As a talented writer or poet aspiring to become an author, you need to understand the book-publishing landscape now. The first task is to learn how to publish your book. It would be best if you also considered the vast publishing options you have and their impact. Of course, self-publishing is fast becoming a preferred choice for new writers, small businesses, and authors worldwide—all thanks to the internet and innovative digital tools.
All the while, new writers are competing to become best-selling authors, which is hard to do without a proper guide. Learning how to self-publish your first book is now more straightforward than it once was, but you must master this feat and understand the importance of mentorship. You must realize that there are a few other things involved besides the publishing, including promotion and marketing.
So, let’s get started.
What Is Self-Publishing?
It is a coined term that defines the different stages of publishing a book without involving a publishing firm. It is the process of getting things done personally or hiring remote workers to handle various publishing elements without the use of a traditional publisher to manage.
In a nutshell, self-publishing is when you write a book and manage the entire publishing process—editing, proofreading, formatting, designing, and marketing—without engaging a traditional publishing organization.
Many writers who self-publish their books typically enjoy higher royalty rates, full autonomy of the publishing process, and creative control. They perform the hectic work of marketing and social media promotions themselves. Still, they tend to be satisfied with the valuable results and income they make from royalties.
Also, every self-publishing writer bears the brunt of the expenses while self-publishing their book.
What Are Self-Publishing Platforms?
There are lots of self-publishing platforms online, but many are not as profitable as reviews claim. Among the most promising platforms for new authors, we have Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, Kobo, Lulu, BookBaby, and more.
A typical self-publishing platform is a community where poets, businesses, writers, and teachers publish their books to reach their target audiences. These platforms offer the following services and benefits for free and for a fee:
#1. Easy conversion of manuscripts to e-book and other formats
There are various digital tools, templates, or services to aid authors in formatting their books for production (electronic or print), designing book covers, and making the book more interactive.
#2. Proofreading and editing services
Book cover design, interior design, and layout services are all available as well.
#3. Dedicated marketing strategy
The means to make your book available and downloadable to distribution channels, such as online book communities and bookstores, are in place on these platforms.
Advantages of Self-Publishing
As a new author, you can take advantage of lots of benefits when you self-publish your book. These benefits seem small, but added all up, they become massive for independent authors.
Here are some of the advantages of self–publishing your book:
#1. Schedule
Many self-publishing authors enjoy the advantage of dictating the pace of publishing their books. They get their books out faster to their audience when compared to the traditional publishing process.
#2. Absolute Creative Control
When you choose the self-publishing option, you stand to enjoy absolute creative control in your book design concept. You can decide what to add and what to remove based on trends and critics.
#3. Higher Potential Earning
Most traditional publishing companies pay authors inadequately, whereas royalties on self-publishing platforms are much higher. Authors get quality value for their works on these platforms.
#4. Ownership of Rights
Traditional publishing houses often offer authors a limited right to ownership on reprints, merchandising, and film adaptations. On the other hand, the self-publishing pathway gives you 100% ownership rights on your books and publications.
How Much Will It Cost to Self-Publish a Book?
Before your manuscript is ready to publish, you need to have a budget. You are probably eager to know the cost of self-publishing your book… Well, the cost varies according to differing factors, which include the following:
• Number of words/pages
• Book cover design
• Proofreading and editing
• Promotion and marketing materials
Most self-publishing platforms do not charge authors for services relating to book format conversion, publishing guides, format templates, or the actual publishing. The platforms only take a commission on the number of books they sell for you, and that is between 10-70%.
Another salient benefit authors can expect is the 35-90% of royalties they earn, which is way more rewarding and encouraging than the 7-15% most traditional publishing companies pay.
Many of the self-publishing platforms also provide sales analytics, detailed sales trackers, and readers’ preference via author dashboards. These help authors keep track of their book sales and royalty numbers.
How to Self-Publish
Most first-time authors often get overwhelmed with perfectionism and research. However, it is simple to self-publish your first book if you follow the steps we recommend below. Do not worry so much about getting it “just right”—just get started!
Follow these simple steps on how to self-publish and sell your book:
1. Write your book.
Put your thoughts together and start writing. Make a schedule, plan your outline, and create your first draft. Be thorough in your content research, then get to work. Be passionate about writing the book, and do not overthink the process. Do not make it too long, and remember that you can make changes later.
2. Develop a routine.
Lack of discipline is a common setback for new writers. Thus, having a writing routine is essential for authors and bloggers. That way, your creativity and focus will be rekindled every time you sit to write.
3. Proofread and edit your manuscript.
After planning your book idea and following a dedicated writing routine, get your book draft ready for editing and proofreading. Editing is a broad part of self-publishing that starts at rewriting and extends to the final proofreading before publishing. Appreciate the feedback from your editors, and make the necessary changes.
4. Design and format the book.
It is vital to get your book into the appropriate format for Kindle, Smashwords, Apple Books, and so on. Failing to convert to the correct format during publishing is disastrous and can lead to decreased sales. Also, a high quality book cover design has significant benefits that cannot be undermined.
5. Self-publish your book.
One of the best ways to publish your book is by using an online publishing platform. When you publish via a platform like Amazon’s KDP, premium readers get to preview the book online, download it to an e-reader, or order a print copy.
6. Price your book and consider a launch.
Book pricing on self-publishing platforms is a critical part of self-publishing. When you get to this phase, give it due diligence before you settle. Furthermore, consider having a book launch. Formally launching your book can help make a lot of sales without pulling too many strings.
The Easiest Way to Self-Publish a Bestseller
With the advent of the pandemic, self-publishing is suddenly an attractive niche market with lots of competition. It requires hard work and commitment to follow the above steps and begin to see sales from your published book.
However, if your objective is to self-publish a book that will turn into a bestseller, you need a coach and a mentor—an author who has already blazed that trail to guide you and your books to #1 Amazon bestseller.
You can achieve your dream of becoming an author by following this guide to publish your book without engaging a traditional publishing house. For more detailed you can sign up for a 30-minute Consult and get started.