BlueAntEater.com

The process of creating and self-publishing a book is one that should not be taken lightly. In saying this I mean that there is a lot more involved in ensuring that the book is finished than simply writing it; I know this all too well. Writing and illustrating a book takes a significant amount of time, and then add in the proofreading, editing, design and layout aspects and you are in it for significantly longer. Once finished with these processes, there is the task of finding a bindery and publisher. Having self-published a book, I now know that there are much more efficient and cost-effective resources to do so. On the site blueanteater.com by Haley Cruz, there is a fairly extensive list of links for exploring the many different aspects of publishing; some of which I did not know were actual services. Here are the top five links that I think to be the most helpful and why. PROOFIX is a site that offers a service for proofreading manuscripts of pretty much any kind. I like that they have on hand, real people that are vetted and experienced proofreaders. Having an actual person proofread a manuscript is invaluable because the subtle nuances can be detected and questions can be asked that hopefully have sensible answers following. The Cost of Self-Publishing a Book is another great resource. Here I found a wide range of pricing points for nearly every aspect of designing, printing, binding and publishing a book. They give a price range depending on the service and offer some suggestions for proprietors. One of the most fundamental needs in the self-publishing process is editing. Bubblcow is a paid service with real people that are evaluated to ensure that high standards are met throughout editing. The prices are seemingly affordable, they have a cost per 1000 word price point system. Bubblecow also offers detailed editors report so all vital areas of the manuscript are covered. The Self Publishers Showcase is a resource that I will be using right away as it is a hub for authors to showcase their work. This site has easy tools for navigating to specific genres and subjects, and offers a means to get in touch with fellow self-publisher. Lastly, there is The Art of Freelancing which is a paid service that offers a very comprehensive guide to just about anything one might want to know about getting started all the way to launching business end of things. I will surely delve deeper into this service mainly to get a broader understanding of how I can get better at marketing, pricing and distributing my book as well as any other art for sale. I highly recommend that any author, freelance artist or self-publisher check out these sights!