Self-publishing platforms

I have not looked into any of these publishing platforms, other than to research them, so I cannot endorse or steer authors clear of any of them.  Many of these are do-it-yourself platforms, but some offer a-la-carte and full service publishing.  In all cases, the author retains the ownership of the book and can terminate the contract at any time.

1.) MindStir Media

• Ranked as the #1 self-publishing company website and platform according to Penny Matters, BestTechie and iTech Post.
• Won numerous awards and, for over a decade, MindStir’s self-publishing services and consultations have helped thousands of authors.
• Authors enjoy access to top-notch services: book design; editorial; distribution to around 30,000 booksellers, retailers and wholesalers in over 100 countries (through Ingram); marketing and publicity.
• Mentoring provided from a bestselling author.
• This is a one-stop shop platform for self-publishing paperback, hardcover and ebook formats.
• Packages for paperback publishing start at $1899 and go up from there.  

The publishing packages include cover design, formatting the book for publishing, getting and ISBN number, copyrighting the book, advertising on their Facebook page, an author page, and as many black and white images as you want within the book.  One of the major selling points (according to the site) is that you receive ongoing mentoring from best-selling author J. J. Hebert.  You are not actually paying them to publish as you would with a vanity press, you are paying for services that are required for publishing, but instead of having to seek out and pay for the services on your own, you are doing it all in one place.  This site gives the author 50% royalties.  

2.) Barnes & Noble Press (formerly Nook Press)

• A redesigned, user-friendly online platform.
• As a leader among self-publishing companies, Nook Press helps authors self-publish Nook eBooks, paperback and hardcover formats.
• Distribution is limited to BN.com and Nook devices.
• This is a do-it-yourself platform. They do not provide services such as editorial, book design, marketing or publicity.

3.) Rakuten Kobo aka Kobo Writing Life

• A renowned platform that helps authors self-publish in the ebook format only.
• eBook distribution around the world in online bookstores in over 190 countries.
• They seemingly do not offer any sort of services like book design, editorial, marketing or publicity.
• This is a do-it-yourself platform.

4.) Seacoast Press

• An award-winning self-publishing platform that specializes in helping authors become bestsellers.
• Full-blown distribution through Ingram makes the book available to thousands of retailers.
• Comprehensive marketing and publicity campaigns built-in to its Best Seller package.
• Authors keep 100% royalties.
• This is a one-stop shop platform that provides services for all aspects of self-publishing.

The standard package includes:  a project manager, paperback or hardcover format, custom interior layout, Copyright, ISBN, social media marketing, press releases on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX affiliates, and costs $2500.  This is a 100% author royalty program. 

5.) Smashwords

• Mainly a distributor of eBooks. Their distribution makes eBooks available to major retailers and thousands of libraries.
• Clients get their own “Author Pages” where they can promote their work.
• eBooks must be uploaded according to their Style Guide.
• Since this is a do-it-yourself platform, there’s no hand-holding whatsoever. You must bring your own cover design to the platform and your book will need to be edited elsewhere. Also, the marketing and promotion is on the author.

6.) IngramSpark

• An online platform for small self-publishers.
• Assists authors in self-publishing paperback, hardcover and eBook formats.
• Distribution is powered by Ingram.
• Files must be uploaded according to their in-depth File Creation Guide.
• This is a do-it-yourself option. Authors should come prepared with their own book designs. Also don’t expect self-publishing companies like IngramSpark to help with marketing or publicity.

7.) Blurb

• Online tools can help authors create template-based book designs.
• Ideal for small self-publishing projects or photo books.
• Plenty of different trim sizes and paper types offered, including glossy interior pages.
• This is a do-it-yourself platform that doesn’t appear to offer in-house editing, marketing or publicity services.

8.) Lulu

• One of the oldest self-publishing companies and providers of print-on-demand books.
• Publishing in paperback, hardcover and eBook.
• Distribution through Amazon, B&N and Ingram.
• They offer a do-it-yourself model as well as a one-stop shop option. On one hand, authors can provide their own edited files and designs and Lulu will print books based on those files. Alternatively, Lulu offers additional a la carte services such as cover design, editing, marketing.

Lulu is a free service, but you can purchase other services, if you desire.  The services they market range from editing to book design and marketing.  

9.) Apple Books (formerly iBooks)

• eBooks available through Apple Books app.
• Must have a Mac computer to self-publish through Apple Books.
• No print publishing options available.
• This is a do-it-yourself platform.

10.) Google Play Books Partner Center

• eBook distribution to Android users in over 50 countries.
• Books published through Google Play can be previewed through Google Books.
• This is a do-it-yourself platform.

Artplode

     Maureen McCarthy founded Artplode in 2014 as an alternative to high-priced art galleries.  Galleries charge commissions on sales that can be as high as 40%.  Artplode charges a one off fee of $60 to list an artwork.  Artplode also allows sellers to deal directly with perspective buyers, so they can answer questions about the listing, and arrange payment and shipping of the work themselves. 

     Artplode caters not only to artists, but to collectors who want to sell artwork from their collections.  This means that aspiring artists have a chance to have their artwork listed along with artwork from well-known artists such as Andy Warhol.  Warhol's work Marilyn 26 was listed on the site by a collector for $126,000. 

Here is the information about selling on Artplode:

When you sell your art on Artplode you keep 100% of the price the artwork is sold for. Artplode will never charge sellers or buyers commission to buy or sell art on Artplode.
 
Artplode charges a low one off flat fee of $60 to advertise each artwork. The listing stays on the Artplode website until the seller removes it. You may also elect to pay extra to have your art included in one or more of our featured categories.

The site has been carefully designed so visitors can easily browse by the country of origin of the artwork and the location of sellers as well as fine art category, subject, style, price size and era of artworks. This means visitors can quickly find works of interest whether they are international collectors or collect works from your country.

On Artplode you control every aspect of the sale of your art - the information and photos included in your ad, contact with people interested in purchasing and arranging payment and shipping of the work to the buyer.

Artplode welcomes listings of works by established and emerging artists selling their own works, art galleries, dealers and private sellers worldwide. Private sellers can maintain their privacy when selling art because Artplode doesn't require your full name be included on listings.

If a private seller isn't sure what price to ask for their artwork for a small fee our Artplode Assistant can provide a guide on pricing your art.

Some busy private collectors might prefer that an experienced art consultant manage enquiries about art they are selling on Artplode and or handle the sales transaction. You are welcome to contact any of the fine art consultants who advertise their services on Artplode to discuss the fee that they might charge for handling enquiries or managing the sale of your artwork listed for sale on Artplode.


Here is the link:

https://www.artplode.com/

Deviantart

     Don't let the name scare you away, Deviantart is a place where artists, photographers, and writers can share their work with a large community.  People who post on the site range from teenagers to adults, and from amateurs to professional artists, photographers, and models.  There is an adult rating for nude images and or adult language.

     It is a free site, but there is a paid option, if you wish to avoid advertisements or want more options when viewing art.  I believe the paid option allows you to add more options to your page.

Under the free option, you can:

Showcase a particular piece of art or writing.

Write entries to a journal to allow your fans to know about upcoming events or just tell them about things that are going on in your life.

You can post travel notices, if you are planning trips so your fans can come to shows or signings.  It is also a good way to schedule time with an artist, photographer, or model.

The site allows you divide your gallery of work into folders, so your fans can see images or painting of a particular person, place, or thing.

It is a great place to showcase short stories, and you can get feedback on your work.

Here is the site link.

www.deviantart.com

Terrain and Tactics

     Although you may not wish to teach the art of tactics and importance of terrain in your story, you should know how they will affect your battles.  Knowing the types of ground and basic tactics will allow you to describe your battles more fully.

      Sun Tzu said: The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious ground; (4) open ground; (5) ground of intersecting highways; (6) serious ground; (7) difficult ground; (8) hemmed-in ground; (9) desperate ground.

When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground.

When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground.

Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground.

Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is open ground.

Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command, is a ground of intersecting highways.

When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground.

Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens--all country that is hard to traverse: this is difficult ground.

Ground which is reached through narrow gorges, and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men: this is hemmed in ground.

Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground.

On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not.  On facile ground, halt not. On contentious ground, attack not.   On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way.  On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies.  On serious ground, gather in plunder.  In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march.  On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem.  On desperate ground, fight.

In common terms, Sun Tzu tells us not to fight on our own territory.  In enemy territory near your own borders, keep pushing forward.  Do not fight on ground that does not provide a distinct advantage to you--this covers not only contentious ground but open ground.  When deep inside enemy territory, take all that you can--gold, food, and resources.  On ground that is difficult to maneuver, keep moving.  When you are in a desperate situation resort to strategy.  And, finally, when you are pressed and your back is against the wall, fight like there is no tomorrow, for if you lose there will not be one.

Sun-Tzu.  The Art of War.  Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1964.

Battlefield Tactics.

Envelopment.  Launching a holding attack on the center of the enemy line, while making your main attack around the enemy flank with the goal of attacking them from the rear.

Double Envelopment.  A holding attack on the center of the enemy line, with flanking attacks on both sides of the enemy line.

Refusing a Flank.  A defensive tactic in which the end of the line swings backward to form an L, so that a new perpendicular line is formed on the flank of the old line.

Feigned Withdrawal.  Having the center of your line give way, while having  your flanks hold their ground.  When the attacker pursues your retreating troops, they turn and hold their grounds while your flanking troops attack the flanks of the enemy.

How to write about epic battles

            When writing about epic battles, you need to remember that there has to be a reason one side prevails over the other, and the fact you want that side to win is not a good enough reason for the average reader.  The rules about when a battle can take place are the same as those for single combat, so a review of that post would be helpful before you lay out your battle. 

            In the real world, battles are won or lost for many reasons.  Some battles are won by technology.  Even though the Aztecs were one of the most powerful civilizations in Central America, they had no chance against the Spanish Conquistadors who possessed armor and muskets.   

            Sun Tzu wrote about the advantage to taking the high ground in his book The Art of War.  He wrote of the advantages of forcing an opponent to attack uphill.  He also described nine types of ground, and how commanders should conduct themselves when fighting on each one.  (see the next post about terrain and tactics)

            Another reason is that one side or the other either followed or failed to follow the Principles of War.  Carl von Clausewitz outlined the nine principles of modern warfare in his treatise On War.  The nine principles of warfare are: Mass, Objective, Offensive, Surprise, Economy of Force, Maneuver, Unity of Command, Security, and Simplicity.

Mass:  Concentrate combat power at the decisive place and time.  Even though he was outnumbered, Hannibal won the battle of Cannae because he concentrated his cavalry on one wing of his army.  His massed cavalry overcame the Roman cavalry on that side of their lines, and his horseman crushed the Roman cavalry on the other wing between them.

Objective: Direct every military operation towards a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable goal.  When the Germans attacked the allies in the Battle of France in World War II, their objective was to drive to the coast as quickly as possible.  By doing so, they were able to cut the allied armies into two parts and destroy them one by one.

Offensive;   Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative.  Always take the battle to your enemy, so you can decide where the battle takes place.  The German armies went on the attack in World War I, and were able to fight most of the war on enemy territory, and not on German soil.

Surprise:   Strike the enemy at a time, at a place, or in a manner for which he is unprepared.  Stonewall Jackson moved his corps through a heavily wooded area at the Battle of Chancellorsville.  Because the Union commanders believed that the wooded area provided them with a secure flank, he was able to surprise the Union 11^th Corps, and drive them before him, causing confusion among the other corps of the Union Army.

Economy of force:  Allocate minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts.  This principle goes hand in hand with the principle of mass.  If you mass troops in one location, you will have fewer troops in another location.  This force is usually called a masking force.  Their job is to hold the line while the massed troops break through the lines of the enemy force.

Maneuver:  Place the enemy in a position of disadvantage through the flexible application of          combat power.  One of the reasons that the Germans prevailed in the Battle of France in 1940 is that their armored units were operating independently from their infantry and at their top speed.  The allies had divided their tanks evenly among their infantry divisions, and drilled the tank units at slower speeds, so the infantry could keep pace with them. 

Unity of command:  For every objective, ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander. 

Security:  Never permit the enemy to acquire an unexpected advantage.  This principle boiled down, means that a commander must keep their plans, movements, and troop numbers a secret.  One of Robert E. Lee’s commanders lost their battle plans when they dropped their cigar case before the Battle Of Antietam.  The Union victory at that battle would have been more decisive had the Union commanders believed that the plans were actually real.

Simplicity:   Prepare clear, uncomplicated plans and clear, concise orders to ensure thorough         understanding.  Everyone involved in an attack must understand the part that they are to play in the attack, and must understand the goals of their immediate commander.  If plans are too complicated or not met, the whole battle may be lost.  

On War.  Clausewitz, Carl von.  Princeton NJ, Princeton University Press, 1976.

How to write about combat

    When I was younger, I remember playing a game called Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.  Two players controlled robots, each intent with hitting their opponent’s robot beneath its chin and popping its head off.  The next step was to push the losing robot’s head back down and begin the battle again.  Combat was very simple in that game, the goal was defined, each robot could only throw punches, and there was a definite winner and loser.  Combat in the real world is not so simple, and in order to write a good combat scene there are many things that you should keep in mind.

Before the combat even begins, you should be able to answer the following questions:

Who is offering combat? 
What is at stake?
Why now?

First the who: this is the attacker.  And this leads directly to what is at stake.  The person who begins the fight must have something to gain.  But not only will the stakes determine why the combat is taking place, it will also determine the endgame of the battle.  The more there is to gain or lose, the more likely it is that the fight will continue.  A person with little to lose will probably end the combat shortly after the first injury, while a person who is fighting for their life will leave nothing unused in their bag of tricks.  And now for the important question: why has the attacker chosen this moment?  Something must have changed, or else the person bringing the combat would have done so earlier, or would have waited for a more opportune time.

Once you answer those three basic questions, it is time to choose your weapons.  Fists are an obvious choice, but fists may not be appropriate for mortal combat.

Here is a website that describes many medieval weapons and their usage.

https://www.swordsknivesanddaggers.com/medieval-weapons-glossary.html

Choice of weapons will do several things:

Determine the duration of combat–Wielding a sword is heavy work, especially those made for swinging rather than stabbing.  When writing combat you must take into account how long a person could actually continue fighting, which will be determined by: the weight of their weapon, how it is used, are they wearing armor, using a shield, and has one of the combatants been in combat recently.  King Harold Godwinson lost the battle of Hastings because his men were tired having defeated the army of King Harold Hardrada and then marching almost the length of England to engage the troops of William of Normandy.

Determine the location of combat–-How a weapon is wielded will determine where a battle can take place.  A weapon that is swung requires more room than a weapon that is thrust.  Ranged weapons require wide open spaces, otherwise there is a chance that the terrain will determine the effectiveness of the weapon.  Any kind of cover will limit the effectiveness of arrows, bolts, spears, javelins, etc.

Determine the sequence of combat–It requires more time to bring a heavy weapon into play than it requires to bring a light weapon.  A combatant swinging a battleaxe will be able to strike once, but someone using a dagger should be able to attempt to stab their attacker several times while they are swinging their axe. 

Now it is time for the combat to begin, and time to get creative.

Use all five senses.
Sight–the glint of chainmail, the flash of the blades, the lines of troops, flags, pennants, smoke,

Smell–a battlefield is chock full of smells: smoke, blood, sweat, burning flesh, oil and other flammable substances, propellant, etc.

Hearing–clash of blades, the sound of metal impacting wood, the sound of metal impacting flesh and bone, the thunk of an arrow,

Touch–the aftermath of the impact of a weapon on a body part

Taste–blood, sweat, tears

Describe the effects of combat on the combatants.  They should be getting tired, their arms should start feeling like lead weights, their weapons should be getting slippery from sweat and blood. 

Is there magic involved?  Make sure you define your magic, does it require an implement such as a wand, does it require gestures, are there spell components?

Are there animals involved?  Horses for jousting.

Are there magical beasts? 

Here is a decent list of them:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_legendary_creatures

Facebook E-book Authors Promo

     Most facebook groups only allow self promotion on certain days of the week, if they allow it at all.  E-book Authors Promo is a group that is solely for the purpose of self promotion.  So, it is there when you publish and it is there when you want to advertise your special rates during promotions.

     The group is made up of authors who want to promote their books, and while that would seem to limit your audience, many authors on the site will list the promotions of their fellow authors on their facebook pages.

It is also a place to promote your blog, your author page, and any other pages associated with your printed works.

Here is a link to the page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/656775824520920/?ref=bookmarks