What, me publish?

Dan Romanchik, KB6NUhttp://www.kb6nu.comcwgeek@kb6nu.com

Am I lucky or what?

• Trained as an engineer, i.e. I never really learned how to write.

• After 12 mostly unsatisfying years as an engineer, mostly as a test engineer, I lucked into a job with Test&Measurement World magazine.

• After six years as a writer and technical editor, became a freelance writer and website developer.

Am I Lucky or What?

• Lifelong amateur radio operator, but not very active until August 2002.

• Began amateur radio blog - KB6NU.Com - November 2002. Now, has nearly 2,000 posts and loyal readership.

• The first “No Nonsense” amateur radio license study guide - 2007.

My books

• “No Nonsense” Amateur Radio License Study Guides

• Technician, General, Extra

• 21 Things to Do After You Get Your Amateur Radio License

• Having Fun with Ham Radio: Letting My Inner Geek Out

Creating your e-book

• My first attempt: Calibre/Sigil

• Calibre is an e-book management program. Capable of converting e-books from one format to another.

• Sigil is an e-book editor.

• This approach worked, but the two-step process took a lot of time.

Creating your e-book

• Jutoh is a program designed specifically for creating e-books.

• Jutoh works on all major desktop platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux.

• Not free, but costs only $40.

• Great support via the Jutoh mailing list. Program author participates in list.

Creating your e-book

• Other solutions

• Adobe In-Design - VERY expensive.

• Smashwords: Online e-book creation, will also sell book for you.

• Some word-processing programs now export ePub files.

• A bunch of others.

Editing

• A good editor WILL make your book better.

• They’re not cheap, though. A good editor could cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000.

• Another problem is finding one that you can work with.

Covers• While it may be true that you

can’t tell a book by its cover, your book will be judged by its cover.

• Expect to pay at least $200 for a professional cover, more if you’re doing a print cover.

Selling your e-book

AMAZON!

Selling your e-book

• iBookstore

• Smashwords

• Direct from your own website

• Leanpub

• Specialized websites: AmateurRadioSupplies.Com

Marketing

• No paid advertising.

• I do send out press releases.

• Rely heavily on my blog, social media (Twitter), mailing lists, word-of-mouth.

• Free advertising: 2600 magazine

•AMAZON!

Your “platform”

• What is a platform?

• My platform:

• Blog

• Mailing lists

• Speaking

• Teaching

• Create your writer platform : the key to building an audience, selling more books, and finding success as an author

Should you offer a print version?

• Ann Arbor is the world capital for short-run printing: Edwards Bros., Cushing-Malloy, more

• Print-on-demand (POD)

• U-M Espresso machine

• Lulu

• Whether or not you offer a print version depends on what type of book you’re publishing.

I’m not getting rich (yet)

• I’m definitely not getting rich, but sales are increasing.

• The money I’m making is more than paying for my amateur radio hobby.

• I plan to write and publish more books. In the works are books about learning and using Morse Code and digital multi-meters (DMMs).

Do you have a book in you?

• If you have ever considered writing a book, I’d encourage you to do so.

• The barriers to publishing are so low now that they’re almost nil.

• There are lots of good reasons to do so.

• What do you know about? What is your passion?

QUESTIONS?

Dan Romanchik, KB6NU

cwgeek@kb6nu.com

734-930-6564