It’s a long ADHD story, sad but true, and instructional.
I publish my books on KDP, a subsidiary of Amazon. Their authors’ page lists all the books and their status. I looked at it several times, but not carefully. It looked complicated and daunting, especially to someone technologically challenged. I let it slide.
After several years, some of the books weren’t selling well. I forced myself to check again. Some of the books had never actually been published. I did manage to fix that.
A few years after Your Life Can Be Better was published, Amazon put little yellow warning signs on it, because it had typos. They sent me an email about eight errors. I didn’t know what to do about this, so I let it slide.
I finally decided to do something about it. I couldn’t find their email, so I let it slide.
Then I found a place to clik that would list the errors, so I didn’t need the email. But I couldn’t find the manuscript file. So I let it slide.
Months later, I realized I could ask for help, not one of my strong points. I called KDP and a very helpful lady emailed me a copy of the manuscript. KDP listed the error location numbers, but the manuscript didn’t have location numbers. But I was able to use search and find and correct the errors anyway.
The little yellow signs went away. Yay!
Then I saw many errors in the manuscript that they hadn’t noted. I used Grammarly and went through the whole script and corrected well over 100 other errors.
Now I need to replace the manuscript. That doesn’t look hard. I’ll try not to let it slide.
Then I need to make it a second edition. This involves, among many other steps, changing the book cover. That seems very complicated. I hope I don’t let it slide.
Strategy: Don’t let things slide. You’ll regret it.
doug
Personal Notes O the Day:
Got hyperfocused on the novel. Now I’m ready to pick up the new ADHD book again. I’ve weeded out the duplicate tips; that was a booger. Now draft twelve will be filling in the holes. Hope that’s easier.
The story above drags out over at least five years. Just so you know.
Thank you, Annette, for your great help on the novel. One or two more drafts and I can publish it. Excited about it.
Laura, did you have some questions?
Questions O the Day:
- Anybody understand how to edit a Kindle book cover easily? I need to change the title and take out ADD/ADHD; it’s just ADHD now.
- I’ve been urged to do audiobooks, but my impression is that it’s too complicated, time consuming, and expensive. Any thoughts?
- Anyone have experiences with letting things slide, or is it just me?
Links:
How do I even start?
Does that explain it?
ADDadultstrategies 
Letting things slide? Sure. I wanted to scan and send my receipts for my tax return to the accountant (I can’t do them myself. My brain is like Teflon when it comes to finances). Thought about it during lockdown.
Thought about it when the accountant’s office (it’s like an office that deals with thousands ofnpeoe like me) sent a letter with tips on what to declare for a tax refund and suggested “why not take the extra time during lockdown?”.
Thought about it every day when the reminder on my cellphone went off and I delayed it every single time.
Yesterday night I started a list of what to gather and scan – the strategy of doing small steps so it all look less daunting. Then I googled what the deadline for the 2019 tax return is and nearly got insomnia: 31st of July 2020. Yikes!
Guess who finished it all in a rush this morning? Yep, me. Why oh why do we only work like this under the immense time pressure of a deadline?
And thank the heavens for my accountant: she replied super quick and she’s on it. I can sleep now. :p
Finances is my technology, I guess.
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ram – thank you for your excellent example. i let finances slide too, dread them. my strategies include small steps, trying to get my wife to do a lot of them, and small amounts of cognac. Interestingly, i’ve learned that large amounts are not that helpful with this.
thank you for contributing
doug
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The joys of publishing! Doing it for a living, and I know the pain 😊
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ken – it’s a booger. wait for the next post
thanks
doug
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Hi Doug, Did you make the cover yourself? If so you just have to redo the text on the original image using image manipulation software like Photoshop. There are also some free ones you can use if you don’t have Photoshop – like Paint.net.
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jo
i used cover create in kdp, i think. i downloaded paint.net but it looks very complicated to change text. “layers”?I’m tech challenged. I called KDP and they were going to make the changes for me. they totally screwed up the cover. fortunately, nothing changes until i clik submit and so far I’m tech savy enough not to do that. currently my adept son in law is working on it for me.
thank you for you suggestions and for commenting
best wishes
doug
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It is definitely a learning curve. When Amazon took over from CreateSpace it took me a long and terrifying time to figure out that there’s no actual help from them. You have to get the dimensions exact and locked in for the paperback cover. Good luck with it! If you don’t win soon I’ll be happy to place the text and size it for you to upload.
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anon – what a great and generous offer. I’ll see what my son in law can do.
thanks
best wishes
doug
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What you have gone through is absurd. I find technology and the lack of real support obnoxious. i suspect you are fairly young compared to me because you are ok with all of this nonsense. i am in my early 70’s-technology today has nearly forced me to stop using my laptop-it is completely absurd . 9 million steps-everything should be able to be handled with one direct phone call). We need new technology-
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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Tina – “i feel your pain.” and i share your viewpoint. technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but it often makes our life more frustrating and harder. it does allow us to do a lot of things that we couldn’t do before, which is mixed blessing, because now we’re busier. for example, i couldn’t do this blog at all without tech, but it eats up time and sometimes is horribly frustrating trying to get it to work the way I want.
by the way, I am a teensy weeny bit older than you, if that makes you feel any better.
thank you for commenting and contributing
best wishes
doug
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