The Making of Stars Above

One of the most intriguing things to me is ordering “author copies” of books, especially at the proof stage. There’s an excitement in knowing you finally get to see this story, previously only contained within a laptop and maybe printed on 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper, in a physical tangible form. But then there’s the promised “pay only what it costs to print it!” followed by the resignation of “oh, but this doesn’t qualify for free shipping”… so what cost roughly $2.50 per copy to print, has a not so fun shipping price. But, in a world where free shipping is something I think I can take for granted, it’s still worth it to see my words in print (and make sure there’s no issues before releasing them into the world).

For me, being someone who like to try first and evaluate later for the next try, experimentation is part of the fun in learning how to be a DIY indie author. I know there’s lots of opinions and strategies out there for indie authors (pay someone to design your book cover, hire an editor at ______ stage, hire a freelancer for interior formatting, ect). Some of that advice is legit! And, it also has to be filtered through your values, goals, and other things like budget and time.

I started my published author journey with Canva, Google Docs, and Word. To anyone out there still formatting novels or similar type documents in MS Word, I am absolutely bewildered by the skill, time, and effort it takes to figure out how to do that well. I’ve been there, tried the only slightly less manual process of the KDP previewer as a formatting tool, before investing in Atticus. None of this is sponsored, but I truly am thankful for such a tool (and a one time cost for a lifetime is always amazing for a tool).

Today, using Scrivener, Atticus, and ProWritingAid (another tool with a lifetime purchase, and committed to not using your data to train AI) has made my writing flow much easier. Did I sit down today to do a line edit on book 2 of Imprinted, only to discover it was going to require more focus and time than I realized? Yes. It’s easy to under and over estimate some of the things required of the writing process, but I find that it’s worth it in the end.

I know there’s been a big buzz along the lines of “quit supporting Amazon when buying _______”, in general or more recently ebooks. And that’s not the story I’m here to discuss today. Instead, as a DIY author trying to improve with each story I put out into the world, I wanted to show some behind the scenes and explore what the future may hold.

I’ve talked before about Draft 2 Digital vs Amazon as book distribution platform (or I think I have. My husband has graciously listened to lots, as I worked through my options).

Amazon, as we know, is a one stop shop. You can buy just about anything, and for books they’ll print, distribute, and sell direct and to other retailers depending on what you allow.

Draft 2 Digital only handles the printing and distribution to retailers. I can buy author/proof copies, but unless I want to buy in bulk to have copies on hand or something similar, they’re not built for selling direct. And, to be honest, I was a bit apprehensive since they’ve only recently made the shift to print books. Seeing their ability to get my ebook for Imprinted visible, like on the B&N website, was something Amazon had never done. So, I was willing to take the plunge and see what distributing my ebook AND print for Stars Above would look like. And boy am I glad I did.

Shown below are the two proof copies I received. The one on the left is from Draft 2 Digital. The one on the right is from Amazon KDP. Seeing the stark difference in quality between the two, my waffling indecisiveness has been cured.

The vibrancy of the cover is the first difference that stands out. From there, it’s the binding of the book’s spine. Draft 2 Digital’s is more square, less glue visible, and the printing on the spine itself is more centered as it should be per my cover design file. And maybe that seems like a lot of little silly details, but especially for a little novella like this that I’ve worked on with my own two hands from start to finish save for the physical printing itself, those details matter to me.

So, in the amazing ability to be able to continue experimenting as I continue my writing journey, I’ve chosen to go all in with Draft 2 Digital. Will my book still be available on Amazon? Yes. They just won’t be the primary distributor of my work. It’ll also allow you to purchase at a variety of sites outside of only Amazon. I’ll share more information and links as all that comes to fruition!

Stars Above and I have a particularly interesting relationship. Over the course of its multiple full rewrites, drafts, and finally the second edition being in my hands, a lot in life has shifted. I can feel still feel the echoes of the perception of teenage loneliness, a desire to do something but the lack of clarity around what, and a growth in learning how to embrace my whole self with a future unknown to me to get to live into. Those internal tensions aren’t ones always visible on the surface, and they’re ones I think that can continue to reappear in new ways as life continues to make us wary of change, unknowns, and the currents of relationships. But it’s why the stories we tell matter. They shape what we believe, and what we believe to be possible.

The persistent thread, in Stars Above especially but hopefully all my work, is hope. That there is a purpose in and for our lives that we will get to live into, no matter what our current circumstances may be. I’m grateful to say that I came from and am in a pretty good place. It’s my hope that whether it’s this hope-tinged-with-sorrow coming of age novella, or Imprinted with its new adult grittiness that doesn’t shy away from the complexity of relationships and how wounds can shape us, that the stories I tell reveal that no matter how dark it seems, there is always a light.

That’s been my goal from the very beginning, that this God-given gift would be a way to point people to that deep desire in all of us - for justice, for purpose, to fill that longing for something more - and that through that willingness to explore those things, his Holy Spirit would be at work to invite us to himself.

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My website is currently under construction. You can still find my books, Stars Above and Imprinted under “Brooke Tiedt” on Amazon and others. With new versions to rerelease in the new year, these current book versions will be retiring. If you want an original copy, you’re welcome to grab one while you can! If you’re patiently waiting for the new copies, keep a look out for more information headed your way soon. Thank you!