Congratulations! If you are reading this, it only means that you have decided that you want to write a book. Immediately you put down your pen after completing your manuscript, the first question you ask yourself is whether you want to self-publish or reach out to traditional publishers.
If we look at the convenience and plethora of benefits of self-publishing, it will be easy to tell that most writers will agree that the option is better. However, figuring out the best way to self-publish a book may be like a daunting task, especially if you are a novice.
To make the process easier for you, here are the promising steps you must follow on your journey to self-publishing your book.
1. Complete Your Manuscript
Before you think about how to self publish a book, you must have your manuscript ready to go. Writing your manuscript may be the trickiest part of self-publishing your book. However, you can make it easier by becoming more organised.
However, you can make it easier on yourself by being more organised. Before you even start writing your manuscript, take time to create an in-depth outline and a schedule for the entire project. From there, you can establish a writing routine that can help you achieve set goals in set timelines.
While trying to transfer words from your brain to paper and adhering to your outline at the same time may seem like a big challenge, writing bigger drafts may be the biggest struggle most authors have to deal with.
Revision and multiple drafts play a crucial role in helping you refine your story, strengthen your characters, fill up any plot holes, and much more. While writing multiple drafts and revision may be a herculean task, every extra effort you make goes a long way in producing the best results.
2. Edit and Proofread Ruthlessly
Every aspiring author would love their book to be published immediately they put down their pen. However, this is the biggest mistake any self-publishing author can make. The rush can see you miss some avoidable mistakes.
It is always best to ensure that you have proofread and edited your book before you publish it. In addition to self-editing, it is vital to also seek the help of other professionals such as beta readers, proofreaders, and professional editors.
Pay close attention to areas where the narrative can be tightened, where characters can be strengthened, or the overall impact can be improved. A well-edited and error-free manuscript is a promise to the success of your self-published book.
3. Focus on the Book Cover
Before someone figures out if your book is self-published or traditionally published, the first thing they notice is your book cover. An interesting book cover will hold the power to attract the attention of a potential reader from across the aisle. Hence, attention to this aspect is crucial.
If you lack any experience in illustrating, it is best to hire a professional book cover designer. Professional book cover illustrators are well familiar with the best practices when it comes to book cover design in your genre.
They can help you choose the right imagery, typography, and colour schemes to evoke the mood and themes of your book. Using the right building blocks, a book cover can help you test different variations and choose the best options based on your target audience.
4. Pick a Publishing Platform
Choosing the right publishing platform can be quite overwhelming for any self-publishing author. Of course, every author only wants to have the best interest of their book in mind. The way the book is received and read can depend on the publishing platforms you choose.
If you are venturing into self-publishing for the first time, you must look at different publishing platforms based on their fees, royalties, and ease of use. Of course, you cannot afford to forget other essential factors, such as the availability of marketing tools and customer support.
The best part is that you can find several free tutorials and guides that can help you familiarise yourself with the publishing process and platforms. From reliable sources of information, you can learn more and make the best decision in this area.
Once you have enough information and feel that you have found one or multiple platforms you want to work with, it is best to read reviews and testimonials of every platform to learn more about their publishing process and feel more confident in collaborating with them.
5. Upload Your Book
Every self-publishing platform has a different instruction set and restrictions when it comes to their submission process. You may be required to upload your manuscript and cover design as two different files. This is aside the title, author name, description, keywords, and pricing information.
Make sure to recheck the file format and size to ensure that they meet the requirements before uploading them. You can also use the preview feature that is common on most self-publishing platforms. With it, you can see if your book is just as you wanted it in your head.
6. Set the Prices
Setting the price is the next crucial step in self-publishing your book. Since authors enjoy the most royalties when they self-publish, you may feel tempted to set the price on the higher side. However, it is important to remember that the price you tag your self-published book has a significant impact on short-term sales and long-term profitability.
Instead of guessing the best price or trying to put a price tag on your hard work, it is better to spend time researching pricing strategies in your genre and looking for factors that determine the value of a self-published book. Do not forget to set the royalty rate of your book.
From there on, you can use sales data to help you monitor the effectiveness of your pricing strategy and make the required changes where need be.
7. Market Your Book
The readers will not find your self-published book on their own. Every self-publishing author is on their own when it comes to marketing their books before and after it becomes accessible to their target audience.
In addition to taking advantage of social media platforms, make sure to also spread the news with the help of influencers, book bloggers, and other friends in the literary field. Every effort you put in the right direction will pay off in its way.
Once you start seeing your marketing efforts yielding results, make sure to also monitor it with metrics such as click-through rates, engagement levels, and conversion rates.