Hobbo's Poems
A quirky look at life from a Yorkshire poet and his dog's perspective
Drowning in poetry
Dauphy: You’ve quite a collection
Hobbo: Knocking on for two thousand now.
Dauphy: They’re cluttering up the dining room; you’re going to have to do something.
Hobbo: I’ve had an idea.
Dauphy: Blimey!
Hobbo: Later this year, Austin Macauley will be publishing the first collection, ‘Hobbo on Life.’
Dauphy: But that is just a drop in the ocean, and anyway it’s self-publishing really; you had to make a contribution.
Hobbo: This is where my idea comes in.
Dauphy: Go on….
Hobbo: I could learn to self-publish on Kindle and then organise the stuff into collections and put it out there. For free.
Dauphy: And you know what you’re like with technology. It won’t happen.
Hobbo: Have you got a better idea?
Dauphy: I have, as it happens. Ask your WP friends.
Hobbo: (After pausing for thought) Dauphy, you’re a genius.
Dauphy: I know…
Hobbo's Poems 
Dauphy speaks sense my friend! 😉😛😂
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👍 More sense than me, that’s for certain
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Isn’t that true for all of us dude? 😛😉 Our partners always make more sense than the us silly guys! 🤣😂
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Ha ha ha. True indeed. 👍
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I think Ingrid can help you. Sure does publishing!
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Thank you, Misky. I’ll wait for a response because I don’t want to cajole busy people into any sort of onerous commitment. I’d just like a hand spreading the love; I don’t want any monetary reward. 😂
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Look on Youtube. There are some pointer vids but they are at a very high level. Amazon’s pricing model is good – they charge a lot in commission but there is no initial outlay, except of course your time.
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I have downloaded something called Kindle create which has tutorials and stuff. The problem for me is that it has so many links to click on and these takes you to other links. It’s like trying to read a whodunnit by flicking backwards and forwards through the novel. I lose my place and then the will to live 😂
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If you’re desperate, you can pay people to do this. But then you end up paying for the priviledge of self-publishing a book you intend to be free. Do you know Ingrid? She does things, I think, in that direction.
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I do know Ingrid, thanks. Misky suggested her but I will wait and see. I don’t want to impose on anyone.
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Well I think she’s trying to do it as a business, but I’m wary of speaking on her behalf.
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Of course, but thanks for the suggestion.
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If you have someone help you set up your Kindle account and explain the distribution choices, putting in new collections will be a breeze. As long as you know how to type a Document into Word or get it put into that format, you just enter title information etc. and then upload the document, much like attaching it to an email. You’ll also need a photo image for the cover for each, but I know you can do that since you manage uploading photos for your blog posts. You could even copy and paste the poems from your posts into a Word doc, if you don’t have them in digital form other than on your blog.
I’m willing to help set it up with you for your first one, but I think it might work out better to find someone more local so they can potentially meet up with you and show you the ropes in person. Also, we’ve got a significant time zone gap. But it could work remotely if you use Zoom? That tool could be great since I, or whomever you work with, can share their screen and show you everything in KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing.) I’ve helped several people get started in publishing their own work and enjoy sharing. You’ve already got my email from the alliteration contest. So let me know…
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Thank you, Sheri for your kind offer. It sounds from what you are saying as though I am part way there already. I save my poems on a daily basis into Google Docs which I have called complete works of Hobbo. When I reach 200ish, I start a fresh volume, so I currently have 9 volumes completed. They are just an eclectic mix of poems in the order I post them but I suppose if they were published for free, that wouldn’t be too critical. I think saving Google docs as Word docs is quite straightforward, and I can just about download my own images.
Yesterday I downloaded something called Kindle Create which I was hoping would be a step by step guide. It is, but there are so many links with further links to click on that I get lost! Someone local to point me in the right direction would be ideal. I do feel encouraged by what you tell me because I don’t think I am that far off now, so thank you!! 😂
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Glad the encouragement helped. It’s definitely pretty straightforward. I’m confident you can do it.
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It’s a time thing as well, Sheri. At some point I am going to have to discipline myself to stop writing/posting and start organising/publishing. It’s hard because it’s the writing side that I enjoy. Thanks for the moral leg-up though. I appreciate it. 💖
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I am useless in this department. Wouldn’t know a kindle if I sat on it. Okay, that’s not true but my knowledge of kindles goes little beyond that initial recognition. And my knowledge of publishing is even less acquainted. Sorry.
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You and me both, Worms 🤣🤣
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😀 foe kindle, I have an excuse. I really don’t like Amazon and do everything i can to avoid interacting with them. It will probably mean I never get published but so be it. I won’t be bossed by greedy white billionaires like Bezos.He treats everyone like 💩. But I do need to start finding my way around alternative publishing universes.
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You definitely need to start looking to get published, Worms. Some of your stuff is amazing. If not for the money, and I don’t think there are fortunes to be made in poetry, it needs to be shared with a much bigger audience than a handful of people on WP.
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I’m sort of trying to work on it.
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Good! Keep us posted!
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Me too I love old fashion book reading
My dad got his how to start a small business book self published through Amazon
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I take my flat cap off to your dad then. Good for him, Michele.👍
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Yes my brother helped edit the book but we were very proud of him to have it listed on Amazon
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What an achievement. No wonder you were all so proud.
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Yes we have tried to get him to write a real estate book but he said no
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He’d be in a real state by the time he’d written that one! 😂
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😂😂very good 👍
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2000!!! Bloody hell how big will the book be?! Good luck Hobbo I’ll have one!
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😂 I’m thinking lots of little ‘uns and thanks!
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Little ones are called chapbooks.
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Male bias again!
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Here’s a really interesting history of chapbooks. You might be surprised!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapbook
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Thanks, Misky. It is very interesting. I have read this before when I first Giggled the word chapbook a few months ago. Everyone seemed to be talking about them at one point. Fascinating how literature evolves. One day people will be looking up the meaning of Kindle maybe. 😂
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Very true!
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