Bob Ross'ing A Literary Magazine: One Hour Live Creation Of A Literary Magazine, Start to Publish

Bob Ross'ing A Literary Magazine: One Hour Live Creation Of A Literary Magazine, Start to Publish

Presented by: After Dinner Conversation

Remember Bob Ross painting a masterpiece in an hour? We're bringing that energy to literary magazines! Watch the founder of After Dinner Conversation craft a 110-page magazine - live, in 60 minutes. No secrets, no shortcuts. Learn every step and get inspired!

This is the quick and dirty video I did of my presentation at Phoenix Fan Fusion in 2025. Yes there will be typos and errors. I’m sharing all this information for free. So, you know, you get what you pay for. https://youtu.be/NWL8TYO48IU Feel free to email me if you have quesetions.

If you want the clean version of the info below to print, here is a link to the .pdf file with better formatting. ~Kolby

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Bob Ross'ing A Literary Magazine: One Hour Live Creation Of A Literary Magazine, Start to Publish

What This Isn’t

1. How to make a website

2. How to get submissions

3. How to get subscribers/how to get paid/how to set up payments

4. Info on the business of literary magazines

5. Bob Ross didn’t spend time explaining where to buy paint brushes…

6. This is start to finishing making a literary magazine.

   1. A bit of a cooking show…

Create The e-Book/Base Version

1. Update intro page info – issue #, etc.

2. Copy/Paste old version to create new working version to edit

   1. Version control matters!

3. Copy/Paste in new story content

   1. Story title and author name

   2. Short stories x 7

   3. Discussion questions x 5 per story

4. Update headers/footers

5. Update author biographies at end

6. Update “From the Editor”

7. Polish/Copy Edit

   1. Fix formatting issues

   2. Set proofing language to English

   3. Find/Replace “ and ‘ and double spaces after periods, etc.

8. Update table of contents

9. Do checklist.  Check Style Guide

10. Send to copy editor to check for typos

Create Cover Art

1. Create Cover Art

   1. Use Photoshop/Canva/Word

   2. Get stock art rights - Shutterstock

   3. Save as .jpg

2. Insert cover art into base version front page of file.

3. Save as ebook version .pdf

   1. Change setting to make “.pdf/A compliant”

Create eBook Version in Draft2Digital

1. Create metadata section

2. Insert cover art

3. Upload Word .doc file

4. Fill out each section of Draft2Digital

5. Get exports of .mobi and .epub files

6. Publish ebook version on Draft2Digital

   1. Will trickle onto platforms for weeks, each has own schedule

Create eBook Version in Amazon Self-Publishing

1. Fill out requested information from Amazon

2. Upload cover art and .epub file

3. Review proof, set price, and publish

   1. Set for KDP?

   2. Will be available for sale in 48 hours

Create Print Book Version

1. Make copy of ebook .doc file to make new version to edit for print

2. Remove cover art/insert opening page

3. Remove hyperlinks

4. Remove ISSN info

5. Check line spacing (exact at 1.35)

6. Check for hanging paragraphs

7. Check custom margins

8. Look over print book conversation checklist

9. Save as print interior version .pdf

   1. Change setting to make “.pdf/A compliant”

Create Print Version Cover Art

1. Check print version exported .pdf for # of pages.

2. Get template layer for that # of pages from Amazon

3. Change file dimensions to match Amazon sizes for # of pages

4. Change issue info on spine

5. Import and position cover art based on Amazon template

6. Save as print cover version as .pdf or .jpg

Go Back to Amazon and Finish Amazon Print Version

1. Upload print version .pdf of interior

2. Upload print version .pdf (or .jpg) of cover

3. File in new category information

4. Proof, price, and publish

   1. Will show up for proof copies (and or sale) in 48hrs

Create Print Version on Draft2Digital

1. Upload .pdf of interior

2. Upload .pdf (or .jpg) of cover

3. Proof, price, and publish

4. Costs money to upload new versions/one free version update per 3 months

Happy Trees, You’re Finished!

Other Useful Literary Magazine Websites

1. CLMP.org (Professional Organization Website)

2. Zapier.com (Action Automation)

3. Shutterstock (Purchase Photo Rights)

4. Alliance of Independent Authors

5. Kindlepreneur (https://kindlepreneur.com/secret-vip-page)

6. Publisherrocket (https://publisherrocket.com/)

7. IngramSpark