Self-Publishing for the Computer Shy

It's easier than ever for authors (especially "computer shy" scribes) to get their works printed (at a very low cost) and sold through online outlets such as Amazon.com.

How does "print on demand publishing" work?
In a nutshell, when somebody buys one of your books, the book is then printed and shipped to the customer.

How can I have my book(s) printed on demand?
It's surprisingly easy. Simply sign up for an account through a print on demand publisher such as CreateSpace.com or Lulu.com

Can you sell "print on demand" books through Amazon.com?
Yes you can (very easily if you use CreateSpace). CreateSpace is a subsidiary of Amazon.com. If you self-publish your books through CreateSpace, your books will be automatically listed on Amazon's online store (if you elect to do so). Here's one of my self-published works on Amazon.com:
Mac Computer Basics

Do you need a layout program such as Adobe Indesign or QuarkXPress to create your books?
Not if you don't need to get too fancy with your book's layout.

In fact, you can use any word processing program to write (and layout) your book.

You can use the free OpenOffice Writer program to:

• type your manuscript
• format the text
• insert photos and graphics into your manuscripts
• wrap text around images (if you wish to do so)
• add borders and other formatting styles to your book's graphics
• spell check your manuscript
• export your manuscript as a pdf (a requirement for CreateSpace)

To be honest, I was a bit self-conscious at first about the lack of intricate layouts for my self-published computer help books.
But I've since learned that people will buy (and read) your book for its content and not for the way the text and images are arranged on your book's pages.

Where can I get help with cover art and other illustrations?
You can post your "project requirements" (i.e. what you need done for you book) on Elance where artists will bid to work on your book.

You can also browse through the various artists' portfolios on elance and invite any of them to bid on your project.

What about ISBN numbers?
CreateSpace will automatically assign an ISBN number to your book. Not only is this really convenient but it also saves you $70.00 or so.

Where can you get royalty-free photos / graphics / illustrations to use for your books?
I use iStockPhoto. They have a great selection of high quality photos, a user-friendly web site, and great customer service --- but you can do a google search on "royalty-free photos" or "Copyright free photos" to find other photo archive web sites.

What resolution should my book photos be?
The recommended resolution for book photos is 300 DPI (dots per square inch). You can select this resolution when you purchase royalty-free photos from iStockPhoto.