Hello everyone! I've been meaning to post on here. Hopefully this weekend (after getting some HW done) I can work on making a few blog posts. But, for now, I'm going to talk about some of the concerts I've been to this week.
First off is the Star Trek Ultimate Voyage which was on the 50th Anniversary Concert Tour. It was a great show to see! I've, admittedly, only focused on The Original Series (TOS) of Star Trek and then the most recent movies. However, after seeing clips for all of the shows, I will definitely consider watching the older shows if I get the chance. So, if you love orchestra music and it's nearby, I would definitely recommend. They're only going to 100 cities but if you look on the website it has the dates and locations they're visiting.
Next is the Starset and Breaking Benjamin concert. I've mainly heard the popular songs of Starset but I enjoyed their performance. I also bought their book "Prox" which you can find on their website. It is cheaper online but I was happy that the lead singer, Dustin Bates, was able to sign the book. :) Breaking Benjamin was amazing. I've listened to their music since high school and they sound as good (if not better) live. I didn't recognize all of the new songs but it was still pretty great.
Now I have to figure out how much I can actually do for April Camp NaNoWriMo. I would definitely prefer to do writing than homework but I'm hoping camp can motivate me to do both. Also, check out Emperors Edge Books (1-3) if you need a good eBook to read. I would be reading to avoid the homework assignment that was due yesterday (whoops) but my kindle isn't cooperating. That's all for now!
I'm an aspiring author. Please check back for more updates on my book and my experiences while on this journey.
Friday, March 25, 2016
Monday, March 14, 2016
Quick Update
Hello everyone! It was my luck that I went through my experience as a writer and my muse only to have it float off somewhere. It doesn't help that my final term of college is shaping up to be a bit rough. I'll survive but it's annoying.
I have every intention to participate in April Camp Nanowrimo! I'm quite excited. I may end up working on a new project and hopefully my muse will reappear. I'm thinking long term with my trilogy book and I'm stumped on how I'm going to proceed!
In other news, I'm absolutely loving my entrepreneur class! I feel like I'm learning a lot about myself. It's also unintentionally eased some of my fears about trying to self publish. I feel more confident about what I'm doing and how I can approach having a business or book while balancing a job/life.
I may not be on for a little bit. I need to fix up my resume and send it out to potential employers. So far I think I'll be staying in or near my hometown. Which is nice because I know the area and it will make going to interviews much easier. But, it'll most likely be time consuming.
I'll attempt to post again soon! And something relating to writing rather than my personal problems. :)
I have every intention to participate in April Camp Nanowrimo! I'm quite excited. I may end up working on a new project and hopefully my muse will reappear. I'm thinking long term with my trilogy book and I'm stumped on how I'm going to proceed!
In other news, I'm absolutely loving my entrepreneur class! I feel like I'm learning a lot about myself. It's also unintentionally eased some of my fears about trying to self publish. I feel more confident about what I'm doing and how I can approach having a business or book while balancing a job/life.
I may not be on for a little bit. I need to fix up my resume and send it out to potential employers. So far I think I'll be staying in or near my hometown. Which is nice because I know the area and it will make going to interviews much easier. But, it'll most likely be time consuming.
I'll attempt to post again soon! And something relating to writing rather than my personal problems. :)
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Book Cover Designs
Hello everyone! Today I'm going to show some of my favorite websites when it comes to book covers. I'll also be going over several types of covers for self-publishing authors to look for. Now, if you break into the Traditional Publishing realm, most likely you will get a cover made for your book. But, that depends on the deal the traditional publisher presents.
So, in my opinion, there are three main types of covers to look for, such as: Pre-Made, Custom, and Self-Made. I'll be going through these and showing links that are under $200. Please note that I do not have any affiliation with the following links. Also, my list are based on my personal preference and what I was able to find.
I actually just found Rock Bottom Premade Covers while doing my search. While they do offer a few pre-made covers, I thought the website fits better in custom, because their book covers start at $10. This is perfect if you want to keep a low cost. However, I would at least do the $15 dollar package especially if you're publishing for the first time. Another great thing is that they say that there is a 24-72 hour turnaround. I would contact them first, especially if you're in a hurry, and see if they will be available.
Here are some more custom book cover websites:
Fiona Jayde Media: Starts at $199 but they have other useful services as well.
Alchemy Book Covers and Design: Starts at $85. They offer a few other services as well as pre-made covers.
Fiverr: Starts at $5 but can vary in price based on the package you get.
It would be ideal to go on NaNoWriMo or other writing websites to see which custom designers other authors used and the quality. My findings have been from links I've found as well as a few recommended to me but they may not be the best fit for you.
Canva is a great website if you don't have Photoshop or another photo editing software. They have a large selection of stock images for only $1 and they have templates made as well. They even have the exact dimensions for kindle covers. They also have a variety of design sizes so you can make banners, ads, and more. I've used this website for many school related projects and it's extremely easy to use.
While I do not have any experience with the free software editing programs, it may be an ideal choice especially if you want to keep costs down. I personally love Photoshop (I still use Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0) and, if you can't get the latest version of Elements 14, do some research into the older versions. Also, if you don't mind getting an older version, search for the program during Black Friday in November.
I hope this has help you! If you have any comments, or if you are a book cover designer, please leave a comment below. I will update this blog post with any new information.
So, in my opinion, there are three main types of covers to look for, such as: Pre-Made, Custom, and Self-Made. I'll be going through these and showing links that are under $200. Please note that I do not have any affiliation with the following links. Also, my list are based on my personal preference and what I was able to find.
Pre-Made
With Pre-Made, these covers are generally complete and will only need the title and your author name changed. Generally these range above $30 but sometimes you can find a good deal. Another good idea is to get a bundle package (especially if you're writing a trilogy) if it's offered to save money in the long run.
My absolute favorite website is GoOnWrite and their sister site VamosWrite. The book covers look very professional and the main site has almost 30 subcategories. Most likely, no matter what genre you write in, they will have something for you. The covers start at $45 but they have package deals here that can make it a bit cheaper.
Another great website would be The Cover Collection. While there aren't as many categories, many of these covers could be used for a variety of genres, and their covers look very professional. Their pricing is based on the pound, so if you live outside of the UK, I suggest using a currency convertor to see exactly how much it will cost. But, the great thing about this website, is that there are discounted books.
Here is a list of other website's that I like of Pre-Made covers:
An important thing I'd like to point out is how active the website is. While google has many different pre-made book cover websites, not all of these services will be current.
Custom
Pricing can range quite a bit when it comes to custom book covers. Many of the sites in the previous section do offer custom covers but the pricing is generally higher than the pre-made covers. However, if you are having difficulty finding a book cover, then it may be ideal to get a custom cover.
Here are some more custom book cover websites:
Fiona Jayde Media: Starts at $199 but they have other useful services as well.
Alchemy Book Covers and Design: Starts at $85. They offer a few other services as well as pre-made covers.
Fiverr: Starts at $5 but can vary in price based on the package you get.
It would be ideal to go on NaNoWriMo or other writing websites to see which custom designers other authors used and the quality. My findings have been from links I've found as well as a few recommended to me but they may not be the best fit for you.
Self-Made
Self-made books can be successful if you have background knowledge with design. If you are confident of your skills then this would be the ideal approach. However, make sure that you can use stock images for your book cover and ensure that you won't run into any other legal troubles.Canva is a great website if you don't have Photoshop or another photo editing software. They have a large selection of stock images for only $1 and they have templates made as well. They even have the exact dimensions for kindle covers. They also have a variety of design sizes so you can make banners, ads, and more. I've used this website for many school related projects and it's extremely easy to use.
While I do not have any experience with the free software editing programs, it may be an ideal choice especially if you want to keep costs down. I personally love Photoshop (I still use Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0) and, if you can't get the latest version of Elements 14, do some research into the older versions. Also, if you don't mind getting an older version, search for the program during Black Friday in November.
Overall
The best approach for your e-Book will be up to you. If you also plan on print publishing several of the websites above also included the formatting for a paper book. If you cannot find a Pre-Made book cover that you like and can afford to get a custom cover, then I believe it would be ideal go for the custom cover. But, ultimately, that will be up for you to decide.I hope this has help you! If you have any comments, or if you are a book cover designer, please leave a comment below. I will update this blog post with any new information.
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