Tips and Tricks

[Elaine, VampPrincess Mod]

This is where you can post all your handy tips and tricks for publishing, editing, writing and code making.

Do you have a great way to write an explosive book blurb, tell us.

Do you know computer codes like the back of your hand, teach us.

Do you have the best sites to visit for research or cover images, that very little people know of, show us.

[Elaine, VampPrincess Mod]

So I'll start us off. -

I found this handy little site to help me manipulate my photo's and try out different cover designs and layouts. Free, lots of effects and good quality pictures.

http://www.ribbet.com/app/#/home/welcome

[Francis]

I love playing around in HTML and CSS, so EPUB formatting is actually fun for me...

For cover images, I mostly use Shutterstock, but there are brilliant images on DeviantArt and other places.

[Elaine, VampPrincess Mod]

Francis wrote: "I love playing around in HTML and CSS, so EPUB formatting is actually fun for me...

For cover images, I mostly use Shutterstock, but there are brilliant images on DeviantArt and other places."

Ooh, I love Shutterstock. I found Dreamstime too, but that just seemed to be a duplicate of Shutterstock. I'll have to check out DeviantArt though, that sounds amazing.

[G.G.]

For pictures you can try CanStock photos. They have a great choice and they are cheaper than Shutterstock.

http://www.canstockphoto.com/

[Elaine, VampPrincess Mod]

G.G. wrote: "For pictures you can try CanStock photos. They have a great choice and they are cheaper than Shutterstock.

http://www.canstockphoto.com/"

Thanks G.G. This looks great. I'm going to recommend it to my publisher. :)

[Elaine, VampPrincess Mod]

This site - http://www.linorise.com - has some really beautiful music free, for use in trailers etc. I used a couple for book trailers and they turned out fantastic.

You might want to also look at - http://danosongs.com

[R.A.]

Ooh I'm going to have to check out those music sites! Thank you! As for covers, I hired a graphic artist and I know I could never have done the job she did! Amazing!

[Elaine, VampPrincess Mod]

R.A wrote: "Ooh I'm going to have to check out those music sites! Thank you! As for covers, I hired a graphic artist and I know I could never have done the job she did! Amazing!"

Graphic artists are amazing. I've seen some spectacular covers done that way. I tend to use stocks because it's cheaper, while I'm still getting used to everything. I think once I have a better idea what I want and how to describe it to someone, lol, then that's the avenue I'll go.

I was really lucky that an old high school friend of mine is now a photographer and he did a great photo shoot a while back that popped for me. I was so happy when he agreed it could be the cover of my next book. :) It's amazing how you find these things, isn't it?

[A.L.]

Fotolia.com is another image site which has some good pics.

[Terry]

If formatting your Word doc to satisfy Smashwords Autovetter is more than you can handle Bookaholic at fiverr.com will do an excellent job for just $5. I'm a satisfied customer twice over.