How To Publish Anything On Amazon's Kindle [Paperback]

Randy Benjamin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0967936128 | ISBN-13: 978-0967936123

IMPORTANT: Amazon has redesigned the DTP software! This update addresses the new changes. Also included is a section on how to get your book listed with Barnes & Nobel. Now your book will be available for Apple’s iPad and iPhone, B&N’s Nook, Personal Computers (PC), and Android’s smartphones as well as Amazon’s Kindle. This is an easy to read, to the point book that explains how to publish your novel, comic book, grocery list, or just about anything else on Amazon's amazing Kindle, and how to do it for practically nothing. Let me say that again...this book is "NOT" about how to write your novel, or how to promote it. This isn't a tips and tricks book and it won't help you to get your book on the New York Times best seller list. This is a, GET ME ON AMAZON (and Barnes & Noble) so I can SELL MY BOOK...book! Other things you need to be aware of are covered in the book as well. Such as...opening a bank account, registering a domain name, setting up a website, designing the cover, writing the description, filing the copyright and adding the copyright page. Each step in the publishing process is explained in a simple and easily understood manner. You won't believe how quickly you can have your book on-line and FOR SALE. How To Publish Anything On Amazon's Kindle is available in paperback and e-book formats. For information about the author, visit: www.randybenjamin.com

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Randy Benjamin has been a computer consultant for 35 years. His first venture into writing was in 1995 when he sold several articles to Music Row magazine in Nashville TN. The series detailed how computers and digital technology were changing the way that music was being created. Over the next several years, writing began to play a much larger roll in his life. In 1998 he started a newspaper column called, "The Internet Guide" which was syndicated by 23 newspapers in three Midwestern states. This column spawned two books, "The Internet Guide Handbook" and "More of the Internet Guide." The Internet Guide ran until 2007 when he decided that he'd rather work on novels full time. In March of 2007, he closed his consulting business and wrote the last of 491 Internet Guide articles. Now approaching 64 years of age, he writes full time working on novels and writing articles for magazines world wide. His hobbies are fishing and designing solar projects for his home. Presently, his computers and lighting system are solar powered. His goal is to get off the power grid entirely. He lives on a small lake in southern Indiana with a dog named Mufeoso.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Intguide Publications (November 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967936128
• ISBN-13: 978-0967936123
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Publishing & Books > General

More About the Author

Randy Benjamin has been a computer technician for over 35 years. Before that he was in the music business recording for several major labels. (Warner Bros, Curb, and Mercury Records) He also owned and was the recoding engineer at Castle Recordings a small recording studio in the heart of "music row" in Nashville Tennessee.

In 1995, he started freelance writing, selling his first articles to Music Row Magazine in Nashville. These articles documented the increasing use of computers in the recording, mastering, and distribution of 'hit' records. They also helped to show just how important a roll the emerging Internet would play in the ever-changing cycles of boom and bust that's always been a part of the music industry.

In 1998 he started a newspaper column that was syndicated in 23 newspapers. This column inspired his first two books, "The Internet Guide Handbook" and "More of the Internet Guide." Soon to follow was an interactive CD called, "The Healthy Computer."

In late 2008 he went back to his musical roots writing and producing a children's Album and book called, "Tapestries." After demoing the album in Nashville, he decided that a one hour animated television special might be a possibility so he's planning on pitching the idea to Warner Bros, Disney, and Hanna Barbara sometime in 2011.

2010 was a busy year. Writing under the pen name of Asher Dan, he tested the market with a sci-fi novel called, "The Anomaly." He's since decided to go ahead and release it under his own name, doing away with the pen name altogether. This novel should be ready for release in the summer or fall of 2011.

In September of 2009, he produced an album of original songs that's available on Amazon called, "Original Songs."

Presently, he resides in his hometown of Vincennes, Indiana, living on a small lake with a dog...Mufeoso.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not worth even the nominal price, February 26, 2011

By 

Lisa Dionne - See all my reviews

This review is from: How To Publish Anything On Amazon's Kindle (Paperback)

. . . So I thought, how good does this cheap little book really have to be? If I learn just one small thing, wouldn't that be worth it?

And I must say, in all honesty, that it did not even live up to my low expectations. I don't typically write reviews, but I feel that all the gushy, inaccurate ones about this book need a fair counterpoint.

As it says in the second paragraph of the forward: "The title of this book is misleading. Though I say, 'Publish' in the title, I'm really talking about distribution. Publish just sounds better! Publishing and distribution are two entirely different things. . . ."

Yeah. No kidding. (but at least it preps you for all the deficiencies of forethought and helpfulness that follow)

In the next section Amazon's Kindle and the DTP (one and a half slim pages) more than one third of the total content is devoted to excoriating the person who wrote the other one-star review on this site (to summarize the rant, in Benjamin's words: "What an idiot!")

As he also says here, "Virtually everything you need to know to publish a Kindle e-book can be found on the web for free . . . Having this information gathered in one place is what gives this book its value." Let me say categorically that this book neither summarizes or gathers even a minute fraction of that free information, even as it exists on the Kindle website. (Of all the content in the book, most of his vague random "advice" consists of first person anecdotes of very limited relevance or value, reflecting his own very, very limited experiences in publishing.

The rest of this chapter (like most of the forward) goes on (again) to tell you what the rest of the book is going to do for you (everything). There is virtually no actual information about the Amazon Kindle or DTP.

The next two-plus slim pages of the following chapter (Website) might be generally helpful to you if you have been living in a box for most of your life and have never heard of a)websites or b)Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The next thirteen listless pages (Kindle DTP) are conversational as hell, but lack nutritional value (and are often grossly inaccurate, out-of-date or just plain wrong - very, very wrong). . . You get some vague history of ebook readers (like how much they currently sell for), longwinded step by step process for things like how to create a directory and save a file (???!) and the overarching importance of having a cover.

The next six pages (Working With the DTP) actually describe (in great, mostly obvious detail) how to fill out the entirely straightforward menus to publish a title on Amazon . . . "The first thing you're asked in step#1 is to enter the title of your book. Enter it here. Next you're asked if this book is part of a series. If it is, enter the series title and then the volume number. If it isn't, leave this box blank. . . . You'll be asked the language your book is written in. English will be the choice for most of us. . . ."

At least this chapter actually tells you (in specifics) HOW TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING. If you need to know which language your book is probably written in, then maybe you really do need this little gem.

The next section, "Rights and Pricing" should be read in the original Amazon documents, supplemented by the forums, since his singular experiences only further solidifies just how sloppy and haphazard this guy's thought process and publishing methods are (though more single topic anecdotes based on his very limited experience). To wit:

"This book is an example of how quickly something can be written, published, and 'For Sale' in the Kindle Store. I started writing the original manuscript on a Sunday afternoon . . . I finished it on Thursday afternoon. I spent about an hour designing the cover." [no kidding? that piece of art? but earlier you ramble on (and on . . . ) so convincingly about how CRUCIAL a cover is - it's some of the only actual content in one of your earlier chapters]. " . . .I figured I could improve upon it later and upload the, 'improved' version when I had more time. (sic) . . . I had gone from a blank screen to a finished ebook in less than a week...published, online, and for sale."

And it shows.

The next six pages give a very (very) brief overview of B&N's pubIt platform and mostly steps you through HOW TO FILL OUT THE FORMS on their website.

The remaining portion of the book (one third of the total page count) is devoted to telling you all about his first slapdash novel and his other books.

There is lots of information about publishing an ebook available online and in the forums. There are even a very few good books out there. This is not one of them (neither is Weber's ePublish, BTW - a snappier, snazzier version of this one.) You will have to get your hands a little dirty, suffer through a bit of simple HTML, and surmount the curve. It is not terribly difficult, but you will need some genuine information - and if you've gone so far as to actually write a good book, it's final presentation to the public will deserve much better than this.

As I said, I'm not typically motivated to write reviews like this, but the prior rah-rah commentary is grossly misleading and does not serve to sincerely help a potential reader make a good choice - to say nothing of helping an author get the job done. It also works against the confidence of future buyers of your own books, furthering the idea that self-published works are typically the product of someone's vanity untempered by any but the lowest of standards.

And . . . I can't help but wonder if Benjamin will remain true to form and make a whole meaty chapter's worth of "What-an-Idiot!" hay out of this review in his next edition.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book belongs on every author's shelf!, November 3, 2010

By 

Brad Crouch (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How To Publish Anything On Amazon's Kindle (Paperback)

This book should be on the shelf of every author!

Randy Benjamin has boiled down the process of submitting a book for the Digital Text Platform of Amazon. He uses plain (non technical) language to explain the process in detail. Submitting an e-book to Amazon is really not that big of a deal! Randy explains everything!

I first bought the printed version of Randy's book, as I had no Kindle then. When I got my Kindle, it was for the purpose of previewing my own book before submission. But the first e-book I bought was "How to Publish Anything on Amazon's Kindle" by Randy Benjamin.

Getting a Kindle was Randy's idea, and a good one at that! Being able to preview my own book and make any necessary adjustments, turned out to be a real benefit!

I never believed that I would have a website of my own, but thanks to Randy I now have one! Now there is a place where I can direct potential customers to a place where they can see the front cover, read the description and hopefully purchase my book! Thanks Randy!

I got the website in place before I submitted my book. Hated to wait, but I had already mentioned the website in my book, so I couldn't have readers go to an address I gave them, only to find the website didn't exist. I think it will be worth the wait! The website will be "up" for ten years and is renewable. I have high hopes! Thanks again to Randy!

Randy helped me price my book so that I am eligible to get DOUBLE royalties! The final word is Amazon's, of course, but now at least I have a shot! Before Randy's input, there was no chance!

He has also helped me to get "published" with other e-book companies, that I was previously unaware even existed!

As a result of his writings and personal assistance, I now have my book listed in the Amazon catalog, with its own web page! Thanks again, Randy!

Brad Crouch

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just like following the dots..., August 15, 2008

By 

Randy Benjamin "Netguider" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How To Publish Anything On Amazon's Kindle (Kindle Edition)

This book does exactly what it says it will do. It steps you through the process of formatting your manuscript, getting it on-line and, 'For Sale' with as few hassles as possible. And the information on copyrights, domains, websites, etc., is something every author needs to know about. A lot bang for $2 bucks!