I Publish Books No One Reads: And So Can You!

By W.R. Rodriguez

A brief introduction to self-publishing. Sample topics: The merits of traditional and independent publishing. Organizing a book. Basic layout. Print publishing. Electronic publishing. Copyright. ISBNs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: W.R. Rodriguez
• Release date: Jul 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005280222

W.R. Rodriguez

W.R. Rodriguez grew up in the Bronx where he worked as a bootblack in the family shoe shine parlor. He moved to Madison where he earned an M.A. in English and taught high school for over thirty years. The urban environment has been a major source of his writing: “Although I left The Bronx decades ago, it has not left me. To give ironic tribute to the Romantics, I regard the streets and tenements as worthy subjects of art. I enjoy creating poetry from my memories of people, places, and events, as well as from research and imagination. Also, I want my poems to work on the page and to have a strong voice if read aloud.”His poetry has appeared in magazines such as Abraxas and Epoch, and in anthologies such as The Party Train, Welcome to Your Life, and Editor’s Choice III. Articles about his family’s experience in The Bronx were published in The Bronx County Historical Society Journal.W.R. Rodriguez is the author of several books of poetry. His latest, from the banks of brook avenue, is an evolution of the work he began in the shoe shine parlor poems et al and developed in concrete pastures of the beautiful bronx.

Book preview

I Publish Books No One Reads—And So Can You!

A Brief Introduction to Self-Publishing

W. R. Rodriguez

Zeugpress/Smashwords Edition

W. R. Rodriguez is a poet and writer who has published several books both in print and electronically. His third book, from the banks of brook avenue, won the 2018 North Street Book Prize for poetry. The competition, sponsored by Winning Writers, recognizes self-published books in a variety of genres.

© 2020 W. R. Rodriguez

ISBN: 9781005280222

Zeugpress/Smashwords Edition

Contents

Introduction

I. Don’t Do It for the Money!

II. Why Publish a Book?

III. When to Consider Publishing Your Book

IV. Submit to Publishers?

V. Do It Yourself?

VI. Feeling Lucky? My View on the Math

VII. Self-Publish or Wait to Win?

VIII. Book Competitions

IX. Your Book: Getting Organized

X. Basic Layout: The Page

XI. Basic Layout: The First Dump

XII. Fine Tuning the Layout

XIII. Page Count: Use Your Pages Efficiently, But Do Not Overcrowd!

XIV. Title Page

XV. Copyright Page

XVI. Table of Contents

XVII. Look It Over

XVIII. The Cover

XIX. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions . . .

XX. A Conventional Printer?

XXI. A Print On Demand Printer?

XXII. Publish Electronically?

XXIII. Copyright Registration

XXIV. ISBNs and Bar Codes

XXV. Now What?

Introduction

I once introduced myself to a small group by saying I write books that no one reads. Not much hyperbole in that: I am a poet. Then I