My Experience with CreateSpace...So Far

Just a few thought on my experience with Create Space so far. I used Word 2007 to create the interior file and PowerPoint to create the cover (I found PowerPoint to be very user friendly in cover design). I also used the free thirty day trial install of Adobe Acrobat to convert and render my files, which I then uploaded to CreateSpace. They passed, I ordered my proof copy, and the copy looks exactly like the files.

Since my thirty day trial version of Acrobat expired, I have been using the free "Save As PDF" add in, which I downloaded from Microsoft. I recently reworked both the interior and cover files of my book, coverted them to PDF, and created the "Print" files new I needed to upload to CreateSpace by using a computer at Kinco's FedEx (which took me about 15 minutes and cost me like $5.00).

As of today, i received notice that I uploaded my cover file to both fields (interior and cover) and that I need to upload my interior files. I had already done this, and was emailed by CreateSpace notifying me that my interior files had been successfully uploaded. The system was acting buggy the day I uploaded the files, so perhaps it's a glitch. I uploaded the interior files (again) today. My cover file was approved, but it was pointed out that some of the resolution in the photos may not be clear (the image was said to be set at 96 to 97 DPI. I don't know why, as far as I know I set everything to 305-320).

Over-all my experience with CreateSpace has been good thus far. For what I'm paying into this (i.e., nothing), it's being a pretty good set-up for me. I don't know about you guys, but I have been working on my book for the past three years; and it's nice to see a copy of it in print for only $6.00 plus shipping (the actual price of my proof copy was $6.66. I know, creepy right!).

To me, this sort of POD set-up is revolutionary in the history of printing. I know that I'm not the only person who has written a book and who is considering using CreateSpace to get it into print, and this means there will be many more books in the future than there ever has been in the past. I realize I will not be making money by doing this, but at least my ideas are getting out there.

If you would like to see the book, I have uploaded the pdf files of the book to a web site. You can see the files exactly as they will print out in the (next) proof copy, which makes the files something of a free online e-book).