If you are reading this, it means that you have made up your mind about writing a book. As soon as you put your pen down after completing your manuscript, the first question that you may ask yourself is whether you want to self-publish or reach out to traditional publishers.
Looking at the convenience and benefits of self-publishing, most writers can agree that self-publishing is a better option. However, finding the best approach to self-publishing can feel like a daunting task, especially if you are a novice writer.
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.
Before you start writing your manuscript, take your time to create a thorough outline and a schedule for your project. From there on, you can establish a writing routine to achieve specific goals in a specific timeline.
While transferring the words from your mind to the paper and adhering to your outline at the same time can be challenging at the same time can seem like a big challenge, writing bigger drafts may be the biggest struggle for most authors.
Revisions and multiple drafts play an important role in helping you refine your story, strengthen your characters, fill the plot holes, and so much more. Writing multiple drafts and revising can be a challenge, but every effort brings out the best in your work.
2. Edit and Proofread Ruthlessly
Every aspiring author wants their book to be published as soon as they put down their pen. However, rushing the publication process can be the worst mistake. You may risk publishing your work with avoidable mistakes.
It is always a good idea to proofread and edit your book before you publish it. In addition to self-editing, make sure that you also hire the help of other professionals, such as beta readers, proofreaders, and professional editors.
Look for areas where the narrative could be tightened, characters could be strengthened, or the overall impact could be improved. A well-edited and error-free manuscript can promise the success of your self-published book.
3. Focus on the Book Cover
Before someone figures out whether your book is self-published or traditionally published, the first thing they will notice is your book cover. An interesting book cover holds the power to attract a potential reader from across the aisle. Hence, paying attention to this aspect is crucial.
If you do not have any experience in illustrating, it is best to hire a professional book cover designer to get the job done. Professional book cover illustrators know the best practices in book cover design within 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 overwhelming. Of course, every author wants to ensure the best interest of their book. The way your book is received and read can depend on the publishing platforms you choose.
If you are self-publishing for the first time, you must look for different publishing platforms based on their fees, royalties, and ease of use. Of course, you must not forget about other important factors, such as 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. Information from reliable resources can help you make the best decisions.
Once you feel that you have found one or multiple platforms you want to publish with, make sure that you read reviews and testimonials of every platform to learn more about their publishing process and feel confident collaborating with them.
5. Upload Your Book
Every self-publishing platform has different instructions and restrictions when it comes to their submission process. You may need to upload your manuscript and cover design as two different files along with the title, author name, description, keywords, and pricing information.
Make sure to recheck the file format and size before uploading it to ensure that it meets the instructions. You can also use the preview feature to see if your book will fit your vision of an ideal book in your mind.
6. Set the Prices
Setting the price is the next important step in self-publishing your book. Since authors make the best of the royalties when they self-publish, you may be tempted to set the price a bit high. However, it is important to remember that the price you set for your self-published book impacts both 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 monitor sales data to assess the effectiveness of your pricing strategy and make the needed changes.
7. Market Your Book
The readers will not discover your self-published book on their own. Every self-publishing author is on their own when it comes to marketing their book before and after it is accessible to the target audience.
In addition to leveraging social media platforms, make sure that you also spread the news with the help of influencers, book bloggers, and other friends in the literary field. Every effort put in the right direction can pay off in its own way.
Once you see your marketing efforts paying off, make sure that you also monitor them using metrics such as click-through rates, engagement levels, and conversion rates.