Theodore’s Comments (group member since Apr 01, 2017)

Theodore’s comments from the Navigating Indieworld Discussing All Things Indie group.

Ben wrote: "Yep I’ve noticed it. It’s hard with children’s books because they’re so short. Title page, copyright page, dedication, maybe an introduction page and thats about it.

We have been through this wit..."

What you do...and what I've done...is ask that they increase the percentage of pages displayed to 30%. But even so, my books are 50 pages long. Twenty percent of that is ten pages. They are not even showing that much. Their system is FUBAR! And they need to fix it. Here's an e-mail I just received from them:

Hello Theodore,

Greetings from the CreateSpace support team!

I have manually requested the update for your titles and will continue to monitor further. This matter will be referred to our technical team if necessary.

Have a great day further.

All of the best!


Best regards,

Brendon
CreateSpace Member Services

Ben wrote: "One of my children's books runs at about $800 to produce. That's for proofreading, cover, formatting for Ingram Spark, Createspace, Amazon, and illustrations.

All the formatting is free, my wife ..."

Ben,

One thing I noticed on your books' sites (all editions)--and it's something I'm having a problem with Amazon and KDP on (other authors of children's books may want to read this as well)--is that their Look Inside feature appears to be malfunctioning. The feature is nominally supposed to display 20% of your books, but if you check, you'll see it displays well under that...generally the front cover, a few of the Roman pages (e.g., copyright page), and the back cover. You'll see a note to the effect that if you "sign in" you can see more, but it simply does nothing if you're already signed in (and I suspect it'll do nothing if your not...except sign you in).

I have called this to CreateSpace's attention (they are the ones you have to contact for your paperback edition) and KDP (you can reach their Help Desk through CreateSpace's Help Desk) four (FOUR) times this year, the latest being this week! They still can't get it correct. (BTW, I have asked them to display 30% of my children's books.)

But it certainly does NOT help the buyer get a feeling for your book when they use that feature and come away with nothing but the front and back cover.

Check for yourself. (Others may want to check as well.)

Ted

11am NHC track update. Hurricane by the weekend still in forecast for the upper Gulf coast. Intensity biggest question... some models showing more... some less. Lots to watch for the central Gulf coast to Florida panhandle the next couple days. Yucatan has TS warnings/Hurricane watches up. Will be watching if it splits the gap and how much land interaction. www.spaghettimodels.com / Mikes Weather Page APP

Now TS Nate. West shift overnight... enough to start to believe... now including EURO. Overnight emsembles shown here from weathernerds.org and the latest spaghetti models. Looks like this Bahama energy will indeed open the door for Nate to head more westward into the Gulf. GFS has been consistent on that area being strong enough to influence. Conditions will be favorable for development in the Gulf but time will be the biggest hurdle. Systems need time to get going and this ...
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Talking Nate... and overnight track shifts to the west. Timing this weekend for upper Gulf. www.spaghettimodels.com / Mikes Weather Page APP

R.L. wrote: "We had a lot of tropical storm like rain yesterday. Geez I hope another doesn’t come."

Yes, we hope!!! Water still very warm in the western Gulf.

Tropical Depression #16. Could be a Hurricane nearing the US this weekend in the Gulf. Intensity might be conservative. Watch the bend NE. Could put more west Florida in play. Heaviest action to the east of the storm. www.spaghettimodels.com / Mikes Weather Page APP

Latest 12z GFS deepens our Caribbean low for this weekend as it moves north. Kinda trending with overnight EURO. Shear may relax enough to allow Nate to form as our upper low moves west. Would start to pay attention central Gulf to Florida. Will be watching 2pm NHC update and 2pm EURO run. www.spaghettimodels.com / Mikes Weather Page APP

Dale wrote: "Theodore wrote: "Wish they would announce some new Editors' Choices."

They just did, for March/April: https://www.indiesunlimited.com/2017/......"

I know...was disappointed they didn't get into May, but we'll just have to be patient.

Oh, I see...the 2016 Anthology was just released. I guess it's being offered for free now and on certain days later this year.

Ah, so! Terrific. Congratulations, again.

Dale wrote: "One of my flash fiction stories appears in the Indies Unlimited 2016 Flash Fiction Anthology, now available at http://amzn.to/2yNCCfL. Today (9/30/2017) it's free. After that, it will be $0.99, alt..."

Hey, this is terrific, Dale, Congratulations. How was it possible to put the book "on sale" for free today (and in the future, as you indicated)? Very interesting.

Wish they would announce some new Editors' Choices. There have been none for stories written since May of this year, when I started writing for the site.

Carole wrote: "Yay!"

Good friends win the day! Thanks.

Hey, Gang...

We won this week!!! Thanks for pulling my fat outta the fire again!

Next week, I'm doing another story about New York City and the Mob. I love that genre. I think you'll find the story interesting...and fun, as usual. I'll be back with instructions on how to vote. Meanwhile, have a great weekend.

Ted

CeDany wrote: "Updates: Wow! I'll have a good photo montage -- quite a few from here and from my Instagram post.

Just make certain that all your links and requests are done before MIDNIGHT British Summer Time --..."

Good luck with your book!

CeDany wrote: "Theodore wrote: "Hi! Just sent you the info via your Website. Thanks so much. Ted"

Thanks Theodore -- I'll check it tomorrow -- no time tonight just chilling with family, watching Movies24 funny f..."

Thanks, my friend. Have a great evening with the family.

Hi! Just sent you the info via your Website. Thanks so much. Ted

I used a content editor on my first book from AuthorHouse. She is an adjunct professor of literature at a local college in Indiana, and she took my book to a whole new level. That was 11 years ago.

Fast forward to earlier this month. I received an e-mail from her through my Website e-mail capability--out of the blue, as they say--in which she complemented me on my writing and spoke of how much she had enjoyed working with me to enhance that first novel.

I am forever indebted to her for opening my eyes to, oh, so many possibilities.

I dislike editors intently. In fact, I threatened to "shoot" one of mine over the weekend (he's survived 11 years of such threats, but still comes back for more). I don't know what I would do without him.

Alex wrote: "I've got an ad going with them on Sunday, I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes, especially since it's for the first book in my series and it's free - I'm hoping for a top 100 in the overall fr..."

Very interested in seeing how it goes, Alex.

Anna Faversham wrote: "Thanks Ted. I've always found ENT very good too and much more reasonably priced than most of the others.

40 + books is so good for just one advert and the follow-through on KU is terrific news."

Thanks, Anna. Yes, a very good platform. Some sales have resulted in more than 240 books sold, with great KU and KOLL follow-on.

Done