Getting it together,

I want to go back a bit, and take another look at the digital formatting. Putting the book into shape before you upload it, and maybe even knocking off the rough edges yourself to create the ePub file can be useful and there are a variety of options. Microsoft Word is the default for many uploads, but how you create that word document doesn't have to involve Microsoft, Open Source software is a useful asset to any writer's toolbox, and not just for the writing.

Open Office is a full office productivity suite, available as a free download able to produce Microsoft compatible documents and with the Write2epub extension the document can then be converted to an ePub.

Sigil and Calibre, offer ePub generation and conversion respectively, Sigil is an epub editor with the option of working with HTML or WYSIWYG depending on how comfortable you feel. Unsure of how to use it, video tutorials by Unruly Guides can be seen on YouTube, step by step instructions on how to work with Sigil, set this alongside Calibre and you have a pair of useful tools. Calibre enables you to manage the formats of ePub and convert it to specific types compatible with ereading devices, both are available as free downloads.

The manuals are available, but work with the manual and the video, put the two together and take time to work out the glitches, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Being an independent is about regaining control over what happens to your work,it does not mean you have to do everything yourself. Not unless you really want to; there are artists out there in social media who are looking for an opportunity to be creative, and among them are some amazingly talented people.

Give yourself a break, them too...you never know where it will lead you!