Tweet Tweet

So I joined twitter (@Linnea_Garcia) but I’m still not entirely sure why people are into it.  I was skeptical with Facebook before I joined and since it has pulled me into its social-media life-sucking abyss.  Twitter I just can’t figure out.  I see the infamous # all over the place and I get how that connects, but as someone who doesn’t really care about the inner lives of celebrities I am struggling with keeping a straight face through this!  I know the more social media exposure I get the better for my book so I am sticking with it.  I just wish I could understand it a bit better!

New Goals-Revisited

So the joys of attending school with a quarter system means that I just got done with finals yesterday.  This means that I have been spending waaaaay too much time typing, but none of those hours have been spent on MS.

(I shouldn’t say none, I edited part of my first picture book MS in the heat of finals in a moment of creative desperation)

SO!  Now that I am home for the summer I want to re-visit my “new goals” post that I posted not too long ago.  I want to write in at least one of my MS everyday.  I have 2 novels that need attention (I can finish at least one this summer if I stick to my goals!) and I have several ideas for PBs.  The PBs are more for fun.  One of the girls I babysit for always asks me to “read out of my head” so I am constantly thinking of stories.  Not all of them are great, but I think I have some winners.  I need to do more research in the world of PBs before I start querying anyone.  I also have no budget for an illustrator right now so….

Anyway, I am more than excited to get my YA MS on its way to novelhood!  I send my MS to my editor at the end of the month and so by mid-July I should have my edits!  In the mean time I get to deal with formatting (woo….) and swapping ideas with my cover artist.

This is real and I am so excited!  This is only my first book and I have so much to learn, but I feel like I am taking all of the right steps. Once the book is officially published I am going to start hitting some local libraries and bookstores pretty heavy to advertise and set-up some book signings and sales.  Ahh!  So much to do and I can’t wait for every moment of it!

Fun Frustrating Infuriating Formatting!

I have started looking into formatting my first book.  It does not seem difficult at first, but be warned, it looks like this is going to be a long hall…

I am reconsidering what company I want to use to publish and now I am leaning towards Createspace.  It is an Amazon company so many small bookstores will not purchase my book since they do not want anything to do with Amazon.  However, most of the self-published authors I have talked to have used Createspace with minimal complaints.  At this point in my life it is the most cost-effective, has helpful tools, and I can contact people who are familiar with how it works.  Lulu has too many contradictions in the fine print, so for now I am staying away.

Anyway, CS has its own formatting templates.  These templates can take my MS and plop it in nice and pretty to the book size I want.  It also auto checks for errors in the formatting, but I keep getting one yellow ‘flag’ that I don’t know how to get rid of (if I can).  I just learned what justified margins are the other day, so that will make all of the page lines straight and professional-looking.

What concerns me the most is formatting the book cover.  I am hiring a friend to do the cover art for me, but I am having trouble figuring out how to make the cover and if I can adjust it on the website.  I’m sure there’s an easier way to do that, but right now I have no idea what to do about that!  I sent the template to her, she has more computer experience than I so hopefully she will know what to do.  If not, well, we’ll see what happens!