The Great HBT Aspiring Author Thread!

[Homercidal]

Well, I can see how writing is one thing that you fell you can do that doesn't hurt too much! I'm checking into the Kindle thing, but I don't have much time for the extra curricular right now. I'm already behind on a writing promise that I need to push some other things aside for. I've somehow lost the book I am writing a review for, and I JUST had it. It's hard to write a review without having the source right there for accuracy.

From what I can see, Kindle expects you to upload your story from any one of multiple source files types. One that they recommend is .doc or .docx. That is one of their preferred formats. They then break each one down into it's preferred formatting. There isn't much formatting necessary on any of them, so I can't see how it's going to cause a problem unless your book as images. They seem to be mentioned as the biggest source of trouble.

Otherwise it seems spacing and font size is pretty standard. I'd look into that closely and make sure you match it. And, even though openoffice and libreoffice are "compatible" with Word files, you may consider trying a plain text or RTF format just for comparison. Their converter might be looking for specific format indicators that don't come across from openoffice.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, I was thinking that something to do with formatting isn't translating properly from open office. I downloaded their viewer,so maybe some experimentation is in order before I upload the revised version. They also have a thing where if something is changed in the book & you upload it, anyone that bought it can get the new copy free, or something like that.
I used no images other than the cover I did in the paint.net program. It's really an alignment thing for me, as can be readily seen.

 

[Homercidal]

I am nearly finished with Good Omens and then I'll start in on your book.

 

[unionrdr]

I hope you like it. I took a lesson from Steven King about small town America stuff. so I just write what I know. Still working on re-write. 426 pages takes a while...

 

[unionrdr]

Well, since life keeps getting in the way, I decided to start writing book two while re-writing book one. It's going to take a while since I can't type very fast. Two monitors would be great. Original on one, new version on the other so I don't have to keep stopping to flip back & forth. But the new revised version of book one will come out.

 

[JohnSand]

I wonder if there is a way to do that with a split screen? Don't you have a 12 year old to ask?

 

[unionrdr]

No. Mine are all 15 on up to 33. They've never set one up that I know of. It would be nice though.

 

[jd_brewing]

I'm a published author. I'm no novelist though, props to you guys. I wrote a book of poetry, more a journal of experiences than anything. I wrote it during the four years I spent in the Marine Corps, it covers everything from love to war to general world observations. It's titled "The Daily Thoughts of a Fallujah Marine".

 

[unionrdr]

That sounds like something people would read at least out of curiosity of the average soldier's condition. It's interesting how I can write a novel faster than I can edit & such. Just 2 1/2 chapters to re-write & It'll be ready.

 

[jd_brewing]

Yeah I agree it's the same with me when I get in a mode where I just have a lot to get out I can sit down and start writing and it seems to just flow from the pen, and then yeah It takes twice as long to proof read it and such.

 

[unionrdr]

You got that right man! Besides life, family responsibilities, etc. I'll get it done by next month anyway. Then on to what copyrights I need that are still left...

 

[unionrdr]

I gained something interesting out of taking my son to job #2 by 11AM. Yet again, rt 254 was bogged down by a sandbagger dragging down a big line of cars, us included. So I go off on the usual rant, but this time said, " Here we go, tippy tippy tappy on the brake pedal! blah blah, yada yada...". It then hit me that, " Hey! that'd be a good title for a book on home brewing!" I say to my son. And so it started, a couple hours ago, that book number three has begun. " Tippy Tippy Tappy- A Journey Through Home Brewing". Even my wife smiled & her eyes lit up when I told her the story & showed her the title page. GOOOAAAL! I know it sounds reminiscent of Rudyard Kipling's Rikki Tikki tavi & it's likely bouncin' around up there someplace. I have read the book ages ago now. Funny how an idea can start. I thought, tipping a glass after tapping a beer. Cool. My journey through this happy madness will be in book form. Not sure when it'll be done, as I have nearly completed the re-write of book one of my Time Lords 2034 series, started book two with that. Then starting this one today. I definitely need a hit book to propel the others at least closer to the top. We'll see...

 

[JohnSand]

Good. Glad you are excited, and writing.

 

[unionrdr]

Thanks. Almost done with re-write of book one so I can start again on book 2. The homebrewing book has a good start as well. had to shorten the alternate title of it to A Journey in Home Brewing to make it fit. My home brew notes that go back to the beginning are good to use. They have anecdotal info & all that too.

 

[unionrdr]

Well, the re-write of book one of my Time Lords 2034 series is done! I took out a ton of copyrighted stuff. But just E-Mailed NASA for certain permissions. I just found out something about HG Wells stuff. Since my reference to his Work "War of the Worlds" was published before 12/31/22, it's in the public domain. Here's the link where I found that out; http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/UK/hgwcopy.html
So it would seem no worries there. Just have to wait & see what NASA says about the small Earth pic I used in the cover art & names of spacecraft & projects. I hope they're not greedy about it?...otherwise, the re-write is ready to upload pending NASA's answer.

 

[jtratcliff]

NASA images are public domain as long as you give credit.... I published a popular science book a couple years ago using over 250 NASA and ESA images.... No worries. You just can't use the NASA logo or imply that you stuff is affiliated with or approved by NASA. And you can't use images with identifiable people.

Here's some links to the image use policy:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html#.VBHmDSj1alk
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/imagepolicy/
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikilegal/NASA_images

If you need some world building suggestion for your SF, check out my "50 Most Extreme Places in Our Solar System" www.extremesolarsystem.com

Hardcover, published by Harvard University Press, but not an academic text. Translated to German, Korean, and Japanese.

 

[unionrdr]

Thanks man! I'll look over the link later. Cool prospects await! And I'm glad to hear the public domain nature of NASA pics. I only used the one on the cover the rest are program or spacecraft names...there's a lot of books & stuff there. Not surprised about Io, but raining diamonds on Neptune? Cha-ching!

 

[jtratcliff]

Pretty sure that you're fine with mission and spacecraft names as well.

Since mine was non-fiction we didn't even worry about names and the topic never came up from the publisher.... The images, however, they wanted permission all signed off by the creator(s) or proof that they were public domain.

 

[unionrdr]

That's pretty much what I'm waiting for. At least proof of public domain so I can keep getting my 70%...besides the need for some technical accuracy/ecstasy...

 

[unionrdr]

Well, I uploaded version 2 of my first book a little bit ago. New, revised edition. Waiting for it to publish on kindle. So both versions will be listed for the time being. After previewing the new one, my formatting, etc looks 100% better on this one! Now to get book 2 in the series moving again while I finish the home brewing book to upload by 11/1. Busy busy busy...:rockin:

 

[unionrdr]

Well, gotta wait till this weekend to get my expensive computer repair done & get back to work on my books. The home brewing book will be about the middle of November now. dang. But I did get my first review by a reader/customer. Got 5 stars too! The positive review was gratifying to see at last. I just wish my computer didn't get messed up by hacker's ticking time bombs. I hate my schedule being kicked back. The home brewing book was nearly done too. I hate to loose sales time before Christmas.

 

[unionrdr]

Well, I'm already about half way through proof reading, writing the chapter list page, etc. I'm hoping to upload it this weekend...

 

[unionrdr]

My book on home brewing is "in review" now on Amazon Kindle & should be available tomorrow. I'll post a link in my sig when it's available.

 

[unionrdr]

Changed the cover for my new home brewing book from this;

To this just now;

I think it looks a bit cleaner...

 

[unionrdr]

Ha, I got a good one for y'all. I was writing several more pages of book two of my Time lords 2034 series, & a character I introduced to the story I'd gotten the idea from was inspired by the old movie series, Phantasm. Anyone remember "the tall man"? The one behind it all in the movies? He's changed a bit, but still basically serving a similar purpose. I still refer to him as "the tall man", even though he's a government clone this time. You'll have to read it to get anymore... *-* I just looked at my reports & the like 11/26. I'm back in the top 40 in the UK & top 80 in the US! At least something's going right this week...

 

[unionrdr]

Any writers on here ever try to sign up on this site? http://absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php You sign, goto your e-mail to click th elink to finish registration. Then you still have to wait to be approved before you can post?! I hate waiting for those. Just need to learn more about the business of self-publishing on a more personal level. I sold 2 HB books over the weekend, woopie.

 

[unionrdr]

Is it just me, or am I the only one in here? Anyway, interesting development as of last night. I was surfing Youtube & google thing pops in with the usual number in the upper right corner. I clicked on it, & the same Johnny Cash video of the Ballad of John Henry pops up. I have over 35 likes on my comment from a couple months ago. I mused about writing a book about him & his passion about the plight of the blue collar workers of America. Some posters commented that they'd buy it if I wrote it & posted the link to the book. So I've been taken by the muses once more! The book's working title is " John Henry And the Blue Collar World". Just started the outline & got paint.net download to work so I can do my covers again. :rockin: I should've thought of this before, as I've been blue collar all my life & spent my time with a ten pound sledge swingin' all night. So I know what he went through...a little anyway.

 

[hunter_le five]

Is it just me, or am I the only one in here?

We should change the name of this thread to "The unionrdr Monologue Thread".

 

[unionrdr]

lolz. Perhaps do? Researching John Henry has been quite an enlightenment. Lots of things I didn't know about him popping up from old researches done since the late 1920's. Wow. Did pretty good today for the third day of writing it.

 

[unionrdr]

I checked my Kindle reports just now & found two nice 5-star reviews. I appreciate the comments on the book pages. Glad to see those that read the homebrewing book liked it. So I just wanted to say thanks!