I'm very stressed out right now.
It's all due to a novel I wrote over a decade ago. Thirty Cats.
I published it on iUniverse, and didn't spend enough time on formatting and editing issues. In the paperback novel, there are weird spaces in the middle of sections. I assumed that was my fault. But today I downloaded the same of the e-book version and there are major formatting errors that aren't there in the paperback book. Since I had no part in creating the e-book, I'm assuming iUniverse is to blame. If they're to blame for the e-book problems, might they also be to blame for the paperback problems? Maybe? Maybe not.
I'm very annoyed with the e-book problem. For some of the dialogue, instead of quotation marks, there are weird markings....sort of like this <<talk talk talk talk>>. It looks like html. I'm guessing the problem's related to that.
I sent a complaint to iUniverse, and also asked to cancel my contract with them. I'm fed up with the company, for that...and for other reasons.
Well, one of the other reasons is they won't let you update files of your novel. Why not? Kindle publishing on Amazon allows you to do it. So why can't iUniverse?
Anyway, so here I am soon to publish another novel. I'm confused about what to do with the old novel. I often pretend it doesn't exist, mostly because of these two reviews on Amazon:
Very believable story regarding a young woman with NF1. Loved the story line . . . author has so much potential. Could have used a good editor.
And then there's....
I agree, a good editor would have been nice. I found myself tempted to read it with pen in hand to circle the mistakes. The author touched on many things that I myself have experienced as a girl growing up with NF1. I think it would have been nice to know a little more about the author. I wanted to know if this was loosly based on her life.
But there's positive statements there as well, and I recently learned I got 3 high ratings on Goodreads. Seeing those ratings inspired me to claim the book as it's author on Goodreads. But now I'm regretting it after seeing the major formatting errors.
As soon as I saw that, I took down the little promotional thing, for it, I had created on my other blog. I also looked to see if I could unclaim Thirty Cats on Goodreads. I don't think you can. Besides, it makes me feel guilty, like I'm rejecting one of my children. My much younger self worked very hard on that book, and I did get a lot of positive responses for it (via email). I know it's not complete crap.
My wish is for iUniverse to write back, apologize, allow me to have the original files, and then I can go back and correct my grammar errors and their formatting errors.
Oh! I forgot to mention this shitty thing. I don't have the original file for the novel. I've changed computers several times since the writing of the novel, and didn't transfer at some point. So if I want to re-publish the novel, I have to sit there and retype it, word for word, while holding on to the paperback. UNLESS...I wonder if there's a way to cut and paste from the Kindle. I tried it while trying to quote from someone else's novel, and I couldn't. But maybe there's a way to bypass the problem?
I just looked it up, and there seems to be a way. But I don't understand it.
Well, never mind. I see here, that there is a way, but you can't copy and paste more than 10% of a book. It makes sense. It prevents people from stealing your writing. The problem is I want to steal my OWN writing.
I'm still at a loss about what to do...if iUniverse isn't helpful and/or cooperative.
Should I try to distance myself as much as possible from Thirty Cats?
Should I retype it and republish it?
Should I recognize Thirty Cats is a fairly decent book, and remember a few people have read it, likjed it, and seem to forgive the grammar and formatting errors.
Thirty Cats and I are already connected via Goodreads, and if you google my name, Thirty Cats is one of the first things that comes up. I can't hide from it. I know that. But should I put even more claim to it? I'm creating a new author website. Should I put Thirty Cats there, along with my new novel? If I create an account with Self Publisher's Showcase, should I list Thirty Cats as well?
In a perfect world, this is what would happen. My new book will be free of error and full of wonderfulness. People will buy it and love it. I'll be very successful. Then they'll find Thirty Cats, and they'll be excited to read one of my old novels. They'll be forgiving of the errors, just as people forgive actors for their early roles in cheesy horror movies.
What I fear though is this. I'll claim my new novel on Goodreads. People will see it; then see Thirty Cats. Maybe some people will think Thirty Cats is more their style. They'll buy it, be disgusted by the errors, and then not want to give my new novel a chance.
I feel tempted to put a disclaimer on the novel. Please be aware of formatting errors.
But that looks very unprofessional and immature.
It's kind of like when actors and/or filmmakers diss a past project. It makes me wonder why they didn't notice the problem earlier. How do we know they won't later feel the same way about their current projects?
You know what. Writing about all this this has made me feel somewhat better.
I think I'll just hope for the best when it comes to iUniverse...but expect the worse.
I won't do any more work to promote Thirty Cats, but I'll also refrain from trying to distance myself from it.
I'm not going to type out the whole manuscript again....at least not now. It's too tedious, and my new novel's my priority right now. But perhaps, in the future, I'll retype and republish. Oh! Maybe my new novel will be super successful. I'll be incredibly wealthy, and I'll PAY someone to type Thirty Cats for me. Ha. That's a nice fantasy.
It's all due to a novel I wrote over a decade ago. Thirty Cats.
I published it on iUniverse, and didn't spend enough time on formatting and editing issues. In the paperback novel, there are weird spaces in the middle of sections. I assumed that was my fault. But today I downloaded the same of the e-book version and there are major formatting errors that aren't there in the paperback book. Since I had no part in creating the e-book, I'm assuming iUniverse is to blame. If they're to blame for the e-book problems, might they also be to blame for the paperback problems? Maybe? Maybe not.
I'm very annoyed with the e-book problem. For some of the dialogue, instead of quotation marks, there are weird markings....sort of like this <<talk talk talk talk>>. It looks like html. I'm guessing the problem's related to that.
I sent a complaint to iUniverse, and also asked to cancel my contract with them. I'm fed up with the company, for that...and for other reasons.
Well, one of the other reasons is they won't let you update files of your novel. Why not? Kindle publishing on Amazon allows you to do it. So why can't iUniverse?
Anyway, so here I am soon to publish another novel. I'm confused about what to do with the old novel. I often pretend it doesn't exist, mostly because of these two reviews on Amazon:
Very believable story regarding a young woman with NF1. Loved the story line . . . author has so much potential. Could have used a good editor.
And then there's....
I agree, a good editor would have been nice. I found myself tempted to read it with pen in hand to circle the mistakes. The author touched on many things that I myself have experienced as a girl growing up with NF1. I think it would have been nice to know a little more about the author. I wanted to know if this was loosly based on her life.
But there's positive statements there as well, and I recently learned I got 3 high ratings on Goodreads. Seeing those ratings inspired me to claim the book as it's author on Goodreads. But now I'm regretting it after seeing the major formatting errors.
As soon as I saw that, I took down the little promotional thing, for it, I had created on my other blog. I also looked to see if I could unclaim Thirty Cats on Goodreads. I don't think you can. Besides, it makes me feel guilty, like I'm rejecting one of my children. My much younger self worked very hard on that book, and I did get a lot of positive responses for it (via email). I know it's not complete crap.
My wish is for iUniverse to write back, apologize, allow me to have the original files, and then I can go back and correct my grammar errors and their formatting errors.
Oh! I forgot to mention this shitty thing. I don't have the original file for the novel. I've changed computers several times since the writing of the novel, and didn't transfer at some point. So if I want to re-publish the novel, I have to sit there and retype it, word for word, while holding on to the paperback. UNLESS...I wonder if there's a way to cut and paste from the Kindle. I tried it while trying to quote from someone else's novel, and I couldn't. But maybe there's a way to bypass the problem?
I just looked it up, and there seems to be a way. But I don't understand it.
Well, never mind. I see here, that there is a way, but you can't copy and paste more than 10% of a book. It makes sense. It prevents people from stealing your writing. The problem is I want to steal my OWN writing.
I'm still at a loss about what to do...if iUniverse isn't helpful and/or cooperative.
Should I try to distance myself as much as possible from Thirty Cats?
Should I retype it and republish it?
Should I recognize Thirty Cats is a fairly decent book, and remember a few people have read it, likjed it, and seem to forgive the grammar and formatting errors.
Thirty Cats and I are already connected via Goodreads, and if you google my name, Thirty Cats is one of the first things that comes up. I can't hide from it. I know that. But should I put even more claim to it? I'm creating a new author website. Should I put Thirty Cats there, along with my new novel? If I create an account with Self Publisher's Showcase, should I list Thirty Cats as well?
In a perfect world, this is what would happen. My new book will be free of error and full of wonderfulness. People will buy it and love it. I'll be very successful. Then they'll find Thirty Cats, and they'll be excited to read one of my old novels. They'll be forgiving of the errors, just as people forgive actors for their early roles in cheesy horror movies.
What I fear though is this. I'll claim my new novel on Goodreads. People will see it; then see Thirty Cats. Maybe some people will think Thirty Cats is more their style. They'll buy it, be disgusted by the errors, and then not want to give my new novel a chance.
I feel tempted to put a disclaimer on the novel. Please be aware of formatting errors.
But that looks very unprofessional and immature.
It's kind of like when actors and/or filmmakers diss a past project. It makes me wonder why they didn't notice the problem earlier. How do we know they won't later feel the same way about their current projects?
You know what. Writing about all this this has made me feel somewhat better.
I think I'll just hope for the best when it comes to iUniverse...but expect the worse.
I won't do any more work to promote Thirty Cats, but I'll also refrain from trying to distance myself from it.
I'm not going to type out the whole manuscript again....at least not now. It's too tedious, and my new novel's my priority right now. But perhaps, in the future, I'll retype and republish. Oh! Maybe my new novel will be super successful. I'll be incredibly wealthy, and I'll PAY someone to type Thirty Cats for me. Ha. That's a nice fantasy.
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