Has anyone tried selfpublishing a novel?

Your publisher usually decides that.

How on earth do you decide what price to put on a book?

I’ve designed two of mine.

Yes. I used Microsoft Publisher, as I have it on my computer... I'm hoping the other end can deal with this. It won't do everything I want though.
I can't get the title font the right size. Nothing between 48point and 72!

Some free bits of graphics from online, and a fancy graded background, same program.
I think as a glossy cover it should be eye-catching.

Have you designed your own covers Alie2?

I seem to have put a post in twice, sorry.
Talking about the boiler on an AIBU thread!

Re the book - I have draft front and back covers to go - but I discovered the boiler problem at 10.30 last night and consequently did not sleep much.
So my plan for tonight is to catch up and be able to make better decisions tomorrow....

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Alie2Oxon

First proof has gone to be posted back by my neighbour.
Sine YPS has sent me some pages from Nielson's, I suppose they are on t heir list, but I need talk to them because I don't understand what to put on the form.

However I have something a little more urgent here: my boiler has stopped working today!

I think that is all very exciting (not the boiler)

Please keep us updated, good luck, including the boiler!

First proof has gone to be posted back by my neighbour.
Sine YPS has sent me some pages from Nielson's, I suppose they are on t heir list, but I need talk to them because I don't understand what to put on the form.

However I have something a little more urgent here: my boiler has stopped working today!

Neilsens add the extras to your online presence. Blurb, bio and synopsis. Individual authors could sign directly with them. They , for a yearly fee, added all the extra stuff. Only Amazon does that free. However Neilsens has now changed their policy. The author’ s publisher must join their list. Mine hasn’t, so I am looking for other options.
Hope that is helpful

JamesandJon33 - could you explain about Nielson's?

I'm now working on the First Proof on paper, 300 odd pages.
It's become suddenly a lot more readable, though, I don't know quite what they've done...
I've had to find out about the correction symbols!

Just a quick question to any author on here. Does anyone have a recommendation for Enhanced Services. I was with Nielsen’s but they have stopped taking individual authors.

I know about a dinkus now. Told off by proofreader in mt first book as I used, 4 or sometimes 5 dots. Only three allowed apparently…you live and learn

We aren’t allowed to advertise. If I put the names of my books up, one click on Amazon and you would know who I was, and indeed all about me. No thank you

Oh dear. I think that was a bit of a thread stopper. How about we name the books and don't describe? I was thinking of putting a blurb up but now I won't.

I and the CopyEditor there, are having some difficulty with the conversion of the text from Times New Roman to a font called Minion Pro, which I haven't got.

Also because I'm still using a rather old version of Word.
I've just been going through the whole thing again to eliminate bits of dialogue which have somehow slipped to the end of the line before. Why?
I've no idea.
I'm just hoping I've got it right now.

And does everybody but me know what a dinkus is?

Are we advertising our books now? If so I have three.

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My sister self published on Amazon. However most people like to buy the kindle edition and not the hard back or paperback, she too has had to do self promotion. More recently a publishing company approached her but they wanted her to write another book and I believe, have exclusive rights. I am not sure how she is progressing with the 3rd book as there have been a lot of family events this past year for her.

How exciting. Onward and upwardAlie

I have now been sent printed sample pages (1 - 10) with a choice of 3 fonts and at the size they will be in the book. I've acknowledged receipt and I'm considering them over the weekend.
I've decided on the font (the largest and clearest) and I'm working on suggestions for slight alterations - like getting my protagonist's name onto the first page! and shifting other paragraphs towards the start a bit.
I know I will get to a point where will be no more alterations accepted, as they need to get on with production...need to make decisions now.
By the way, I don't pay until afterwards!

Good luck * Alie*

Proofreading shared - thought I already explained that my sister is a retired Prof and used to proofreading researchers articles!

Yes, I will tell how things go. so far I know that attachments I probably sent to the wrong person, have been passed on. I've had cheerful emails from the Copy/Editor.
I know it's not their business to review it!

I hope someone other than yourself proof read your text Alie .
One knows one’s writing so well it is so very easy to miss something. I have been told several times to get a text proofread by a person that has never even glanced at it before.
Hopefully you have done that. I am going to a book reading this evening , by someone who has self published. It will be interesting to hear what her thoughts are.
Good luck with it all…. Soon you will have your book in your hand. A marvellous feeling

When I self published in 2013, it was easier for books to be seen and ordered. Today it is very difficult, as there are so many millions of books being self published.
This is a summary of my 3 books: