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51
So if you publish your paperback, it should show up on Goodreads automatically...

Did not know that either. That makes it easy. Thanks.
52
Marketing Loft [Public] / Re: Also Boughts now include sponsored ads
« Last post by Post-Crisis D on February 09, 2025, 08:06:58 AM »
Pretty much anybody could do something like book cover T-shirts. (I priced something like that once, and at the time, it could be done relatively cheaply, though it's probably more expensive now.) I didn't do it only because the people requesting it were all in Europe, and international shipping adds tremendous expense. But for an author whose fanbase is mostly in one country, it might be worth considering. I suspect you'd need a decent sized fanbase as well.

There are lots of on-demand options for t-shirts now.  And with many you only pay when you get an order.  Some require payment upfront while others will handle the sale for you and keep a percentage.

The highest cost is usually the proper licensing for the image(s) to be used on the t-shirt.  That is, there is no cost if you created the image yourself, but if you used stock art or paid an artist, you have to have a license that covers using the image(s) for sale on merchandise like t-shirts.
53
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by Post-Crisis D on February 09, 2025, 07:59:55 AM »
You might want to look at Sigil which is available for Mac, Linux and Windows.

It's not a WYSIWYG editor like Vellum though.  You need to be familiar with HTML, XHTML, CSS, etc. which it sounds like you are.

I used to do my ePubs manually but used Sigil for my last book (or two?).

But, it sounds like you need something that will convert your Word doc into ePub/HTML without a bunch of crud thrown in.  In that case, Sigil won't work for you because you have to provide it with the HTML/XHTML/CSS/etc. files.
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Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by R. C. on February 09, 2025, 06:00:44 AM »
The responses to this thread generated a research interest...

FYI - From KDP Creating Kindle Editions with Audio/Video Content : "Kindle Direct Publishing. KDP doesn't currently accept Kindle Edition with Audio/Video content. This format does not currently support Enhanced Typesetting."

Also, I found the only area where animation within epub files is being broadly attempted is for children's books.

I'll create a sandbox and see what I can conjour... News at eleven.

R.C.
55
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by R. C. on February 09, 2025, 12:57:25 AM »
The paragraph gaps would be dangerous in KU.

For me that's getting close to double spaced, and I can't and won't read that.

As far as technical goes, put that on a smartphone using a large font, and those empty lines become major gaps.

So anyone with bad sight who needs larger type is going to hate it.

Noted and understood.  From the point of creating "paper first," the spacing is needed (IMO).

Part of the process I am attempting to streamline is creating a second docx file to feed the epubs. Using the replicant file, I iterate between testing the epub readability and altering the docx. Ultimately, however, I end up tweaking the XHTML code to achieve the look I desire.

In addition to spacing problems, issues arise when the conversation tools fail to recognize Header One from Header Two and other specific formatting required to improve readability.

R.C.
56
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by TimothyEllis on February 09, 2025, 12:33:03 AM »
The paragraph gaps would be dangerous in KU.

For me that's getting close to double spaced, and I can't and won't read that.

As far as technical goes, put that on a smartphone using a large font, and those empty lines become major gaps.

So anyone with bad sight who needs larger type is going to hate it.
57
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by R. C. on February 09, 2025, 12:27:38 AM »
Another reason I am seeking an improved tool for ePub creation is that my style intentionally uses white space more than most fiction creators.

Can you post an example of what that looks like?

Sure. Here is a passage from the Prologue of my latest effort. It is the internal dialog of the narrator.

- - - - -

Without white space:

Any story of murder and mayhem varies by who is telling the lie ? this tale is no exception. The consistent element for a legend of depravity and murder is someone died. Everything else is variable. Who died? Who did the murdering? When did the confrontation happen? Why did the crime occur? Each person who recites their version of the event shifts the details slightly.
A boy used his girlfriend as bait to commit murder. He killed his father in a manufactured fit of rage when he found his father with his girlfriend.
A girl talked her boyfriend into a murder-suicide pact. They killed her father as revenge on her mother for what Mom allowed Dad to do to the girl. The suicide pact left Mom with a lifetime of grief.
A young couple became involved with a cult based on a science fiction story. In the story, the alien invaders will spare those who have shown a willingness to kill without remorse. The girl?s family died in their sleep ? the boy?s family in a car accident.
Whatever the reality of past events, the truth I have learned is to accept that some people deserve to die.

- - - - -

With white space:

Any story of murder and mayhem varies by who is telling the lie ? this tale is no exception. The consistent element for a legend of depravity and murder is someone died. Everything else is variable. Who died? Who did the murdering? When did the confrontation happen? Why did the crime occur? Each person who recites their version of the event shifts the details slightly.

A boy used his girlfriend as bait to commit murder. He killed his father in a manufactured fit of rage when he found his father with his girlfriend.
A girl talked her boyfriend into a murder-suicide pact. They killed her father as revenge on her mother for what Mom allowed Dad to do to the girl. The suicide pact left Mom with a lifetime of grief.
A young couple became involved with a cult based on a science fiction story. In the story, the alien invaders will spare those who have shown a willingness to kill without remorse. The girl?s family died in their sleep ? the boy?s family in a car accident.

Whatever the reality of past events, the truth I have learned is to accept that some people deserve to die.


- - - - -

The moment of reflection between "...shifts the details slightly." and "A boy used his girlfriend..." and also between "...in a car accident." and "Whatever the reality..." creates a pause in the reader's mind. The pause invokes new, but connected, imagery to begin.

R.C.

By the way, if a member of this cohort wants to read my book, send me a DM with your email address, and I will send you a freebie link.


58
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by R. C. on February 09, 2025, 12:16:32 AM »
Videos in ebooks sound exciting, but isn't that going to create a massive file size?

Yes and no. Mp(x) can be large. Most video formats will be excluded because of security concerns. GIFs are small under the WebP format. GIFs are the future.

R.C.
59
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by Bill Hiatt on February 09, 2025, 12:03:59 AM »
Videos in ebooks sound exciting, but isn't that going to create a massive file size?
60
Formatter's Forge [Public] / Re: Touching Base
« Last post by TimothyEllis on February 09, 2025, 12:03:36 AM »
Another reason I am seeking an improved tool for ePub creation is that my style intentionally uses white space more than most fiction creators.

Can you post an example of what that looks like?
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