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The publishing industry is a hard one to break into. Aspiring writers can spend years, or even their whole lifetime, sending out manuscripts in the hopes of catching their big break like The 8th Habit Book. However, thanks to self-publishing, many authors are making their dreams a reality without the help of traditional publishing companies. If you are a writer interested in learning how to self-publish a book, keep reading below for a simple DIY publishing guide.
Step 1: Write
The first step to self-publishing is to have something to publish. Writing your first book can be a thrilling and draining journey. Think carefully about your characters and how they operate within your world. Do not worry about pleasing an audience just yet. This is your time to get everything down on paper. Once you have done that, you can begin the editing process.
Step 2: Edit
Learning how to publish a book on your own is not just about printers and vendors. You will also need to consider how your work will be edited. With a big publishing company, you have the benefits of multiple editors and proofreaders coming together to help make your book the best it can be. When you publish your own book, you will need to resort to outside contractors if you want a professional opinion. Spending on a certified editor to proofread your work will never be a waste of money, as the results would be more than satisfactory. You can also ask a spouse or friend to look over your work for you. They may not have editing experience, but it is always good to have a second pair of eyes scanning your manuscript for any inconsistencies or mistakes. After the editing process has been completed, you are ready to move on to step 3.
Step 3: Consider The Outlet And Format
After you have all of the words on the page, it is time to decide how they will be published. There are a variety of outlets available for self-publishers. E-Books are a great option for beginners, and they are far less expensive than traditional printing. In addition to publishing your work online you can also find a POD (Print-On-Demand) company that will only print books when they are ordered from websites like Amazon. This will save you money on bulk printing costs, and you can still get yourself a hard copy. You may also choose the traditional route, if you are willing to pay for it. Printing will likely be your biggest cost when publishing on your own, so make sure that you are ready to take on the charges in order to get your book out onto shelves.
Print On Demand Services
If you are looking for POD services, it can be hard to separate the good from the bad to know which options are losing business and which are getting rave reviews. If you need a little help finding top print on demand companies to publish a book with, consider two solutions first – CreateSpace and Lightning Source. These two POD solutions for self publishing can help you make your dreams of becoming an author come true. CreateSpace is owned by Amazon, which also is incredibly beneficial if you want to self publish directly to Kindle. Then, you can head over to Lightning Source, a POD printer solution, when you are ready to publish a print book after seeing some success with an ebook release.
Step 4: Cover And Illustrations
What many people forget when learning how to self-publish a book is that they are responsible for the artwork as well. With a traditional publishing company, you will likely be paired with a team of creatives who can make your book cover pop. In the self-publishing industry however, this is up to you. Although people always say not to judge a book by its cover, this may be the right place to splurge during the process of publishing your book. Hire a graphic designer or artist to create the perfect book cover and matching web page design. It may cost hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, but their work could be the reason someone picks up your book in the first place.
Step 5: Publish And Profit
After you have written, edited, formatted and decorated your book, you are ready to publish it yourself. Whether you have published an e-book through Kindle, a Print-on-Demand book with Amazon or a tried and true hard copy, now is the time to spread the word. Tell your friends, fans and family that your first ever self-published book is available. Do not be disappointed if your book is not an overnight sensation. It takes time to do marketing planning and execution. Instead, bask in the fact that you have finally completed your first self-publishing journey!
Step 6: Go Audio
Once your self published book is a success, it is time to transform it into a audio book. This will instantly increase your customer base, making it easier for customers to access your material. Additionally, an audio book allows you to create another revenue stream from the same initial work that you have already put into your self published book, which is excellent for those who are not all that financially savvy. Just by setting up an amateur recording studio one time, you can create an audio book that can be listened to by millions of readers.
If you have been considering learning how to publish your book through a nontraditional route, there is no better time to start than right now. After all, if The Art of the Deal can make the New York Times’ bestseller list, so can you. With this simple guide above and the many options for publishing on your own available, you can make it happen. Refer back to this post throughout your self-publishing process so that we can help guide you every step of the way.
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