Expanded distribution on Amazon's CreateSpace

[Grant McKenzie]

For those who self-publish on Amazon's CreateSpace platform (a fabulous way to self-publish by the way - no upfront costs and a very nice product), I am wondering if anyone has chosen the Expanded Distribution option (a $25 add-on), and if so, if they found it worthwhile?

I have just made my newest thriller for sale as an ebook and trade paperback, but unsure about that Expanded Distribution option.

[I. J. Parker]

The book looks great and what a fine quote!!!

 

On another web site, people were touting Lightning Source (LSI) bcause it has access to bookstore placement when many bookstores boycott CreateSpace (Amazon).  However, LSI charges more for distribution, (I think) and does so annually.  CS does not.  Frankly, my feeling is to go with CS.  POD books can be ordered from stores or from Amazon.  And Amazon does seem to have access now to various networks.

Wish I'd figured out the formatting yet.  :)

[Grant McKenzie]

I.J. The formatting is actually quite simple if you know Word because you can download a Word template from CreateSpace, and then simply make it look good, such as single spacing, a font such as Garamond, etc. The template shows you the pages side by side and you make it look the way you want the finished product to look - then you save it as a pdf and upload.

Of course, I do layout and design as my day job, so easy for me to say, right?

[I. J. Parker]

Oh, that was very kind.  I've been pondering fonts. I use Times New Roman. Garamong, eh?  I bought the book PERFECT PAGES.  It may be easier just going through Create Space.  I have the habit of leaving two spaces between sentences.  I hope CreateSpace knows how to fix that. A whole new world.

Again, thank you.

[Jude Hardin]

Have you asked about this on Kindle Boards, Grant? I'm sure someone there would have experience with it.

I.J., you can fix the two spaces between sentences easily on Word. You can revise the entire manuscript with just a couple of clicks. Just click on "Replace" and a screen will pop up with boxes that say "Find What:" and "Replace With:" In the "Find What" box type a period and then hit the space bar twice. In the "Replace With:" box type a period and hit the space bar once. Then click the button on the bottom that says "Replace All." Voila! Your entire manuscript has single spaces between sentences.

[Grant McKenzie]

Good idea, Jude

[David DeLee]

One caution to this--you need to do it again for all exclamation points, question marks, and end quotation marks. Anything that ends a sentence before the double space.

But Jude's right, not hard at all to do.

[I. J. Parker]

Thanks, David.  I'm looking forward to this little trick.  :)

[I. J. Parker]

Wow, Jude.  Who knew?  That's a great piece of advice/information.  Thank you so much. The space bar!

I had no idea and would not have thought of this.

[David DeLee]

For my money I say why not? You put it into the distribution pipeline and forget about it. There's no additional cost and the book is out there to the widest possible market. No downside at all, except the one-time cost of $25.00.

Great cover BTW

Good luck,

David DeLee

[Grant McKenzie]

Thanks, David - I decided to sign up for Expanded Distribution for K.A.R.M.A. and Port of Sorrow, so we'll see what it does. But like Charles says, I used my own ISBN, which means I can't distribute to libraries - so that's a definite shame.

[Charles Kelly]

I took this option for Gunshots in Another Room: The Forgotten Life of Dan J. Marlowe, but I don't know how good it is because it's hard to see which sales are attributable to expanded distribution. Wish I had more insight on this, too. Also, I used my own ISBN, so I couldn't distribute to libraries. Didn't like that.