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Saturday, April 12, 2014

Createspace

A quick Saturday morning post. For the last week or so I've been working on getting Travelers Road to Createspace, a  print on demand publisher.
Createspace is a subsidiary of Amazon and while TR is available immediately on its web page, the book will become available on Amazon in 5 to 7 business days.
Part of the delay was my reluctance to go into more debt in order to see my book published. I didn't want to shell out the bucks to have a box of books sit in my garage. The other part was I needed to see a distribution and advertising model I could work with.
Big box stores tend not to stock self publishers. They're not stupid, Places like Barnes and Noble are around to make money. Buying in bulk allows them to sell books cheaply to the mass market.
Agents and publishers are always looking for the next big thing that will make or break their company, but how to spot the diamond among the quartz?
That's been the heart of the matter for the last few years. Going alone through the front door of a big publisher leads straight to the recycle bin.
In going to a few workshops and conventions, I've met agents and agencies. After talking to them, I get the impression they're a timid crowd. They don't want to be the one who picks an author who then tanks sales thereby bankrupting their company.
So here I sit: Critiquing people online in writing groups, freelance writing for small businesses, working a Clark Kent job and self publishing.
There are numerous small publishers, finding them is more than a Google search, it's actual footwork. Next to my keyboard are several cards and papers with names and addresses. Leads I must follow up in the quest for the printed word.
Travelers Road is on sale for 18.00 and in a few days you'll be able to find it on Amazon. If you are an independent retailer, you can order TR to stock on your shelves. Why is it so expensive? For the reasons I listed above, buying, as well as printing in bulk. The more you make or do, the cheaper it becomes. This is a one off, hence the price. I added afterwards, dedications and acknowledgements in this version. I even spotted a grammatical error or two along the way. A few of my friends bet me this would never get off the ground. Pay up chumps. All kidding aside, this is a milestone event I can look back at. Many people I know haven't changed in the last 20 years, never stepping out of their comfort zone in a personal quest to become a better human being.
This is me finding my beat and leading the march to success. At this time I'd like to thank all the people who tried to prevent me from becoming what I am. By testing me, I rose above the limits others set. And guess what? This is only the beginning. Now that I've blazed the trail, more stuff is going to follow. Let the other guys catch up to me.

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