there aren’t continuous episodes. There is a backlog of about seventy-five episodes to listen to while you wait for the new season. (She also has a fun game with the same name.)
I’ve got other podcasts I’ve downloaded but just haven’t had the time to listen to yet (like Revisionist History, No Stupid Questions, and Happy Sad Confused). What podcasts do you listen to that you’d recommend folks should give a try?
Let’s get real about royalties. You did the majority of the work. You get very little of the money. Frustrating, I know.
If you go the ‘traditional’ publishing route (get an agent or go direct to a publisher), royalties for papaerback books (according to Authors Guild – please note that contracts can vary widely) are generally 7.5-8% of the list price (sometimes escalating to 10% after a specific number are sold). A book priced at $15.99 means a royalty of $1.20-$1.27 per printed book (and $1.60 upon escalation). For an eBook, royalties are generally 25%. An eBook priced at $9.99 means a royalty of two $2.50. (If you go through an agent, their fees come out of this portion. A typical agent fee is 15% – so your royalties for a print book would be $1.02-$1.09 and $1.36 upon escalation, as well as $2.13 for an ebook.)
If you self-publish, you will likely make the most money from your eBooks (and any print copies you can personally sell). There are many places you can publish an ebook (and each will have their own requirements, such as cover size and file type). I looked at three places – B&N Press, KDP, and IngramSpark:
eBook Royalty %
B&N Press
70% (for books priced up to $199.99)
Amazon (priced 2.99-9.99)
70% – file delivery (ex. U.S. buyers = .15 MB, or around six cents) 35% in territories not listed here: Digital Book Prices (also if they price match with another retailer and the price falls below 2.99)
Amazon (priced .99-2.98 or 10.00 and up)
35%
Amazon KDP Select
70% (in all countries listed in above link, with the addition of Brazil, Japan, India, and Mexico) Paid per page read for Kindle Unlimited (based on size of fund based on memberships) NOTE: 90-day mandatory enrollment – automatically re-enrolled until you opt out (but can only do so at that 90-day mark); there are free marketing benefits – but you cannot sell your book or give it away for free anywhere else (including your own website)
IngramSpark
40% Ingram makes it REALLY difficult to find the royalty amount…? I saw in a couple places that it might be 50%. I can promise it’s not 70%, as is reported in several other places. When I was uploading, I considered the ebook, and the 40% stopped me in my tracks. But, of course, I can’t find where I saw that.
Royalties for an eBook priced at $9.99: 70% is $6.99; 40% is $3.99; 35% is $3.50.
As you are trying to decide where to price your book and which royalty to pick – consider this:
9.99 x 70% = 6.993 (KDP/Amazon gets 2.997)
19.99 x 35% = 6.9965 (KDP/Amazon gets 12.9935)
If you self-publish a paperback, you again have many choices of where to do this. Below is info for the same three places. Prices will vary based on the size of the book and the number of pages, as well as if the interior will have color or not. Let’s assume a 350-page book, 8×5.25, cream or white 50 lb pages, BW interior – $15.99 price point:
Printing Cost
Author Royalty
Retail Distribution Author Royalty
B&N (has groundwood paper as an option in addition to white and cream) No fee to upload. Allows preorders – does not push to amazon.
$5.46
(Price point*55%)-printing cost = Royalty
$15.99*55%=8.79 8.79-5.46=3.33
Royalty = $3.33
7.20 (45%) Your royalty remains at $3.33
KDP No fee to upload. Cannot have preorders on printed books.
$5.15
(Price point*60%)-printing cost = Royalty
$15.99*60%=9.59 9.59-5.15=4.45
Royalty = $4.45
You can opt into expanded distribution (if your book qualifies), but your royalty becomes $1.25
Ingram ($49 to upload; additional fees to upload new files*) Allows preorders – does push to Amazon and other online retailers.
$6.18
People don’t buy direct from Ingram – they would purchase from a distributor. So it depends where they buy it from.
You can set different discounts for different territories.**
*IngramSpark has since stopped charging for this – but I’m leaving this here in case things change.
**You can set whether or not you allow retailers to return books, but please note that if you say no, it will reduce the likelihood they will buy copies. Also, you can set yes with two options – destroy (you are charged the wholesale cost) or mail (you are charged the wholesale cost plus two dollars to ship to you – they don’t guarantee the condition of the book). (NOTE: Retailers often require a 40% discount – this means setting your Ingram discount to 53-55% because Ingram will also take a piece of the pie.)
You can also purchase author copies from all of these places (print cost + shipping/handling/tax) and either sell them yourself or sell on consignment with local shops. Just note – the printing and shipping will come out of your 60%. (Note: For KDP, these author copies are not eligible for free Prime Shipping. Also, KDP won’t allow you to set your paperback to pre-order, so you can’t order author copies prior to your launch date.)
IngramSpark specifically has a couple things that can change the cost of printing/shipping your book:
Printing Service – you can pay a little more to get your books printed sooner. (Economy – 5 business days; Express – 2 business days; Rush – 1 business day – though it does say “usually” before each one)
Shipping (Basic – which doesn’t have tracking, and then Commercial or Residential Ground, 2nd Day, and Next Day; if you do not own a business, you will be paying for residential, which is, of course, the most expensive; if you use basic, and the shipment is lost, you’re out of luck – and the money)
Handling Fee ($1.99 for 1-50 books; jumps to 4.99 at 51 copies; it might jump again, but I didn’t look at any shipments over sixty books)
Tax
The more books you buy, generally the better off you are (but not always – such as a jump in printing cost from twenty-five to twenty-six copies or the jump in the handling fee at fifty-one). For the prices below, I checked the Economy printing (five days, though depending on how many you buy, it’s not too much more to bump that up) and Residential Ground (which is the cheapest shipping for a residential home that still has tracking – one book with basic shipping would be 13.21, but, again, you run the risk of it getting lost and having to rebuy it). Shipping becomes more economical the more copies you get. Remember that this is for a book priced at 15.99. (Taxes and shipping should be seen as estimates as they are specific to my state/location. This is just to give a general idea.)
*Cartons hold twenty books – if you get more than that, you’ll get multiple boxes.
If you buy one carton of twenty books and sell on a 60/40 consignment:
15.99 * 60% = 9.59
9.59 – 8.16 = 1.43 royalty per book
For my own book, I found the highest royalties possible in purchasing anywhere from 1-60 books was 50 books. The upfront cost for fifty copies is a lot – in the made-up scenario from above, it would be $394.99. You can play around with Ingram’s calculator before you begin to figure out what your own costs would be (as your page count and other choices would affect the cost).
If you are interested in hardcover:
350-page book, 8.5×5.5 (note size difference), cream or white 50 lb, BW interior, dust cover – $20 price point.
Printing Cost
Author Royalty
Retail Distribution Author Royalty
B&N (has groundwood paper as an option in addition to white and cream)
10.79
If you sell direct (meaning to a person not a bookshop): Royalty = Price point – handling fee – printing cost – shipping – estimated tax For this scenario shipped to me, the total cost would be $18.36. Shipping here becomes a LOT more economical at five copies ($5.50 for one copy vs $7 for five copies – cost would be $13.05 per book at five copies, so $6.95 royalty per book).
Minimum price allowed is 21.58, which sets your royalty at 1.08
KDP No fee to upload. Cannot have preorders on printed books.
9.70
60%
Minimum price allowed is 16.17, which would result in 0.00 royalty. $20 price point would be 2.30
IngramSpark (Again, used to have an upload cost – they have since removed it)
12.25
People don’t buy direct from Ingram – they would purchase from a distributor.
You would have to set your price above 20 to break even. $21 would get you a whopping $.19 (But, again, you can set different discounts in different territories.)
Here’s a quick look comparison of the overall/breakdown costs. Please note that shipping and tax are based on my home state and will differ depending on where you live, as well as the final size/weight of your book (I’m continuing to use the paperback dimensions noted above for these estimates). (Cost is the total cost including printing, shipping, handling, and tax.)
*For IngramSpark, I chose the Economy Printing and Residential Ground. Prices will go up with quicker printing/shipping. I don’t recommend using basic shipping as there is no tracking number, and you’ll be out of luck if the package(s) goes missing. **KDP lists their shipping and handling as one number rather than broken out separately like the other two. Also, remember that most indie bookshops aren’t going to buy from KDP/Amazon.
+ On July 7, a week after making this post, IngramSpark sent out on email that they were ‘simplifying’ their shipping costs (so if you read this post prior to that, your eyes are not deceiving you – the numbers have changed). They also got rid of handling fees.
Standard Shipping UPS Ground Commercial and Residential Shipments are trackable No handling fee $8.99 per order PLUS
$0.70 per book, up to 15 books $0.65 per book, 16-49 books $0.60 per book, 50 or more books
Basic Shipping Media Mail or comparable, delivered by USPS Shipments are not trackable and are not insured No handling fee
2.99 per order PLUS $0.50 per book, up to 25 books
I typically order 50 copies at a time (due to previous handling fee jump, the cost per book jumped at 51). These new prices mean that if I were to buy 50 copies, my total cost went down $28.61, and my royalty per book went up $.57.
When I first decided to self-publish, I did research to see what might fit my needs – and I landed on KDP to start (whatever I read initially told me I could set the paperback to pre-order, but I later learned this is not the case). Which brings me to my first note:
Can you set your book to preorder?
eBook
Print
B&N Press
Yes
Yes
KDP (Amazon)
Yes
No*
IngramSpark**
Yes
Yes
*This also means you cannot get advance author copies. **Ingram will push out to other platforms, including Amazon. It might take a couple days.
I began with the paperback. Originally, I went with 6×9 for size, but after receiving the first printed proof, I opted for 5.25×8. I HIGHLY recommend hanging out at your bookshelf (or swing by a book shop) and hold some books. Get a feel for the size – have a good idea of what you want before you begin formatting (whether you are doing the typesetting or paying someone else to – if you don’t like the size and need to redo the typesetting, it’s going to cost time and potentially money). As you are deciding on size, also consider if you want to do hardcover in addition to paperback. If that is the case, consider the same size for both so that you don’t need multiple documents to track. Be aware that not all sizes available in paperback are available for hardcover. (Last note – KDP has changed their pricing to have two categories now – and large trim sizes now cost more per page – so take the time to do the math and see what would be the best option for you!)
KDP/Amazon printed proof.
Because KDP won’t let you set up for preorders, be aware that if you need copies for an event leading up to or on your book’s launch date, you cannot order author copies. KDP’s printed proof has a “not for sale” banner laid over the cover. Ingram and B&N will allow you to override the sale date and order copies in advance.
As for where you choose to upload, of the three I ended up with:
Cost to upload
B&N
None
Amazon
None
IngramSpark
$49 for both ebook and print; or $49 for only print or only ebook (Though I’ll note that as of May 1, Ingram won’t be charging anymore for initial uploads. I’m leaving the original note just as an FYI in case that charge returns. There are still charges for changes made more than sixty days after uploading.)
Yes, there is a cost to upload to Ingram. However, it feels like you get something more for that money. There are more hoops to jump through – which also means more eyes on your documents. Plus, the addition of getting it pushed out to multiple platforms. I will also note that a lot of small book shops won’t buy from Amazon/KDP – so you will either need to upload to IngramSpark or order/print/sell directly yourself. (If you do both Ingram and B&N, note that you will need separate ISBNs for the paperbacks on each site.)
Each service provides a digital proof for you to look over. You can also order a printed proof (there is a charge for printing and to ship; if you are an Amazon Prime member, please note that these orders do not qualify for free shipping). Plan out far enough that you can do a couple rounds of printed proofs in case there is something wrong with the formatting or you find typos. (There was an issue with my font on the cover that only showed up with the printed proof, not the digital – so I cannot stress enough to make sure you get a printed proof!)
Comparisons:
I ended up uploading an ebook and paperback through KDP, hardcover and ebook through B&N press, and paperback through Ingram. Most of these decisions were made due to royalties (such as I opted not to do an ebook through Ingram because their royalties are much less, which I’ll get to next week), but I also considered access. (Since I didn’t do an ebook through Ingram, I ended up uploading the ebook through B&N press so that I could have an ebook listed on the B&N site.) My paperbacks are 5.25×8, and my hardcover is 5.5×8.5. I originally thought I’d do a ‘print on the cover’ hardcover, but I decided I wanted the dust jacket after all (glad I did – for some reason, getting this copy made this all finally feel real).
Hardcover from B&N Press
Paperback from IngramSpark
I opted for the matte finish on the cover, which gives it a softer feel, and black and white interior for all three. The dust jack is removable, of course, and the hardcover beneath is dark blue. There is no title on the spine or anything on the cover. With B&N Press, you can get a hardcover with a printed cover OR a dust jacket; Ingram will let you get the dust jacket and still print on the hardcover. (I went with B&N Press because you can print copies and ‘keep it private’ as opposed to listing for sale, which I was going to do originally – but then I thought, why not just post it in case anyone wants that version instead.)
Both of these have the same number of pages. The paperback on the left is from KDP and has 50lb cream-colored pages. The one on the right is from IngramSpark and has 35lb groundwood – which I prefer as it has a more ‘polished’ feel (it’s what is used for most mass-market paperbacks – of the three places I used, Ingram is the only one with this option). Because the pages are 35lb instead of 50lb, the book itself is a bit slimmer. (If you are unfamiliar, the ‘lb’ refers to the thickness of the paper. The higher the number, the thicker the page. A couple of these places also have a 70lb, but it’s uncommon to use this for a book like this – it would be more common to have if you are using color printing inside or have images.)
When I arrived at Lion’s Mouth Bookstore ahead of my event, I was stopped in my tracks before I reached the counter. Sitting in a chair near one of the shelves was a young woman – reading my book. I had to resist the urge to squeal. I instead backed away slowly so as not to disturb her and took another route to the counter. The young woman ended up not being able to stay for the event, but she did buy a copy of Wherever Would I Be.
I get such a rush whenever someone purchases a copy of my book – because this is the DREAM! But there’s something extra rush-worthy when it’s a complete stranger. They aren’t buying the book because they know me – they are buying it purely because they are interested in the story. 🥰
To say I was nervous about this event is an understatement. Even after having repeatedly practiced the sections I wished to read, my hands shook in the moments leading up to start. But much like Lea in the story, once we began, I was too preoccupied to be nervous. I read the passages, I answered questions – my friend Jen and a woman named Joan realized they knew each (Joan was Jen’s teacher when she lived in Green Bay). And Green Bay finally got some much needed rain (I sure do love reading when it’s raining out).
I’m so thankful to Amy at Lion’s Mouth for hosting this event – and for every single person who came and listened, whether they came because they knew me or not. I have no doubt that I will be just as nervous the next time I do this – but it helps to have one under the belt. (Though I still don’t think, even with this launch event, that it has truly sunk in that I have a book out in the world!)
And just in case anyone is worried I might be getting a big head, this is the face I had to deal with when I came home to – Shevy will for sure be keeping me down to Earth:
There are plenty more events at Lion’s Mouth this month and beyond, as well as several book clubs to check out:
I’ll admit that as a kid, when I thought about being a writer in adulthood, I imagined I’d be living off my royalties. That was what success meant to me back then – a really great publishing deal.
The older I’ve gotten, the more that dream has changed. Would I still love to live off royalties? I mean, who wouldn’t? But the notion of that being “the success” just seems misplaced. It ignores a lot of steps in between that should absolutely be celebrated.
I still remember what it felt like when I typed “The End” on my first manuscript (All Falling Things). There was still work to be done (even now), but completing the first draft of my first book sure felt like a check in the success column. As did the contract offer from the publisher. And I’m sure once we have a launch date (we are working on final edits), that will feel like a success, too.
A couple days ago, my book Wherever Would I Be officially launched. The same day, I was meeting with my writing group, and one of them said that they hoped it would be a success, whatever that meant for me. I responded – “She’s out in the world. Check!”
Even if this book didn’t sell a single copy (though I’m thankful for all the copies purchased via Kickstarter and through the pre-order), I would consider it a success because I don’t want to negate all the work and energy and love it took just to publish it.
Another fun success? Seeing my book for sale in my local bookshop:
Also, much thanks to my writing bestie for purchasing an extra signed copy and dropping it off at this little library in Tacoma:
It feels a bit strange to say I’m officially launching Wherever Would I Be in a few days given that so many copies are already in the hands of readers (some of which have already finished reading and reached out to me!). But here we are. Launch day is approaching. 🙂
You can find Lucy’s story on B&N (eBook, paperback, and hardcover), Amazon (eBook and paperback), and BookShop.org (paperback), as well as copies at Lion’s Mouth Bookstore in Green Bay. (My introverted self really needs to get out to these others shops and have a chat! But your local shop should be able to acquire a copy through Ingram – just go in and ask!)
I also received my first ever review:
This book was such a labor of love, and I’m so glad that folks are enjoying it as much as I did. I know this book won’t be for everyone, and that’s ok. At the moment, I’m just enjoying the joy. 🙂 Been loving the pictures people have sent – please keep them coming! ❤
Also really excited (and SUPER nervous) about the launch event at Lion’s Mouth Bookstore on June 10. For more information, see their Facebook event.
Ami Maxine 