Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing Will Limit Daily Number of Titles - Publishers Weekly

Today, at the Publishers Weekly site Panzer found a post about Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

 

Will AI-books get banned?

According to a post by Jim Milliot, Amazon announced on Monday they will only allow a self-publisher to upload three books per day on KDP. Amazon also makes a reference to its previous post about policy and AI-generated material. The post includes a link to Amazon's announcement in the Community Forum.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty still remembers when everybody started publishing those no content empty diaries and journals. Humans will do anything to avoid working to make money."

  

Note: This is a short post. You won't need to bring anything to snack on while you read today.

To read the post tootle over to KDP limit

Hekayn - The Arab world's answer to Amazon KDP self publishing. In Sweden - The New Publishing Standard

Today Panzer spent his time sweeping and mopping the floor of the Panzermobile. As he was cleaning the upholstery, he discovered a rolled up wad of something under the cushion of the pilot's seat. Smoothing it out our fastidious kitty discovered it was a post from The New Publishing Standard site about the Hekayh publishing platform.

Nap time. I've had a busy day.

According to The New Publishing Standard site owner Mark Williams' post, Mikael Norrman has opened a new self-publishing and marketing online company named Hekayh. The company was opened in response to the need for these services in the Arabic language speaking countries. Currently, Hekayh has over 1,000 ebooks (with more added each month) available at the sales site. In an interview Mr. Norrman stated this seemed a perfect niche as there was very little competition in the Arab world. Mikael Norrman has experience in the publishing area as he is the CEO of Booqla of Sweden. There are links included in the post to the specific sites mentioned. (Each site/company is in their own language.)

Panzer says, "This little kitty finds it interesting that there are still places where Amazon hasn't taken over the marketplace.'

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Hekayh

No Liability for Self-Publishing Platforms over Author's Use of Unauthorized Cover Photo - National Law Review

Only 5 Days Until Christmas

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the National Law Review site. With a little digging around our adventuresome kitty boy found a post about self-publishing platforms liability with reference to indie author legal issues.

According to the post by Jeffery D. Neuburger, the Sixth Circuit court recently ruled in an appeal that self-publishing platforms (Amazon KDP, Smashwords, and Nook) are not responsible for the actions of indie authors who use the platforms to upload and distribute their material. The original case concerned an indie author who used a photograph without permission for the cover of his erotic ebook. The self-publishing platforms where the author uploaded the ebooks and used for distribution had claims filed against them by the owner of the photograph. The self-publishing platforms include in their sites' terms of service statements that the authors are representing that the material and cover they are publishing are their own work and they own all rights. There links to supporting information in the case included in the post.

Panzer says, "Umm ... This little kitty wants to know where the author found the photograph to steal it."

Note: This is a long-medium post. Bring half a thermos of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you also plan to follow the links, bring a full thermos of tea and five muffins.

To read the post tootle over to self-publishing platforms

Macmillan to Close Its Self-Publishing Unit, Pronoun - Publishers Weekly

Today, as soon as Panzer entered the Catosphere he discovered something was wrong. The Panzermobile was buffeted and knocked around by all the crying and shouting. Following the sounds of distress took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. There he found breaking news about self-publishing platform Pronoun's fate.

How humans hunt: Catch. Eat. Kill.

In a post by Calvin Reid Panzer learned Pronoun is being closed down. Pronoun is platform similar to Smashwords. Indie authors/publishers upload their material to Pronoun for distribution to retailers. As of now the Pronoun platform won't accept any new author/publisher accounts.  It will totally shut down all accounts and distributions on January 15, 2018. Macmillan bought Pronoun in May 2016. No announcement has been made by Macmillan about the shut down decision.

Panzer says, "Umm ... Nobody needs to make an announcement about anything. It's simple.  Buy your competition and then shut them down."

Note: This is a medium post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. (If you're a Pronoun platform user, you'll probably want a box of tissues too.)

To read the post, tootle over to Pronoun closure

BookBaby Announces 2017 Self-Publishing Survey - The Largest Study of Indie Book Marketing and Promotion - Press Release

Let them know about your experiences.

Panzer's trip today took him to the Book Business site. There our inquisitive kitty found a press release about self-publisher BookBaby.

According to the press release, BookBaby and it's 15 partners are conducting a survey of self-publishing/indie authors. The survey will focus on what the authors do for promotion and marketing of their books/ebooks as well as the self-publishing industry in general now and in the future. The press release states more than one million authors have been invited to participate. There's a link included in the press release for the survey.

Panzer says, "Mom and I are indie authors, so we took the survey. When you finish it, there are offers from BookBaby's partners."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to  BookBaby.

Self-Publishing firm finds national audience - New Hampshire Business Review

Panzer made a short trip into the Catosphere today. Our inquisitive kitty boy found an interesting post about self-publishing at the New Hampshire Business Review site.

Always check things out first.

According to a post there by Liisa Rajala, self-published author J.J. Hebert has a company called MindStir Media. Based on his experiences with his self-publishing, Mr. Hebert decided to help other authors with the process, He hired editors and illustrators to be able to offer those services to authors. In order to be a full service company to authors, his next step was to start a self-publishing press, Seacoast. They publish hardbacks, softcover, and ebooks and report they've published 400 books now.

Panzer says, "The last section of the post is an interview with an author who has used the business for all of her books."

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. You'll need a b-i-g cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading.

To read the post, tootle over to self-publishing firm

Smashwords: How to Publish Ebooks - An Ebook Publishing Intens...

Watch it very carefully.

Panzer made a trip over to the Smashwords Blog today. Our explorer kitty found a new post about ebook publishing by Mark Coker.

According to Mr Coker's post, while at this year's Pacific Northwest Writers (PNWA) Conference, he presented four workshops on ebook self-publishing. Each presentation is 90 minutes long and covers a different aspect of the ebook publishing process. When you finish watching all four you'll be able to produce and market a quality ebook.

Panzer says, "It's a good primer for new self-publishers and a good reminder for old self-publishers."

Note: Remember, these are long presentations. Bring a h-u-g-e cup of tea and a l-a-r-g-e sack lunch.

To read the post and watch the presentations, tootle over to Smashwords: How to Publish Ebooks - An Ebook Publishing Intens...:

FastPencil Sold Back To Steve Wilson

Mom here. The house is mostly back to normal today with only a couple of things to replace from the water damage.

So, Panzer was free to hit the Catosphere today. He went to see what's been going on over at Publishers' Weekly.

My big brave kitty boy found a post by Jim Milliot and Calvin Reid about FastPencil. According to the post Steve Wilson is buying FastPencil back. Turns out FastPencil is a partner in the Books-A-Million self-publishing platform. Panzer already told you about the BAM! publishing platform's pickup locations for print books. 

Let's look again.

Panzer says, "I wasn't too sure about this new platform, but maybe the BAM! publishing needs another look if FastPencil is part of it."

To read the post, tootle over to FastPencil

Self Publishing Predictions for 2015

What did I get into?

Panzer has been searching high and low in the Catosphere today to see into the future. Our kitty fortuneteller wants to know what 2015 holds for indie writers and publishers. So, he did the happy kitty dance when he found a post at the Booklife site by Betty Kelly Sargent on just that subject.

Ms. Sargent interviewed some of the big names in the indie world. Names like Hugh Howey, Joel Friedlander, Thad Mcllroy, and Russell Blake. There are quotes from articles on the subject, too.

What are the big names saying? Hugh Howey says not much will happen this year. Joel Friedlander says indie publishing will grow. Thad Mcllroy talks about mobile computing. Russell Blake addresses subscription services.

Panzer says, "It's all so confusing. I wish I hadn't asked!"

To read the post, tootle over to  self publishing

10 Things You Need To Know Before Self-Publishing

10 Total Tips

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today and stopped in at the Blurb Stories blog. This was his first visit and he didn't know what he'd find. It turned out to be an interesting stop.

My bad black cat boy found a post about the ten things an author needs to know before they self-publish. The ten things include picking a platform, ebook and/or print, picking a typeface, designing a cover, the competition, and more. There are even links in the tips.

Panzer says, "If you're thinking of jumping into the self-publishing pond, you need to read this."

To read the full post, tootle over to self-publishing industry

Will Self-Publishing Exist in 10 Years?

Will it? Or won't it?

Panzer was looking for information about what's going on in the ebook publishing world. He found an interesting post at Erica Verrillo's blog Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity.

Erica asks the question, "Will self-publishing exist in 10 years?" She explores her ideas about the future through quotes from a presentation by Jon Fine, Amazon's director of author and publishing relations, and Hugh Howey, hybrid author,  speaking at the Publishing for Digital Minds conference.

I find the whole question of self-publishing's future interesting. For some time writers have been trying to get away from the idea of being self-published by calling ourselves indie publishers. Now, there is a movement to start our own small publishing companies only publishing ourselves and a small group of "friends" in short story collections.  It'll be interesting to see what the future does hold for us.

If you want to read Erica Verrillo's, Amazon's Jon Fine's, and Hugh Howey's view of the future, tootle over to, Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: Will Self-Publishing Exist in 10 Years?:

Bowker Counted 391,000 Self-Published Books Last Year - GalleyCat

391,000 books?

Okay, Panzer admits it. He was out in the Catosphere trying to find out why he keeps bouncing in and out of the Amazon 100 for Mystery Short Story Collections.

Well, he found out what his competition is ... and that explains all the bouncing. His Cats and Crime was one of the 391,000 self (indie) -published books last year.

Whew! It's so good to know that's what it is and not that all of you are cat haters!

If you want to read about your competition, tootle on over to Bowker Counted 391,000 Self-Published Books Last Year - GalleyCat

How Self-Pubing made Hugh Howey $100,000 per Month

$100,000 a month?!?!?

Panzer found this podcast interview at Wired by Geeks Guide To The Galaxy with best selling author Hugh Howey. Hugh made $100,000 per month selling his book Wool at Amazon.

Panzer had me read Wool to him a few weeks ago when he first started hearing mewlings about it in the Catosphere. While it's very dark view of the future takes some getting used to, the novel itself is well plotted and written and my bad boy liked it.

This is more than a one cup of tea podcast! At nearly two hours long get a whole pot of tea made before you sit down to listen to it.

To find out how Hugh became a best selling superstar, tootle over to A $100,000 A Month Self-publishing Superstar.

Indie eBook Marketing: When You Get to the Fork in the Road, You Must Take It.

Social Media Marketing?

Panzer is back looking into the marketing of Cats and Crime. While he is planning an updated version, it's never too early to get the marketing plan in place.

So ... Panzer stopped in at the Self-Publishing blog and found a post about the pros and cons of social media in marketing. The post has quotes from several indie authors about their experiences with social media.

To read the post and see what others are saying, tootle on over to Indie eBook Marketing: When You Get to the Fork in the Road, You Must Take It.

Crossover Deals from Self-Publishing to Traditional

 Panzer was out in the Panzermobile today and he happened to stop in at Dean Wesley Smith's blog. Smith has some interesting numbers on indie writers who have used the self-publishing route to get a traditional publishing contract. While that's not the way Panzer plans to go, there may be some of you out in the Catosphere who plan to use this avenue.

If this is the path you plan to take or if you just want information on indie to traditional publishing, Tootle on over to Crossover Deals from Self-Publishing to Traditional

Publish Direct to Kobo

Panzer is a happy kitty today! He parked the Panzermobile in the Catosphere at author Molly Greene's blog. She has a terrific post about indie publishing on Kobo.
 
I'll admit (as everybody knows), I'm a huge fan of Smashwords. But ... I have to admit, Greene has some serious Cons not to use Smashwords (meow, meow!) to distribute to Kobo.

Greene includes links to the Kobo guidelines as well as account setup instructions and upload instructions. She makes it look so easy Panzer might give it a try himself!

So ... if you want to explore uploading direct to Kobo, check out Molly Greene: Writer .

Karen Woodward: Self Publishing on Amazon: Kindle Direct Publishin...

Panzer and I took three of his friends for a ride around the Catosphere today. The big boy wanted his friends to see how much fun the Catosphere is.

Guess what Panzer and his friends found? A great post at Karen Woodward's blog about publishing using Kindle Direct Publishing.

This is a complete plan of how to publish at KDP. And I mean COMPLETE. Everything is here: from opening your account at KDP to uploading your cover.

Let's be truthful. KDP is not the easiest place to publish. Karen gives you a helping hand up the ladder.

So, if you need a course on how to upload you file, tootle on over to  Karen Woodward: Self Publishing on Amazon: Kindle Direct Publishin...:

40+ Free Tools for Authors

I meant to post this yesterday for the Wednesday Writer Resources. I found this great post over at Self-Publishing Review. These 40 free tools for writers are meant to increase your writing output, help with your ebook preparation, and increase your web presence. It's a handy collection all in one spot.

Save yourself some time and money and checkout  40+ Free Tools for Authors

Enjoy!