Self-Publishing: Basic Fiction Formatting for Smashwords in OpenOffice (Part 2: Steps 5 - 7)

In this post last week, I showed you how to get your OpenOffice text document ready for formatting. It has just now occurred to me one crucial detail I forgot to mention: When you save your file, use file extension .doc because that's the only extension Smashwords will accept.

Sorry about that. After I started formatting for Smashwords regularly, I just saved all of my text documents with the Word extension. I completely forgot that this guide is for those of you who aren't doing this regularly just yet.

Anyway, moving on. Today we're going to learn how to choose our paragraph separation method and then apply that to the text body.

You have two choices for separating your paragraphs: first line indent and block paragraph. Pick one.

In the Smashwords Style Guide, Mark Coker explains that his guide is formatted using the block paragraph method (paragraphs look like blog post paragraphs) which is "common for some non-fiction." If you're formatting a non-fiction work, especially if it has photos, and you're using block paragraph... these aren't the posts you're looking for. I've never tried formatting with block paragraphs and all of my attempts at including photos in my books haven't exactly been successful. As soon as I figure it out, expect to see a post or more on the subject. Until then, I refer you back to the Smashwords Style Guide and suggest you implement the spirit of the instructions.

First line indent is the type of paragraph separation you're probably most familiar with. Pick up any fiction book nearby and you'll see paragraphs arranged on the page without any spaces between them, just a little indent at the beginning of the first line. In school, you were probably taught to create that indent with a tab. No. Tabs are bad. Very, very bad. If you have them in your document, get rid of them now. Go ahead. I'll wait.

All done? Good. Let's get started. As before, click on any image below to enlarge.

Step 5: Default Formatting
Ctrl + A to select your text and then select "default" from the list of formatting options. This is going to normalize your text and make it easier for you to format without any surprises popping up.

This is what your default indents and spacing options should look like:

And this is what your default text options should look like:

Don't get fancy with your font choices. Stick with Times New Roman. Not only because it looks the most professional, but because the default choice will be easier for the different electronic readers to display and to convert when the e-reader has been hacked to the owner's preferences.

Step 6: Applying and Formatting First Line Indent
If you've never formatted paragraphs before, this step might be a bit cumbersome.

Step 6a: Select "More..." from the formatting menu

Step 6b: Select "first line indent" and left click; select "modify"

Step 6c: Verify indent measurements
Everything but first line should be 0. First line should be no more than 0.25" because of the different sizes of ereader screens. I like the 0.20" default setting. It looks nice and translates well to every reader I've used.

Step 6d: Verify spacing measurements
For some reason, my copy of OpenOffice defaults to 0.08" below paragraph. I haven't figured out how to change the default permanently yet, so I go in each time I use this paragraph style to change it. If you know how to make the settings permanent, please share!

It should be 0 like everything else.

Step 7: Click "OK"
Ta-da! Your paragraphs should look like this:

Next post: creating and formatting the copyright and title pages.

Monday Miscellany: Nine Facts

I could write about how allergies suck or how my muse is a sneaky bastard, but, instead, I'm going to go the meme route and offer you nine (writing-related) facts about myself. I know that I sometimes like to see these posts from the bloggers I love. Maybe you care, too. (And if not, we will return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow. Or Wednesday. Depends on how long it takes me to format the next formatting post.)

1. I have been "writing" since even before I could spell. I have distinct memories of scribbling on notebook pages when I was three or so, speaking the story out loud.

2. When I was eleven, I wrote an entire series about marine biologists and their kids/teenage interns/college students. Each story was the length of a young adult novel and I took inspiration for the series from The Babysitter's Club. (You know, each story is centered on a different member of the club, etc.) They were really bad, but I was proud of them. I drew covers and printed them out and stapled them together and everything.

3. My first experience with fanfiction was writing my own Frank Hardy/Nancy Drew shipper fic. Joe caught them kissing. I was nine, okay?

4. My first real experience with fanfiction online was Star Wars. I know you're shocked. This was back in the late nineties, right after the original trilogy was re-released. I read a lot of Hanson, Backstreet Boys, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fic, too.

5. The first fanfiction I ever wrote and shared with fandom is actually a recommended story on a famous cross-fandom reference site. I am insanely proud of this.

6. I have had a muse since I was about eleven. I used to rely exclusively on inspiration to strike until I realized--when I was about fourteen--that inspiration is pretty much always there and when it isn't, it can be manufactured until it's real.

7. That said, I've still suffered writer's block. In fact, my most recent stretch of it was through 2008. I'm still trying to recover my 2005 - 2007 mojo.

8. The vampire novel I'm working on, The Guest, has been written and re-written five times in the last fourteen years. I finally feel like the version I'm working on now is the right one. That may change.

9. In my second year of college, when I was a criminal justice major with the intention of going to law school, my philosophy professor pulled me aside and suggested I give up law and "write for a living." He wasn't the first or last educator to suggest that, but I remember him the most.

Blog Roundup: April 23 - 29, 2012

Chuck Wendig's newest book came out last week and so he offered up 25 Things [He] Learned While Writing Blackbirds. It's just a really solid post about writing a novel. I can't pick a favorite tip, I can just tell you that if you're an aspiring novelist, that's a good place to spend some time.

Amanda Hocking wrote about her experiences with traditional publishing. I, for one, appreciate her transparency. Seeing her go through both self-publishing and traditional publishing is fascinating.

This week's Tips on Thursday from Girl Who Reads was about picturing it. Readers are more likely to click on links that include a picture. At least, I think I read that somewhere?

This post over at It's the Future, Stupid about marketing post-gold rush is worth checking out. It's rough analysis from a fellow self-pubber who is struggling--just like the rest of us--to get his books sold, so reading his thoughts might be helpful. (For the record, I don't think marketing on Twitter helps--but I do think sharing blog links, writing advice, and networking with other bloggers and writers does help.)

James Killick offers analysis of creativity and suggestions for achieving originality in this post. It just makes me think of Amanda Hocking's basic tip, which is to write a story people want to read. That's what it's all about.

...wow. Slow week. Once again, I don't feel so bad about not blogging as much as I should. It's the weather, isn't it? Gorgeous weather is back so people aren't chained to their computers anymore.

SitRep Saturday: Argh Blogger!

It took me a day and a half to format the first OpenOffice post. Seriously? I don't know if it was my Internet connection, my lack of blogging savvy, or what, but that post was a bitch to make look pretty. That's why there hasn't been another. I was so disheartened that I gave up on the blog thing for the week. Sorry about that.

I've made some progress on Right This Time, too, but not as much as I'd like. I'm undaunted. A little frustrated, a little bummed, but undaunted.

There are other projects in the works, too, and I've made progress on some of those. When I figure out which one is my next big one, I'll let you know.

Self-Publishing: Basic Fiction Formatting for Smashwords in Open Office (Part 1: Steps 1 - 4)

OpenOffice is my word processing software of choice. Aside from the fact that it's free, it has basically all the same capabilities as MS Word. There is definitely a learning curve, but if you've mastered Word, you shouldn't have any problem at all with OpenOffice. And if you're reading this, chances are you feel pretty proficient and are ready to format your manuscript.

First of all, download a copy of the Smashwords Style Guide. Read it. You don't have to fully understand it, but Coker explains a lot about Smashwords and formatting expectations. If you feel like you can format in OpenOffice by implementing the spirit of the guide, go for it. That's what I did. It took some trial and error, but I think my books are pretty predictably and attractively formatted. (At least, they are in my Kindle and on my computer. I haven't gotten any complaints, either, and I've only had one book rejected once from the Premium Catalog. I messed up the table of contents.)

Disclaimer: my formatting guide is based entirely on the Smashwords Style Guide by Mark Coker. I'm even copying the order in which the steps appear. My intention is not to profit from this guide. My intention is to provide information and help to fellow self-published writers. Click any image below to enlarge.

Step 1: Make A Backup
You've done this already, right? I'm sure you have. But I'll just put this here, you know, in case.

Step 2: View Nonprinting Characters
When you can see all the little things the word processor adds to your file, you can more easily clean them up. This makes for a sleek, attractive-looking reading page.

Step 3: Turn off AutoCorrectThis is important. AutoCorrect options embed weird symbols and code into your file and you don't want that. Personally, I clear out all AutoCorrect options. (You can leave spellcheck on.) I don't like the risk of even one overlooked formatting error. Formatting errors, just like spelling and grammar errors, jar the reader from the story.


Step 3a: Select Tools > AutoCorrect Options

Step 3b: Empty "Replace" tab
This is time-consuming, but (to me, at least) worth it.

Step 3c: Unselect all boxes in "Options" tab

Step 3d: Disable and empty "Word Completion" tab

It should be noted here that the Smashwords Style Guide advises eliminating text boxes. I don't use text boxes, I've never even tried, so I don't even know where to begin. If you have text boxes in your manuscript, consult the Style Guide.

Step 4: Clean Up With The Nuclear Method
"The Nuclear Method" is what Coker has dubbed this step and I like the name, so I'm using it here. You can skip this step, but I really wouldn't recommend it. Later on down the line when you have that one little mistake keeping your EPUB file from being perfect, you'll probably have to do this. Go ahead and do it now.

Step 4a: Copy text

Step 4b: Open Notepad

Step 4c: Paste text into Notepad

Step 4d: Close out of OpenOffice

Step 4e: Open new text file

Step 4f: Copy from Notepad

Step 4g: Paste into OpenOffice

Step 4h: Save your document

In the next post, we'll look at choosing a paragraph separation method and formatting those paragraphs.

Monday Miscellany: Writing and Blogging

Those really are two separate subjects. Sort of.

Editing is slow but going well. Right This Time is less romance and more erotic, which is what I'm more comfortable with. In my quest to recover my honesty and rediscover my writing self, I'm making real progress. And taking chances. I absolutely love to try new things, take chances, and experiment. I need to get back to that.

The tumblr blog is going fairly well, too. I haven't got any followers, but I also haven't found anyone to follow just yet. I will open submissions here: If you have an indie book or know of an indie book or read an indie book you think the readers of tumblr land should know about, please let me know. I'm doing recs, reviews, and sharing book-buying resources over there.

Here, this week, expect to see some formatting posts. I use OpenOffice and so I'm going to share with you how to format your manuscript for Smashwords using the free word processing software. When I first started out, I would have paid dearly for this guide. You, my lovely readers (and anyone finding her way here through the search engine), get it for free.

Blog Roundup: April 16 - 22, 2012

Chuck Wendig shared 25 Things You Should Know About Transmedia Storytelling. Confession: I frequently have no idea what buzzwords mean. Transmedia looks like a buzzword to me. Guess it's time to get educated beyond Mr. Wendig. (Oh, that hurt to write. Chuck, if you stumble across this, I still love you!)

A Chick Who Reads pondered bookish things (erotica) this week. As an erotica writer, it's nice to find out what readers want--but it also goes to show that erotica is an intensely personal thing. Reading choices in general are an intensely personal thing. (I have a friend who is reading the Fifty Shades trilogy and I kind of want to break up with her over it.) I actually like my erotica a bit crude and dirty, so that's how I try to write it. However, I can't think of any instance in which calling female genitalia a "puss" is acceptable.

Erotic Romance reported on Forever Amber's plagiarism. I just don't understand what would drive someone who considers herself a writer to steal someone else's work.

A Girl Who Reads talked about user engagement in her Tips on Thursday post. User engagement is definitely something I need to work on--though my blog stats show me that a fair number of you make a point to visit regularly, even if you don't comment. Not that I blame you. I'm not a big commenter, either.

Paperback Writer had two great posts this week: one on a virtual storyboard, which is cool because sometimes it really can be immensely useful to work with index cards; and a paranormal romance pop quiz, which (because I am a terrible person) makes me want to write a story containing every single item on that list.

Aimee Salter shared a great post about giving yourself permission. I just love that post. I really do. It's astonishing how easy it is to be strict with yourself, as a writer, and how you can get lost in your own head. Sometimes it really helps to step back and remind yourself that this is a creative venture and it needs to be treated as such.

Stella Deleuze wrote about point of view in her Tip of the Week post. Picking the right point of view is absolutely crucial. Using it effectively doubly so.

SitRep Saturday: Bad News and Good News

All right, the bad news first: I did not finish Right This Time this week. I've made it about a page and a half into the edits, which isn't bad, but it isn't great, either. I'm still hopeful that I'll be done soon. Mostly because I have about five other projects I'm ready to work on.

There's quite a bit of good news. Sales are picking back up again. Not much, but a little, and that feels good. I went through my personal online journal the other night and discovered several stories that I started and they're actually really good. One of them is being added to the list I plan for a God-themed erotica anthology and one is going to be written for a fandom I left last year as a final hurrah. There are others, originals, that I'll edit and find homes for, even if that home is just my website as samples of my writing.

The final piece of good news is this: my new tumblr blog. I've had a personal tumblr for a while and I love it. This is where my target demographic spends some of their free time (and I know this because I and my friends are part of my target demographic). This is where I learned about and decided to read The Hunger Games and The Haunted Vagina. This is where I find book recs and find out about some of the free books I've picked up and it's where I learn what my friends/fandom acquaintances are reading. So far, I only have three entries up, but I have one or two entries in the queue and I'm working on more. That blog differs from this blog in that over there, it's all about readers, while here, it's all about writers and fellow self-pubbers. I'll let you know how the experiment goes. I'm hopeful.

On Writing: Expanding Your Vocabulary

In order to use the right word, you need to at least be aware that it exists. Word of the Day calendars and emails are fun for adults, but most of us aren't still taking weekly spelling tests. (We totally should, though.) Sometimes, we get stuck in the rut of using the same words over and over again when there are so many out there just ready to be dropped into the perfect sentence. Here are seven ways you can expand your vocabulary.

1. Read the dictionary.
Yes, I'm serious. This works best with real paper books. Open your favorite dictionary, pick a word, and start reading. That's it. You'll run into a lot of words to know, but there will be some surprises. I'd even suggest writing down the ones you like.

2. Read the thesaurus.
Again, yes, I'm serious. Reading the thesaurus not only teaches you new words, it helps you discover similar and dissimilar words. Maybe "lucid" isn't the right word, but maybe it has a cousin that is.

3. Read technical non-fiction.
Specialized knowledge is valuable, that's why tuition is so expensive. At least, that's what I tell myself. If you're researching something for a story, get your hands on all the technical manuals, textbooks, and other non-fiction work you can. You'll absorb the specialized vocabulary in addition to the material.

4. Study technical diagrams.
You know that edge of reinforced cloth on a shirt where the buttons are? That's called a placket. I learned that from studying technical fashion diagrams. You can do this with pretty much anything. Need to know where the main arteries are in the human neck? Diagram. If you find the right one, it'll even tell you what doctors call those arteries.

5. Play word games.
Scrabble is one of my favorite games. If I had an iPhone or something, I'd probably play Words With Friends. When you play a word game, make rules for yourself, like no four-letter words. Be creative. Force yourself to recall as much of your vocabulary as possible.

6. Listen to people smarter than you.
And people who are effective communicators. Chances are they not only have large vocabularies, but they have excellent command of the language, too. Find the people you consider smarter than you, shut your mouth, and listen to the words they use and how they string them together.

7. Listen to people with specific knowledge.
My husband is a soldier, so when he comes home and talks about work, he uses quite a lot of very specific vocabulary. I am reasonably certain that he says things comprised entirely of acronyms. Long things. Like whole sentences or paragraphs. I don't always understand it, but if I ever get around to writing my epic military science fiction, I have a wealth of vocabulary to draw on. The same goes for doctors, lawyers, construction workers, engineers, chefs... Anyone, really. Everyone is an expert in something, after all.

Self-Publishing: Publishing Your Fanfiction is a Bad Idea

It's a hard thing to do in a title without sacrificing consistency, but self-publishing your fanfiction is a Bad Idea. It might even be a Very Bad Idea depending on how wild your imagination for repercussions can be. Here's why.

1. Fanfiction is technically illegal.
It is considered copyright infringement. Whoever owns the copyright can sue for infringement. Selling fan-created work for profit is pretty much guaranteed to bring lawyers down on you.

2. The relationship between copyright holders and fans is delicate and should not be upset.
Plenty of copyright holders--like authors Anne Rice and George R. R. Martin--have taken a hostile stance toward fanfiction. There have been cases of copyright holders changing/relaxing policy (Lucasfilm, Poppy Z. Brite) but for the most part, creators are firm. Fans respect the official stance and those of us in fandoms that allow fanfiction and other fanwork are grateful for the encouragement or ignorance. If, say, Lucasfilm or CBS/Paramount found out that fans were profiting from copyright infringement, I can easily imagine cease and desist showing up in the offices of every archive, on the doorsteps of every author and artist. It might crush online fandom. Am I overreacting? Possibly. But I'm old enough to remember the thriving Vampire Chronicles fandom before Anne Rice shut it down.

3. Self-publishing is easy and universally accessible but that could change.
There are zero controls on self-publishing right now. Anyone can do it with any quality of work. But that could change. Lawsuits and/or cease and desist letters could shut down places like Smashwords or force Amazon to shut down KDP. Or maybe they'll have to implement quality control measures and we'll end up with a whole new realm of gatekeepers in the form of hired hands vetting the work submitted for sale. Right now, self-publishing is a pretty sweet deal. It wouldn't take much to change that.

4. Selling fanfiction amounts to theft of intellectual property.
See character. Steal character. Profit from character. It's the same thing as stealing someone's car stereo or cell phone or selling bootleg DVDs. As writers, we should understand that. How would you feel if someone read your book, loved it, wrote their own story with your characters, and then sold it? Exactly. So think about that if you're considering putting your fanfic up for sale.

This post doesn't come to you out of the blue. I have actually seen fanfiction for sale (the worst example, Wesley Crusher: Teenage Fuck Machine, seems to have been removed from Amazon), but you can still download (for free, admittedly) Star Wars: Awakening and Star Wars One from Smashwords.

And none of this list even touches on the general icky feelings I get from everything Cassandra Clare (also known as Cassie Claire) has published or the entire Fifty Shades trilogy (which began as Twilight fanfiction and didn't get much better from there). That's profiting from fanfiction (and bad fanfiction at that, seriously) in a whole new, gross way.