Are you an Expert at Builds? I'm looking for a partner on my next book project

[redrex]

As some of you may know I wrote and published some books, the best selling one is The Home Distiller's Workbook on how to make moonshine and other liquors. I've done some other books and also started a Micro Publishing company.

I've been giving it some thought and I want to spread the word about how easy, so to speak, it is to build your own firearms. I know that the holy grail of this is the 3D gun printing but that is still a bit sci/fi to most. People just don't realize that someone who is semi decent at hands on stuff can go into their garage and with a few specialized tools, build an AK47 or and AR lower or a frame for a pistol. My hope is that once people get the fact that they can't just put the genie back in the bottle these F***'ing idiotic gun laws will stop.

Ok, yeah, the libtard true believers will never stop but maybe some of the folks in the middle can be educated.

To that point there are two ways we can approach this...

1. I will sit in on one of your builds. I'll document it along the way, take pics, write notes and then write up a first draft. Then I would like to run it by you for factual revisions and comments. Do a final draft and then publish.

2. If you like to write and everything I'm fine with you doing most of the work and me just editing and publishing.

email me at Jeff@TheHomeDistiller.com

[nicoroshi]

WAY ahead of you bro, and I agree it's a great idea.

http://www.buildyourownak.info/

Volume 2 '
Complete build from start to finish that also covers Krink, RPK, Tantal, and Yugo differences is already written.
We have 330 pictures of a build we documented that will be part of the book + about 100 more that I took of different variants, demilling procedures, reassembly of demilled trigger guard/ mag catch, and much more.

Currently volume 1 is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes. Volume 2 will be available at all those locations also after the 90 days Amazon exclusive upon release.
Expected release of volume 2 is mid to the end of Feb.

I would love to see a book on doing 80% AR, and 1911 frames without a mill.

[Edvil91]

I would love to by these books, something every American should have. Keep us posted!

[dchang0]

More books couldn't hurt, especially if these new books make up for deficiencies in the existing literature. One way to do so is to specialize on building a particular type of AK that hasn't been covered before like the Polish Tantal with its special selector. Another way is to write about building on a super-slim budget with perhaps homemade tools/jigs.

I'd love to see a book for builders without a press or spot welder or rivet jig (or any tool costing over $100).

[chiz]

If you want to do something other than an AK, a MAC pistol is very easy to build and not that expensive. It can be built with a $90 welder and $10 grinder from Harbor Freight. And all the parts can be had for around $300.

[kcstott]

WAY ahead of you bro, and I agree it's a great idea.

http://www.buildyourownak.info/

Volume 2 '
Complete build from start to finish that also covers Krink, RPK, Tantal, and Yugo differences is already written.
We have 330 pictures of a build we documented that will be part of the book + about 100 more that I took of different variants, demilling procedures, reassembly of demilled trigger guard/ mag catch, and much more.

Currently volume 1 is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes. Volume 2 will be available at all those locations also after the 90 days Amazon exclusive upon release.
Expected release of volume 2 is mid to the end of Feb.

I would love to see a book on doing 80% AR, and 1911 frames without a mill.

I could take pics and document but I'm no writer. I have no idea how to structure chapters or specific points. that I get long winded

[nicoroshi]

I could take pics and document but I'm no writer. I have no idea how to structure chapters or specific points. that I get long winded

It's not easy bro.
Took me about 3 months so far and still have multiple proof readings to do before its ready for release

[ptoguy2002]

WAY ahead of you bro, and I agree it's a great idea.

http://www.buildyourownak.info/

Volume 2 '
Complete build from start to finish that also covers Krink, RPK, Tantal, and Yugo differences is already written.
We have 330 pictures of a build we documented that will be part of the book + about 100 more that I took of different variants, demilling procedures, reassembly of demilled trigger guard/ mag catch, and much more.

Currently volume 1 is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes. Volume 2 will be available at all those locations also after the 90 days Amazon exclusive upon release.
Expected release of volume 2 is mid to the end of Feb.

I would love to see a book on doing 80% AR, and 1911 frames without a mill.

Is a print copy of that available?
Not so much a online book person myself...kindle what?

[nicoroshi]

Not at this time.

[riddler408]

Is a print copy of that available?
Not so much a online book person myself...kindle what?

The online book is cool. it has links to everything. saves a lot of time searching the net....

[redrex]

WAY ahead of you bro, and I agree it's a great idea.

http://www.buildyourownak.info/

Wow that's great! Here are some thoughts for you.
A. Your price is too high. Unless you are a well known author or have a big publisher w/marketing dept. behind you $8 for an ebook is going to out of the price range for most ebook buyers. The launch of the Kindle pretty much established the modern ebook market and the price points are as follows. $.99 for trash or really short stories or articles. $2.99, the lowest price point that you can sell at and still get the lions share of the profits. And between $4 and $7 for known authors and publishers.

B. It looks like you have some decent key words as searches for "how to build a gun" brings up your book as #2. I like the title and I think it's good but the sub title is horrible. No one who isn't on your level or close to it is going to get what the heck Virgin Barrel Population is. Yeah, we on calguns get it but you need to appeal to a broader market.

Here are some titles I would have suggested:
The Garage Gun Builder's Guide
How to Build a Gun at Home
The Home Gun Builder's Workbook

These are not specific to the title but could be used to create the theme to a series of titles. Then tie it in with an informative, key word rich subtitle...

The Garage Gun Builder's Handbook: How to Build an Ak47 Vo 1
The Garage Gun Builder's Handbook: How to Build an Ak47 Vo 2
The Garage Gun Builder's Handbook: How to Build an AR15
The Garage Gun Builder's Handbook: How to Build an 1911

Branding is key.

C. The Cover. Great Logo! Bad cover pic, too dark and too busy. Remember most people will only ever see this as a thumbnail. Its so dark you can't tell what is next to the rifle. At first I thought it was a drum mag.

D. You must, MUST have a paperback version. Kindle sales are great and all but way more people who read books just don't have one yet. When I started I did just kindle as well. Once I added paperback my physical book sales outpaced my ebook sales in 4 months and now kick their but.

Ok, that's all I have time for now. There are some other things I can help you with. There is no reason that this book should not be ranked in the top 20k of all listings. And fyi, if you are not in the top 20k you aren't really making money, Amazon won't highlight you and you will be stuck where you are.

Go to Amazon and do a search, not in books mind you but just on the main page, and search for "Moonshine". My book will be the first one you see. Take a look at my title, use of keywords, cover art. I've been doing this since kindle was launched. I learned the hard way and I know what works, well now I do that is

If you really want this to take of PM me and we can talk.

[nicoroshi]

I am just the builder, and writer bro.
My partner is the publisher and handles that end.
Do I want it to "take off".
I would be lying if I said,"No" but more important to me that the information is out there and available.
Wasn't my idea to be honest.
I just want to build.
I was contacted by my (now) partner on another forum with the proposition, and said, "Sure".
As for the price: That was set by my partner. He has been doing this for quite a while and I trust his judgement on this.
For the title: those that would buy this book would know exactly what it was. If your barrel work is already done you wouldn't have a need for volume 1 now would you.


I am with others that have posted here though, and believe an Uzi, Mac, AR, 1911, etc would be awesome to see available.
Good luck on your future books

A few questions for you.
What's your cut of the sales?
How are income taxes handled with you?
Are you exclusive to amazon or would you also do kobo,iTunes, barnes&noble, etc?
Do you have a written contract with the author?
Who collects, and how is distribution done with you?
People who might be interested in working with you might like to know the answers to these questions before dumping a bunch of work into a project.

[crud]

...

[redrex]

A few questions for you.
What's your cut of the sales?
How are income taxes handled with you?
Are you exclusive to amazon or would you also do kobo,iTunes, barnes&noble, etc?
Do you have a written contract with the author?
Who collects, and how is distribution done with you?
People who might be interested in working with you might like to know the answers to these questions before dumping a bunch of work into a project.

My cut of the sales varies depending on how much work I am doing. If the book is done and I'm just the publisher? Then as little as 10%. But with most people I have worked with they are new to this, they have the knowledge and I end of doing about everything else.

Taxes are done as per the IRS royalty payments and are filed via a 1099. No withholding.

I do have a contract that I use. I handle the book and ebook publishing. I work with another publisher for audio books.

Payments are sent to me and I take my share and send then to you. Payments are Quarterly, at least to get going. If the book takes off and Sales are doing well we can do monthly.

I work mostly with Amazon as Amazon is the 800lb Gorilla in the room. For ebooks I try to keep then as AMZ exclusive titles in order to take advantage some of the perks that Amazon gives you to market your book. Such as free promo days. Once a book as achieved escape velocity as it were that is when to push it to the other services.

I'll be honest, when it comes to online sales... Amz is king. A lot of people don't want to admit it and try to fight upstream against the facts but let me put it to you in empirical numbers.

I just got my monthly payments in. Amz sales... $7k Everyone else? $560

Unless you can get your books into Walmart that is the way things are.

[nicoroshi]

Thanks for taking the time to answer