Okay, CreateSpace was all right. Not too super complicated, I think. I hope! I really hope, because I just ordered a proof copy.
Things I had to fiddle with a good bit: the margins. It kept putting them in less generously than I expected so I would have to go and change them and then upload the file again. Then for some reason the margins changed everywhere but on page 51, so I had to change that. Then it didn’t like where the page numbers were, so I took out the page numbers and put them back in, this time centered instead of in the corner.
CreateSpace told me I had three or four typos, but they were all just Spanish words, so I’m not sure why it chose those particular words to highlight? There are a lot more Spanish words than that in there. Also, I hope there really, really aren’t any typos at all left, but I would be a bit startled if that turns out to be the case.
Then I had to go change all the page numbers in the table of contents, because their conversion process didn’t renumber the table of contents when I messed with the margins.
It turned out to be 348 pp but that does include a few pages in the back for the endmatter and so on. I made it 5 x 8 to match BLACK DOG.
Finally I ordered a printed proof copy. I must say, I bet the printed proof copies are a major way that CreateSpace turns a profit, because they charge $28 for a copy (counting S & H). That seems awfully high, but if I take a look at it and find the margins are way too generous now or something, I guess I will be glad I checked. I am supposed to have a copy delivered around June 8th. I hope it looks perfect!
Meanwhile, it is pretty exciting to finally have the ebooks out. Changing to single-spaced looked hideous on the computer but turned out to do the trick as far as solving the double-spaced-only issue that some people experienced with the Black Dog Short Stories, especially with paperwhite kindles. It turned out that the only way to get appropriate paragraphing was to paragraph via the Page Layout menu. This wasn’t too awful; I “found” all tabs and “replaced” them with nothing. Poof, the Page Layout menu paragraphed everything instantly with attractive, short indents. I scanned through the whole manuscript just to make sure it looked good, and it did. I also bought a kindle copy and looked at the first chapter on my kindle and it looked good there, too. So: learning experience! But I think it’s good.
I now have a file of tips, because I never again want to fight with trying to figure out how to put in a live table of contents or how to get the indents to look right. I know myself well enough to be certain I will forget those kinds of things before I need to do it again!
Meanwhile … I hope you all enjoy PURE MAGIC! And I hope the paper copies will be available soon.
Please Feel Free to Share:
Hi-
I’ve partway through Pure Magic and been enjoying it so far.
Not sure if this is the place for it- so I’m asking if you want and how you want to be told about possible continuity mistakes.
Thanks,
JJ
Sure. If I think it’s important, I’ll be glad to have it pointed out and I’ll definitely fix it. Unless it would be really hard to fix and then I’ll take a page from Lois McMaster Bujold and declare that the writer has a right to change her mind, I guess.
You can email me directly at rneumeie@gmail.com, if you don’t mind.