Comments on: Think Like a Publisher 2012: Chapter 2: Expected Costs

By: dwsmith

dwsmith — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 23:44:40 +0000

No, I have to thank you, Edward, for putting your art up in systems like Dreamstime. Wonderful stuff and well done and it does the fit the subject perfectly. So thanks for letting me buy it. Keep up the great work.

By: Edward Fielding

Edward Fielding — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 21:37:14 +0000

Thanks for using my image for your book cover. It fits the subject perfectly! — Edward “peanutroaster” Fielding

By: allynh

allynh — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:19:27 +0000

” J S on 27 Apr 2012 at 3:29 pm

LibreOffice.org (“Word”, “Excel” and “Powerpoint”),
Gimp.org (“Photoshop”),
scribus.net (“Indesign”),
inkscape.org (“illustrator”)”

I have three of those, did not know about “scribus”, awesome! Now I can rule the universe!

On LibreOffice add the Drawing option which is equal to “Microsoft Visio”. You have the ability to have a white board to brainstorm, diagram, etc.. Even the database option will come in handy over time, once I learn how to use it. HA!

And that is your point. With these free programs you can come up to speed without spending the bucks.

From this point on, we should be able to do all of this with free, or next to free(under $100) software.

Not to mention if you have an iPad and buy the $4.99 garageband to generate real music, or $4.99 for _SketchBook Pro for iPad_ to literally finger paint. Yikes!

Look at the demos on YouTube for “garageband ipad”, “drawing on ipad”, to have your brain explode. HA!

By: dwsmith

dwsmith — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:25:59 +0000

Dusk, I think it’s worth it if you become a larger publisher, with hundreds of titles, to spend the $1,000 to get 1,000 of them. WMG is not there yet and we have 240 titles plus out. But otherwise, nope, no reason to do it that I can see. The tracking numbers are needed inside of each system to keep track of books. Past that, they make little if any difference.

By: Dusk Peterson

Dusk Peterson — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:59:38 +0000

Could you say more about free ISBNs? I’ve seen you recommend them before, and I’m wondering whether there’s any advantage to being able to control the metadata of one’s e-books at Bowker, through buying the ISBNs from them.

By: J S

J S — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:29:48 +0000

“WMG Publishing has gone ahead and invested in a top-line Mac computer, InDesign, and Photoshop for me to help out on. And I am learning slowly…”

Dean .. for other that might need to learn the software anyway these are the free/low cost options that replace the $2,000 – $3,000 software stack.

LibreOffice.org (“Word”, “Excel” and “Powerpoint”),
Gimp.org (“Photoshop”),
scribus.net (“Indesign”),
inkscape.org (“illustrator”)

These run on a 3-7 year old used computer just fine and all run on windows and probably mac as well. Extra points for using Ubuntu.com, Lubuntu.org, linuxmint.org or even avlinux operating systems (avlinux has all the other tools to make those book trailers).

By: dwsmith

dwsmith — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:39:29 +0000

Exactly, Carradee. Nothing at all wrong on certain types of projects to get some help with crowdsourcing. Just not to start the original business.

By: Carradee

Carradee — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:34:50 +0000

(Regarding my previous comment, I meant your reasoning makes sense to me. *facepalm* I just realized how that came out. Sorry.)

Wouldn’t want to be obligated to folks for something that you never manage to actually get off the ground.

By: Carradee

Carradee — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:33:27 +0000

Hi Dean, I follow now. ^_^ I was conflating the concepts of crowdsourcing to start a project and crowdsourcing to start a business. Your reasoning makes sense.

By: dwsmith

dwsmith — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:29:02 +0000

LOL, Kristi. Great way of looking at this process. Step-by-step forward. Sometimes things work out, sometimes we miss a part. But with work we build something and it is out there and lasts. I just got a proof on a new Poker Boy paperback today and it felt wonderful to hold the finished product. Just wonderful. And two other paper books were approved and I have proofs on order heading this way. Great fun.