2024’s Checklist

by benmweilertNo Comments
I love the quote, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This year, I had an ambitious goal to accomplish something every month. I was wrapping up a few years of 10th Anniversary projects and wanted to get a head start on the next few years of projects. Some of these tasks were easier than others and some took a lot more work than I had expected. Ultimately, I'm proud of what I accomplished this year, so here's how my initial January plan stacked up... JANUARY/FEBRUARY: Releasing the complete, definitive edition of The Fluxion Trilogy wasn't too difficult for the hardcover, paperback, and eBook versions. However, all the experience I gained from producing the first three audiobooks came to a head when I realized I needed to re-record a lot of what I had previously done the last few years. This set me back a bit as I had originally only expected that I needed to record the Appendix...
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Almost Free in 2023

by benmweilertNo Comments
Four years ago, I started writing down the projects I planned to accomplish during the year. This accountability was great to keep me on track. There's something about declaring the different goals for the year, especially when you can finish at least a few of them. For 2023, I'm finally reaching the end of some bigger projects I started a few years ago. This means I'm almost free of the obligations I put myself under. With a new infant in the house, it'll be interesting to see how much I can get done this year. Here's what I currently have planned: Stop Screaming I've been getting some good feedback on the recipes from my ice cream cookbook, Stop Screaming. I've made some changes to a few of the recipes and how they're collected in the book, so there are only a few left that need testing prior to going live with it sometime this year. Since this is a somewhat smaller passion...
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What did I do in 2022?

What did I do in 2022?

by benmweilertNo Comments
After a few years of the pandemic, 2022 felt like a return to some norms for me. Conventions were back in full swing, and I could engage with a lot more people in person compared to 2020 and 2021. I was still quite busy getting new stories out—as well as providing new forms to classic ones. I expanded my engagement with local stores this year and now have my books available for purchase at Young Bookworms in Colorado Springs, while still continuing my partnership with Sanctuary Inspired Goods in Old Colorado City. In case you missed any of my announcements this year, here's everything I did... 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW Second to None (10th Anniversary and Audiobook versions) Having completed the 10th Anniversary edition of First Name Basis last year, it was only natural that I continue with the 10th Anniversary edition of Second to None. This expanded version includes character sketches by Robin Childs, the relevant portions of the appendix from the...
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Audiobooks by the Author

by benmweilertNo Comments
Since audiobooks are all the rage for potential readers to encounter your work, I recommend getting an audiobook version into the world as soon as you can—after the paperback or eBook drops, that is. In my three-part series about creating my first audiobook, I discussed how the process isn't too intimidating once you get into it. With minimal equipment and an abundance of time in the evenings, I recorded, produced, and distributed the audiobook for First Name Basis by myself. I did it mostly as a test so that when it came time to narrate my memoir, I could get my most personal story out to the world in my voice. It helped that I had enough experience in these three aspects of making an audiobook due to hobbies I had while in high school and college. You can still hire narrators, producers, and distributors for your audiobook, but these costs add up quickly. During my panel on audiobooks at COSine...
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2022: More of the Same

2022: More of the Same

by benmweilertNo Comments
Accountability has always been key for me. I feel obligated to finish projects when other people know that I'm working on them. 2022 will be the fourth year that I have posted in January about my writing goals for the year. Many of them may appear similar to the ones in 2021, but that's just part of long-term planning and short-term setbacks. Buried Colony Yes, I realize this is the third year in a row I've had this book on my "to complete" list. I have planned out solutions to fix these issues with the critical beta-reader and advanced reader feedback I received last year. Fortunately, I can still keep what I want to accomplish with this book intact. After I fix it up, I'll be sending the manuscript to a sensitivity reader for a final run-through to ensure I'm not unintentionally offending anyone with my character depictions. Buried Colony will be my primary project for this year, so—if all goes as...
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2021 and Done

2021 and Done

by benmweilertNo Comments
No, I'm not quitting. It is wild to think another year has passed as I consider everything I accomplished. There were tough months, and there was the return of conventions (which was a great boost to my self-esteem). I had to pivot on Buried Colony again but have found This is Not a Drill is selling pretty well as my first children's picture book. On top of all this, I taught myself how to successfully get an audiobook into Audible, which was quite an undertaking. Overall, I met most of my goals from January, so let's look back on the... 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW First Name Basis (10th Anniversary and Audiobook versions) It's amazing to think that my first novel came out 10 years ago in May. I enjoyed making the 10th Anniversary edition of First Name Basis, which includes character sketches by Robin Childs and the portions of the Fluxion Trilogy appendix that help explain the references in First Name Basis. In...
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Audible isn’t the only way to distribute an audiobook

by benmweilertNo Comments
Over the last two months, I've covered how to create noise-free audio files and what it takes to produce said audiobook. However, the best voice acting and production values in the world won't mean a thing if nobody has a chance to purchase your audiobook. As with most things on the internet, the de-facto place to get audiobooks is Amazon. More specifically, the Amazon-owned Audible service. Amazon's Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) is the one way for self-published authors to get their books into the ears of Audible listeners. Still, it's not the only way to distribute an audiobook. Having never created an audiobook before, I was worried that my recordings wouldn't meet the quality standards of ACX. I knew First Name Basis was a test to determine if I could successfully self-publish my book via Audible, but what if they didn't accept it? I had put in a lot of work to make sure I had created an audiobook I was...
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What it takes to produce an audiobook

by benmweilertNo Comments
After years of people asking me, "Is that in audiobook format?" I finally broke down and recorded my first novel and published it as an audiobook. Last month, my post about this process mostly revolved around creating the cleanest audio to submit to sites like Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX). This month, I'd like to explain the process of actually recording and producing an audiobook. It's a bit more complicated than you might think. For those who read last month's post, you might be wondering why I used a Christmas tree box to prop up a tablet and hold the microphone. First off, using a tablet with my manuscript on it, I could easily scroll through the pages of my book using my finger on the screen instead of flipping pages on an actual book. Not only did this remove any page-turning noises in my recording, but the seamless manuscript prevented any unnecessary pauses that might occur between pages. Recording an audiobook?...
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How an iPhone, a comforter, and a Christmas tree helped me record my first audiobook

How an iPhone, a comforter, and a Christmas tree helped me record my first audiobook

by benmweilertNo Comments
Ten years ago, I had just released First Name Basis and was excited that my book was in a physical format. I could grab a paperback copy of my book and flip through it just like any other big-name author. However, when I tried selling this book, most people would ask, "Is it in eBook format?" This question confused me because I figured anyone could make an eBook. It takes a bit more effort to produce a physical product like a paperback. After finally caving and creating an eBook for First Name Basis, everything was fine...for a few years. Now, everyone asks if it's in audiobook format. *sigh* Don't get me wrong; I understand the appeal of audiobooks. The majority of the books I read each year are in the audiobook format because I can multitask something menial while also absorbing a book. For self-published authors, the problem with audiobooks is that they are significantly more complex to create than an...
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My Love/Hate Relationship with Amazon

by benmweilertNo Comments
As a self-published author, one of the most frequent questions I get is, “Are your books on Amazon?” While some other questions like, “Is it an audiobook?” or, “Can I buy it at my local Barnes and Noble?” are increasing in frequency, the basic fact of the matter is that Amazon rules the online retail platform. Look, I get that people want to get free shipping on a copy of my book and I can’t offer that via any other sales avenue. I understand there’s an amount of trust that goes into buying books on Amazon. After all, that’s how they got their start: selling books. Unfortunately, because Amazon is the ubiquitous place to buy practically everything, some people won’t bother to head to other retailers or online sites to buy a book by a self-published author. For those independent authors who only want to do print-on-demand (POD) paperbacks and/or Kindle eBooks, this is great! I’ll admit that I can purchase...
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