How to create a 6 x 9 document in Google Docs for self published books

You're a new independent author getting ready to upload your first self published paperback book to CreateSpace or Kindle KDP. Then you see something unexpected. You need to upload a PDF but the recommended size for a novel is 6 x 9, 5.5 x 8.5, 5.25 x 8, 5.06 x 7.81, or 5 x 8. You check out Page Layout in Google Docs. Not only do they not offer these sizes but they don't offer a custom size either. Luckily there is a very easy way to customize sizes using a Google Docs add on. 

See How to Create a 6 x 9 Document for Self-Published Books in Google Docs for instructions on how to do this.

Self published book is too expensive on CreateSpace and Kindle KDP

So you've decided to self publish a novel, a children's book, or a nonfiction book and you want to make it available as a paperback as well as an ebook. But after uploading your file to CreateSpace or Kindle KDP to create a print version, you get a massive shock. You would have to price your book at close to $20 or perhaps more to make a profit with all distribution methods.

Both Create Space and KDP offer only one pricing option. A book published at this price may make you a profit in one area but a loss in another. As an example, a book listed at $12.99 may provide a $2 royalty on US Amazon but zero on Japan's Amazon. The same can be true with CreateSpace. That $12.99 might get you a couple of dollars in royalties from US Amazon but lose $1.50 on Expanded Distribution.

To earn a royalty, you may have to price your book way above similar titles, which won't be good for sales. Self published authors are already at a disadvantage compared to big publishing houses, which mass produce hard covers and paperbacks. Create Space and Amazon KDP offer print on demand or POD. This means that a title only gets printed when it's ordered. That raises production costs.

So how can you go about bringing down the production cost? The cost is based on the number of pages and on whether the book is black and white or color. Reducing your font size is one great way to cut costs. When I first uploaded my book "Io Hunter and the Guardians of Aldernar," it was 524 pages because I had used a 14 pt Times New Roman font. That size made it easier for me to constantly reread and edit my manuscript. But I would have had to price it at an insanely high $18.99. I was able to get the price down to a more realistic price of $9.99 by reducing the font to 11 pt Times New Roman. That brought my page count to 338.

If you're writing a book with lots of pictures, especially color, consider reducing your costs by increasing the size of your book. Novels and works of fiction are generally no more than 6x9. But nonfiction works like recipe books or educational books for children can be larger. Play around with different sizes until you get to a realistic price. You can also play around with reducing image sizes as well.

CreateSpace has a handy tool that will let you approximate your production cost. Choose whether you want black and white or color, the size of your book, and the number of pages. Enter a price at which you would like to sell your book and see how much you would make in royalties.

Amazon editors pick the top 20 best children's books of 2017

These are the top 20 books of the year for readers of all ages according to editors at Amazon.

1. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
   A cursed girl escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination
2. The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater
   An inquisitive fox sets off on a seafaring voyage with a crew of deer and pigeons in this enchanting tale of friendship and adventure.
3. Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties: From the Creator of Captain Underpants (Dog Man #3) by Dav Pilkey
   The newest hero from the creator of Captain Underpants, hasn't always been a paws-itive addition to the police force.
4. The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
   A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity.
5. We're All Wonders by R. J. Palacio
   Taps into every child’s longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are.
6. Malala's Magic Pencil by Kerascoët, Malala Yousafzai
   As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for.
7. Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
   Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri’s mom avoids these questions―the topic of India is permanently closed.
8. Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli, Mariachiara Di Giorgio
   Mr. Crocodile loves his job. Every morning he gets up with an alarm. He brushes his teeth. He chooses the right tie to match his outfit, eats a quick slice of toast, and heads off to work on a crowded train. But what exactly is his job?
9. See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
   A space-obsessed boy and his dog, Carl Sagan, take a journey toward family, love, hope, and awe in this funny and moving novel for fans of Counting by 7s, Walk Two Moons, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
10. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 3 The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan
    Magnus faces his most dangerous trial yet. His cousin, Annabeth, recruits her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, to give Magnus some pointers, but will his training be enough?
11. Refugee by Alan Gratz
    Three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers -- from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow.
12. Mighty, Mighty Construction Site by Tom Lichtenheld, Sherri Duskey Rinker
    All of our favorite trucks are back on the construction site—this time with a focus on team-building, friendship, and working together to make a big task seem small!
13. The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange
    Henry discovers that Hope House is full of strange secrets: a forgotten attic, ghostly figures, mysterious firelight that flickers in the trees beyond the garden.
14. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
    Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"―people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches.
15. Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
    Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash.
16. The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain, Philip C. Stead
    A never-before-published, previously unfinished Mark Twain children’s story is brought to life by Philip and Erin Stead, creators of the Caldecott Medal-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee.
17. Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Peter Brown, Aaron Reynolds
    Jasper Rabbit is NOT a little bunny anymore. He’s not afraid of the dark, and he’s definitely not afraid of something as silly as underwear. But when the lights go out, suddenly his new big rabbit underwear glows in the dark.
18. Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, Shawn Harris
    If you had to name a statue, any statue, odds are good you'd mention the Statue of Liberty. Have you seen her?
19. Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
    Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift in a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow’s only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar.
20. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
    When Ada’s clubfoot is surgically fixed at last, she knows for certain that she’s not what her mother said she was—damaged, deranged, crippled mentally as well as physically. She’s not a daughter anymore, either. Who is she now?

How time travel functions in fictional works like Harry Potter and Back to the Future

This is a great video that explains how time travel works in various popular movies, books, and television shows. The video focuses on how it "causally affects the perspective of characters’ timelines." Some of the featured fictional works are Ender's Game, Planet of the Apes, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Primer, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Back to the Future, Groundhog Day, Looper, and the video game “Braid”, and Lifeline.