How to THiNC…
How to ThiNC
Yesterday, my new book, How to THiNC, A Guide to Creating & Publishing a THiNC Book, was released in Second Life. The big release was tied into the companion seminar to the book, which…hopefully…helped other writers with their own goal of self-publishing in Second Life.
This is a new foray for me…electronic publishing…but, if yesterday’s comments and sales turn out to be more than simple platitudes, then it will be a lasting one.
How to THiNC grew out of a need, both for myself and my workshop members, to learn the process of publishing in the virtual world. THiNC is one of the few companies in Second Life to offer publishing tools, and really the only one who offers a first-life analogue (meaning their book looks and feels like a first-life book).
In teaching myself how to use the THiNC publishing system, I experimented with image sizes and resolutions, fonts and image-types, and word processors and graphics editors. I certainly wasn’t an expert before I began this process, but I’d like to think I became one along the way. That said, I’m sure that there is more I have to learn, and maybe even some things I got wrong, but the information in the book stands as a comprehensive overview of the whole process.
While I’m pleased at the reception the book has received, I’m very pleased with the turn-out at the seminar. While we didn’t quite “crash-the-sim,” we certainly filled it. The crowd wasn’t just members of my own workshop, either…the seminar drew in quite a few members of Third Life and FarPoint Media too. I think there were even a few people there who were drawn in by word-of-mouth, and not any association to my group at all!
Over 75% of the people attending the seminar purchased my book. To each of them, I say “Thank you.” I hope that you find it useful in helping you to make your own books.
How to THiNC wasn’t supposed to be my first book to be published in Second Life. That spot was meant to be reserved for Body Language. Before I could publish Body Language, though, I had to learn the publishing process. How to ThiNC grew out of that… Now that it’s done though, my focus returns to my now-second book. Hopefully you’ll see it in about four weeks from now!
…
Oh, and the seminar has received its first review as well! Pamqui Vita wrote about the seminar and the book on his Spanish-language blog, Profesionales de la Información en Second Life.
…
For those of you using Second Life who would like to find my workshop and my book, just follow the slurl to the F&SF Writer’s Workshop Storefront. It will be on display from October 15th onwards…
Tags: Body Language, F&SF, How to THiNC, Publishing, Second Life, Seminar
