Keeping Organized!

I find I have to do all that formatting on the same day. Once the final edits are done, I format for kindle, make epubs for everywhere else, then format the paperback, and then upload it everywhere.

(Then I have to make the announcement blog post and wait for all the links and put it in my astore and send out stuff my email list and... It's like a full day's work.)

If I don't do it all at once, I find excuses not to do it later.

You might try making a checklist. Putting checks next to stuff can be very satisfying, and it would be the same checklist from book to book.

I'm like Valerie, I just power through it. Then again, I want my work out there in as many forms and through as many sales channels as possible.

If you don't like uploading, just use Smashwords or Direct2Digital to do it for you.

Being organized is faster, categorizing folders and appropriately naming files means you can compile your stuff quicker without confusion.

Creativity and ideas come whatever the book, so I just write notes for later while working properly on 1 or 2 books.

Backup may be passive work and productivity wise, but without could be the cause of much tragedy if not done and something goes awry. I use Crashplan free incremental backup to an external hard drive with a secondary hard drive I back up manually once a month.

I...uh...suck at organizing.

That said, I do have "formatting day" which is usually the day OF RELEASE (you should not do this.) and I think I've got the rhythem down to something approaching science. I usually have a blank version of each book saved on some dark recess of my computer so that I don't save over it and thus have to redo upteen million hyperlinks to my other book pages. Each book has its own file (several of which have gotten abused because I'm also storing book-related artwork in the same file. And Work-in-progress documentation for said artwork. And any fonts, resources and/or brushes that get used in said artwork. In other words, it's gotten a little out of hand) and in those files there is a file for the Barnes and Noble edition, and the Kindle edition, and the Smashwords edition, and if these need to get updated that usually means there will be yet another file inside the old file. I have Russian Nesting Doll computer files here.

In short...it's a mess. It works so far, but I do rather desperately need to build a better system than what I'm using.

stranger said:

If you don't like uploading, just use Smashwords or Direct2Digital to do it for you.

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Do you mean Draft2Digital? Because if you do, I can attest to the fact that they are awesomely easy to use. I used them for my book not too long ago.

Daily structure and to-do lists are about as organized as I can manage. My mornings are devoted to self-pub-business-related things. Maybe it spills over into the early afternoon. Then, writing time takes over.

I'd be lost without my desktop stickies, though.

I've just started researching self-publishing, and if anyone has checklists they use when formatting/uploading/etc. I'd love some help!

rach_elle said:

I've just started researching self-publishing, and if anyone has checklists they use when formatting/uploading/etc. I'd love some help!

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I have a checklist in my head. Ha! Let me see if I can put it down in writing.

Write a book.
Edit and proof until you're so sick of the book you can't look at it anymore.
Send the book to beta readers.
Revise based on their comments.
Proof again.
Have a professional editor edit the book.
Have a professional proofreader review the book.
Hire a professional artist to create the cover (if funds are tight, pay for stock images and create your own cover. If you don't know how, and don't want to learn, pay someone to do it for you).
Make sure you have images of your book cover in various sizes. Your designer can do this or you may need to resize them yourself. Read up on image size requirements. Each sales channel has their own specifications.
When the book is the best you can make it, send out advanced review copies (this will require searching for the best places/people to send arcs).
Set up a web page (preferably using your name in the domain, especially if you plan on writing more books).
Buy a domain name (.com, .net, and .org, if possible, so all roads lead to you and not someone else).
If you want an active social media presence, begin blogging, set up a Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn account, and any other sites you're interested in.
Send books to reviewers (research again).
Set up a blog tour.
Take advantage of author interview offers.
Set up Google Alerts with your name and book title(s) so you'll be sent an email alerting you when things pop up on the web related to you and your book(s).
Format the book according to Smashwords' FREE Style Guide (or other guidelines you deem appropriate. I prefer the guide I mentioned).
Might as well save the book in other formats, as well (epub, .pdf, .html, whatever formats you think you might need).
Make sure you have live links in your book to your website and any other sites (Amazon author page, Goodreads, etc.) where people can read more about you and your books. Make it easy for them to find you.
Upload your book to the sales channels you've determined will be most effective (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, PubIt! Smashwords, All Romance ebooks, etc.).
If you want a paperback version, check out CreateSpace and Lulu (there are others, too). You will need to format these, as well, according to each sites' specs. Read it all. Take your time. Do it right the first time.
When your book is live and available, use social media to let people know about.
Add links to your website and author page at Amazon (oh, and set one of those up, it's easy!) wherever you post in forums online.
Begin writing your next book. And, in that book, make sure you mention other titles you have available.
When that book goes live, revise your other book(s) to include your latest work. Now's a good time to check your book description again, pricing and cover. Does anything need updating or tweaking? You're already revising the book, so it's the perfect time to add things, fix a typo, or mention your upcoming books.

I'm going to stop here and save this, lest it all end up in a cyber hole for some unknown reason.

I typed all of that on my iPad and it was a pain in my backside, so I'm stopping here. I need a keyboard for this much typing/tapping.

That's a great list - thank you! Does anyone else have anything to add? I'm sure I'll be coming up with my own along the way, but it's so nice to have something to start with

I'd add:
- sleep
- eat
- bathe
- and start the next novel

It helps to start the blogging/tweeting/facebooking well in advance of self-publishing, so that you have an established identity as a "real person" rather than just materializing one day to ask for money.

But otherwise, that's a pretty comprehensive list that Merri posted

merrihiatt said:

I have a checklist in my head. Ha! Let me see if I can put it down in writing.

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I'm making my own list right now -- to do everything the first time around -- so it's hugely helpful to see how you manage it. (And I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I didn't forget anything major.)

Dang Merri, that is one thorough list to compose on an iPad. Respect.

SelmaW said:

Dang Merri, that is one thorough list to compose on an iPad. Respect.

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Ha! I know!