How do you do that publication thing again?

So I just added the graphic noiz manga volume 1 to Amazon. How do you put something up on Amazon you ask? Well I am going to tell you.

For manga you need to use the Kindle Comic Creator. I have a problem with the application because it crashes on me as I add each page but in the end as long as you save while you go it ends up working just fine. The process of creating an ebook is a little easier than creating a print book but I will go through both of these for you as we get into it. The ebook is up for the graphic noiz manga while the paperback is still being approved.

So off we go.

Creating the printer ready manga file

I use InDesign to create my print ready files. They use facing pages and master pages to create the shell of the document. The graphic noiz manga is 48 pages long which is the same length as the A Storm’s Coming manga so I used the same template. I laid out the template with 3 columns on a page so that I could lay everything out correctly. Since all the pages were created in Manga Studio to add dialogue and scanned into JPG initially and leveled in Photoshop I was able to import the PSD files into Manga Studio to add the dialogue. Once the files were done and dialogue added I exported the files to layered PSD and then opened them in photoshop to create the final flattened JPG files and added narration if needed.

Once all the pages were in JPG, they were placed into the InDesign template. After finishing the placement, the files were save in INDD format and packaged into a folder and then a PDF was created. The dimensions of the file are your typical comic book size at 7×9.5.

Once the PDF is done these are all taken to the printer and I determine that the internal pages are black and white and the cover is on card stock and in colour. The file is a reader spread not a printer spread so there may be some conversion needed. I usually get 20 copies of my print ready files done and I already purchased a barcode ISBN in EPS format and added that to the back cover.

Since all my manga files were shaded by hand with copic markers I used neutral greys to get the different tones. The cover is in colour with a set of primary colours and flesh tones used.

The printing usually takes a few days but they save the files so that I can get more copies printed later on.

Creating an ebook manga file

I used the Amazon Kindle Comic Creator which requires you to upload a page at a time as JPG flattened files. I save each page as you go because the application seems to crash on me once it gets past 10 pages. My manga is in black and white with the front cover with a border because it is against a white background. Once each page is uploaded into the comic creator you export to K8F file I think it is and it creates the MOBI for the ebook.

Once all the book details like the cover, the categories and the summary are created you upload the MOBI file to the Amazon bookshelf using the Author Center in Amazon KDP. This creates the ebook. Set your pricing and make sure you have the copyright set and use Digital Rights Management and you are on your way. The ebook is usually approved in about a day and you have a working manga ebook file.

Creating a print book manga file

This was a new process for me and a right nightmare. It took me an entire day to fail at it. It wanted the PDF uploaded but it was creating a formatting problem because I had facing pages turned on which is what was used for the printer ready file. Once I turned that off and made sure the PDF was set to the right 7×9.5 size and added the book information in the first step we were ready to try to paperback formatting.

You need to create a cover with back and front in a printer spread which means the back cover is the first page in the file so it reads back – front with the front cover on the right. The Amazon system formats the file automatically and it takes some time as it churns through the entire process. I had some problems with it for the first day but I was finally able to get it there.

Check your trim size and make sure the margins and gutters are set. The system will also check your fonts and put crop marks in the file so make sure everything is inside the printable area. The system takes a while and has to churn through multiple items. Once it generates the print ready file with the cover first you will want to check all the pages.

When I created the manga in a non facing pages PDF it created the file correctly at 7×9.5. I had originally tried it at 6×9 but the pages were too small.

Once you have that set it will take you through the formatting process and create a working print ready PDF that you can check the pagination margins, gutter and trim size. Remember to approve your proof that is created. Set your price on the different Amazon storefronts and you are good to go.

Was a little bit of a nightmare for the initial formatting but once I got a hang of it I was able to get it to work.

So what’s next?

Now that I have the first volume of the manga for graphic noiz done I am about ready to start working on volume 2. I am also writing volume 3 of the graphic noiz novella series so I might have to finish that before I start work on the manga. I had originally just wanted to write one manga but I think now that this is behind me I want multiple versions. More to do I guess. And more art to create.

Thanks for listening. I hope your manga projects brings you much joy.