Well, you’re not alone! Most authors face problems with the traditional publishing route.
That is why they just try to figure out how to self-publish a book. Learning how to publish a book yourself can be the best decision. So, you need to know what you’re doing. You can learn how to self-publish a book with us.
We’ve prepared a helpful guide sharing all the steps. This will help you avoid any mistakes.
How to Publish My Own Book?
Do you need some help learning how to self-publish a book? Before we jump to that, as an author, knowing what options you have besides self-publishing can be beneficial for you. Apart from self-publishing, authors go for the traditional route to print and distribute their books, but that requires an affiliation with a publishing house or publisher.
Not to forget, you also have to share the earnings secured from each sale with these. In simpler words, it’s a little too complicated. That’s why authors find learning how to publish a book more convenient. The process of how to get a book published is of 8 steps.
Ready to learn them? Let’s get familiar with the steps to self publish a book.
1. Write a Book That’s Worth It
The first step to online book publishing is penning down a book that’s worth reading. Success depends broadly on how well the readers perceive your book. It doesn’t depend on the method you choose.
There is no verified way to ensure your book grabs the attention and becomes a bestseller. But, there are certain approaches to help write a book that appeals to audiences.
Here are some:
• Grab the Attention of Potential Readers
Has your manuscript been completed? Now, you need to focus on finding a way to attract and maintain the attention of potential readers. You can do that when you find the perfect hook to lure them in. Draft a one-line version of your book, which can act as the elevator pitch to introduce your book in an exciting way.
Before you get confused, what we mean is explaining what sets your plot apart. Usually, the best approach for this is to keep the readers guessing. Don’t reveal everything; make them wonder what comes next, as this will spark interest.
• Target Your Existing Market
Book trends have a way of catching the eye of the audience, and you can see it clearly in bookstores and now on social media, too, but traditional publishers are usually pretty slow to jump on this bandwagon. Fortunately, publishing your book will provide you with the opportunity to hop on these trends.
Since trends are recurrent by nature, there are other pointers of commercial potential that should be considered. There is one strategy that can help you in the long run—brainstorming story ideas. They can be based on your interests. You then consider how they would fit into the book category and appeal to a particular target audience.
If you don’t have any ideas, you can start with some market research. Look for what’s trending and why. People are usually drawn to more than just the story. So, how the book is written, and its compelling start will also draw readers in.
2. Find a Book Editor
Self publishing a book requires you to make sure your book is worthy of being read once it’s completed. As a result, you can’t just publish your manuscript without going through it again and improving it; you will need to edit it. That entails comprehensive steps and can include rewriting the first draft entirely and just proofreading it before publishing it.
Since editing can differ for each manuscript and has various types, it’s best to follow certain tips to make sure your book is edited flawlessly.
• Self-Edit While Writing
One rule authors need to live by is that time is money. You can’t waste your time if you’re trying to make a career out of writing books. That’s why when doing so, make things easy for you and save time by editing your book as much as you can.
For instance, as you are penning down, fix your typos, grammatical errors, and other basic mistakes. This will ensure you don’t have to pay a professional to cater to such basic issues. While fixing such errors, also focus on how the story unfolds, readability, etc.
• Get Professional Help
Throughout the book publishing process, you will often find yourself taking help from a professional, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In many cases, authors have the expertise to handle the task but lack the time. Therefore, reaching out to an expert seems like the best option.
The same rule applies to editing your book. After editing the book yourself, it’s time to call the experts. Try to find a professional with ample expertise in the same genre. Make sure they have knowledge of various types of editing.
Once your manuscript has been edited and refined, you can move on. This is when you make sure it’s visually appealing.
3. Get the Book Cover Designed
Book covers are the identity of the book and can help in attracting readers and boosting sales. And as a self published author, you will be depending widely on the cover of your book. You can use it in ads or as a thumbnail to appeal to readers. Focusing on how your book looks on the outside is crucial, and you can’t forget about the inside.
The interior of the book is equally important. You need to pay attention to how the words and illustrations are formatted. Once that is perfected, you can finally start publishing and selling your book.
4. Format the Manuscript
Previously, publishing your book on your own meant getting it printed and paying a huge amount for thousands of copies. Unfortunately, that also implies that there are a good number of copies that may not sell. It’s a waste of time, money, and resources. But you don’t have to stress about that at this age.
You have several options, such as:
• eBooks
The biggest benefit of self publishing platforms is the opportunity to make your book available online through eBooks. So, audiences from all across the globe can access eBooks in various formats. This makes it incredibly convenient for readers and authors.
Royalties for eBooks are also highly profitable. This makes it a viable option for authors who want to maximize profits.
• Print on Demand
Print-on-demand is one of the most valuable technologies for self publishing authors. It allows authors to upload their manuscripts in a specific format for printing. But here’s the catch: unlike usual printing that entails printing copies in bulk, this service only prints a copy after a reader has requested or purchased it. As a result, the copies are produced as per demand, making it much more affordable and feasible.
• Audiobooks
eBooks have been in demand for a long time. But many readers are turning to audiobooks. We live in a world where we can’t make time for our hobbies. We’re constantly packed with different things. So, reading a book is never easy. However, through audiobooks, readers don’t have to give up on their love for books.
They can just purchase audiobooks and press play to enjoy stories on the go. As a result, it has become a brilliant way for many authors to publish a book.
5. Choose a Self-Publishing Platform
Before you step into the publication phase, you need to make a few choices; you will have to select which platform you want to opt for to publish your book. This decision needs to be well-thought-out. It directly impacts how well your book will do.
When it comes to self publishing books, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is the most popular platform. This is because of its wide-ranging features and resources. Readers can visit the Amazon link and choose what format they want to read the book. Options will be available so that you can choose and pay accordingly.
6. Set the Book’s Price
Have you picked a platform to publish your book? If yes, then congratulations! You’ve almost made it to the finish line. Before you publish your book, you first need to dive into numbers and set the price for your book. Undoubtedly, the price will impact the sale, so if you set the price too high, you will gain higher profits for every copy your book sells. However, it can lead to less sales.
In the same way, underpricing will sell more copies, but you’ll have less profit. As a result, the goal is to find the right balance, and that can be done after market research. Research to determine what price will be best for your genre and target audience.
7. Publish the Book
With every other task completed, you can finally move on to the stage where you publish your book. So, just follow the procedure of publishing your book on whatever platform you’ve chosen. Make sure you carefully follow each step and don’t make any mistakes along the line.
8. Market It
Has your book been published? Now it’s time to get your marketing game on. While we’re sure you would love to sit back and relax, here’s when you can maximize sales. Marketing is exponential for books that have been self-published as it can help present your book to the audience, helping it get noticed.
When you self publish, you may not always have the same support from experts, so marketing is your weapon to spark interest and establish awareness. It will help you:
- Establish credibility
- Reach the target audience
- Drive sales
- Create a loyal following
You can increase your chances of success by promoting your book through various channels and engaging with readers. So, come up with an effective strategy to promote your book.
Are you worried you may not have the capabilities or time to handle self publishing on your own? Well, you don’t have to; there are many companies, like Ghostwriting Proficiency, you can rely on to help you.
Ghostwriting Proficiency is a ghostwriting firm that specializes in providing various services. Our services allow authors and others to write and publish their books and everything in between. Our experts are equipped to cater to your needs.
Contact us for more assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are plenty of platforms that authors can utilize to self publish their books. Here is a list of the most famous ones:
• Apple Books
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Barnes & Noble Press
• Smashwords
• Draft2Digital
Self publishing a book has become popular for many authors. This is because it allows them to gain more revenue. This is possible as they don’t have to share them with a publishing house or publisher. But, there are certain costs that they might have to pay, such as professional assistance during the process. As long as you don’t go over the budget, it’s not costly.
For an author, it’s critical to make informed decisions throughout if they want to succeed. As a result, before self publishing, they need to be aware of certain things, such as target audience, the options they have, different self publishing platforms, etc. For further information, you can communicate with our experts, and they can walk you through this.
