#self publishing

Today we bring you a post outside our usual fare. A long-time supporter of Still Eating Oranges, Logan Riley (@unshapereality), recently self-published a book of flash fiction; and he asked us whether we’d like to spread the word. After reading its lengthy preview on Amazon, we agreed.

The book is entitled Strange News from Nowhere. It is a series of fictitious gonzo journalism articles, written by a disappeared reporter who frequently encountered the weird. The result recalls classic episodes of The Twilight Zone: high-concept irrealism; mysterious snapshots that refuse to add up. Those who’ve enjoyed the fiction posted on this blog will likely feel at home in Riley’s world.

In one story, a woman has a small black hole in her brain. Elsewhere we find the apocalypse, or something like it, in New York City: “Washington Square Park seems to be the beginning of the end. Concentric concrete circles filled with burning garbage cans and stray animals.” All we’ve read so far has been compelling, and we have much to read yet.

Those interested may find the book on Amazon. Kindle Unlimited subscribers (or trial users) may read it for free. Riley is a talented up-and-comer whose support we’ve valued for years–and we hope to find him a few new readers. Although we rarely ask for reblogs, they would be much appreciated in this case.

Still Eating Oranges

Passionate librarians want to support local writers in their area. Likewise, writers know that having librarians advocate for your work can be a huge leg up when it comes to getting your book in front of a larger audience. But if you’re an author—especially a self-published author—how do you get your work into the library? If you’re a librarian, how can you ensure that the self-published books in your collection are held to a high standard?

The Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Project has found a way to answer both of these questions, while also advancing the careers of self-published authors.

First bestowed in 2014, the Soon To Be Famous Award was a savvy reaction by library marketing professionals in Illinois to actively position libraries as a resource for local writers in an era of eBooks and increasing interest in self-publishing. To qualify, a self-published author is nominated by a local librarian and his/her eBook is then judged by a statewide committee comprised of librarians.

Each year, the winner of the Soon To Be Famous contest receives a $1,000 prize and recognition as the state’s best self-published book. However, he/she is also outfitted with practical marketing tools and opportunities to expand their audience.

“The award really changed everything for me,” said this past year’s winner Daniel Rosenberg. “Winning the award got me in front of writing groups and into libraries all around the state, and it’s so rewarding to know people are out there reading and enjoying the book…I can’t think of anything more satisfying for a writer than to know you’ve given people hours of enjoyment through your work.”

This year, six states—California, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia—will be following the example of Soon To Be Famous by creating their own statewide contests with similar benefits for indie authors.

Illinois writers and librarians can learn more about Soon To Be Famous here. Librarians interested in starting their own statewide indie author contest can learn more by contacting [email protected].

Aaron Barnhart is a true community leader and an advocate for learning, teaching and developing self-publishing. Over the past three years, Barnhart has been building a relationship with Mid-Continent Public Library, which serves three counties near Kansas City, Missouri.

His relationship with MCPL began when the library approached him and his wife—co-founders of the history-based press Quindaro Press—about leading local history courses.

“But in discussions with staff I knew they were starting to develop their curriculum and were looking for someone to teach self-publishing,” said Barnhart.

It was then that he began teaching classes twice a year at Woodneath Library, the home of MCPL’s Story Center.

“For the first year of the class I mostly taught using tools that we had used to produce books over the years—high-end software like InDesign and Photoshop,” cites Barnhart.

However, it was his introduction to PressBooks that sparked a new idea.

“I had actually used the paid version of PressBooks already, and liked it. But it wasn’t until MCPL offered it for free to its patrons that I entertained the idea of what if we did everything through PressBooks?”

He began testing that idea, and was able to produce the exact same products through PressBooks with ease. First came an advance review copy of a book using the Print PDF export feature; next, taking that same PressBooks document and outputting it as an EPUB file for digital use on platforms like Smashwords and Kindle.

“It was a 100% compliant eBook that looked good the very first time. Try doing that on InDesign!”

Barnhart teaches two classes at Story Center: one on production, another on sales. During the latter course Barnhart often points aspiring authors to SELF-e, a platform that makes it easy for writers to submit works through their local libraries. The eBook then becomes available to local patrons and all submissions are considered for becoming a “SELF-e Select” title, which are digitally distributed in libraries across the U.S. and Canada.

Barnhart sees these softwares, offered for free through public libraries, as a public service for self-expression.

“When people are looking to tell their stories, they go on the Internet, and there are increasingly bombarded with webinars and books to buy from ‘self-publishing experts’,” notes Barnhart. “[People] should not have to pay money to some huckster to learn how to communicate through the medium of the written word. I reject the narrative that the free market is the only source a person can turn to when learning how to make things.”

Barnhart also sees these classes as an opportunity to create community through his local library, and beyond.

“The virtual world is increasingly being monetized,” Barnhart remarked, pointing to platforms like Facebook where “reach” comes at a price.

“That’s why libraries, with their mission to act as a public square, are so vital. They are committed to offering authors and creators a chance to gather with audiences at no cost.”

For Barnhart, combining low-stress, no-cost book production through PressBooks and a means to distribute through SELF-e is an impactful one-two punch. As he put it: “Pairing BiblioLabs’ [products] with public libraries is a natural fit for aspiring storytellers to learn the art of growing an audience.”

To learn more about BiblioLabs and our community engagement products, contact us today.