Paper or Plastic…it’s eBook time

Yes, that’s right…this is the blog I’m sure will captivate you the most, because, let’s face it, eBooks are the “in” thing. For me having a paper book in my hands is like a warm blanket on a cold winter’s night, and I couldn’t imagine my life without that anticipation of turning the page. I purchased my Kindle when a research book I needed only came in eBook form. I had no intention of putting my paper back down for this electronic thing, but I was wrong. Having 50+ books at my disposal, no matter where I travel has been wonderful. I always keep a paperback with me in case my battery goes dead, but I do love my Kindle. But this isn’t about how I’ve crossed over to the paperless world we were all told would be our future, it’s about how those little books become a reality.
After I had written my first novel, Do I Know You, I knew I wanted to do an eBook…have to keep up with the times you know. Anyhow, every minute I had between dealing with editing changes and the like, I was checking out how to put my first novel in an eBook as well. Okay…so I didn’t get far due to impending deadlines and instead hire someone to do it for me. Now, as a “starving artist” extra cash is only in our imagination…there is no money tree in the backyard…no matter how much we close our eyes and open them hoping it will appear. So, the next best thing was to figure the process out. So, here’s the skinny on how all this went down.
During my research I found a program, Jutoh, that was running a special. The offer gave me the opportunity to try it out first…I couldn’t ask for more than that, right? Here I am with my second manuscript, Taking What Is Mine, and I started playing with the program. Yes, it was a hair puller, a bad word creator, and even a tearjerker…but I figured it out. By the time I published my third book, As If Yesterday, I had gained ground regarding the process and though it still required some hair pulling I was successful. Yay…I created two of my books into eBooks.
Some of the tricks I wanted to pass on were to 1) keep your original manuscript void of page numbers (this is the copy you will use for the process). 2) If you use symbols in between scenes, you have to be careful which ones you use, or the program could give you errors. 3) Do not include a TOC, because the program creates it for you, at least Jutoh does. 4) I use the Createspace Kindle version of my book cover, but sizing will be necessary.
I have gone through the trials and tribulations of working out the bugs, and now that I have a handle on it I started a service, Dragonfly E-book Services. If you need help, please contact me. My fee is negotiable, depending on your manuscript size…but I’m here to help.
If you desire to attempt this challenging process, I wish you the best of luck, and I’m always around if you need a shoulder to vent on, a question answered, or just need some support as you venture into the world of conversions.
As an Indie Author, I can say I’ve grown through my experiences, and I love it more each time a challenge hits…okay, sometimes. I hope you enjoy whatever you are doing and thanks for reading my ramblings.
Until later…happy writing, happy reading, happy life.