tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982837118358902227.post6163863601344354428..comments2023-07-14T06:17:49.677-04:00Comments on The Daring Novelist: The Problem With Self-Publishing Short FictionThe Daring Novelisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01676188266569869059noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982837118358902227.post-28800913911232400872011-03-15T00:56:06.280-04:002011-03-15T00:56:06.280-04:00Like I said, I am a para-professional in the field...Like I said, I am a para-professional in the field. I've had lots of training.<br /><br />My point in putting out shorts and novellas is that I am at the stage where they are not worth the extra effort as a learning experience -- I need to find efficient ways to get them done, or they will simply cost me too much effort to make it worth it.The Daring Novelisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01676188266569869059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982837118358902227.post-43156605247779292972011-03-14T14:38:40.409-04:002011-03-14T14:38:40.409-04:00Dean made a good point today (14th) in his latest ...Dean made a good point today (14th) in his latest post in his new series about the business of publishing. If you're going to DIY, might as well put out a few short stories and/or short novellas with your own covers, and bite the bullet now. They'll get better!<br /><br />I find some of yours quite good, Camille.ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03242190927997728930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982837118358902227.post-40004389870204470602011-03-12T01:04:45.173-05:002011-03-12T01:04:45.173-05:00I'm not an artist, but I do play with them at ...I'm not an artist, but I do play with them at work. I have training in both art and design, and in art history.<br /><br />So at least I know in what ways my covers suck. But that's a problem, because I can't afford most artists who would meet my requirements.<br /><br />Dean Wesley Smith has a great exercise for people who want to learn about cover layout. Take covers in your genre, and learn to replicate them. (You may have to find clip art for the art part -- but if you're not doing it for publication, you can get stuff off Google Images.) The point is to get used to dealing with the type and layout, and learn how to get it to do what you want it to. Learn how to recognize and use fonts.The Daring Novelisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01676188266569869059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982837118358902227.post-47167674197889182132011-03-11T15:17:46.729-05:002011-03-11T15:17:46.729-05:00Once I made my decision to release another 5 short...Once I made my decision to release another 5 short story ebooks last week, I started thinking about much the same thing.<br /><br />I have no problem spending $300 or more for the cover for a novel I will sell at $2.99 or higher. But it's hard to justify spending the same amount of money for an ebook that will sell for $.99. With a profit of only $.35 per copy sold, you would need to sell over 850 copies just to earn back the cost of the cover.<br /><br />On the other hand: It's not like I have the requisite skill set to properly create a cover, and I don't want to put out something dreadful (and I can *do* dreadful, believe me).<br /><br />Further (is this the 3rd hand?), it's not like selling 850 copies is really that many copies. And the ebook will be available for a long time, so it should earn its expenses back eventually. Sooner beats later, but eventually can be worked with. If I have to.<br /><br />Anyway, yeah, covers seem a more significant expense for short story ebooks than for novels or collections.<br /><br />I feel your pain. =)<br /><br />-DavidDavidRMhttp://www.gunsandmagic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982837118358902227.post-15895998335440592462011-03-11T12:43:03.604-05:002011-03-11T12:43:03.604-05:00Thanks for the great ideas about covers, Camille!
...Thanks for the great ideas about covers, Camille!<br /><br />I'm embarrassed to admit that one of my sisters is a talented visual artist, so I really should be asking her to do covers for me. (And she could use the money, I'm sure.) But for my initial stumbling efforts, I think I want to try and do them myself, so I appreciate your thoughts on the subject.ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03242190927997728930noreply@blogger.com