I've had a re-think on how I approach my blogs and with that in mind I have migrated everything here to my new blog home at http://pbthompson.wordpress.com/.
I have a post there explaining everything. Please join me there on my continuing journey in the self publishing world.
Paul
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Setting up my publishing company
As part of my journey in creating a career in writing, I started up my own business. Why did I need to do that? Firstly, it was on the advice of more experienced writers. The advice was if I was serious about writing I needed to treat it like a business. Secondly, I feel that it gives a more professional appearance to my books if they are published by a publishing company. Thirdly, I can more easily keep the income completely separate from my own day job income and if the time comes when I need to employ outside help, keeping track of payments will be more visible.
I set up Ferret Publishing Ltd in April 2011. Before I set up the company I made sure the domain name WWW.Ferretpublishing.com was available for the website that would promote my books and I reserved it. I then set up a business account for all royalties to be paid directly into.
All in all the total spend needed to do the above was around £170. I'm still in the process of obtaining a Tax Identification Number (TIN) to put on the W8-BEN form to send to Amazon. This is required to stop them holding back 30% tax on my royalties as I'm an foreign resident.
All in all it has been quite painless and I'm hoping it has put me on a good footing for the future. Now I need to build up my catalogue of works and get my name noticed. Speaking of which, I have finished the first draft of Psychic Knights - Reformation and am currently outlining the second book in that series. This will take me to the 31st of this month where I will go back to Psychic Knights - Reformation for the final edit. Both books will be out this year and I will continue the series next year.
Paul
I set up Ferret Publishing Ltd in April 2011. Before I set up the company I made sure the domain name WWW.Ferretpublishing.com was available for the website that would promote my books and I reserved it. I then set up a business account for all royalties to be paid directly into.
All in all the total spend needed to do the above was around £170. I'm still in the process of obtaining a Tax Identification Number (TIN) to put on the W8-BEN form to send to Amazon. This is required to stop them holding back 30% tax on my royalties as I'm an foreign resident.
All in all it has been quite painless and I'm hoping it has put me on a good footing for the future. Now I need to build up my catalogue of works and get my name noticed. Speaking of which, I have finished the first draft of Psychic Knights - Reformation and am currently outlining the second book in that series. This will take me to the 31st of this month where I will go back to Psychic Knights - Reformation for the final edit. Both books will be out this year and I will continue the series next year.
Paul
Friday, 15 July 2011
My first book reviews
After about a month I have my first book reviews posted on Amazon UK. You can find Deadly Decisions review here: http://amzn.to/rr2Nip and A Collection of Shorts review here: http://amzn.to/qITmbp.
I'm very happy someone has made the effort and posted what they think of my books and happy with the comments also. All comments help me to become a better writer. Hopefully they will tip the balance in my favour when someone is deciding whether to by the books or not.
So thank you first reviewers.
Paul
I'm very happy someone has made the effort and posted what they think of my books and happy with the comments also. All comments help me to become a better writer. Hopefully they will tip the balance in my favour when someone is deciding whether to by the books or not.
So thank you first reviewers.
Paul
Friday, 8 July 2011
Will it really be difficult to find a good ebook?
Another article has been written recently bemoaning the digital self publishing revolution that is taking place right now. It says that because we can publish without going through a gatekeeper who will filter out most of the junk books (going through the slush pile), that there will be a mountain of poorly proofread/edited/written stories. So much, in fact that the readers will find it nigh on impossible to find a good read. Well, Kristine Kathryn Rusch has crafted a response to this that I think everybody should read. It can be found at: http://kriswrites.com/2011/07/06/the-business-rusch-slush-pile-truths/. Her husband, Dean Wesley Smith has his own response here: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=4854.
Paul
Paul
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Publishing Dates Change and Why
The world of publishing is in a fast changing phase at the moment and so, it would seem, is my mind. Just recently I blogged about how I had finally sat down and set out the publishing dates for the three books I want to release this year. Well, I've decided to make a change already.
Reading and participating in forums and blogs, the subject of marketing is high on my list at the moment. I am still learning the ropes when it comes to marketing my work. One of the strategies I've read about is to use promotional pricing of one book to help the sales of others. This should work best if you have two or more books in a series available. Especially if you are an unknown author.
Therefore, my plan is to publish Psychic Knights 2 on the 16th October instead of in December. This will ensure that both Psychic Knights books will be available before Christmas. Then just before the Christmas period I will lower the price of the first book in a promotion to capture new readers who will hopefully go on to buy the second book.
Now all I have to do is write them. : >)
Reading and participating in forums and blogs, the subject of marketing is high on my list at the moment. I am still learning the ropes when it comes to marketing my work. One of the strategies I've read about is to use promotional pricing of one book to help the sales of others. This should work best if you have two or more books in a series available. Especially if you are an unknown author.
Therefore, my plan is to publish Psychic Knights 2 on the 16th October instead of in December. This will ensure that both Psychic Knights books will be available before Christmas. Then just before the Christmas period I will lower the price of the first book in a promotion to capture new readers who will hopefully go on to buy the second book.
Now all I have to do is write them. : >)
Friday, 1 July 2011
A way to open your sample in a webpage
I've recently joined Kindleboards.com and have found a great way of getting your sample to people without them having to download it to the Kindle or a PC. The full post is here:
http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,39046.0.html
Basically you add your books ASIN number (found on the book sales page) to the link in the above post and when it is clicked on the sample opens up in a webpage.
Check out my short story collections book and my novel Deadly Decisions:
A Collection of Shorts
http://www.kindleboards.com/sample2/?asin=B0053Y2F3I
http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,39046.0.html
Basically you add your books ASIN number (found on the book sales page) to the link in the above post and when it is clicked on the sample opens up in a webpage.
Check out my short story collections book and my novel Deadly Decisions:
A Collection of Shorts
http://www.kindleboards.com/sample2/?asin=B0053Y2F3I
Deadly Decisions
Monday, 27 June 2011
Publishing Dates
I've finally sat down and put together the publishing dates for the books I will be completing this year. They were pencilled in my diary, but I had some time off recently so I've rearranged the dates to take that into account. They are:
Psychic Knights -Reformation due on the 14th August
This is the first in a series of Sci/Fi Fantasy novels. Set in the future it follows Tennison on his journey to find his psychic brothers and reform the Psychic Knights.
The Island (Temporary title) due on the 16th October
This is an action/horror novel about a group of mercenaries who stay on a private island for a break after a mission. Unknown to them the island is host to illegal experiments and they are forced to fight for their lives against living horrors.
Psychic Knights 2 (Temporary title) due on the 18th December
A follow on to the first Psychic Knights. The Human race has been under the control of the Techpsychers for far too long. It is time for the Psychic Knights to change things.
Now that I have these dates out in the blogosphere, I have an extra incentive to stick to them. However, as this is the first timetable I have set myself I'm going to be a little flexible with those dates. This is all a learning curve for me and 2011 will give me a good idea of how well I apply myself to writing as a job. This will then be the blueprint for my writing timetable in 2012.
Let me know how you get on with your timetables if you have any set.
Psychic Knights -Reformation due on the 14th August
This is the first in a series of Sci/Fi Fantasy novels. Set in the future it follows Tennison on his journey to find his psychic brothers and reform the Psychic Knights.
The Island (Temporary title) due on the 16th October
This is an action/horror novel about a group of mercenaries who stay on a private island for a break after a mission. Unknown to them the island is host to illegal experiments and they are forced to fight for their lives against living horrors.
Psychic Knights 2 (Temporary title) due on the 18th December
A follow on to the first Psychic Knights. The Human race has been under the control of the Techpsychers for far too long. It is time for the Psychic Knights to change things.
Now that I have these dates out in the blogosphere, I have an extra incentive to stick to them. However, as this is the first timetable I have set myself I'm going to be a little flexible with those dates. This is all a learning curve for me and 2011 will give me a good idea of how well I apply myself to writing as a job. This will then be the blueprint for my writing timetable in 2012.
Let me know how you get on with your timetables if you have any set.
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