What I Used… And Still Do… to Write and Publish my First Book on Amazon KDP!

September 17, 2024 by Leave a Comment

I love writing! If you’re like me, you will love reading before you ever realize how much you love writing. But I love writing! I want to make enough money so I can quit my day job*, and just write and write and write!!!

* I have done everything… from movie extra to janitor… truck driving to landscaping to construction (ahh, nothing like digging ditches in the rain! Ohh that sciatica pain! :(Ouch!)… you name it, I have done it all except for soldier, firefighter, and police officer, and maybe a few other things like accountant… ugh! No thanks. Oh yeah, I haven’t been a bush pilot yet. Hell, I was even a pig farmer! And a gourmet mushroom farmer. Point being, I’ve earned my stripes in the hard work world… and all I ever wanted to do was write… and act (taking lessons = challenging fun; one of the most difficult things I have ever done.. owning someone else’s emotions is hard)!

If you’re like me, and if you love writing, the best advice I can give you is to start writing, and do it whenever you can. The time is now to start filling up notebooks with whatever comes to mind. I have a stack of them. I actually keep the ones I’ve already filled completely up, in a special water-and-fire-resistant totebag. I’m a survival skills guy as well as a writer, so I think about this kind of stuff.

I carry a standard 8″ x 11.5″ spiral-bound notebook (always have a few of these at home as backup) with me whenever I can, wherever I go; make sure it is spiral bound as you will find yourself writing in some very tight spaces sometimes and you will want to fold it back entirely. Also, make sure it has a high page count (200 pages college ruled) for the extra space, of course, but also for the extra rigidity when using it on your knee.

Nothing is more impressive than when you are out having lunch or getting a coffee and you are the only one who has a pen in his (or her, or whatever… it I guess) hand going mad trying to keep up with your mind’s creative blasts… and not doom-scrolling on their phone or typing away looking less distinguished than they imagine on a laptop. It is good to be the only one! Never forget this. Be… the one.

Not that there is anything wrong with using a laptop, but when I write, it is a big bang happening, and is often accompanied by drawing and arrows and later insertions with more arrows, etc. There is no way I can do all this brainstorming and flow with anything other than a big ol’ notebook and trusty pen*!

* I should say pens, because I go through them like some people go through… I don’t know, butter I guess. I can empty a new ink pen in few days easy!

My notebooks are filled with stories, treatises, essays, art, diagrams, schematics… everything that comes to mind. A big notebook sits next to me when I sleep; it is always within reach. And don’t forget a comfortable pen, never use a pencil except as last resort, because the graphite will smear and fade. Any standard Bic pen always has my back. Get at least 10 of them… medium-point, black. Don’t sell your love of and for writing short… buy more than you imagine you’ll need; you never know when you will fill up notebooks for days on end. I’m not kidding!!!!!

Some of the newer gel pens are alright, but they can also just not work at times… some are complete garbage… like there is an air bubble in the ink chamber or something. The Pentel Gel pens have worked alright (most of the time), but the Pilot G2 is garbage in my experience; I never thought I would return a pack of pens to the store! Maybe I just got a bad batch as they seem to have good reviews but I will never buy them again with other options I know I can rely on. I’ve also had good experience with Paper Mate pens, but that was years ago; I haven’t tried them since college in the early 90’s.

UPDATE: I have found my absolute favorite notebooks of all time… so far!!! Blue Sky 8.5″ x 11″ flexible cover notebooks (item: 14713) are perfect! I found these in my local Walgreen’s. They have lines on the right page and a graph grid on the left. Their item 13965 has lines on both sides. I couldn’t find item 13965 on Amazon, and I couldn’t find item 14713 on their website ( bluesky.com )… which scares me! I hope they aren’t discontinued. I also use their smaller hardcover notebooks (item: 17727), which I couldn’t find online. They are presently mostly aimed at the planner audience.

I just paused writing this article to walk to Walgreen’s to load up on them just in case they are discontinued sometime soon!

Ok, I’m back and here they are!

ALSO: I have found my favorite pen of all time… again… so far!!! The Sharpie S Gel is without a doubt as good a pen as I could ever hope for.

I also like the stainless steel Zebra pens; they are very sturdy and can used as a makeshift weapon if need be as well… not that I’ve ever needed to… although I find them rather uncomfortable on my middle finger after much prolonged use. Also, you can swap the Zebra ink cartridge with Fischer space pen cartridge to make it even more versatile as a backup pen. The Fischer space pens are the pens that can write underwater and at any angle and are great for when you are taking underwater basket weaving classes… ;D… for real, they are ok, but not as smooth as some pens and they tend to gum up at the point and smear; best for “emergency” writing with a Rite in the Rain notepad, for if you go hiking or something and don’t want to try and keep a big notebook dry. They also work well when lying in bed writing upside down or nearly so. And I can’t tell you how many times I have been “somewhere out there” and needed to scribble an idea on a receipt or something I found on the ground; best to always carry a small notepad, even better if it is waterproof. These little waterproof notebooks are also great for using as a contacts and password book. Do you have all your contacts memorized? It’s not like the old days anymore, and nobody really keeps business cards in their wallets… and phones run out of power and can be lost, stolen, or broken. I always write all my contacts and passwords down into a little notebook, and I carry it everywhere I carry my keys and phone, in other words, everywhere! There are zipped covers for these little notebooks that also hold a few pens, thumb drives, back-up vehicle and house keys, and a small flashlight (I have the tiny Fenix EO5, AAA, non rechargeable, I love it! Although I think it is discontinued. Any Fenix flashlight will serve you well!) which is attached to the MacGuyver knife I’ve had in my pocket since ~1980. Anyway… getting a little tangential into my EDC (Every Day Carry)… sorry! 🙂 Just bear with me.

Here is the Rite in the Rain combo (notepad, Fischer space pen, and zipper cover)! A little expensive perhaps, but it is the one I have and I like it.

Just one more, well three (or 4), I promise: for when you absolutely must write in the dark, or do anything in the dark… get yourself a headlamp. I have the Petzl Tacttika+RBG (for preserving night vision, but is discontinued), and I also have the e-LITE (for emergencies only!); any headlamp from Petzl will serve you well. Accompany any model o’ Petzl you get… other than the e-LITE… with the Noctilight case (which not only serves as a case but also turns your headlamp into a lantern of sorts) and the Core power source, of course! They will all fit together and should be in your bag wherever you go.

Ok, all this EDC aside… I have so many books, of all kinds… fiction and non-… I love reading! I love writing! Anyway, I want to share with you how I made my first book. I made it all myself. I wrote it, got it copyrighted, made it all awesome looking with art, and put it up for sale via Amazon’s KDP platform. KDP = Kindle Direct Publishing. Anybody who loves writing, or not, can self-publish a book on Amazon KDP. I started with a public domain book that I added content to, to make it a unique presentation (check it out!). Then I made a gratitude journal, also with a unique creative bent… at least I feel it is different. Then, I made a book of short stories accompanied with illustrations from several artists. You can see all these books on my Amazon author page. I am working on several others as well… including:

Ok… now back to what I intended this article to be about. I want to show you exactly how I published these books… and how I’m presently working on my next… well maybe not exactly, but I at least want you to know what tools I use. Then I can expand on this article later and share every technical detail. Maybe all those tips and tricks belong in their own blog posts. We’ll see. For now, this is what it is.

The tools and resources I use are all FREE*:

*  Other than my computer of course… and just as important an extra hard drive, whether internal or external, I have both… several of both!!! Always keep extra copies of all your files on different drives; you never know when a hard drive will die. Invest in at least one good one. I use Western Digital, Seagate, and Toshiba. And I save ALL my files, to ALL my drives, in this manner of file naming: Name-of-Work_01-21-24. I also have a folder dedicated to each work; and within that folder I keep all the saves (never delete any of them, you never know when you must go back for something you deleted in a more recent save or because you copy/pasted something into your document that messed it up). Try not to copy/paste anything into a document without first copy/pasting it into Notepad (it comes with Windows) so as to remove any internet markup and whatnot. By the way, I do a lot of copy/pasting notes and study material that I will later integrate into my writing, quotes and their citations for example.

I want to reiterate the importance of saving documents as (without the quotes) “Name-of-Work_06-12-24” (USE THIS save format on ALL your document saves for the rest of your life; as a prolific writer I can tell you—you will be glad you did! Nothing quite like messing something up without realizing it until days later and not having an archive of daily saved documents)!

Being self-disciplined about organization in ALL things professional is a habit YOU NEED. Doing things right every step of the way will establish and reinforce efficient habits and make things way easier.

1… Notepad: I use this for just what its name implies… taking notes. It is the e-equivalent of my 8″ x 11.5″ notebook. You can use the one that comes with Windows, or you can upgrade to Notepad++ (also free, but for writing, it isn’t at all necessary; its more for coders). In Notepad, make life easier… Format… Word Wrap!

1… LibreOffice: Not OpenOffice… LibreOffice Writer; it can do anything I have imagined I want a book layout to be. There is a little learning curve, but answers are abundant online if it isn’t intuitive to you. The LibreOffice productivity suite is FREE and open source (so its not going away anytime soon), and has a huge following of users! It is one of my essential tools.

Here’s an example (my newest book on Amazon) of what can be done with LibreOffice, not too shabby! You too… can do TOTALLY Radical stuff like this with these free tools.


 

2… Fonts: I search the internet for fonts I like that are free for commercial use; they are everywhere. One thing about too many fonts is that having a lot will slow down LibreOffice while you’re scrolling the font list… go slow so it can keep up! In all true fact, everything will slow down LibreOffice. Well, not everything, but large images will for sure! Yet, despite some user error frustration every now and then (in other words it’s my own stupid impatient fault), it has not let me down.

I am currently waiting for two new sticks of RAM for my computer so it can do productivity faster. I suggest you have 32 GB of RAM if you are doing anything other than gaming, and even then it can’t hurt. Make sure that if you are buying additional RAM, that they are the same make and model as what you already have, for best compatibility.

3… Open Art: This is an AI art creation tool I have been using for a few years now. It is free to start, but at some point you will run out of free credits like I have; I have not purchased an upgrade yet, but I probably will at some point soon. Using this platform (it is an Open AI project, same as ChatGPT) is a time-consuming joy-fest of visual ecstasy! I use it to produce images for my stories. I use a simple process. I just use some of my writing as a prompt and let it do its thing… again… and again… as many times until it comes up with an image that just fits perfectly with my writing; sometimes I have to alter the prompt and be more direct in describing what I want, as what I imagine the AI might produce from my writing is far from what I desire, but it is always pretty darn awesome. I have saved nearly 100% of the images it has produced for me. I keep them for other projects I intend I might get to. Just create a free account and play with it.

4… Chat GPT: This AI tool is the one everybody met when “real” AI was introduced. I use it mostly for “Googling” things that I know exist (that I’ve referenced before, and that I can’t find via Google search engine at the moment); you know how it is…you Google a phrase and find a site you really like, only to forget to Bookmark it, and then when searching for it again, you forget the exact phrase you entered, and it doesn’t show up. ChatGPT is also great for outlining ideas to study when you are writing non-fiction. I use it for this a lot. I even used it in this article down there to produce that LIST WITH SOME THOSE OF THOSE EXPENSIVE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT RICH WRITERS USE BUT I NEVER HAVE YET! I removed the AI suggested entries that seemed redundant to products that I have taken a look at and might use someday.

5… Microsoft Paint: It comes with Windows operating system on your personal computer or laptop. I have Windows 10, and it came installed. There is a newer version for Windows 11 that has AI fundtionality, but my pc is too old or something to update to Windows 11 at this time (I say at this time because I don’t buy already built computers, I buy all the individual components based on my needs and I put them together myself; there are several advantages to this, but this topic is beyond the scope of my intention for this blog post), not that I necessarily would, as my rig works great right now. Anyway, I use Paint for just a few things, not really to create images unless they are of fonts that I want in the background or as images; but mostly to get free images (public domain or creative commons) to the size I want and the pre-look I want. Then I save them as PNG… always PNG!!! There is a distinct reason for this in GIMP.

6… GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program): I use GIMP for special filter effects, and most importantly of all, to make backgrounds transparent so they will look good on a page background. These must be “exported” (NOT “saved”) as PNG files. I always append the file name with “-ALPHA”, as that is what it is called… “color to alpha” (to make transparent). I also use it to bring the visuality (color balance stuff) of images down so they don’t interfere (as much, as this is a balancing act, and sometimes it just won’t work without great effort and even than… nah) with the readability of text I put them behind.

Quick “color to alpha”tutorial:

If I need the background to be transparent, I use GIMP to select the color, set the color to alpha, then “export” as PNG.

Slide “Transparency threshold” all the way to the right (1.000). Then go to “File” > “Export As…” (PNG).

7… Adobe PDF Reader: After I’m done with a book (everything is perfectly the way I want), I “export” as PDF (Pretty Dumb File, what a friend (and then a mere, friend-like acquaintance… and now a stranger) told me it stands for, but I like PDFs and I don’t think they’re dumb at all… and neither are horses, and neither are pigs, stupid Louis!!). This is the format I use to upload to Amazon KDP. And if there is a lot of art, a PDF can be used to make a type of ebook that preserves the layout; its TOTALLY Rad. I always have a PDF copy of my book to give away for free (saves on printing costs and shipping), and also to upload to book review sites such as Booksprout.co.

Ok, that’s it for now. Gather all the above things, and a few books to read for inspiration and relaxation time, or for doing your fact gathering if you are writing non-fiction. But I’m telling you, I have looked at all those expensive softwares… and I’m not saying I will never use them or that they aren’t awesome… just that I have never used them; I never needed them… and while I’ve almost pulled the trigger on Scrivener a few times… I’m still too poor to evalute any of their merit at this time! So do me a biggy and hit up my Amazon author page, will ya!? 🙂

LIST WITH SOME OF THOSE EXPENSIVE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT RICH WRITERS USE BUT I NEVER HAVE YET!

There are so many software programs and tools available to help writers improve their craft, organize projects, and streamline their workflow that I find it quite overwhelming. I guess it takes tools of all kinds for writers of all kinds.

Writing Software

  1. Scrivener
    • Best for: Long-form writing (novels, screenplays, research papers)
    • Features: Scrivener is a favorite among novelists, scriptwriters, and academics. It allows you to organize research, notes, and chapters in a flexible, user-friendly interface. Its corkboard view helps you map out plots, and its full-screen mode eliminates distractions.
    • Why writers love it: Comprehensive and flexible; great for organizing large projects.
    • Platform: macOS, Windows, iOS
  2. Microsoft Word
    • Best for: General writing, formatting documents
    • Features: While it’s been around for a while, Word is still a go-to tool for many writers. It’s excellent for formatting and sharing documents in a universally accepted format.
    • Why writers love it: Familiarity and robust formatting tools.
    • Platform: macOS, Windows
  3. Google Docs (Actually I have used Google Docs way back in the day when I was collaborating with others in setting up a non-profit organization)
    • Best for: Collaborative writing, simple word processing
    • Features: Google Docs is ideal for real-time collaboration. It offers cloud-based storage, making it easy to access your work from anywhere. You can easily share documents with editors or co-writers for feedback.
    • Why writers love it: Free, simple, and perfect for collaboration.
    • Platform: Browser-based, iOS, Android
  4. Ulysses
    • Best for: Writers who want a clean, distraction-free environment
    • Features: Ulysses combines minimalism with powerful writing tools. It’s designed for authors, bloggers, and screenwriters who value simplicity but still want organizational features like folders, tags, and a distraction-free mode.
    • Why writers love it: Clean interface, export options to WordPress and other platforms.
    • Platform: macOS, iOS
  5. Final Draft
    • Best for: Screenwriting
    • Features: Final Draft is the industry standard for screenwriters. It offers templates, formatting tools, and collaboration features that help writers focus on the story without worrying about screenplay formatting.
    • Why writers love it: Specifically designed for screenwriting, packed with helpful features.
    • Platform: macOS, Windows, iOS

Editing and Proofreading Tools

  1. Grammarly
    • Best for: Grammar, spelling, and style correction
    • Features: Grammarly automatically checks your text for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. It also offers suggestions for improving readability and tone, making it useful for both formal and informal writing.
    • Why writers love it: Offers both basic corrections and more advanced style and tone suggestions.
    • Platform: Browser extension, desktop app, Microsoft Word add-in, iOS, Android
  2. ProWritingAid
    • Best for: In-depth writing analysis and style improvement
    • Features: ProWritingAid goes beyond simple grammar checks. It analyzes your writing for style issues, readability, and structure, offering more detailed suggestions than most other grammar tools.
    • Why writers love it: Offers detailed feedback, great for long-form writing.
    • Platform: macOS, Windows, browser extension
  3. Hemingway Editor
    • Best for: Simplifying and tightening your prose
    • Features: This tool highlights complex sentences, passive voice, and adverbs, helping you write in a clearer, more concise way. It’s especially useful for editing blog posts, articles, and short stories.
    • Why writers love it: Forces you to be clear and concise.
    • Platform: Browser-based, desktop app for macOS and Windows

Organization and Planning Tools

  1. Trello
    • Best for: Project management and brainstorming
    • Features: Trello is a visual tool for managing projects, making it ideal for organizing ideas, outlining, and keeping track of writing tasks. You can create boards and cards for different parts of a project, such as research, drafts, and revisions.
    • Why writers love it: Helps you stay organized in a visual, intuitive way.
    • Platform: Browser-based, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
  2. Evernote
    • Best for: Note-taking and research
    • Features: Evernote allows you to collect and organize notes, ideas, and research in one place. You can save web articles, create to-do lists, and store text, images, and audio clips.
    • Why writers love it: Versatile and great for organizing research and ideas.
    • Platform: Browser-based, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
  3. Notion
    • Best for: All-in-one workspace for notes, research, and writing
    • Features: Notion combines note-taking, task management, and organization in one tool. It’s great for managing long-term projects, building writing databases, and organizing ideas in a flexible way.
    • Why writers love it: Extremely flexible and customizable to fit any workflow.
    • Platform: Browser-based, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

Productivity Tools

  1. Freedom
    • Best for: Distraction-free writing
    • Features: Freedom blocks distracting websites and apps on your computer and phone, helping you focus on writing without being interrupted by notifications or social media.
    • Why writers love it: Helps you stay focused on writing by eliminating distractions.
    • Platform: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
  2. Pomodone
    • Best for: Managing writing sessions with the Pomodoro Technique
    • Features: Pomodone uses the Pomodoro technique (25-minute focused work sessions followed by short breaks) to help you manage your time and boost productivity.
    • Why writers love it: Perfect for breaking down writing tasks into manageable chunks.
    • Platform: Browser-based, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
  3. FocusWriter
    • Best for: Minimalist, distraction-free writing
    • Features: FocusWriter provides a simple, distraction-free interface that blocks out all the unnecessary elements on your screen, helping you concentrate purely on writing.
    • Why writers love it: Completely distraction-free, ideal for writers who need a clear headspace.
    • Platform: macOS, Windows, Linux

Book Formatting Tools

  1. Vellum
    • Best for: Formatting eBooks and print books
    • Features: Vellum is a tool specifically designed for formatting eBooks and print books. It offers beautifully designed templates and easy export options to formats for Kindle, iBooks, and print-on-demand services.
    • Why writers love it: Simplifies the complicated process of book formatting.
    • Platform: macOS
  2. Reedsy Book Editor
    • Best for: Free book formatting for self-publishing authors
    • Features: The Reedsy Book Editor is a free tool that helps you format your manuscript for eBook and print publication. It includes professional-looking templates and is easy to use, even for beginners.
    • Why writers love it: Free, simple, and built with self-publishing in mind.
    • Platform: Browser-based

Mind Mapping and Brainstorming Tools

  1. MindMeister
    • Best for: Visualizing ideas and structuring stories
    • Features: MindMeister is a mind-mapping tool that lets you visually brainstorm ideas, organize plot points, and structure your stories.
    • Why writers love it: Helps you see the big picture and map out complex ideas.
    • Platform: Browser-based, iOS, Android
  2. Coggle
    • Best for: Brainstorming ideas visually
    • Features: Coggle helps you create visually appealing mind maps and flowcharts. It’s great for outlining books, planning blog content, or brainstorming new ideas.
    • Why writers love it: Simple interface with powerful mind-mapping features.
    • Platform: Browser-based

Well, that’s it for now. I hope you find something you like. But I really can’t reiterate enough, your best tools are what can do the job and get you to writing as soon as possible. Get to it! You know you love writing!

Health, happiness, and longevity unto you and yours…

and as always…

[As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through these links]

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About TBoan

A Man of Many Talents: Two things I think are worth anything at all... all things wilderness and ecoculture... and well, RPGs (Role Playing Games)... and skateboarding (getting a little old for that though! lol)... and video games! Interdisciplinary Studies: Ethnobotany BS, Anthropology BA. And of course, writing about all these things and more!

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