When you upload your book to Amazon, you have the option of distributing to foreign markets and third parties. I have been surprised and delighted to see my books, which I don't market much, sell internationally. I have sold books in Germany, the UK, Canada, even India. Amazon continues to increase the number of countries to their roster. They currently have eighteen sites:  Australia  https://www.amazon.com.au/  (45 million customers) Canada  https://www.amazon.ca  (231 million customers) Brazil  https://www.amazon.com.br/  (115 million customers) France  https://www.amazon.fr/  (251 million customers)  Germany  https://www.amazon.de / (605 millions customers) India  https://www.amazon.in/ (295 million customers) Italy  https://www.amazon.it/ (270 million customers) Japan  https://www.amazon.co.jp/  (646 million customers)  Mexico  https://www.amazon.com.mx/  (89 million customers) Netherlands...

Beta readers: what are they and where do you find them? Firstly, alpha and beta readers aren't the same thing. An alpha reader is someone who reads your draft and helps you with story development as you write it. You need someone qualified to analyze story structure with knowledge of the expectations of your genre. A terrific, qualified critique group can serve as your alpha readers. There are many places to connect with other writers willing to work together, virtually as well as in person. I built my critique group by going to local writing events. Finding Your Tribe A beta reader is someone who reads your completed, polished novel and spots problems. They react to the content. Some authors consult sensitivity / diversity readers to evaluate their content for political correctness. Please note that alpha and beta readers are not a replacement for editing, though they catch typos. Unless your critique partners are experienced editors willing to work for free, it is best to fi...

I admit I have not read any of Neil Gaiman's books. I should probably remedy that. I have, however, enjoyed the TV series Lucifer . I was on the fence about the new series Sandman based on comics which are described as "a dark, fantastical, fearless genre-bending riot of creative storytelling." The story breaks genre expectations.

I read a lot of Fantasy. I love the rich worldbuilding. I love magic. I love fantastical creatures. The ultimate pleasure is disappearing into a rich, enchanting, new world with memorable characters. We are tackling tropes on the Blood Red Pencil this month, so I wanted to touch on a few troublesome, perhaps trite, Fantasy tropes and suggest ways to change them. 1. The Chosen One In a sense, the Protagonist is always the "chosen one." The protagonist is the character who ultimately solves the overall story problem. That said, they don't literally have to be "chosen" or "destined." They may just have the right skills, knowledge, or determination to win the day. I liked the character Kaz Brekker in Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows because he wasn't a "chosen one." She left that up to Alina in the Shadow and Bone series. Kaz was motivated to overcome adversity because of a rough childhood. He wasn't "perfect" or infallible. H...

 We conclude our exploration of self-publishing platforms. 13.   Smashwords offers ebooks only. Cost : You can upload files for free. Free ebook conversion to multiple formats from a Word.doc. Unlimited anytime-updates to books and metadata Rights : You retain all rights. They offer a free ISBN or you can use your own.  Distribution : Smashwords Store as well as global retail distribution to Apple Books (51 countries), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Walmart (via Kobo), OverDrive (reach 20,000+ public libraries), Gardners (reach hundreds of small ebook stores and 2,000+ public and academic libraries), Scribd, Libri (powers Germany's largest ebook stores), Baker & Taylor,  Odilo (2,100+ libraries in North America, South America and Europe), Bibliotheca CloudLibrary (3,000+ public libraries in the US, Canada, U.K. and Australia), and Enki by Califa (supplies over 100 California libraries; acquires a subset of Smashwords titles). Services : Audiobook production and distr...

We continue to look at the self-publishing options available in 2021. Lulu offers paperback, hardcover, ebooks, calendars, journals, comic books, and photo books. They have Lulu Jr. for Kids for children's books. Cost : There are no fees or charges to upload your files. You can make changes. Rights : You maintain all rights. Your book must be assigned an ISBN to qualify for Global Distribution on Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Google Play, Ingram, Barnes and Noble and Scribd. They provide an ISBN or your can use your own. Distribution : Your book is listed for sale on the Lulu Bookstore. The Lulu Global Network makes your book available for purchase on Amazon, B&N, and other online retail sites at no additional cost to you. They also create a listing for your book with the Ingram Book Company, which allows brick and mortar bookstores, retail stores, and libraries to purchase your book. If you have an online Shopify ecommerce store, you can list your books for sale and your book orders w...

 Last time we looked at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books,and Book Baby. Today, we look at further options. Draft2Digital offers ebooks and paperbacks. Cost : You can upload your covers and files at no charge. There are no fees for reformatting or updating your book. Rights : You retain all rights. Draft2Digital offers free ISBNs numbers when uploading through their site. Their ISBN can only be used for their versions and approved vendors.  Distribution : They offer distribution through Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Press, Kobo, Scribd, Tolino, OverDrive, bibliotheca, Baker & Taylor, Hoopla, and Vivlio.  Services : They offer promotional opportunities through Books2Read. You can schedule price promotions and free promotions, except through the Amazon which does not allow books to be free. They offer information on audiobooks, editing, cover design, marketing programs, Author Advocate partners, directory services, and a digital storefront. They do not pr...

I started self-publishing in 2008, back when KDP was Booksurge. A lot has changed since then. Self-publishing has become more acceptable and there are more venues to publish through. Let's take a look at some of the top self-publishing platforms. Amazon's KDP offers print-on-demand and ebooks. There is a Kindle e-reader and app for other devices. They have begun an experimental episodic fiction service called Vella . They have  Children's Book creator software.They partner with ACX for audiobooks. Cost : It is free to upload your files and covers. You can change the files at any time at no cost. There are delivery fees for ebooks, print costs for paperback, sales taxes in some cases, and you cannot make your book free unless enrolled in Kindle Select. You decide the price but there are minimums. Amazon may price match, so if you offer your book for a lower price elsewhere, they may adjust your list price. They might match Amazon's price for a physical edition of the ...

Dani Last month, we started our new Ask Us Anything About #Writing feature with Amy Shamroe , a novelist-in-the-making.  Our Blogging Team continues to answer her questions with this important one!  Amy Is it better to just get scenes/plot points down and come back and fill in details or to spend time on everything you write in the moment? (i.e., get it all down NaNoWriMo style and go back and bulk it out or maybe spend two days on two pages getting it all down)... Shonell The better way is the way that gets your story finished. I like developing outlines that are a bit in-depth with notes about what happens in particular scenes, things characters say and do, etc. Doing this gives me visuals to jump into when I begin writing the story in earnest. Elle For a beginning writer, I would highly suggest learning to plot to start with - simply because this will save you time in the long run. Experienced writers who write to a "formula" (eg., genre conventio...

Traditional publishing requires that you find an agent who submits to publishers and hopefully finds a home for your book. As a traditionally published author, you still have to write, revise, proofread, submit, get accepted. But your work isn't done there. You still have to revise and edit per the publishers instructions. They design the cover and come up with the promotional materials and some promotional opportunities, but you are still in charge of self-promotion. With the publishing market in flux, many writers prefer to self-publish. Doing so involves you donning not one but five hats. 1. Crafting the Product Writing a really good book means endless rounds of critiques, revisions, editing, and proofreading. If you target a specific genre, and understand it, you are half-way there. Learning how to write is a skill set. Your very first draft of your very first book will not be a best seller. Studying the craft of writing and practicing it is job one. Once you have a manuscript ...