The Physical Details

I had never printed a book before, but I wanted to hold my manuscript in my hands. You can find all the reasons for this in my previous post, so I won't delve into them here.

Like many successful millennials, I turned to Google to figure out how to make this happen. I came across numerous options, but ultimately, I chose Barnes & Noble Press.

It was the first platform I signed up for, and I found the process straightforward and relatively easy for what I wanted to do.

Now, when it comes to publishing, I plan to do a lot more research. However, the initial standout options seem to be Amazon and IngramSpark. But for my current needs, Barnes & Noble is perfect.

Formating:

This turned out to be much easier than I had anticipated. I simply downloaded my manuscript from Google Docs into Word. Then, after selecting the book size I wanted, Barnes & Noble Press guided me on how to format the size and margins. Easy enough.

Cover:

Creating the cover proved to be a bit more challenging. I'm not a graphic designer, nor do I play one on TV. Back to Google.

I quickly discovered a great, free program called Canva. I created an account, selected a theme I liked, and began playing around with it. Surprisingly, it's an easy platform to learn, and I highly recommend it if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

After about 20 minutes of tinkering with Canva, I had a cover ready to upload to Barnes & Noble.

The next thing I knew, it was ordered, and a few days later, it arrived on my doorstep.

My first iteration of my book cover. I'm sure this will change.

My first pass at a cover. This will change.

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Book Cover Ideas

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Virtual vs. Tangible