Do you ever wonder why so many people are moving toward self-publishing? That’s because it is easy. You have full control. This way of publishing is prevalent among many online celebrities, such as influencers and models. Plus, with platforms like Amazon, many authors have come up to publish their work on a self-publish basis. You can also do it; it’s that simple. However, starting the right way can confuse you, so let’s take it bit by bit so you get there successfully.
First of all, get this: self-publish means that you’re the author, the publisher, and the marketer. You do everything, from A to Z. On the plus side, it offers you a lot of creative freedom, and you get to keep a big chunk of earnings to yourself. However, the downside is that it can be tiring. After all, freedom always comes with some responsibilities. So, if you think self-publishing is all flowers and rainbows, I’d tell you to mix a bit of hurricane in there. If you’re not ready to go through all this, you can always go the traditional route. I’ve found Illustrative Agency as one of the best publishers and May Green as their executive so far, so you can’t go wrong with them.
However, you’re here to read about self-publishing, so I’m going to tell you what to expect when you embark on a self-publishing journey. Be it the good side or the bad side (which is honestly not that bad), you will have good knowledge by the end.
Ready? Let’s roll!
The Big Picture Of Self-Publishing
Self-publishing is pretty simple; you create, publish, and market yourself. It’s you and your book against the world. You don’t have to go to a publishing house and wait for them to approve your book. Plus, many publishing houses have tons of books to publish, so your book may need to wait months or even years!
With traditional publishing, they decide how to publish your book. They also demand a huge cut of your profits, so the end result may upset many authors. But if you’d rather not do anything yourself, traditional publishing can be a lifesaver for you. If you want to be the boss of your work, you should definitely opt for self-publishing.
But keep in mind that it is not as glamorous as it sounds. Similar to making a house yourself, you research and bring your book to the light of the day yourself. It takes a lot of effort. You’ll also be the one to run all the ads and campaigns for your book. Oh, and let’s not forget the cost – but you get to have the control, at least on your book.
1. First, Create The Manuscript
You don’t just write and publish, as you may have established as of now. Your book must be in top shape. You wouldn’t want people booing your book for typos, awkward sentences, or issues with the formatting, right? Even though your readers may not be writers themselves, trust me, they do notice. And the readers’ reviews can sometimes go off the roof with the bashing. It can turn into a nightmare.
So, you edit your book after you’re done creating it. You go through every sentence and read it to make sure it sounds okay. Make sure there are no abrupt paragraph changes or awkward dialogue. You can hire a professional editor if you’d rather not edit your book yourself. A fresh pair of eyes can always help because they can catch things you may have missed. Such investments are worth it.
There’s another giant that must also be on point: formatting. The book needs to be formatted for the platform you’re going to use – Kindle, Nook, and other e-readers. And if you’re going for a paperback, you must look at font size, margins, and page breaks. Online tools can help with this, but in the end, you have to make sure everything is in its place.
2. Select A Platform To Publish Your Manuscript On
This is the time to choose the stage where you’d want your book to shine. So, you do the research first. There are so many kinds of platforms. You have KDP, which is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, which is the most mainstream. The others are Smashwords, IngramSparks, Lulu, Blurb, and many more. Did you know Barnes & Noble Press also allows authors to publish eBooks? Also, they offer book printing directly through their platform. Google Play Books are also a popular way to self-publish your book; they reach readers through Android devices.
And when you’re sure of your manuscript, it’s time to publish it by first selecting the platform. Choose one, and make sure you stick by it. You gotta think about your goals and what you want out of self-publishing. Don’t rush it; the decision should be well-thought-out. Because, after all, this can shape your self-publishing journey.
3. Design The Book Cover
Listen, people do judge a book by the cover. They’re paying for a good time with the book, so if it isn’t quality, it shows on the cover. A good book cover design is the first impression of your book, so make it special.
To design a good book cover, you have two options: hire a book cover designer or DIY it yourself. Want to take the professional route? Check out freelance websites to hire a graphic designer. If not, you have several tools and software to design the cover yourself.
However, remember that if you don’t have a creative side to you, it may show up on the cover. Therefore, just be clear about your book’s genre and target audience. Then, you simply follow the industry standards regarding what works and what doesn’t. Your personal preferences aside, think about what the audience, the readers, will like. So, take your time, and get the book cover to look perfect. It will affect the sales greatly.
4. The Deal With ISBNs And Copyright
Manuscript? Check. Editing? Check. Book cover? Check. Now, you must understand the ISBN and Copyright. It’s not that difficult, as fancy as it sounds.
See, ISBN means International Standard Book Number. It is the one and only identifier for the book you put out on the internet. It’s like your book’s social security number. People use ISBN to search and track your book and sell it better. Many platforms (like Amazon KDP) offer free ISBNs, but you have to pay for them for the most part.
However, free doesn’t mean actually free. It’s just free of cost, and the platform holds the rights to your book’s listing. It can bind your book to the platform and limit the sales.
Not your call? Then, if you’re on the hunt for full control, you may purchase the ISBN from Bowker (it’s located in the U.S.) or whichever equivalent your country has. This way, you can publish your book anywhere else you want; the platform does not bind it.
As for copyright, it is the security that protects your creative work. This way, your work doesn’t get plagiarized. Your work is automatically protected under copyright law. However, you must register for it if you want it to be legalized. So, if someone tries to use your work without your permission, you can sue them legally. This can be done easily using your country’s copyright office.
Of course, this task is tedious, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right? It’s called self-publication for a reason.
5. Setting A Price
Now, it’s time to talk money. This is important because it pays off all the effort you have gone through. After all, what’s a better reward than money? Therefore, set the price for your book. It is a step many people fail to do properly, and later on, do not get the right reward for their work. So, how do you do it?
First, you research the average price for the genre. Hardcopy books are a bit pricey, but eBooks are not that much. They often range from $9 to $19, give or take a few. Also, be sure to consider the audience and your experience as an author. A less expensive book would be better if you’re new to this. This will attract the readers and build your fan base.
You must also consider the distribution method. For example, Amazon KDP offers two royalty options: 35% or 70%. Price your book between $2.99 and $9.99, and you can earn up to 70% of the royalty.
A hack for you: launch your book at a lower price. Plus, you can run limited-time discounts, which further cuts the prices. It may be a loss for the time being, but it will follow up with the costs later on. But keep an eye on the discounts; don’t overdo it.
6. Bring Your Self-Published Book To The Market
Your book will not jump onto the screen for your audience to read. If not marketed properly, it will sit there and be lonely. So, you must introduce your book to the market. For that, you have two options: hard launch or soft launch.
A hard launch is when you go into the market with your book, and BAM, you organize campaigns, signings, and whatnot. A soft launch is when you launch your book in a more laid-back way.
Before that, you should start building your author platform. Use social media, and preferably TikTok. Create an author website and start with a newsletter from there. Use exciting snippets of your book to lure in readers. When you have an audience before you publish or market your book, it sells better.
Do not forget to make a book launch plan. You can do anything, perhaps running a promotional campaign to offer your book at a discounted price. What’s more, you can also offer your book for free to certain customers if they participate in an activity. Moreover, you can reach out to book bloggers to request reviews. It helps a lot in creating a buzz.
Advertisements will also help a ton. Use both traditional and social media to target specific audiences. Let the algorithm do its job and watch people purchase your book. Honestly, running ads can be a bit of a learning curve, but it will pay off well in the long run.
Marketing is all about strategizing the way you will introduce your book to the readers. It takes time, patience, and a lot of creativity. Once you master that, you’ll be the boss of self-publishing your book.
7. Don’t Forget About Sales And Distribution
Are you getting the sales? Don’t forget to manage the sales! Take a journal or do it virtually, but keep track of how your book is performing. It is tedious, for sure, but it will help you make better decisions in the future.
If you’re using Amazon, they provide the data and statistics. Some other platforms do the same, but if not, you will have to use Google to help you. List how many copies you’re selling and which month you have sold them. It’s like budgeting but for your book. So, if during a month, sales are low, you can figure out what to do, whether to start a discount or not. Moreover, if you see that your sales spike after a promotion, you can do that more often so people purchase more. The more they buy, the greater the visibility, resulting in even more sales.
Also, if you’ve published on multiple platforms, keep an eye on which platform gets you the most sales. That way, you can see if you should continue to focus your efforts on a certain platform.
As an author, you have tax and legal requirements to follow. It depends on where you live, so you may need to report your earnings and pay taxes accordingly. So, be aware of the rules in your region so you stay compliant with legal regulations.
Continue To Build Your Success
If your book is doing well commercially, you can’t stop there! You must grasp the rope and move forward. You scale up your writing career because it shouldn’t stop at just one book. So, consider making your book into a series or writing a spin-off if it is fiction.
You can opt for a sequel to continue the fun. Since you already have the base ready, building a sequel is easy. You can expand it a bit more. You can turn your book into an audiobook so people who can’t read can listen to your book. And if you’re feeling daring, consider translating your book into another popular language.
All in all, listen to your audience. When you engage with your audience regularly, you’ll see that they have the best ideas. And when you listen to your audience, your brand goes a long way.