The fabulous Audrey Kalman, who blogs at Audrey Kalman: Writing of Many Kinds, offered to do a Q&A with me about her experiences with CreateSpace because I’m seriously considering self-publishing my book this spring. Right now, I’m in the research phase and I am so very grateful to Ms. Kalman for sharing her insight and experience with us.
Today’s post is going to be on the long side because, well, I had a lot of questions and she gives great answers. I won’t be posting anything new on Friday or Monday, just linking back to this post because I think it’s that important. All my questions and comments will appear in bold to show how much work Ms. Kalman did for this post. 🙂
1) What other competitors did you consider? Why did you choose CreateSpace over them?
I’m afraid to say I probably didn’t do as much research into alternatives as I should have. Since I published first for Kindle, I was already familiar with Amazon. For digital publishing, I had looked at Untreed Reads, but they weren’t then (and aren’t now) accepting unagented novels.
I know there’s a lot of fear and anxiety over Amazon. But there’s a reason people are afraid: the company is very good at what it does. Since I knew I wouldn’t have a lot of time and energy to put into the process, I wanted to go with a company that had an easy interface and lots of tools for helping self-published authors promote themselves. Of course, the author still must do all the work. I really liked the tools they have for estimating author royalties on different price points so you can see in advance the impact of making a change.
2) What were the hardest parts to creating your book with CreateSpace? What was the easiest thing about using CreateSpace?
The hardest thing—and this may sound silly—was trying to figure out what to do about the ISBN. Of course, this would have been an issue with any self-publishing option.
I read a helpful FAQ (http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/isbnqa.asp) but that still didn’t tell me what I should do. Should I get the ISBN myself or through Amazon? Should I buy a bundle of numbers to use for future works? In the end, I again ceded control and got the ISBN through CreateSpace, which turned out to be one of the easiest parts of the process.
3) How did you go about choosing a font? Designing your cover? Converting the file for an e-reader? Any outside resources you would recommend to someone making these choices?
Once I had committed to using CreateSpace, I took advantage of their templates. I picked one with a font I liked and went with that. I figured that there was less chance of problems if I didn’t mess around with the template.
For the cover, I took photographs and had my son (who is into digital art) create the cover. This is one area I would spend more time and though on next time around. (In fact, I’m considering relaunching the book with a new cover.) My existing cover is hard to read in small format and doesn’t stand out well among hundreds of other thumbnails.
If you want to work with someone professionally, I just saw that Amazon has partnered with CrowdSpring to offer cover design services: http://www.crowdspring.com/createspace/book. I might look into something like that for next time.
Because I published first for Kindle, I did a fair amount of research to find out how to prep the manuscript for the Kindle version. I used MobiPocket creator: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/productdetailscreator.asp. This was a great web resource: http://www.dragosroua.com/how-to-self-publish-on-amazon-kindle-and-ibookstore.
Since the time I published in 2011, Amazon has come out with a CreateSpace solution for Kindle publishing. I haven’t tried it, but if the CreateSpace on-demand solution is any indication, it should be pretty straightforward.
4) Were you happy with how your paperback book turned out? Did it meet your expectations?
We’ve all heard the adage “you get what you pay for.” I find myself amazed that anyone can print a book on demand for the amount I pay Amazon to do so. Given that, I’m not surprised that the cover is a bit flimsy and you don’t have a choice of cover stock. I (and many other authors!) think CreateSpace should offer a choice of cover stock. I’d be willing to pay a bit more for a sturdier (and not glossy) cover. That said, a good design can overcome the limitations of cover stock.
The cover probably gave me the most trouble of any part of the process. I had to have a graphic designer friend format the image and it took multiple tries to get the right resolution. The spine colors also were limited, so I ended up with one that doesn’t quite match the color of the front and back covers. I believe it’s possible to create a wraparound cover, but that seemed beyond my capabilities. Again, another reason why I would use some professional cover design help next time around.
5) What were the top three biggest time sucks (expected or unexpected) to creating your book on CreateSpace?
1) Doing all the detail oriented research required so I wouldn’t make a big, unfixable mistake (for example, with the ISBN).
2) Proofreading. I expected this, and it would be the same with any publishing option.
3) Creating and uploading the cover.
Overall, the process was pretty quick. Here’s the schedule I used for myself.
| Activity | Time needed | Target date |
| Decide on/obtain ISBN (free option chosen) | 1 day | 09/16/09 |
| Format document | 3 days | 09/18/09 |
| Write back cover copy | 2 days | 09/20/11 |
| Create art for cover | 2 days | 09/20/09 |
| Proofread document | 1 day | 09/19/09 |
| Have proofreader proof document | 1 day | 09/20/11 |
| Finish steps and submit for approval | 1 day | 09/21/09 |
| Receive Amazon approval | 2 days | 09/22/09 |
| Order and receive proof | 5 days | 09/28/09 |
| Approve for sale | 1 day | 09/30/09 |
| IF 2nd proof needed: Order and receive | 5 days | 09/29/09 |
| IF 2nd proof needed: Approve for sale | 1 day | 10/05/09 |
6) Did you find having a physical book was helpful/worth the cost or would you go the e-book only route next time?
Absolutely. It has enabled me to do readings where I can offer books for sale. I also have reached some people who (still) don’t use e-readers.
I look at the physical book as a marketing tool. Given the extremely low cost of using CreateSpace (less than $100 total to get set up, with a low per-book cost), I would certainly opt to have a printed copy available again.
7) Percentage wise, how did the e-book sales compare to the paperback book sales?
I sold about ¾ as many e-books as I did paperbacks. (But we’re not talking huge numbers here.) I believe both are important; physical copies for the reasons listed above, and virtual copies to appeal to people with e-readers and to take advantage of things like book giveaways on Goodreads and free Kindle downloads to increase name recognition.
8) Did you find the distribution of your book was in line with your expectations? Was it as accessible as you expected?
Yes, given that my expectations were extremely modest. I considered this project a way to 1) make the book available to family and friends; and 2) learn about self-publishing.
Accessibility has not been an issue. Amazon offers two distribution options, regular or expanded, with expanded available for a modest fee of $25. (https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/ExpandedDistribution.jsp). I chose expanded distribution, which allows the book to be available to libraries and bookstores through book distributors such as Ingram.
9) Did you use CreateSpace for editorial services or engage an outside editor or a critique partner? If you used CreateSpace, were you satisfied with their work?
For Dance of Souls, I had a single reader giving me feedback. For my current novel, I am spending more time on the editing process and using a group of beta readers. I didn’t use CreateSpace professional services.
10) What were the biggest pros and cons of using CreateSpace? If you could go back in time and give yourself a couple tips to using CreateSpace, what would they be?
Pros: Easy user interface, lots of tools, straightforward process.
Cons: It’s easy to get sucked into relying on a single vendor.
11) Would you use them again, if you chose to go the indie route on your next book?
The answer is “yes, and.” I would likely use CreateSpace AND set up on other platforms as well. Jane Friedman has an excellent post on questions to ask before choosing an e-publishing solution: http://janefriedman.com/2012/02/10/10-questions-epublishing, which any author would do well to review.
Thanks for the opportunity to talk about the process… I hope it was helpful!
Audrey, it was extremely helpful for me and I hope my blog readers enjoyed it as much as I did! I really loved the timetable you created and shared. Gave me a good idea of how long this process would take. Now I’d like to hear a bit more about you and your book.
BIO:
Audrey Kalman has been writing professionally for more than 30 years. She published newspaper and magazine articles in the days when such things still involved ink on paper, wrote a database how-to book when such things were popular, and now offers writing and editing services as a consultant. In 2011 she published Dance of Souls, a literary novel that explores the longing we all share to find meaning in our lives and the countless ways we search for it. She launched a writing blog, “Writing of Many Kinds,” at http://audreykalman.wordpress.com and maintains a Facebook page for her novel at www.facebook.com/Danceofsouls.
Excerpt from Dance of Souls:
It was a dream, of course, although Zach couldn’t remember ever having dreamed so vividly. It seemed so real: The vibrant orange flames, hissing, cracking, racing along the wall between the hallway and the kitchen; the smell, like the time he and Brendan had experimented with setting one of Brendan’s sister’s dolls on fire; the heat like pressure against his body. It’s the dope making it seem so real ran through his head. I’m not used to smoking weed. Wish I hadn’t. Then he sat up, banged his head on the edge of the coffee table where the remains of dinner still lay, white cardboard containers upended and bleeding greasy sauce onto the table’s tile surface.
Dance of Souls is available as a
PAPERBACK through CreateSpace (you pay the same, better deal for the author) — $13.99 plus shipping
PAPERBACK through Amazon — $13.99 plus shipping or free shipping for Prime members
KINDLE version through Amazon — $2.99 (watch for free promotion days)
Good interview! I’m working the process now and I really like CreateSpace. I am investing in a good cover designer–knowing that’s way outside my area of expertise!
Thanks El! I think I’ll use CreateSpace too. I’ve been checking it out and after talking to Audrey it sounds fantastic. 🙂 I’d love to hear about your experiences with it too! I talked to my web designer about doing a cover for me too. Always good to know your limits and find someone who can fill in the gaps. 🙂
Very informative. Thank you!
Glad it helped. I’ve been exploring self-pubbing and after looking at CreateSpace, I had lots of questions. Thank goodness for Audrey, she answered every single one of them and gave me new things to consider too!
Kourtney, thanks for the fantastic interview with Audrey! This information is so helpful to those of us considering the self-publication route. Learning from those who have real-world experiences is a great opportunity!
It’s all Audrey! She is AMAZING. I can’t get over how informative and helpful her answers are. It’s one thing to explore CreateSpace and another to hear about someone’s actual experiences. Thanks so much Audrey!!!
This is great, Kourtney. Although I don’t know if I’ll ever self-publish, I’ve always wondered about the CreateSpace process, so I’ll bookmark this page for later reference if need be. Audrey is always a source of useful info, and I’ve read her book, too. Lovely writing style.
Thanks Carrie. Since I’m seriously considering it, I thought I’d share the info here. She’s really amazing. I downloaded her book on your recommendation and plan to read it next month. 🙂
Hey, thanks for the info..sometimes you don’t know where to start …nice to have a little guide for the trail –
It’s pretty overwhelming out there. CreateSpace is really interesting to explore and lots of useful stuff there, I just had some insider questions and luckily Audrey was gracious enough to answer all of them. 🙂
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Great interview. I like the way you structured it, the questions and answers were both very good, and still interesting and enaging for me who has no intention to publish anything self, e or otherwise but has an interest in the topic. Excellent to both you & Audrey. Congratulations 🙂
Thanks EllaDee! I was perusing CreateSpace and these were the questions I couldn’t find answers to there. I noticed Audrey had published with them and shot her an email. I hoped it might be interesting to my blog followers to hear about her experience. I have to give her serious props–she replied to all my questions in less than 48 hours. 🙂
Wow ……….. #don’tstopbelievin !!!!!!!!!!!
🙂
What a beautifullllllllllllllll interview ….:)
and what’s even more beautifulllll is ……
There will be a KOURTNEY book in Spring 🙂
Could i be happier for You ……..?
whatcha think xo
You rock my sweet
and i can’t wait for spring 2013 🙂
Love xo
C
Thanks Catherine! I’m so excited to have an avenue to get my book out to readers. And CreateSpace sounds like a really good way to do it. It sounds so far away, but I wanted to give small presses 4-6 months with the book (I sent to them in October). I like planning ahead so I’m laying groundwork between now and April. 🙂
I know how organized You are k xxx
🙂 You are super organized …….
April is but a breath away xxx
Looking forward to it very very much xxx
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christmas time goes so fast ————- and then TADA 2013 ………..
Then Your book 🙂
xxx
Love and #don’tstopbelievin xxx
🙂
Thanks Catherine! It seems so far but your right, time will fly by. I’ve already lined up a cover designer and an editor. 😉
Holidays really do speed up this time of year. XOXOXO
WOWZERS ………… see 🙂 April is almost here xx
🙂 I CAN’T WAIT XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Aw thanks! I’m going to do an e-book and a paperback. It’s really exciting to take charge of my work and get it out to readers. XOXOXOXO
HAPPY SHIVERS 🙂 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and a book tour 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂 x
Yup! Starting small. But hoping to get up to Toronto. I’ve got a friend to stay with and then I’d get to meet you in person!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wooooooooooohooooooooo 🙂
——————————- woooohoooooooooooooooo 🙂
and you know what – i’ll organize a Kourtney Party Dinner – ! if You’d like 🙂 a partay in Honour of YOU 🙂
Brilliant 🙂 🙂 🙂 xo
Aw Catherine that would be awesome! Thank you so much! :):):) XOXO
Great information. I’m in the middle of researching all the options. My head is spinning, but every bit counts. Thanks Kourtney!
Audrey really was a lifesaver when it came to my CreateSpace questions. 🙂 I’m thinking of following her lead with an ebook and a paperback. 🙂
great info, ladies. this post is a keeper
Thanks Louise! I owe it all to Audrey. She was so generous with her time and her knowledge! 🙂
Thanks for the helpful info, Kourtney. I need to know more about the self-publishing process, so this was a great post to read.
Learning about self publishing is the next turn in my writer’s journey. I’ll be having a couple q&a posts with self pubbed writers over the next few months. I need to learn as much as I can too!
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Thank you Kourtney—-excellent interview and timely information 🙂 I plan to refer back as I continue the journey with my project.
Aw glad to hear it will help with your journey! Sometimes I feel like I’m on my way to Mordor.
HA – if it counts as 3 posts – it deserves it’s own reblog comment?
Still this is a great read – worth revisiting…actually it’s bookmarked so i don’t lose it
Lol. You’re right. 🙂 But I figured the original post is so close let the comments flow there.
Hey Lovely xx I just was thinking of You 🙂
You have a new nickname 🙂 K- Heart 🙂 ………… xoxoxoxox
Thanks Miss Catherine! I like it! I was thinking how cool it would be to have a drink in person and talk about our creative ventures. 🙂
WE will 🙂 xxx K-Heart xxx i just know it xoxoxoxoxo
2013 will be an adventure. 🙂 looking forward to seeing you! 🙂
Me too xo
🙂 and you know that hashtag – well it’s longer now
#dontstopbelievinkheart xxo
Lol. Love love love the new hash tag! 🙂
IT’S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YOU XX
hashtag tattoo ? lol 🙂 xx
love u xx
Night night
time 2 watch some TVD …..:)
i have missed a few episodes ………….
xxx
huge Hugs xoxoxo
c
Thanks! Lol maybe. I missed it tonight. Last week was so good but so bad simultaneously. I love Damon. 🙂
I know – he is soooooo hot – i doooo not like Stefan .
he is so goody goody – for a vampire …….:) xx
Stefan is too controlling this season. Elena deserves better.;) Hows things up in TO?
Cold and windy
i’d rather be in NYC……..:) lol
one song just came out on cd baby and i’m waiting for it to transfer to itunes – it’s taking forever
you can listen here 🙂
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AstheCityRumblesUnderneath xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox ! Yeah – Stefan – something about his NON MOVING face 🙂 lol x
Congrats! I love your voice on the snippet I heard. I’ll download it from iTunes when it’s up. 🙂 I love that ambient pop sound. It unseasonably warm here. In the 50s. Wearing my sandals and a light sweater. Wish we could go shopping in soho. Heading down there. 🙂 xoxo
AHHHHHHHHHHH SOHO!!!!!!!!!! take pics 🙂 please
vicariously shopping with You 🙂 xx Thanks my sweet
Have fun ……:) 🙂 🙂
i dread going to the mall ………. super dread …….
take funny pics ok 🙂 Pullllease 🙂 xoxoxoxoxoxo
LOVE LOVE LOVE XO
Thanks for the informative post, ladies! I’ve never seen CreateSpace broken down so well.
I was wandering through it and couldn’t find answers to these questions. Luckily Audrey was gracious enough to share her experiences. 🙂
What info. Great job. Very informative. Makes u want to self publish.
Thanks! Audrey provided so much terrific info. She made me feel so much better about self-publishing. 🙂
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