Publication - Seller Connections, Inside the Book

20 November 2011, Publication - Seller Connections, Inside the Book

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little.  I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon.  The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel.  Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing.  In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes.  You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published.  I'll keep you informed along the way.  At this moment, I'm showing you the marketing material I put together for a novel.

Today's Blog:  To see the steps in the publication process, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/. 

One of the main features on Amazon (and some other sellers) is "inside the book."  This is the feature that allows prospective buyers to look through the first chapter or so of your book.  Most don't realize that you must actually produce these for the seller.  Your publisher usually doesn't have the time to produce this feature. 

First, you have to establish that you are the author.  You need to sign up through Amazon's Author Central.  In the process, your publisher acknowledges you are who you are.  This allows you to update information about your books and track sales etc.  This also allows you to produce an "inside the book" for your books.  The "inside the book" feature, like other products for sellers, must follow the specific requirements from the seller.  You need to ask the seller for the details. 

Basically, you need to put together a pdf of the novel with a cover at the front.  The Amazon people will correctly format and cut the information properly for the "inside the book" feature.  That's pretty much all there is to it.  It really is more difficult that I describe it, but that's in the details.

I'll write more about Author Central features tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples:   http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites:  http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.