Writing

Create Space . . . Wow

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Well as I continue my quest to move my Focused Fandom books to print, I’m trying out Create Space.  I just got the draft of “Cosplay, Costuming, and Careers.”  Ahem – WOW.

It’s pretty much as good as any other POD I’ve seen, which is pretty much Lulu.  Paper quality may be slightly higher.  I’ll go through it with a fine-toothed mind later this weekend, but on the surface I’m at least pretty impressed.

It’s not so much easier as it is more powerful.  The cover maker is distinctly less advanced (though theres a 3D visualizer that helps), whereas the internal inspection tool where you can see what the book would look like, which includes formatting warnings, is fantastic.  You are more likely to get a book done right the first time, overall, if you use the tools right.

So if all looks well, time to move a few other books over . . .

How Blogging Helps Your Career #11 – The Rough Draft

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(The roundup for the “How Blogging Helps Your Career Series” is here)

Show me a person who never edits their writing, and I’ll show you a liar, an incompetent, or someone who walks on water recreationally.

It simply doesn’t happen.  We have to try things out and screw them up.  We have to experiment.  We have to get writing out of our head so it’s out and then we can improve it.

Show me a person who writes but never has to just “get something out of their head” and I’ll show you a rarity.  I have to keep a book of ideas just to keep myself from getting preoccupied.

We have to get our ideas out of our head.  We have to see them.  We have to look at them once they’re not rattling around inside our skulls.  Once they’re out we can refine them.

This is where a blog comes in.

Your blog is a rough draft – and a socially acceptable one at that.

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Update on Focused Fandom Print Versions

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OK, a quick update on the Focused Fandom print versions.

I’ve got a friend trying out Create Space and getting great results, and I decided it’s time I try them out.  So I’m taking a few extra weeks to semi-start over and see if Create Space works for me.  The Lulu versions are pretty much done, but I figure it’s time I find out if this works as well as some people say.

So upshot is you’re going to have to wait 2-3 more weeks for the print versions.  Sorry about that.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.fantopro.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.