Book and Magazine Outlet

[calitobali]

I don't think I'll be making too many more posts in this thread...I'm sorry to say, but you seem like your own worst enemy at this point - there's ALWAYS an excuse why you can't do something.

Indonesian bank accounts aren't going to work. US, UK and Australian accounts allow for direct deposit. Indonesian accounts won't work, stop trying and stop emailing Amazon to ask why. You can set up a bank in the uK from abroad - do that and use it.

It also seems that your reviews were not submitted as reviews normally are on Amazon which is why they were denied.

I would say that given your health condition, the absolute last thing you need to be doing is to be running around trying to find a book publisher, and you should be embracing everything you can do from at home on your laptop. Even if you printed the books and filled orders, you'd be back to square one again in terms of money, because then you'd have no more orders.

You say that the internet is your biggest problem, and you have to pay for every search and download. Fine, but a 3G connection costs around $10 per month, before you have to re up the bandwidth. Even if you ate through your entire quota trying to find the answers you're looking for, selling 2 books on Amazon would make your money back for you. Avoid being penny-wise and pound-foolish.

I would really suggest investing (yes, investing not spending) money on better internet. Given your limited mobility and limited time in the day, a working internet connection is probably the biggest missing link in the chain for actually getting something off the ground here.

 

[SHoggard]

Frankly, Indonesia is off the beaten track for most international financial transactions (my RBS a/c doesn't even list the IDR as a convertable currency for transfers).
But you're in Batam - take the ferry to Singapore, open an a/c with StanChart or HSBC & I'd guess you're home & dry.
As far as I recall - NO you don't need to be a resident to open an a/c... might have changed in hte past few years but I doubt it .... think of all the Indonesian that funnels its way offshore!

 

[Joe Writeson]

Frankly, Indonesia is off the beaten track for most international financial transactions (my RBS a/c doesn't even list the IDR as a convertable currency for transfers).
But you're in Batam - take the ferry to Singapore, open an a/c with StanChart or HSBC & I'd guess you're home & dry.
As far as I recall - NO you don't need to be a resident to open an a/c... might have changed in hte past few years but I doubt it .... think of all the Indonesian that funnels its way offshore!

Without putting too fine a point on it I am disabled AND broke...but thanks for the advice anyway.

 

[Joe Writeson]

I don't think I'll be making too many more posts in this thread...I'm sorry to say, but you seem like your own worst enemy at this point - there's ALWAYS an excuse why you can't do something.

Indonesian bank accounts aren't going to work. US, UK and Australian accounts allow for direct deposit. Indonesian accounts won't work, stop trying and stop emailing Amazon to ask why. You can set up a bank in the uK from abroad - do that and use it.

It also seems that your reviews were not submitted as reviews normally are on Amazon which is why they were denied.

I would say that given your health condition, the absolute last thing you need to be doing is to be running around trying to find a book publisher, and you should be embracing everything you can do from at home on your laptop. Even if you printed the books and filled orders, you'd be back to square one again in terms of money, because then you'd have no more orders.

You say that the internet is your biggest problem, and you have to pay for every search and download. Fine, but a 3G connection costs around $10 per month, before you have to re up the bandwidth. Even if you ate through your entire quota trying to find the answers you're looking for, selling 2 books on Amazon would make your money back for you. Avoid being penny-wise and pound-foolish.

I would really suggest investing (yes, investing not spending) money on better internet. Given your limited mobility and limited time in the day, a working internet connection is probably the biggest missing link in the chain for actually getting something off the ground here.

Once again thanks for your advice and constructive but it is all one huge Catch 22.
As an example just try opening a UK account online from an Indonesian IP.
Penny wise pound foolish only applies to those with pennies, pounds, cents or Rupiah, we are completely broke, but hey the sun is shining....

I'll withdraw the thread

 

[Joe Writeson]

Ok ... point taken I am far too close to my work to look at it subjectively so here goes ...

Constructive comments please... as well as cash transfers to BCA ...

 

[SHoggard]

Once again thanks for your advice and constructive but it is all one huge Catch 22.
As an example just try opening a UK account online from an Indonesian IP.

I don't think you can open a UK account online from ANY country regardless of your IP address... I think you have to physically be in the bank to show some ID and sign the documents

 

[spicyayam]

I would make the title bigger. You should be able to read the title even when it is a thumbnail image in amazon. I don't think the picture of the oil rig makes your book appealing.

 

[Joe Writeson]

I would make the title bigger. You should be able to read the title even when it is a thumbnail image in amazon. I don't think the picture of the oil rig makes your book appealing.

Yes I agree but the template is locked by the design parameters, its either take it as it is of pay USD399 for 'advice' and access to the basic template.

The book is about oil and gas construction worker's shennanigans in The Middle East, what would signify that without going the 'Hardship Posting' route? (A grizzled old expat on the cover wearing a Mambo shirt and spanking a Thai Kewtie ... whupps free plugs there for Captain Ted)

Thank you for taking the time to respond, that is what I am looking for, constructive comments.

 

[balibule]

Could the synopsis (?) be improved to make you really wanna take the book and start reading?

 

[Joe Writeson]

Could the synopsis (?) be improved to make you really wanna take the book and start reading?

Noted

 

[Joe Writeson]

Ok pass the humble pie ... I have been totally wrong regarding my book covers and been far too close to my work.

I was wrong !!! Shit THAT hurts ...

I am taking note of all suggestions regarding the covers, synopsis etc. but NOT the titles, they are set in stone with far too much other activity associated with them.

I am flying with the basic black background but looking for free or dirt cheap images that have something to do with the content, then I will use a bright almost fluorescent font for the cover text.

I had a load of my own hi res images on Flickr but can I hell find them, one of the downsides of my hospitalisation/medication was I have erased some grey cell files containing logon names and passwords.

...oh and make that a four cheese topping humble pie...

 

[calitobali]

I agree with SpicyAyam - the title needs to be fully visible when viewed in thumbnail size, as that's the size most people will see the cover in before deciding to buy.

If the current template has you locked in, find a new one or find someone to design the cover for you. $400 is high. I sometimes get covers from fiverr.com for $5 although they aren't the highest quality so you probably wouldn't want to use that for this. A search on oDesk or something similar should uncover someone who can do a nice cover with design tweaks for less than $50 or so. Just make sure you can read the title in thumbnail form.

 

[Joe Writeson]

Thanks C2B points noted but severe financial restraints prevent following your suggestions at the minute so I have to go with what I can get for free to get the things back online...later editions will certainly be in line with your comments.

Meanwhile ....

 

[SHoggard]

I had a load of my own hi res images on Flickr but can I hell find them, one of the downsides of my hospitalisation/medication was I have erased some grey cell files containing logon names and passwords.

Don't we all! The only thing to go is
1. Be consistent: Use something like Write>son1... Write>son2... etc then you only have to remember whether gmail was 1, 2, and Flickr is 2,3,4 etc (many of these sites today require alpha-numeric + some symbol in passwords... and all of them including Balipod allow you to change the current password)
2. Write it down in a book (obviously not important stuff, like bank a/c numbers)
3. Use the 'forgot password' function

 

[Joe Writeson]

Don't we all! The only thing to go is
1. Be consistent: Use something like Write>son1... Write>son2... etc then you only have to remember whether gmail was 1, 2, and Flickr is 2,3,4 etc (many of these sites today require alpha-numeric + some symbol in passwords... and all of them including Balipod allow you to change the current password)
2. Write it down in a book (obviously not important stuff, like bank a/c numbers)
3. Use the 'forgot password' function

ahhhhhh ok let's be totally honest...I regged at Flickr during my heavy drinking days and probably used some 'clever' nic-name suggested by my addled condition ... I found it 'Ardat Wearer' and eventually nailed the pass by trial and error, and now I am finding that some of the pics are not hi-res.
The originals are stored on DVDs and there are nearly 500 hundred discs to sort through as I scanned every document and drawing we ever produced during my oil and gas construction years.

Basically I should find out those that are still relevant and throw the rest out...but it takes a brave soul to do that.

Thanks for your comments as always, helpful and positive.