About the Author on the 'Writing Journey':

www.craiglockbooks.com

Also see http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

and

https://www.facebook.com/craig.lock.31

Craig Lock is an author of numerous books and the creator of the "original" online creative writing course. He has been writing for the past "lucky" (hopefully!) seven years. Craig has had five books published on various subjects with another 12 manuscripts being published and marketed on the Internet.

Craig is an extensive world traveller (on a "shoestring budget") and failed professional emigrater who has spent most of his lifes savings on airfares. He is still sliding down the razor blade of life on the beautiful undiscovered island that is New Zealand, somewhere near the bottom (rude!) of the world near Antarctica. There he talks to the 60 million sheep!

Through a rather strange set of circumstances and finding himself in a small town near the bottom of the world ...and with nothing else to do, he started writing.

Craig loves to encourage and empower people to be the best they can possibly be, and to encourage, help and support people in creating what they most want in life

"Together, one mind, one life (one small step at a time), let's see how many people (and lives) we can encourage, impact, empower, enrich, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials...and strive for and perhaps one sunny day even achieve their wildest dreams."

The year 2000

*

Updated in August 2011

The various books* that Craig "felt inspired to write" are available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

His Createspace (paperback) books are at

https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=%22craig+lock%22&sitesearch_type=STORE (paperbacks)

and http://www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books

All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children -

MINE!

"I love to write about, share stories of the resilience and courage of ordinary (what's that?) people."

"'The Journey' entails a man or woman confronted with reversals, difficulties or tragedy, but who through courage and perseverance confronts each of these in turn and overcomes them.

At each step the hero ascends to a higher level of wisdom or maturity, until by the completion of the journey, she or he has reached some state of equilibrium, an accommodation with life, a sense of serenity or acceptance. Or NOT!"

- fine words on writing by John Cranna (Founder of the Creative Hub* and AUT Centre for Modern Writing)

* Web site: http://www.thecreativehub.net.nz/page/tutors_and_workshop_leaders.html

and like John, Craig too loves to write about similar uplifting, empowering and inspiring themes in his various books.

Craig Lock has a 'passion' for writing books that tell stories about people doing positive things in this often so hard, sometimes unkind world, occasionally so cruel, yet always amazing world He loves 'telling tales', sharing true stories that leave the reader feeling uplifted, empowered and perhaps hopefully even inspired. He loves to try to "test his writing limits and imagination "and is currently writing 'To The End of the Rainbow'.

I truly believe in the triumph of the human spirit; so love writing about and sharing stories of 'seemingly ordinary' (what's that?) people and the resilience of humanity.

"Together, one mind, one life at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials."

The various books* that Craig "felt inspired to write" are available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://www.creativekis.com/amazon.html and http://goo.gl/vTpjk

All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children -

MINE!

"The world's smallest and most exclusive bookstore"

"A book is small enough to hold in your hand; but when you read it, the walls fall away and you're in a room as big as the world."

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket."

- Chinese proverb

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog it's too hard to read."

- Groucho Marx

Craig's lists of blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at craigsblogs.wordpress.com

and http://craiglock.wordpress.com

Together, let's walk into a bright new tomorrow

PS Here's an article that may be helpful to you

Article Title: Creating and Publishing Your Own E-Book: HOW?

Author: Craig Lock

Category/Subject: E-books, digital books, digital publishing, Amazon, Kindle

Web site: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

The submitter's blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

(Other articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565

and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981

Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)

Publishing Guidelines

We hope that the following article may be informative and helpful to your ezine readers, or on your web site. If it helps others "out there in cyberspace" , then we're very happy.

This article (as with all my articles) may be freely published.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

#

CREATING YOUR OWN E-BOOK

Here's how...

INTRODUCTION

Though nobody really knows where the digital publishing model is headed, Amazon already claim that they are selling more ebooks than traditional books. My associate Bill and I believe e-books are the way of the future and this will keep the "greenies" happy not having to cut down trees (see my article 'The Future of Electronic Publishing originally written about twelve years ago).

*

Here are some hints based upon my experiences as a "non-techno" in getting my books published with Amazon (to the great consternation and surprise of my "techno-geek" associate and good friend, Bill).

Firstly a bit of background. Initially I was approached by Europe's largest digital publisher (XiiXin) to publish my books with them. I found the process so simple, I thought, why not give the far more well-known Amazon Kindle a try.

But HOW?

From my experience, the Kindle publishing process is simple and way less-time consuming than you might expect. The process is quite enjoyable and satisfying too ...even though I'm no "computer nerd". And I hope that opening statement encourages you to give it a try.

As a first step, you create a your book in Microsoft Word doc. file. (Standard font size, like New Times Roman, but Amazon use a default font anyway). (I tried the Mobipocket Creator, free, getting my ebook ready for upload; but soon gave up (as I have great difficulty following instructions - story of my life) and simply uploaded "as is". So upload your book file at kdp.amazon.com and set your price (you get 70% of the sale proceeds). The entire process won't take long, even for a "non-techno", like me. If you've already published a print book, or use a PC and the internet regularly, you'll find the process "easy peasy".

Amazon will convert your Word doc automatically to a digital book format, that can be easily read on the Kindle e-book reader.

You can make amendments to your book at any time and republish it. I'm continually updating my books and it's really simple. In the meantime, the previous version will remain available for sale on the Kindle store.

The Kindle help files are brief and written in straight-forward English. Just follow the instructions on the web site. Simple!

You then upload a cover picture (it has to be at least 500 pixels quality on the longest side).

Give it an appealing (and short) title and ake a table of contents, Then write some "blurb" about your book.

'What's it all about?" - so that readers on the web site are enticed to want to read more of your "work of art, your unique creation".

There's a Previewer to see what the text will look like being read on a Kindle, once you've uploaded it ("nice and easy").

However, if you strike problems (as we inevitably do at times), just persevere and you'll find a way. "Presto!"

Then SAVE and PUBLISH. Voila!

If you are an unknown author, you'll have to market your book online (and perhaps off-line too). And that's the hardest part, being found in the "vast realm of cyberspace" (see my e-book on internet marketing for more "info"). I might suggest that your ebook can be freely promoted using Facebook, Twitter and your own web site, but there are many other "freebie" avenues. My preference is writing articles in your chosen area of expertise and publishing them online. Most effective!

I've been uploading my books (all 54 of them!) to Amazon over the past month and made quite a few sales already... so that's greatly encouraging. Though I haven't given up my day job yet. Ha ha! But am dreaming on...

Finally...

Good luck * to you in publishing and promoting your digital book(s)

You CAN do it

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions)

'Carpe diem' = "seize the moment" in this new area of digital publishing and the "digital economy"

* and didn't someone once define luck as "where preparedness meets opportunity"

PS: If you want any help, or advice on the publishing process, please feel free to contact me.

About the submitter::

Craig has been writing for the past fifteen years. He believes in (and loves) helping others to find their passions and gifts... through encouraging people to reach out for, then accomplish their "wildest" dreams. He truly believes people can overcome obstacles, rise to any occasion, and accomplish their dreams in life with enough FAITH and PERSISTENCE.

The various books that Craig "felt inspired to write" are available at: The various books* that Craig "felt inspired to write" are available at:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock&sort=relevance&ie=UTF8&qid

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 and http://goo.gl/vTpjk

PPS:

Once you have published with Amazon Kindle, you may want to try publishing a traditonal paper book (soft copy) with another Amazon associate company CreateSpace... but this "techno-bunny" is not ready for that...YET!

This article may be freely published

SOME OF CRAIG'S THOUGHTS ON THE WRITING JOURNEY

"I write because I simply HAVE to"

"Writers help readers to see the world differently."

"I write because something inside myself, inner and unconscious forces me to." That is the first compulsion. The second is one of ethical and moral duty."

"I write about and believe in the resilience of humanity- I truly believe in the triumph of the human spirit."

"I really value words and the power of them to communicate effectively; so in my various stories try to illustrate and then let readers draw their own conclusions about a certain scenario, as well as the characters searching for their own values in an increasingly complex social and political landscape. However, I do feel an obligation to give a complete picture of the situation, which is often not a clear-cut 'black or white' issue (as in South Africa). I never want to proscribe how people should think and feel my only duty as a writer is to be totally honest."

- craig

"All our dreams can come true...if we have the desire (burning), courage, passion, persistence and patience* to pursue them...long enough."

-c

* the "three pees"

"Life is about finding, then following the dream and one's

dream/vision comes to reality through believing in yourself,

making the commitment and then creating it."

from http://www.craiglockbooks.com/

The various books* that Craig "felt inspired to write" are available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=%22craig+lock%22&sitesearch_type=STORE

http://www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books and http://goo.gl/vTpjk

All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children -

MINE!

Don't worry about the world ending today...

as it's already tomorrow in scenic and tranquil 'little' New Zealand