Self-Printed: Publish an E-book with Amazon KDP and Smashwords

by Catherine Ryan Howard

Please this title, while complete on its own, is an excerpt of The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing, and is designed for self-publishers who are only interested in information pertaining to self-publishing e-books.

It includes three sections from

- Why Self-Printing?
- Preparation
- Publishing an E-book.

From time to time the text may make reference to topics, information or instructions included in The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing, but not in this shorter guide. However be rest assured that ALL sections pertaining to self-publishing an e-book have been included.

This guide will take you step-by-step

- preparing to self-publish
- formatting your manuscript document for e-book conversion
- upload (publish) to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- upload (publish) to Smashwords.com
- troubleshooting, sales reporting and getting paid.

What is The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing? Well, here's the

"Do you think that no one has the right to stand between you and your published writer dreams? That the publishing industry is going down in flames and self-publishers are going to rise like a 99c phoenix from the ashes? That all literary agents are interested in doing is blogging sarcastically about the rhetorical question at the start of your query letter, that editors will just use your submitted manuscript for kindling and that you'll be senile before you hear back from either of them? That once you've uploaded the book you finished yesterday afternoon to Amazon, it'll be mere minutes before the money starts rolling in and you can quit your day job? Do you say things like gatekeepers, The Big Six, Dan Brown, legacy publishing and indie authors a lot? Are you self-publishing to "show them all"?

If you've answered yes to one or more of these questions then I do apologise, but this isn't the book for you.

This book is for writers who consider self-publishing to be a good Plan B, or even a sideline to traditional publication. Who want to do it the cheapest and easiest way possible while still producing a quality product. Who understand that much like Starbucks outlets and Nespresso coffee machines, traditional and self-publishing can peacefully co-exist. Who know that they don't have to sell a million copies of their book to start earning a living from their writing, but that they do have to work hard and treat it like a business. Who are blessed with common sense and live in the real world at least most of the time. Who find my jokes funny.

If this sounds like you, then The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing may be just the "How To..." guide you were looking for. It will tell you everything you need to know in order to publish a Print On Demand paperback and e-book, and - crucially - sell them, without sounding like anti-Big Publishing propaganda produced by the Ministry of Truth.

Be you are now entering a No Saying "Gatekeepers" Zone..."

Praise for The Sane Person's Guide to

"Catherine explains clearly and consisely how ... to make self-publishing work for you. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, this book covers everything you need to know to make your book a success." --Vanessa O'Loughlin, founder of Writing.ie

"It's authoritative, engaging, and, like [Catherine's] blog, caffeinated. If you're thinking of self-publishing and you want to give your book a great start in life, get SELF-PRINTED." --Roz Morris, author of NAIL YOUR NOVEL

Check out the other titles in the SELF-PRINTED SHORTS series - PUBLISH A PRINT ON DEMAND PAPERBACK and SELL YOUR BOOK WITH SOCIAL MEDIA - or visit SelfPrintedBook.com to find out more.

Catherine Ryan Howard is the author of A Year and A Bit in Orlando, Florida. She blogs about self-publishing at catherineryanhoward.com.

74 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2011

About the author

Catherine Ryan Howard is an internationally bestselling crime writer from Cork, Ireland. Her debut novel, DISTRESS SIGNALS, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey/New Blood Dagger. THE LIAR'S GIRL (2018) was shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. REWIND (2019) was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year and is currently being developed for screen by Clerkenwell Films (Misfits, Lovesick, The End of the F***ing World.) THE NOTHING MAN was a no. 1 Irish Times bestseller and a no. 1 Kindle bestseller (UK) and was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year. Her latest novel, 56 DAYS, was published in August 2021. It is a thriller set in lockdown that Catherine wrote while she was in lockdown.

Prior to writing full-time, Catherine worked as a campsite courier in France and a front desk agent in Walt Disney World, Florida. She still wants to be an astronaut when she grows up.