Other Time off YouTube writing a book

[Growing Up Walls]

Thank you so much. I guess I should have seen this mail before paying for ISBN and Library catloguing or something from the a publisher an using. Starting the new one during my October holiday. Used Evernote for my writing but will try your recommedation.

There's nothing wrong with buying ISBNs, and now you own them and you can use them anywhere. I just never tried the process (honestly, the price put me off), so I can't really comment on whether that's better than using the free ones that you can get from Smashwords, etc.

Sounds like you have your tools well at hand, but I will throw a couple of things out. I've tried so many writing tools and ended up loving Scrivener. You can setup sync on it so I can pop into my laptop, desktop or iPad and pick up right where I was. I know Evernote does that, but Scrivener was built ground-up for writers. I had mentioned elsewhere a second tool I use a lot. ProWritingAid. It is a very advanced grammar and writing analyzer. It can work on lots of file types, including MSFT Word and Scrivener.

I'll double down on the Scrivener recommendation. If you want to get it for cheap(er), check out NaNoWriMo. They often offer a free trial around this time, and then if you do participate in that challenge and "win", they have offered in the past a 50% off coupon as a reward, or a 20% off coupon as a participant.

There are often many writing-related coupons and deals on the NaNoWriMo website, to be perfectly frank. It's free to sign up and participate, and I've been one of their regional coordinators before, and still can't make myself stop trying it every year.

 

[residentcasuals]

Sure!

If you use Smashwords, they offer a style guide on how to format your manuscript. Read it, and take notes. Seriously - it makes your life so much easier to format once you understand the style guide and can refer only to your notes instead of their huge (extremely valuable and free) document.

Don't forget that you can use B&N Press as well as Amazon for publishing print books. I find that the cost of my books ends up being a little cheaper on B&N, but most folks prefer Amazon, so I go ahead and do both.

There are a ton of self-publishing options out there, more than I know about, certainly - but you should NEVER have to put money UP FRONT to self-publish your completed book. This does not include paying someone for cover art or manuscript formatting or editing, if you choose to pay someone for those services. But the vanity presses that say for $X you can publish your book and you're guaranteed Y and Z? Nope. Go with the free ones.

I know some authors publish in a way that they order stock on their books and sell directly to consumers, bookstores, etc. That's not something I've ever done so I can't really comment on. I also have no experience purchasing ISBN numbers. I use the free one that Smashwords gives me, and I forget the routine for B&N Press and Amazon at the moment.

Your best marketing is going to be your next book. Write, edit, publish, repeat.

Good luck!

Sorry to ask for your advice again but are you allowed to publish with both Amazon and other platforms such as B&N?

 

[Growing Up Walls]

Sorry to ask for your advice again but are you allowed to publish with both Amazon and other platforms such as B&N?

Not a problem. I'm glad I can pass info along.

Yes, you can publish with Amazon and B&N and Smashwords and wherever else you want. I always publish electronic with Smashwords (which sends to B&N) and Amazon, and print with Amazon and B&N.

The exception to this: if you choose to publish under Kindle Unlimited (aka KU) - one of the conditions of choosing to be put in the KU "pool" is that you agree not to publish anywhere else as long as you're publishing on KU. I have tried KU and found that what I wrote wasn't a good fit for that program. I make more money (not that I make a lot, mind you) being able to sell on all the platforms I want rather than trying to get paid per page read with KU.

 

[Growing Up Walls]

i should commit to NaNoWriMo this year

NaNo is always a good idea. (I mean, I also know it's not for everyone, so no pressure, but it is a lot of fun...)