Publishing on the Kindle

matts128 · 05-09-2009, 12:23 PM

Does anyone here have any experience in formatting comics for publication on the Kindle? I really have no experience in this area and I would like to get my series, The Venger: Dead Man Rising available on that platform. Any help on this would be extremely appreciated!!

Brother Zag · 05-09-2009, 12:30 PM

I formatted my B&W "Holy Shit: Or... Pat Robertson is the Anti-Christ" for the Kindle. Just go to Amazon.com, look on the left it says "Publish on Kindle". Clicking there takes you to the DTP digital text platform. Set up your company and then follow the step by step to upload your comic.

I formatted using Microsoft Word with each comic page inserted as a page in the document. When you upload your doc, they convert it to an HTML file cluster. Check the converted file on their sample viewer. You'll probably need to download and tweak the main file, I know I did. All it takes is basic html knowledge. then you re-upload it and check it again on their sample viewer.

Here's my book on Kindle: Holy Shit

matts128 · 05-09-2009, 03:04 PM

I tried to do mine as a pdf file and it was a big mess. So you think saving as a Word doc and doing it page by page is the best way?

James Taylor · 05-09-2009, 03:24 PM

The other way to do it is as a html file and insert the pages one after the other. PNG and GIF files work best with a 16 color/bw range. The Kindle sees very limited shades of gray. Then zip up the html file and all the artwork that goes with it and upload.

I wish the PDF worked would make things a lot quicker since I have all the books prepped for downloads already.

I started putting miy titles up yesterday and will the rest of this weekend.

matts128 · 05-09-2009, 06:38 PM

I guess I am just lost. I can't seem to figure this out. Anyone care to volunteer?

matts128 · 05-09-2009, 10:26 PM

Well in case anyone was wondering I was able to gt it formatted correctly using the method Brother Zag suggested. Thanks!

Brother Zag · 05-10-2009, 05:33 AM

Cool! I'm glad that worked for you. It's not perfect & a little primitive, but it works

matts128 · 05-10-2009, 11:00 PM

Brother Zag...

How did you get those editorial reviews to appear on your listing page?

Brother Zag · 05-11-2009, 09:38 AM

I added them myself, Matt. They're part of the project description. That's entered in the first step of the three w/Amazon. I just quoted the reviews I'd gotten and made them part of the description.

TheDeeMan · 05-12-2009, 01:21 PM

Do you guys honestly think kindle is gonna be big for comics? Doubtful. Ask yourself these questions, who's kindle for? Book readers not comic folks. Who's got one? Do you know anyone with a kindle and now they're on kindle 2. How long before kindle 3? And when you can already read books online on the computer you already have without having to spend several hundred additional dollars for a kindle, what's the point of buying a kindle if not just to line Amazon dudes already full pockets?

Calling kindle a fad is generous. Folks would actual have to participate in the fad and use kindle in order for it to be an actual fad.

Dee

.............................................
G.A.A.K: Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures. It's like The Goonies meets the Invaders from mars.
www.webcomicsnation.com/moniquem/gaak/series.php

James Taylor · 05-12-2009, 01:35 PM

There are comic book people who have kindle's, I know a few. There's a ton of comic readers who're also gadget geeks - I live in a town where the Microsoft offices are full of comic and gadget geeks.

Fad, so what. Guess what people do make money off of fads... or am I mistaken on the pet rock. And numerous other pieces of crap and teen popstars.

When making and publishing comics, every avenue needs to be explored. This kind avenue takes very little time to setup, I can setup a comic for kindle in less than 20 minutes. If I only make $10 per comic in a year off it, damn for 20 minutes of work that ain't bad - hell who really knows how much it can or can not make.

Kindle readers want options why not give it to them.

Online comics is only one avenue to sell/provide your comics but there's literally 100's of other options many of which haven't been explored yet by comic publishers.

matts128 · 05-12-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDeeMan

Do you guys honestly think kindle is gonna be big for comics? Doubtful. Ask yourself these questions, who's kindle for? Book readers not comic folks. Who's got one? Do you know anyone with a kindle and now they're on kindle 2. How long before kindle 3? And when you can already read books online on the computer you already have without having to spend several hundred additional dollars for a kindle, what's the point of buying a kindle if not just to line Amazon dudes already full pockets?

Calling kindle a fad is generous. Folks would actual have to participate in the fad and use kindle in order for it to be an actual fad.

Dee

.............................................
G.A.A.K: Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures. It's like The Goonies meets the Invaders from mars.
www.webcomicsnation.com/moniquem/gaak/series.php

Wow, didn't realize what I was doing was bothering you so much. To me- just like James said- it is all about expanding the potential reader base. I know a few people who have them and they have downloaded other comics/graphic novels so there is a market. Do you also have a problem with people buying comics on their iPhones and iPods? Most of those books are available digitally too.

Once I knew how the formatting worked it took me 15 minutes to get my book on there. If I sell 1 or 100 it is still more than I had without.

robbdaman · 05-12-2009, 05:38 PM

I think the Kindle just like the iPhone, iPod touch, Google android, etc are all just early generation wastes of time. Maybe in a few years when there is a more universal, cheaper and more efficient way they will be used for books, magazines, comics, etc. Right now though it's just not going to happen and I doubt it'll be the norm in the next five years even.

matts128 · 05-12-2009, 06:43 PM

Brother Zag...

Is there any way to check and see stats for page views? That would be nice to know...

matts128 · 05-12-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbdaman

I think the Kindle just like the iPhone, iPod touch, Google android, etc are all just early generation wastes of time. Maybe in a few years when there is a more universal, cheaper and more efficient way they will be used for books, magazines, comics, etc. Right now though it's just not going to happen and I doubt it'll be the norm in the next five years even.

I'm not sure you can call all these a waste of time being there are millions and millions of these in use right now, mostly the Apple products. Also those owners are downloading and buying comics. Check on itunes for the stats- we are talking like thousands of downloads for individual issues of titles like Star Trek or Atomic Robo. Will they be the 'final platform' for digital comics viewing? Not sure. We still don't even have an itunes style delivery system yet. So this is still a growing aspect of our comic industry.

I just don't understand how you would find that a waste of time. I don't think comic creators or publishers can just afford to blow off large markets of possible consumers like that.

05-09-2009, 12:23 PM	#1
matts128 Matt Spatola, writer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 257	Publishing on the Kindle Does anyone here have any experience in formatting comics for publication on the Kindle? I really have no experience in this area and I would like to get my series, The Venger: Dead Man Rising available on that platform. Any help on this would be extremely appreciated!!

05-09-2009, 03:24 PM	#4
James Taylor Hero Wannabe Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 227	The other way to do it is as a html file and insert the pages one after the other. PNG and GIF files work best with a 16 color/bw range. The Kindle sees very limited shades of gray. Then zip up the html file and all the artwork that goes with it and upload. I wish the PDF worked would make things a lot quicker since I have all the books prepped for downloads already. I started putting miy titles up yesterday and will the rest of this weekend. __________________ James Taylor Inking & Design Portfolio - Professional Inker & Artist Rorschach Entertainment - My Little Publishing Company Jet City Comic Show

05-12-2009, 01:35 PM	#11
James Taylor Hero Wannabe Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 227	There are comic book people who have kindle's, I know a few. There's a ton of comic readers who're also gadget geeks - I live in a town where the Microsoft offices are full of comic and gadget geeks. Fad, so what. Guess what people do make money off of fads... or am I mistaken on the pet rock. And numerous other pieces of crap and teen popstars. When making and publishing comics, every avenue needs to be explored. This kind avenue takes very little time to setup, I can setup a comic for kindle in less than 20 minutes. If I only make $10 per comic in a year off it, damn for 20 minutes of work that ain't bad - hell who really knows how much it can or can not make. Kindle readers want options why not give it to them. Online comics is only one avenue to sell/provide your comics but there's literally 100's of other options many of which haven't been explored yet by comic publishers. __________________ James Taylor Inking & Design Portfolio - Professional Inker & Artist Rorschach Entertainment - My Little Publishing Company Jet City Comic Show

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05-09-2009, 12:30 PM	#2
Brother Zag Writer/Artist/Radio Guy Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Burlington, Vermont Posts: 72	I formatted my B&W "Holy Shit: Or... Pat Robertson is the Anti-Christ" for the Kindle. Just go to Amazon.com, look on the left it says "Publish on Kindle". Clicking there takes you to the DTP digital text platform. Set up your company and then follow the step by step to upload your comic. I formatted using Microsoft Word with each comic page inserted as a page in the document. When you upload your doc, they convert it to an HTML file cluster. Check the converted file on their sample viewer. You'll probably need to download and tweak the main file, I know I did. All it takes is basic html knowledge. then you re-upload it and check it again on their sample viewer. Here's my book on Kindle: Holy Shit

05-09-2009, 03:04 PM	#3
matts128 Matt Spatola, writer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 257	I tried to do mine as a pdf file and it was a big mess. So you think saving as a Word doc and doing it page by page is the best way?

05-09-2009, 06:38 PM	#5
matts128 Matt Spatola, writer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 257	I guess I am just lost. I can't seem to figure this out. Anyone care to volunteer?

05-09-2009, 10:26 PM	#6
matts128 Matt Spatola, writer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 257	Well in case anyone was wondering I was able to gt it formatted correctly using the method Brother Zag suggested. Thanks!

05-10-2009, 05:33 AM	#7
Brother Zag Writer/Artist/Radio Guy Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Burlington, Vermont Posts: 72	Cool! I'm glad that worked for you. It's not perfect & a little primitive, but it works

05-10-2009, 11:00 PM	#8
matts128 Matt Spatola, writer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 257	Brother Zag... How did you get those editorial reviews to appear on your listing page?

05-11-2009, 09:38 AM	#9
Brother Zag Writer/Artist/Radio Guy Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Burlington, Vermont Posts: 72	I added them myself, Matt. They're part of the project description. That's entered in the first step of the three w/Amazon. I just quoted the reviews I'd gotten and made them part of the description.

05-12-2009, 01:21 PM	#10
TheDeeMan Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 859	Do you guys honestly think kindle is gonna be big for comics? Doubtful. Ask yourself these questions, who's kindle for? Book readers not comic folks. Who's got one? Do you know anyone with a kindle and now they're on kindle 2. How long before kindle 3? And when you can already read books online on the computer you already have without having to spend several hundred additional dollars for a kindle, what's the point of buying a kindle if not just to line Amazon dudes already full pockets? Calling kindle a fad is generous. Folks would actual have to participate in the fad and use kindle in order for it to be an actual fad. Dee ............................................. G.A.A.K: Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures. It's like The Goonies meets the Invaders from mars. www.webcomicsnation.com/moniquem/gaak/series.php

05-12-2009, 05:38 PM	#13
robbdaman Tilting at Windmills Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Luis Obispo, CA Posts: 444	I think the Kindle just like the iPhone, iPod touch, Google android, etc are all just early generation wastes of time. Maybe in a few years when there is a more universal, cheaper and more efficient way they will be used for books, magazines, comics, etc. Right now though it's just not going to happen and I doubt it'll be the norm in the next five years even.

05-12-2009, 06:43 PM	#14
matts128 Matt Spatola, writer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mount Joy, PA Posts: 257	Brother Zag... Is there any way to check and see stats for page views? That would be nice to know...