Converting a Word Docx to an ePub for KDP

IS THIS CONVERSION NECESSARY?

If you only sell on Amazon and don't give your books away, you may not need to convert your docx at all. You can successfully upload a Word docx document and the converter behind the scenes at Amazon KDP will convert it usually without a problem.

HOWEVER, I would caution you that you should do all of your styling using the style gallery. I have a few videos on my YouTube Channel that will show you how to format and how important using the style gallery is.

That being said, if you use the style gallery, don't give your books away and only sell on Amazon, you are good to go with only a Word document.

EBOOK GIVEAWAYS - THAT'S ANOTHER STORY:

If you, however, are self-publishing and are planning to do your own marketing, giving away your book, especially when you are just breaking in as an author is crucial. Once you decide to give away your books, you will need a PDF document and an ePub document.

As I'm sure you already know, you can create a PDF inside Word, so that's not a problem. However, you will need a conversion program to create the ePub. I use the program called Convertio.co. This is a paid plan, and it comes to $9.00 a month at the time of this blog. If you only have one book, you can sign up for one month and then stop the service -- but check to make sure that's an option before you do that.

Otherwise, you can take a trip over to Fiverr.com and search convert DOCX to ePub and see who comes up. One word of caution: I tried this and Fiverr is now defaulting to a slightly higher price on almost all services, so look for the drop down that lets you put in your budget. I was able to find someone who was willing to do it for $10.00.

However, if Convertio.co allows you to quit after one month, you may be able to use it a few times. I offer this suggestion because I remember when I was brand new, I had to do things multiple times -- I'm not even sure why. So be aware that you may want to do more than one per month.

Another example is that I am presently preparing an ARC copy of the document and will need to add several pages for the final manuscript when it's back from the Final Edit. So, I will need two conversions at least on this one book. So be aware of this type of thing.

TO SIGIL OR NOT TO SIGIL:

Sigil is a program for making or polishing up ePubs after conversion. I always had to get rid of a lot of crazy codes in the ePub so that's why I used Sigil throughout the years.

However, what I noticed with this last time I used it, and this is because I have disciplined myself to use only the Style Gallery in Word and not use individual changes, I had very little clean up in Sigil. I could have even skipped the Sigil step all together.

If you are intimidated by computer code -- and it can be a little tricky -- then you may want to clean up your formatting in Word by using only the Style Gallery.

I have a video below where I go into a little detail as to why you have to be so careful with sigil and computer code. I wish I had known about the importance of the style gallery when I first started, but at least I know now and I'm passing on the knowledge to you!

WHERE TO GET THE TOOLS:

Here is a link to go to Convertio.co This is a service you use online. There is no download or anything. You simply upload the Docx file and then download the epub.

Here is a link to go to Sigil to download it. This is an actual free program that will download and put an icon on your desktop. When you want to open it, you will double-click the icon and it will open a blank document. Then you will click on File > Open and bring in your converted epub.

IT HELPS TO SEE IT IN REAL LIFE:

Below is a short video I made going through the process starting from pulling the document into Convertio and then taking it through the rest of the process to checking it on KDP. I hope this helps you if you are struggling in any way or if you are new and just need information.

https://youtu.be/QVi1XSiQSRs

Advanced Reader Campaign – The Recipe

THE RECIPE FOR AN ARC CAMPAIGN?

Yes, the recipe. I just finished planning a Private Advanced Reader Campaign and although it's not hard, it does require several steps and knowing what order you need to do each step is important. If you do them in the proper order, it will be an easy process.

I've made this list for myself and decided to share it on this blog because knowing the order can remove a lot of the stress and having to go back and forth between the book, the forms, the website, etc.

INGREDIENTS - AN OVERVIEW:

You will need an eBook and a book cover.

For any Advanced Reader Campaign, I would suggest you add a disclaimer that it is an advanced copy, a watermark, and a link to fill out a questionnaire about what the reader thought about the book.

You will need to produce the eBook in a pdf and ePub format, which will require you to convert it from a Word file to an ePub. The ePub may need to be cleaned up a bit in a free program called Sigil. Then you will need to test the ePub with the KDP viewer. This step may or may not be necessary.

You will need to create the questionnaire for the readers to fill out. Now, if you don't have a website where you can create a form, you can use a google forms or you can ask the readers to send an email with feedback about the book to your email. I have found the forms get more interaction.

Also if you don't have a website, you will have to upload the ePub and PDF onto Google Drive and record the share link in order to include them in an email to send to your ARC readers.

I also need a form for readers to sign up to become an ARC reader, with an auto-responder that will send them the book.

And lastly, you will need graphics to post on your website or social media.

Now that I have given you an overview of everything that is needed in the whole campaign, I'll post below the order you need to create them in.

THE ARC CAMPAIGN RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

Finish your eBook and have it edited. When the editor has your manuscript, you at least two weeks to prepare the ARC campaign, which is enough time.
Create the eBook cover. If you don't have your final cover, you can create a temporary cover for the ARC campaign, if necessary.
Create a questionnaire form for your readers to fill out when they are done. I find asking about 10 or 15 short questions, most with yes or no answers that it makes it easy for the readers to give me the specific feedback I'm looking for. This should be done right after the cover because you will need to put the link to this questionnaire into the back of the book so the readers can click on it.
Create a sign-up form to become an ARC Reader. I use a form from my WordPress website using a plugin called Contact Form 7. This allows me to get the names and emails of the ARC readers. I keep a running list on my work diary so that I can then send them an email when the book is published asking for a review.
Create a page on your website, or whatever social media platform you use, that has a graphic of the final book cover, with a short summary of what the book is about. Add the form to sign up to this page. I also put a notice that I am looking for ARC readers on the homepage of my website.
Make social media graphics (1000 px x 1000 px for most platforms and a 1000 px x 1500 px for Pinterest) so you have them when you launch the book. If you have the time, skills or budget, create several graphics: ARC Campaign Sign Up, Coming Soon, New Release by AUTHOR NAME, Release Date, and a seasonal graphic based on what season you are releasing in.
The above steps can be done with the manuscript in the editor's hands.
Once the editor returns the book, make the corrections and add a request to fill out the questionnaire and add the link to your form.
Add a watermark that this is an early release. This allows you to change the book or tweak the book based on feedback.
Once the manuscript is finalized, save is as a docx and PDF.
Then convert the book from a docx file to an ePub using a conversion tool. I use Convertio.co which is $9.00 a month. Check their website and see if you can cancel at any time and you can create your ePub once or twice (after your feedback if you change anything) and then cancel the membershipAnother strategy for conversion is to go to Fiverr.com and search convert docx to epub and make sure you select a budget because they default to showing you people who charge $25.00 to start. I found someone that would have done it for $10.00.
Once you have the epub file, upload it to KDP -- as a draft -- and check it using their previewer. Check every single page! If there are no errors and everything looks good, you will then be good to go.
If you have some formatting issues, you may want to watch my video on using the style gallery for best ePub results (which I'm planning to do at this time).
Once you have a PDF and ePub, you are ready to launch the ARC campaign. You can use whatever service you use for your newsletter to create an auto-reponder form or you can answer each sign up by sending them an email with both documents attached, the epub and the PDF.
The campaign is now set to go. Post it to your newsletter, social media and on your website!

Why Have a Private ARC Campaign

WHY HAVE A PRIVATE ARC CAMPAIGN?

private-gathering The one main reason I have right now is that I want to avoid offering this to the general public because I am not sure if the book, even though it is edited, is in its final form.

I normally will offer the ARC copy knowing that people want free copies, but this book I’m unsure about. I want to at least start with my newsletter readers who I can ask to help me with feedback and fill out a questionnaire about the book.

I’m not sure I will go with this exact ending. So this is not set for pre-order and although it has been edited, I may change the book based on feedback and then it will need to be re-edited. So I don’t want a lot of copies of this book floating around.

By limiting the number, I can make sure I send a free copy to the ones who read it for me and I can tell them where and why I changed the text.

THE STEPS I WILL BE PASSING THROUGH:

checkline and outline In order to offer a limited ARC copy, I will use my newsletter list, which is really my reader list, and my website. I will limit the invitations to these two places.

Here is a list of the steps I will need to go through. I will be making short videos and/or blog posts to share what I did in each of these phases. Nothing is hard, but it all takes time.

Finalize the ARC copy of the manuscript in Word docx file. Add a watermark indicating this is an ARC copy. Make sure this copy has a link to the ARC Questionnaire where readers can share their feedback with you.
Convert the docx file into an ePub. I use convertio.co, which is a paid site. It costs $9.00 a month. I used it more than the old plan used to give you as a free trial. However, I believe it is all paid now. So you can go to Fiverr and search convert docx to epub and choose the budget of $5 or $10 — because it now defaults to people who charge $25.Once the document is converted, download it onto your hard drive.
I usually bring these epubs into Sigil, a program to create and/or edit ePubs in order to make some global changes and/or clean up the extra codes it may bring inside. I will have a video on this one.Create a PDF from your docx file. Once you have the epub and PDF, you are ready to upload to KDP and test it. I will cover this in one of the videos.Upload the PDF and the ePub up to google drive and copy the links; you will need them later.
The next steps are done with my website. They have to do with pages and forms. So if you don’t have a website, then you can use google forms or whatever system you presently use to get signups. I use Mailerlite and could have set this up through them, but I want to receive the emails and names myself so I can keep a list of who the ARC readers are so I can ask them for a review when the book is ultimately published.

I need a page with graphics introducing the book.
I need a graphic and link for the front page of my website.
I need a Contact Form 7 with an auto-reponder where I put the two links from Google Drive to download either the PDF or the ePub. I need to check the form to make sure it works.
I need to create a form for my feedback questions and post it on a separate page on the website.
Then I need to create a list to keep track of who my ARC readers are and their emails.

So that is the process I am now going through. In the next blog posts and videos, I will be addressing these very creations and/or changes.

Book Branding – Inside & Out

LEARN HOW TO COBBLE TOGETHER YOUR OWN STYLE TO BRAND YOUR BOOKS.

Below are two videos about branding the inside of your books, as well as creating an ebook template that contains this styling -- which is part 1.

The second video talks about how to research and cobble together your own custom branding for your book covers. Whether your write stand-alone books or book series, your books will look more professional with consistent branding.

Even if you self-publish, you will be working towards your own recognition as a professional and serious author. I hope you enjoy the videos. If you have any questions or other tips, be sure to post them under the videos. I do read the comments.

KDP Formatting | Book Branding – Branding a Series

HOW TO BRAND YOUR BOOKS:

LET'S START WITH BRANDING BOOK COVERS:

Whether your book or books are stand-alone books or a series, it is important to take a little time and decide on how you want to brand your books. After a while, your readers will get used to your brand where they will be able to spot a new book with just one glance.

Branding your books also makes the books appear more professional. This process that I will cover in this blog post is easier than you think. It takes about an hour or so of research.

There is a video below where I go into a bit more detail about how to surf around Amazon.com and pick and choose elements to add to your own signature brand.

Below is one example of how Author Lori Roberts Herbst brands her books with the same dog and cat, similar colors, on the front of the book.

Below is an example of how the fonts alone and a "sweet couple" on the cover can create a signature look. This would be an easy one for anyone who is self-publishing and on a tight budget.

And here is one last example for the blog post. Author BJ Bourg uses not only the same author and title font, but also each book begins with "But not . . ." Great example of marrying a series together.

ADDITIONAL BRANDING IDEAS:

Shared background picture
Shared background color
Shared tonal color
Fonts & Title Placing on Covers
Motifs and/or graphic designs
Glow behind cover figures

In the video below, I go over several examples showing you the different ways that authors brand their books. You can pick and choose which elements you like and come up with your own unique look.

Go to Amazon.com, look up your genre, and then begin searching around. In no time, you will come up with a way to create a signature look you really love.

IF YOU SELF PUBLISH YOU CAN REDESINE A COVER AT ANY TIME

If you have published a book or two -- or maybe three, and you're just learning about branding, you may choose to do a cover redesign. Just be sure you have a little extra time on your hands because you will need to change up the books on all the websites including Amazon, Bookfunnel, etc.

You may also need to redo or create anew marketing pictures. But a cover redesign is a good way to create a new buzz about a book that's losing attention. A new cover can suddenly get you some 'new kid on the block attention'.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT BRANDING THE INSIDE OF THE BOOK:

CHOSING FONTS:

Different fonts connote different moods. Look up romantic comedy books and notice that the fonts used are very whimsical or comical in some way. They go with the theme of the book. Vampire books have several fonts that are used over and over again as they have a very 'wicked or scary' look to them.

One hour of research online and you will find the best choice for a cover font. Remember, you want to fit into your category and genre but make the font your own.

STYLIZING YOUR EBOOK MANUSCRIPT:

eBooks all need to be formatted for what Amazon is calling "easy flow". The reason for this is because eBooks are read on eReaders, Amazon eReaders, Tablets and even online. The Kindle app allows readers to change the fonts, choose a theme, change the size of the font, and even change the background of the page color.

So when you upload a book onto KDP, especially as a Word document, it is uploading one paragraph and one headline at a time. Then when it delivers the books, it is like pouring the book onto an eReader like a glass of iced tea. Most of the font choices will be ignored in this upload. EVEN IF YOU EMBED THE FONTS!

DROP CAPS VS. FOUR WORDS CAPITALIZED:

Because of the easy flow, I've tested the drop caps several times using my phone and tablet and it didn't get it right from every size. So I would caution anyone, especially newbies, from attempting to use even Drop Caps on the first paragraph. If you have having the book professionally formatted, that's fine. But if you are doing it yourself, an easier way to give the first paragraph a bit of personality is to capitalize the first three or four words. It gives the same stylish flair to the first paragraph without the worry of what the easy flow will do to it.

UPLOAD AS AN EPUB FOR MORE CONTROL IN EBOOKS:

However, if you really want to have control over the chapter title font and use a fancy normal font, number one, you need to have the license for it. If you choose a Microsoft font, you won't need any licensing. But any other font that you get off the internet, you will need a license. A good place to look where they have fonts you can use anywhere is dafont.com.

Secondly, you will need to convert the word document into an ePub so that the different fonts are added to the style sheet. There is a program called Sigil that helps with this conversion. If this sounds like Greek to you, it's because it has to do with computer coding. I also have a video on my channel about using Sigil to create chapter headers.

I uploaded the sample above using Word and all the different fonts. None of them worked even though I had embedded the fonts in the options section. The Ebook converted them all into a default font. However, when I converted the same manuscript sample into an ePub then the book did show the different fonts.

FORMATTING PAPERBACKS & HARDCOVERS:

Now, you will upload pdf files for the paperback and hardcover manuscripts, so you can use whatever font you want. You will need to embed the fonts in the document (which is done from the options section) but however your book looks in the pdf, it should be okay.

The only part that gives anyone trouble is in the odd page vs. even pages. If you don't get that right, even the PDF will throw in empty pages. So be sure to see my formatting video on that.

A FEW LAST TIPS ON BRANDING:

First line - Initial caps vs. drop caps (See above)
Indents & line spacings - be consistent - give the reader some breathing room.
Chapter headings and subheadings - If you want anything fancy, you will need to convert to an ePub.
Scene endings - Be consistent, always use the same markings.
~ Meanwhile ~ Chapter indicators - Be consistent
Chapter title spacings - Be consistent
Offer 10% of next book in the current book.
Include a link to join your newsletter
Include a link to leave a review

CONCLUSION:

It's really that easy to brand your books. It just requires a little bit of forethought and an hour or two of research. Below is a video where I cover the research a little more in depth.

BRANDING COVERS:

https://youtu.be/4tyRNjT5F7o

BRANDING THE MANUSCRIPT:

Book Formatting – 6″ x 9″ Manuscripts

In the video below, I did an instructional about how to start out with a blank Microsoft Word document and build an eBook template and then after saving that template, to make a few changes and turn it into a template for the Paperback and Hardcover books.

What makes this possible is choosing the 6" x 9" print size for the paperback and hardcover. At the present time, KDP only allows you to print a hardcover in the 6" x 9" size. So if you choose to create your paperback in the same size, then you can use this same template to make all three books.

EASY FLOW EBOOKS:

What makes it possible to use a 6" x 9" ebook template for the eBook is the easy flow settings that are needed so that eBooks can fit on any size eReader, tablet, or phone.

When you upload an eBook, you are really uploading a series of Chapter Headers and paragraphs. It is converted behind the scenes into the computerized language of ePub, and then delivered like a pitcher pouring a glass of tea. It is delivered one paragraph at a time. Then the reader can adjust the text size and color, the background color and even the font style. So as long as your paragraphs and headings are set up correctly, you won't have any trouble.

PAPERBACKS & HARDBACKS:

If you choose the same size, the manuscripts are the same. The cover dimensions will be off and you will need a different sized book cover for each, but the manuscript will work for both.

SHOULD YOU MAKE THEM ALL THE SAME?

thinking women with question mark on white background

The paperback size should be guided by the genre you publish in. If the books are around about the 6" x 9" size, then you're good to go, but if they are smaller, like 5.06 x 7.81 -- which is the size I use -- then you will have to make thee different templates.

But once you watch this video below, you will be a pro at making templates for whatever size you need.

HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE PAPERBACK & HARDCOVER MARGINS:

Below are the settings for the Paperback & Hardcover.

CHANGES FOR THE eBOOK:

Gutter: change from 0.13" to 0
Change mirror margins to normal margina
Change Section Start to "New Page" (or next page)
Change headers and footers from 0.35" to 0.5"

REMINDERS FOR ALL MANUSCRIPTS:

Be sure to remember to embed fonts into your documents. Go to File > Options > Save > Scroll down until you see this section about Embedding the fonts. Only check the first box. This information is from KDP.

What Eleven Extra Pages Are Needed in a Published book?

This book is for beginners who are publishing their first or second novel and they are still a little skittish about what else goes into a book. I’ll lay it out so you can easily follow the list and be confident that you’re not forgetting anything. These page suggestions are taken from the publishing industry. These are the pages that appear in a book published by a publishing house.

Often the pages before a book starts are referred to as “front matter”. Pages 1 to 6 would be considered Front Matter. The rest of the pages after the book is inserted are considered Back Matters.

PAGE 1: A Title page with only the name of the Book. The font is usually big enough for the title to stand alone. It is usually centered on the page horizontally and vertically.

Page 2: Either a blank page or a Books by Page. If you have other books that are published, you can list them on this page. The title should be something like “Other Books by AUTHOR NAME”.

Page 3: A second Title Page, but this one will have the name of the book, and below it the name of the author. Again, this is in larger font and it is centered vertically and horizontally on the page.

Page 4: Copyright page. I am not a lawyer so I can’t give you any information that is legally correct. However, I can tell you that I cobbled together different verbiage that I found in other author books. I made it long enough to cover my bases, but not too long. Below is the verbiage that I used.

COPYRIGHT:
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2024 by AUTHOR NAME
Forward copyright © 2024 by AUTHOR NAME
Preview of this book copyright © 2024 by AUTHOR NAME
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use the material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at AUTHOR’S EMAIL.
Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Then you can put the name of your publishing company, if you have one, otherwise, leave the rest of the page blank.

Page 5: Table of Contents. eBooks require links for chapter beginnings and Paperback and Hardcover require page numbers.

Page 6: (If applicable) Any maps that you may be including in your book.

Page 7: Next comes your book.

Page 8: Note to Readers.

Dear Reader:

Thanks for giving your time to read this story. I hope you enjoyed it.

As a new fiction author, reviews are very helpful to me. If you enjoyed this novel, I’d be so grateful if you would leave a review on Amazon.com. Here is a direct link: (Add link to the review for this book).

[In order to create a review link, you will need the ASIN number of your book. Then swap out your ASIN Number or ISBN number for the X’s in the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=XXXXXXXX]

I love to hear any feedback about the book and enjoy interacting with my readers, so please feel free to email me at AUTHOR EMAIL

Thanks again!
AUTHOR NAME OR SIGNATURE

Page 9: What’s Next on your Reading List?

Verbiage: Below is a chapter or two of my next book (or the next book in a series) for you to sample. I hope you enjoy it.

Then insert up to 9% of the next book. I keep it under 10% in case you are in Kindle Select. They allow up to 10%, but I like to keep it on the lower side.

Page 10: About the Author: Add a biography of yourself. Be sure to add a contact email as well as a little personal information.

Page 11: Acknowledgements: This page can go here or in the beginning of the book. You can put it in lieu of “Other Books By Page.” If you do use the Acknowledgements in the beginning of the book, then you can add the Other Books By Page here at Page 11.

Microsoft Fonts for Books and Book Covers

Which font should you use when self-publishing? The more choices we have, the harder it gets to choose.

I always chose Times New Roman as that was the font default in journalism, for books and newspapers for my entire life. However, since Microsoft added hundreds of fonts, I now see any number of fonts show up.

Below are the most common fonts in my opinion:

As you can see from the picture above, even fonts of the same size are heavier and lighter than each other and even the numbers are larger and smaller. My favorites are Times New Roman and Trebuchet MS.

BOOK COVER FONTS – Pretty Fonts:

When it comes to Book Cover fonts, that’s another story. You want something that is attention capturing. I have gone through all of the fonts in Microsoft Word and below I have created a large list of the ones that would be appropriate for book covers.

Often you may want to also have fonts that are heavy and bold. I again went through all the fonts and made a table with those fonts too. I also added some old fashioned and vampire-like fonts.

I remember being new and overwhelmed while planning my first book cover. There were too many choices and I was trying to find the best fonts to “fit in” with other authors. In the beginning, this was very important to me.

I hope this helps.

You can print out this page or you can screen shot and save on your computer. But if you want to download copies of these lists in one download, click below:

Where to Find Beta Readers

WHERE TO FIND BETA READERS
DEPENDS ON TWO THINGS:

Some writers have no-to-little money to work with and they will take one route. Other writers have no time but have some money to work with. Where you are on this road will determine what your choices are.

I HAVE TIME BUT NO MONEY:

This could be a person who works full time, lives alone, or has a few kids and there is just not enough extra money around to fund all the things necessary to do when self-publishing a book. Not to worry. There are a few choices for you.

Goodreads.com is an active website for readers and authors and is filled with other authors who are also looking for help to publish their books. The trick is to find them.

If you search "Beta Readers" in the search box on Goodreads, it will bring up all of the beta reader groups that are available to you at that time. You can access this under the community tab on the navigation menu. Be sure to read the rules and regulations for the specific group because the last time I looked, there were a few Gestapo-like warnings and instructionals about how people should post.

If you happen to be extraverted or bubbly, good with people, you will have no trouble finding someone in one of these groups or forums to help you. I'm introverted and don't do well in these large groups because I always feel like I'm bothering people. But not everyone is like this, so if you are good at making acquaintances and friends, give Goodreads a try.

Try to google "beta readers" as well and you will find other forums that claim to have people willing to read your book. I never gave this much patience because I chose to just pay someone.

TRY A FAMILY MEMBER AS A BETA READER:

If you have a family member who you can trust to give you honest feedback and gentle criticism, this is probably the best choice. Make sure it's someone who will want to do a good job for you and they will know you are counting on them. That's what I did. My Aunt Gen offered to read my books and I jumped at the chance. She read them and kept a notepad by her book and jotted down everything she thought about.

I also had a friend who needed computer help and I bartered with her for beta reading. That was also a great experience.

The trick to making working with amateurs, so to speak, work is knowing two things. (1) Your readers will feel that they have to give you some level of criticism so you have to be ready to make that work for you. I'll go into that below. (2) The second thing is that sometimes people will give you advice about writing books that come out of left field. They will not know what they are talking about, so it's important to be prepared for this. Just be ready to thank them for their ideas.

Once you have chosen a family member or friend to beat read for you, you need to direct their attention to what it is you are interested in having them do. Tell them that after they read the book, you will want to know the following 5 things:

Do you like the characters?
Is the plot easy enough to follow or was it confusing at any point?
Were there any plot holes or anything about the plot that felt unfinished?
How were the character and location descriptions?
Did my prose read easily or did you find yourself having to re-read sentences sometimes?

That's it. Let them have the book with those questions. Then after they're done, you can ask them other questions. By guiding them as to what you want to know, you will get feedback and criticism that is helpful.

I HAVE MONEY BUT NOT TIME:

If you are working, raising kids, or just working 60 hours a week, you probably have a few extra dollars and will need to get someone two help you for a reasonable price. There are full industries that have sprung up around the entire self-publishing industry, but it's important to know how not to be ripped off!

I used Fiverr.com for my beta readers. I found someone who was willing to read my book and give me feedback. The person I chose read the book in Microsoft Word and she used commenting in the Track Changes feature. I hadn't thought of this myself at that point. She commented all throughout the book. This was so valuable because it was like being in the reader's head when she read the book.

I gave her my list of 5 questions above and between her answering the questions and commenting throughout the book, she did a great job. She charged me $80. This was back in 2022 so it may have gone up to $100, but I believe it's still worth it.

I have become a repeat Fiverr user as I have had nothing but good experiences on their website.

Here is a video you may like where I go over pretty much the same material I just explained in the blog post.

MYSTERY NOVEL BRAINSTORMING WORKSHEET

This worksheet is geared for those who want to write a mystery or crime novel. Even those wanting to write literary fiction, you will need some level of mystery or suspense to keep readers hooked into your story. Literary fiction is about character studies and life studies than technical mysteries, but every book needs at least some level of suspense or surprise every so often to keep a reader’s interest. Even in a slice-of-life novel or a family saga, there needs to be something that is mysterious about the plotline.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKSHEET:

When I first decided to write a novel, it took me one full year (I’m not kidding!) to even come up with a crime. Today, using these methods I’m about to reveal, it only takes me two to three days to think up three or four mystery scenarios.

My wish is that this worksheet will help those beginners who don’t know where to start and are still trying to think of a good crime.

THE LISTS | CHOOSE FROM COLUMN A AND COLUMN B:

Below I have lists of crimes and also mystery genres. This list is meant to jog your memory and get your creative juices flowing. All of the crimes can be swapped into any genre. The list at the bottom is of multiple genres, but this is not an exhaustive list by any means. Just look at the categories on Amazon to get a feel for how many book genres there are today.

START THE WORKSHEET BY CHOOSING A CRIME OR MYSTERY:

Let’s talk about how to use this work sheet. Choose a crime or mystery from the list below and make up a potential perpetrator. Don’t waste time on what he or she looks like. Then start asking the following questions:

Why would this person want to commit this crime?
What could be going on in his/her life that would make him/her feel they needed to commit this crime?
How would he want to cover his tracks?
What specific knowledge would a character need to pull off a crime or swindle like this? In other words, is he/she an accountant and that makes it easier to commit a financial crime?
Then ask: Who would need to help him or give him/her cover? Add necessary characters and think about a connection. Is it a family connection? Is it a romantic connection?

THE NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS TO ASK:

Once you have a perpetrator and the cast of necessary characters, then it’s time to answer the following questions:

What could go wrong in the commission of this crime that would create tension or mystery? (He drops a glove or a drop of blood.)
How will these clues ultimately lead to his/her exposure? (How will this clue be found?)
How can this end in a way that would let justice prevail? (How and who will find the clue?)
How will the culprit ultimately be caught? (Is he cornered by an accuser? Is he arrested? Does he confess?)
What is one clue that can be minimized in the beginning of the story but will turn out to be the one who catches the bad guy?

NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS:

List the things that could go right for the perpetrator -- like a second, more-likely suspect pops up and suddenly all eyes are not on the real culprit anymore?
Could there be other likely suspects that would also have motivation to commit the crime?
As the story grows, add whatever crucial characters are needed (witnesses, husbands, wives, bosses, helpers, etc.) who you will need to make the crime and solving of the story happen.
If you get this far, it means that you have a viable storyline.

THE SKELETON OF THE CRIME:

Before you exert too much energy fleshing out any character or story details, be sure to check to make sure you can design a three-prong storyline out of this budding storyline. One prong will be a red herring storyline, someone who may look guilty, but is exonerated in the middle or end of the story. The second prong is a second suspect or a wrong suspect who will look guilty for a large segment of the storyline. And the final prong will be for the real culprit. In order to have a story that works, you will need a believable crime that can meld these three prongs into one suspenseful story.

As you use this worksheet and these techniques, a crime skeleton will emerge. Some attempts at this will go flat in the early stages for any number of reasons. But some storylines will begin to almost shape themselves.I always make four believable storylines and then choose the best one. Then I know I have the best of my ability at that time in my life. Once you know you have a storyline and a lineup of stick figures and character roles that can technically pull off the mystery, so to speak, then you can begin to build real characters and an actual story.

THE CHARACTERS BUILD THEMSELVES:

Once you know what will be needed for the three-pronged storyline and what traits the lead characters will need to play out their parts, the characters will start building themselves into two-dimensional characters. You can take the characters up to deeper, three-dimensional characters as you flesh out your main story and subplots.

LIST OF MYSTERIES, CRIMES & GENRES

I hope this is helpful. Once you know you have a workable storyline, then it’s time to take a look at my Ultimate Character Development Worksheet. This will help you bring the stick figures to three-dimensional with a full character arc.