What Size Should My Book Be?

 So once you've determined content, pictures, maps and organization, what size should my book be?

In most cases, with self publishing you are auto defaulted to 6 x 9 inch.  For reading books, this is a great size.  They aren't tiny print, like the 5 x 8 inch, but not the huge size of 8.5 x 11 inch.  But reading books are a little different then a companion book.  There is a lot more information in those companion books and at the very least, the larger the map in print, the better.  

In KDP paper size and color will change the minimum price you have to charge for the book.  I'm assuming that publishers will be the same way.  Look up what size fits not only your look, but your budget.  KDP is a little confusing, because it's example of 300 pages has a minimum amount of 7.42 dollars.  I tried their little calculator for my own books and my 368 page book had a minimum of 8.79, but wouldn't get me out of the red for Expanded Distribution, (to book stores and libraries, basically), until 14 dollars.   So bare that in mind, as well.  Do you just want to sell on Amazon, or would you like libraries and book stores to be able to order it?

Keep on writing!

What Pictures Should I Use!

So what pictures should go in my book?

This is a definite individual choice, but here are some things to consider:

1) Can I put pictures in my book using a self publishing applications? I believe you can put pictures inside your book using KDP, but I'm still researching that topic.  But other publishing applications may not allow them.  You also have to consider resolution and how big they can be.  Even a publisher is going to have restrictions, so before you go all gung-ho about putting in pictures, know your limitations!

2) What do I want to have pictures of?  If you have limited space, keep to the most important ones.  Main characters are probably the most important, but small maps or images of say relics or important documents might be good as well.

3) Where do I put them in my book?  If it's a source book, as near to the information about that picture as possible.  In a reading book, I'd do at the beginning or end of the book, or maybe at the beginning of a chapter.

4)How do I find my pictures?  Well, just like maps, there are options!  There are a lot of free images you can use, but those aren't very specialized for your story.  Find an artist or draw them yourself!  High School art classes, or even college ones, have very talented, not professional artists.  Use your resources wisely!

Keep on writing!

What Does My World Look Like?

Maps.  You can love them or hate them.  They can show what you want or never enough.

Fantasy stories, and role playing games, love maps.  Sure, you say the party travels southwest, but what does it look like?  Where are they really going?  Give me some scale here!

For my companion book I most definitely want a map of my world, (and some regional and city maps as well).  But how to best go about that?  There are several options for this.

The first is the good old hand drawn stand by.  My husband is a wiz at making area maps on graph paper. They aren't super detailed, but they are to scale, (engineers are like that), and you have a good idea where you are going.  For a book, they probably won't work, but for roleplaying games they most certainly would.

Another option is semi-prepared maps that you fill in.  A little above the old graph paper, but still in the hand drawn realm.  When we were rolplaying a lot I liked to use AD&D World Builder's Guidbook by Richard Baker.  I'm not sure if you can find it anymore, but I liked it over the graph paper, mostly because the sheets came with a key already in place.

Now there is also a lot of choices for online map makers, such as Inkarnate, Worldspinner, Wonderdraft, and many more.  I would Google those and see which one might suit you.  Some you can do very detailed maps, others look more Tolkien esk in nature.  The one thing to watch if you want to use these for your books and sell said books is to see if you need to pay for such uses instead of just using the free version.  On Inkarnate's website they do mention you have to have a subscription to use their maps in a published work.  So check carefully before using this method, even if they the maps are super cool.  A lot of these sites also allow you to make regions, cities or even building maps.  So check them out!

Keep on writing!

How Should My Cover Look?

If you are having your book professional published, some art director will figure this out for you and you might have little choice on how it looks, (but good on you for snagging a publisher!).  But if you are on your own and self publishing, it is up to you.  There are several steps to look at before deciding on what you want.

The first, what or who should be on the front?  Do you want a stylistic cover?   A map of your world? A main character?  A mixture of everything?  This seems like such a small step, but this is what going to catch a reader's eye.  Depending on your genre, you can do a myriad of things.  For science fiction, space battles are always eye catching.  Ideally, I'd love an Elmore painting for mine, but since I can't, I will rely on my awesome daughter.

For example, I'm thinking the map of my world faded in the background with my group of ragtag heroes in the front, in a not so perfect group "photo".  (Think rabbit ears.)

The next, how do I get the picture done?  Do I hire an artist?  Do I use stock art on KDP or what ever platform I'm using?  Do I try my hand at art?  (And you might be good, so don't discredit this idea!)  As I've mentioned, my daughter is pretty darn good at art. She's self taught, not completely polished, but where else can you get a cover drawn for the promise of more paint and a batch of chocolate chip cookies? (Well, the cookies worked when she was younger...).  I know not everyone is so lucky, so why not reach out to local High School art programs?  The kiddos there are always looking for a few extra bucks and art teachers love for them to be focused.  Also contact local artist guilds, if your area has one.  Or network with fellow writers who might have an idea where to find a good, and reasonably priced, cover artist.

Lastly, make sure it fits in the cover space of your publishing platform.  I'm in the process of using KDP and they do not make it easy to use your own pictures.  Just know what you are getting into before you start the whole process of finding a picture.  I'm not giving up, but it definitely is going to take some time.

Happy Writing!

The Next Step For Your Source Book

 Eventually I would like to have samples of my source book to show you, my loyal readers, but right now I'm organizing, so instead, I will share my process of thinking.

Right now I'm working on a smaller outline, that I will expand to a larger outline.  I broke it up into chapters of what I would like share, (which may be more as I go through all my information, but you have to start somewhere).

So my suggestion for you, and this can even apply to your novel, as well, is start with an outline.  It can be as basic or complex as you like.  I'm sure your English teacher probably said the same thing when writing essays for their classes. 😁  For me, I like to start with the simple and then get super complex so you are basically writing the book/essay as you go, with the need for a good transitions here and there when you are done with the outline.

I started with chapter headings.  So far I've got the following:

1) A small introduction.  Most books of this nature give a quick overview of what to expect.  It's good not only to get the reader an idea of where you are going, but to show case what you want to share.

2) Races.  A world is filled with people and most people who read about your world want to know about those people.  Here you can fill in those things which may have not hit the pages of your novel.

3) History.  Sure, you give a small glimpse of your world in your novel, but I bet, like me, you have tons of history you made up to make sure things flow in the time line, (and to use as novel fodder maybe later).  Show case all you want, but don't bog down in uninteresting events.  We don't want to know farmer Joe planted seeds 40 years in a row, but we do want to know the world was saved in said year by said people.

4) Area descriptions.  This is where you can make your world shine.  Show case those large areas of your world, and those small spots you want to share with the rest of the world.  It becomes a travel log for you reader.  If any of you played 2nd Edition D&D there were travel guides for the Forgotten Realms called Volo's Guides, which had everything from haunted locations to inns to stay at.  I probably won't get that in-depth, but it is something to think on, and is certainly enjoyable.

5) Gods.  My world, and many fictional worlds, rely on their God/Gods as major player in their stories.  Mine is no exception.  In fact, my Gods/Goddesses become characters, mostly my God of Magic, but many others as well.  Here you can talk about their ethos and their followers, along with symbols, colors, attire and hated enemies!

6) Life in General.  What do people do for a living? What are their holidays?  What money do they use for exchange.  Reading a book, you pick up some of this, but not always a lot of it.  Here, you could expand as much, or as little as you like.

7) Major groups.  With these you could bring up major players in the world.  My major bad guys are the Wizards of Shaniko.  My major good guys are the Knights of Tridon.  And there are all sorts in between.

So, keep on writing!  You will get there, as well!

The Beginnings of a Source Book

 As I dive into the whole of a source book, which many good SciFi/Fantasy book series have, I realize I've dove into a deep lake.  I have a lot of information on scraps of paper, notebooks of thoughts, and information stuck in my head.  How do I organize it?  How do you convey the most important parts of your world to the readers?  What is the best format? 

As I do this, I realize people who put these together for not only book series, but roleplaying games, are very good at their jobs!

My first decision has become how should I present the ideas of my book.  I love the source books which are narrated by one of the characters of the book.  So my idea is to use Duncan Bloodhelm as our guide through my world.  He is a minor, but important character in my series, that the reader meets later in the series.  As a bard, I figured, who better then he to lead us through my precious world. 

So there is my first step.  Now to actually write it!  My suggestion, if you do something similar, find a voice for your world.  It will give life to your world and not seem like you are reading an encyclopedia!

The Start of a New Year

 Like everyone else, I've made some resolutions for the year, many of them having to do with writing.  I'm almost done with setting up my self published book.  My cover artist, *cough, cough, awesome daughter, cough, cough* is helping me make the cover picture fit the cover then I'm on the way.  So maybe I'll get that resolution out of the way, about 3 years late, but, hey, at least I'm getting there.  

My big resolution for writing this year is to work on a source book for my world.  So twice a week, I plan to share my progress here and hope I can keep up with my writing.

Hopefully you have some good resolutions for the coming year and one I hope we all share is to rid of this stupid Covid mess!

Keep writing!