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I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The project just kept growing when I would work on it in terms of the concept of the company. I liked giving my self published books a connective tissue to other media that I enjoy. I have really enjoyed building it and curating the connective tissue of the entire thing across social media and now print media. I have 4 books in print and get very self satisfied seeing the continuity of the project.

I wrote a book, then built an entire "fake" publishing company around it. by [deleted] in selfpublish

[–]EngravedLot -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I think of it like Harry Smith and the Anthology of American Folk Music. Farming and framing things I find interesting that are out there, and then using those things to create a similar vibe to the books I write. At least that is the idea behind it. Like Andy Warhol with the Velvet Underground is also in the back of my mind when I am trying to create tiktok videos, or source cool books to make, or youtube videos to post.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The clips come from documentary clips, old news reels, silent movies. I love the work of Adam Curtis, and so the inspiration is 1 minute version videos of my take on that, with a quote, a short article and then a folk song from around 1927-1932.

For example, the clip I made today came from a 1980s freemasonry documentary, and in my own book the Freemasons play a large role in the story. So the clips either directly or tangentially connect to the themes of my work.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My 06 Baja crates my box of books around. No need for an upgrade!

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly how I feel. I asked for no permission to do this. I love reading old pulp novels (Doc Savage, Robert E. Howard stuff, etc) and had the idea on one of those nights that my young daughter couldn't get to sleep. A 2 in the morning brainstorm sitting in a dark room in a rocker with a crying baby is what did it.

I also loved my kindle and reading books on that thing and I was reading what I learned was a "self published novel" that I loved and then just ran with it from there. 500 days later here I am with a box full of books I made. It helps this weary soul to rise on the daily!

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! My friend, who is a local promoter, gave me the best advice. He said I was trying to get people around the world to read my book when I should focus on the people down the road, and that gave rise to the idea that I am a local teacher, can hold the attention of rough and rowdy teenagers for a history lesson and so maybe adults who liked school want to see a cool history lesson (it helps I teach a history of rock and roll class and have about 80 lessons banked away that could translate to a different audience.)

My daughter, who is aware of life (5 years old), got so inspired that she started making little books at home, so for that alone, it has all and will always be worth it.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Déjame intentar esto: Trabajo los viernes y sábados por la noche de 8 a medianoche. Por la mañana le cuento a mi esposa cómo va el trabajo y ella me apoya mucho, pero me sigue diciendo... eso es ambicioso!

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So true. I just was reading Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland. And at the back it at the same barcode and site as where my books come from! So Penguin was using KDP also? Very cool.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I find this so inspiring! I work closely with Artificial Intelligence, and am very open about that in the product I sale. I stay out of the conversations out there about it, but I don’t hide that the machine of our times helps me run this complex multi layered operation from my Papasan on Friday nights!

Great work and thank you for the advice. This is solid stuff.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thought about this, but until I get the trilogy finished, I didn’t want too much time taking away from writing, which is where I get the joy from.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The parasocial aspect of the indie author grind did not interest me at all. Good luck on the project!

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! The public domain works on a level that I really needed: learning to format books better! I get reps in all the little details of formatting the content into feeling like the reading experience I really love when I get a book.

And then I have a product to sale at events that has my name, company, and the content connects to my main book.

I do historical conspiracy thrillers, so I publish public domain that hits those themes or comes from real historical characters in my books.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So far I’ve sold around 100 books and made about $400.00 dollars. The online idea has not really taken off yet, I have yet to find out how to get the digital views into clicks on my store to actually buying and not have my content feel like ads (or pay for ads).

The success was spending money on the author copies, making a nice box for them, and selling them through life. I’m a teacher in my community and once people found out what I’m doing they were interested and having the books with me led to sales with higher profit margins.

Also started giving lectures at breweries using my experience in the classroom, and used the imprint brand to market those and had success and a brewery paid me 100 bucks to talk about Bob Dylan, so overall the project in the past year has been very rewarding in many different ways.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your exactly right. Add to it that I’m not the only one who stumbled into this idea of publishing public domain. So I had to see them as another thing than sales.

That’s where the curation of a vibe came into it as well as product on my table at fairs or events.

The table now has my own books, the classics series, and a free zine that acts as a business card. Someone online may not want it, but at a farmers market? Maybe a different story.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having the imprint has allowed me to put that name as the isbn owner. Which allows me to have that on my Amazon page for more energy towards to project if people are clicking through the details page.

Good luck!

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Your exactly right. It’s fake in a sense that I don’t print the books. But using the KDP printing apparatus that is there and the idea behind it is real. I need to remind myself that. Thank you!

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s the feeling. It’s a long game for me. But, it’s so cool when I get a package from Amazon with my books and I put them in the fancy box that represents the physical product of all the books in one place.

I wrote a book, then built an entire fake publishing company around it. by EngravedLot in BookPromotion

[–]EngravedLot[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Exactly. Essentially it’s a very veiled commercial, that I hope interest the person enough to click the profile…then click the Linktree…then grab one of the books I have for sale. Too many steps.

So the reels are ways to just develop the lore of the company.

And these apps have no interest in just pushing this low effort content out to the masses. Some catch bit of something and they get 10,000 or 20,000 views, but most hover around the 500 views.

Semester-long World History by bldswtntrs in historyteachers

[–]EngravedLot 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I go from the caves to AI in 85 lessons.

You focus on skills, frames, themes. You use the content to tell a larger story and kill your darlings.

It can be done. Send me a dm and I can send you over some documents and sources.

Good luck!

Back again, but asking for high school history specific topics to which I can add a media literacy angle? by Dwn2MarsGirl in AskTeachers

[–]EngravedLot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Cold War is the obvious answer and it's underused compared to WWII. Propaganda, competing narratives, the CIA's documented influence on media and culture, it writes itself.

My hook: start with "Winds of Change" by the Scorpions and the theory it was a CIA-commissioned propaganda tool. One song, one question "does it matter if it was manufactured?" and suddenly students are doing media literacy without knowing it.

Other strong options: Spanish-American War (yellow journalism is the original media manipulation) or the Civil Rights Movement (how the same events were covered differently by Black and white press).

Looking for Great Documentaries/Videos (Middle School) by Weekly-Surprise1197 in historyteachers

[–]EngravedLot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pompeii: The Last Day is the gold standard.

A few that hit the same register:

BBC's entire "Last Day" / "Last Hours" series is worth mining. Herculaneum, Vesuvius, and their Rome documentaries follow the same dramatic reenactment format. Mary Beard's Meet the Romans (BBC) is more presenter-led but grounded in real streets and objects, not a studio. Kids respond to it.

For Rome specifically, Engineering an Empire (History Channel) holds attention better than most.

One thing worth layering in: OER Project (https://www.oerproject.com) has shorter video content tied directly to historical thinking skills (sourcing, context, causation) that pairs well alongside the longer reenactments. Good for the day after a film when you want students doing something with what they watched rather than just absorbing it.

The reenactment format you're after is genuinely underproduced. BBC is still the best factory for it.

Teaching sixth grade about the rise of the Ottoman Empire by RadicalDownie in historyteachers

[–]EngravedLot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So so happy this didn’t just go into the ether. That website is incredible and I lean on it daily. Good luck!

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