Next comes formatting.

Unless you are proficient with using a word processing program such as Microsoft Word, you may have problems with formatting. A common error is an improper page break.

A page break is used when you want to make sure that a page breaks at a certain place and does not allow improper flow of content to the next page. Rather than forcing a page break by using manual returns, you should use the page break command.

Other common errors in formatting are not being consistent. All fonts should be consistent and all headings should be consistent.

There are many other details to be considered in formatting, particularly if your publication uses pictures or other special characters, such as borders, page borders, tables, specific symbols to end a chapter, etc.

I find that authors are sometimes disappointed with the way their manuscript looks in Kindle. Kindle is not particularly friendly to any type of special formatting, such as pictures, symbols, characters, lines, tables, borders, spacing, etc.

Because Kindle readers have the option of changing the font size on their individual Kindle, this can change the appearance of a manuscript. I have read some books on my Kindle where there may be a single word on a page because of the font size I am using. If I change the font size on my Kindle, this would be different. This is upsetting to some authors, but it wouldn’t be to a Kindle reader.

I don’t think this characteristic should stop an author from putting their book up on Kindle.

If you are unfamiliar with formatting in a Word processing program, you may want to use the services of an expert in doing this for you and that is one of the things we do at Great Transcriptions. You can reach us at www.greattranscriptions.com.  Check out our services in the rest of this web page. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Filed under Amazon, Create Space, Digital Recorders, Kindle, New, Recording, Repurpose, Transcription, creating_products, info_products, information_products, writing by Patsy Bellah.

January 6, 2012

Part VI – Getting Published on Amazon and Kindle— Editing

Now that you’ve written your manuscript and are ready to publish it, there are still a couple of other steps you need take. The first one is the editing.

Although you will find that there are different types of editors and each of them checks for different things, unless you have a complicated college textbook, you will probably only need an editor to check for spelling, punctuation, grammar usage, clarity, consistency and overall flow. Consider the following example from my recent book.

Edited Version: Then as the photographs were displayed, his parents recorded what each photograph meant. What wonderful memories, most of them from the early days of his parents’ marriage, and from the younger years of him and his brother.

Unedited Version: Then as the photographs were displayed his parents recorded what each photograph meant. What a wonderful memory, most of it being during the early days of his parents’ marriage, and him and his brother’s younger years.

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Filed under Amazon, Digital Recorders, Kindle, Make Money, New, Recording, Repurpose, Transcription, creating_products, info_products, information_products, writing by Patsy Bellah.

Where can you find content to create an information product?

Your Own Knowledge and Experience. Your own knowledge and experience is most important of all. If you put your mind to it, you will be surprised at the topics on which you have knowledge that would be of interest.

Have you solved a problem in your own life about how to handle the absence of a loved one, how you handled a problem with one of your children, what you do with little or no income, divorce, an accident, or other solution which would aid others?

Do you have a specific skill or talent that provides a solution? I know people who are extremely talented at cleaning, for example, decorating, choosing colors, shopping at thrift stores, and on and on. All of these provide solutions which could help others and which could be good topics for a book or other income producing product.

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Filed under Digital Recorders, Kindle, Make Money, New, Recording, Repurpose, Transcription, creating_products, info_products, information_products, writing by Patsy Bellah.