Image credit: Vilius Kukanauskas
First
I want to thank all those who have been reading Seed Fall. Please do continue. And thank you for the comments. In many ways this was new territory for me and I really appreciate your support.
So, What’s Been Happening?
I had thought I’d be head-deep in Seed Fall revisions by now (drafts 1, 2, 3 & 4). Instead, I set that aside while I revised and edited the story I posted on WP way-way back as Can of Worms, and later, revised, as Runewand. But now that too is on hold following an important decision.
Important Decision
I’m changing how I publish my books.
I’ve remarked before that I’d rather give my books away than make a profit. I want to be read, not make a fortune – don’t choke on that, we all know less than 1% of writers make a fortune, or even a basic living, from writing books. The problem was, how do I put my books out for free?
Not with Amazon. Sure, you can put the books out for FREE on short-term special promotions, but that’s it.
What’s more, Amazon is a restrictive market. Publish on Amazon, stay on Amazon.
But Amazon isn’t the only game in town. There is also Smashwords.
With Smashwords I can price my e-books at £0.00/$0.00 i.e. FREE. Moreover, Smashwords will put them into multiple marketplaces.
So that’s the decision. I’m publishing my books with Smashwords.
The Way Forward
Impatient to instigate this new plan, and Runewand being far from ready yet, I turned to the books already published.
I’d already removed Learning To Fly from the Amazon marketplace until such time as I’ve amended a couple of issues. I’d also removed King’s Wife, having read it a year on and groaned in embarrassment. I have now removed the remaining two books in the Alsaldic Lands Trilogy, The Hare and Adder, and Alsalda Bear.
Those books I’m now free to publish elsewhere.
Alsalda Bear’s Makeover
Alsalda is deep in my affection. And having read it again, I’m happy to republish it with no additional revision and edit. However, I do need to reformat it which is what I’m currently doing.
Also, Alsalda gets a new title and a new look. The cover reveal will come shortly, but I can tell you the new title.
SARAMEQUAI
Black Feathered Warriors
From over the Sea
While I’m happy with that strapline, I’m also considering
SARAMEQUAI
A Murder of Crows
Opinions appreciated, especially from those who read the story, either when it was posted here in serial-form in 2015, or as a beta reader in 2022.
Postscript
What was Can Of Worms and later became Runewand will now be published as The Wayfarer.
That’s all for now folks
crispina kemp 
You are well equipped for this undertaking. I will have to take a gander at Smashwords- this is the first I have heard of it. Keep us posted.
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I will. I only encountered it when I Googled how to put out books foc. Apparently, Smash words do sell the books, but they also distribute, and that’s the attraction
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This is a wise decision as writing is a great effort- but publishing and marketing are even more difficult. Giving books for free absolves us of the responsibility of marketing. When ( if ever) I publish a book, I plan to do it on a word document and give it to anyone interested for free.
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Distribution remains the problem. That’s why the decision to go with Smashwords
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I like how Ivor and Dwight are doing it- sending PDF files.
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I had pdf downloads on the Runewand site. No one downloaded. But then I wasn’t advertising it so… marketing is key
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Exactly, and the most difficult part
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It is. And after all the concentration to write it, and revise and edit, the enthusiasm tends to drop a bit. Alas. And I’m nor the only writer who feels this way
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I know! Many have shared their feelings about trying to market their work.
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I see ads on YouTube for editing services and it claims books fail to sell because of substandard editing and every time I yell in frustration that the lack is of a big enough budget to effectively promote and market
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Exactly! Promoting the book is an expensive hobby
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Yes. Unfortunately. And those who are published by the big name houses have it no better. Except they do get an advance against sales. Unfortunately, if the book fails to sell to that volume, a portion of that advance could be clawed back.
We write because of love, not profit.
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Indeed that is the story I’ve been told too.
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I’m lucky in that the production side of a book costs me no physical funds. I trained as a graphic designer, spent much of my working life in jobs that involved editing (though not novels) although the covers of my books put out so far were done by a friend. But now I’m looking forward to doing my own
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Thanks awesome my friend.
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