How to Self-Publish Your Book

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Categories: Books & Authors | How Tos

  • Self-publishing has recently become a popular option for writers with an interest in taking control of the fate of their books. If you're interested in learning more about how to self-publish your book, this step-by-step guide offers insight into everything from choosing a printer to marketing strategies to help promote your final product.

  • Introduction

    • You've just finished writing your first book and you're wondering where to go from here. You've always dreamed of being a published author, but you want to check out all of the options available before making a commitment.
    • There is the traditional route of seeking out an agent and having them solicit publishing houses in attempt to sell your manuscript, or you can take on the publishing houses yourself. The truth is, this route has become more difficult in the last few years because of the increasing number of publishing authors. Traditional publishing houses often don't want to take a chance on someone they've never heard of; they want a sure thing.
    • The self-publishing market used to be so difficult it was like setting up your own mini publishing house. Today there are online printing companies and subsidy publishers that require little more than the submission of a file from you, and they take care of the rest for a small fee.

  • Mahalo Daily: How to Self-Publish Your Book

  • The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing

    • With every big decision there are both advantages and disadvantages, and self-publishing is no different. It's up to you to weigh the pros and cons and then decide what's right for your publishing needs.

  • Advantages

    • You might be surprised to learn that one of the most obvious advantages of self-publishing your own book is a 100% profit return on every book you sell. This is only one of the many benefits.
    1. The number one advantage to self-publishing is having absolute control over the fate of your manuscript.
    2. The out-of-pocket costs for self-publishing are fairly small.
    3. Self-publishing is incredibly fast when compared to traditional publishing. When you add the time it takes to find a publisher to accept your manuscript to the amount of time it takes that publisher to get your book in print, you could be looking at anywhere from one to three years, maybe even longer.
    4. When it's time to start selling your book, you will see income immediately. Many publishing houses only pay royalty fees once or twice a year, and then it is only a small percentage of the book's profit.
    5. Once your book has been self-published, a publishing house may be more likely to make you an offer.
      • NOTE: Some places consider self-publishing a profitable (and taxable) business endeavor. Double check in your area to find out whether or not you need to file for a license.

  • Disadvantages

    • Of course, all of the above sounds fantastic when you're thinking about turning a profit, but there are some disadvantages to take into consideration. Self-publishing is hard work!
    1. As a self-published author you are responsible for all of your own editing, designing, proofing and more. This means you will have to learn how to do it yourself, or pay someone else to do it for you.
    2. Self-published books are often regarded suspiciously by booksellers.
    3. Self-publishing a book that is not top quality can do serious damage to your writing career.
    4. You are responsible for going through the process of obtaining an ISBN number, which can be costly. Without one, you won't be able to sell your book to book stores or online sellers like Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.

  • Subsidy Publishing

    • Subsidy Publishing is when an author pays a publishing company to publish his or her book for them. Subsidy publishers take care of a great deal of the work, like layout, editing, cover design, and in some cases, they will even go through the process of obtaining the ISBN number. Subsidy publishers are very similar to publishing houses in what they will do for you. They also take a cut of the royalties on every book you sell, and you basically give up your rights to ownership.

  • Self-Publishing

  • Step 1: Preparing Your Manuscript for Print

    • Once you decide to self-publish your manuscript, even if you decide to go through a company like Lulu or one of the many vanity publishers out there, you want to put together the best quality manuscript possible. You don't have editors to proofread for you, and since you are banking solely on the quality of your manuscript alone, you're going to want to edit, edit, edit to perfection.
    1. Edit your manuscript not just for grammar, spelling and tense, but for continuity and plot as well.
      1. You may want to consider hiring an editor to offer an objective point-of-view.
      2. If you're going with a subsidy or vanity publisher, editing and proofreading are occasionally offered as an extra service.
    2. Proofread and proofread again. Your book is already off to a great start if it's 100% error free.
      1. Take advantage of any friends or family who offer to proofread for you. Two sets of eyes are always better than one.
      2. Join an online writer's group. Sometimes the setting is intimate enough that your writing buddies will be glad to help you proofread.
    3. Consider your artwork carefully.
      1. The adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" may sound good in theory, but your cover art will be a major selling point for potential buyers and booksellers.
      2. If it is within your budget hire a designer to develop a professional cover.
      3. Be sure to obtain rights to any illustrations you wish to include.
    4. Choose your title carefully.
    5. Write a catchy synopsis to include on the back cover or dust jacket.
    6. Study the market and compare the sales and ratings of books with similar topics to yours. You can learn a lot from your competitors.
    7. Obtain an ISBN number so you have that information on hand before you go to print.

  • Step 2: Choosing the Right Format

    • After you have completed all of the editorial details for your manuscript, it's time to start thinking about format. There are three major formats you can choose from:
    1. Hardcover
    2. Paperback
    3. eBook
    • It's really up to you which format will be most accessible to your target audience. Take into consideration the type of book and the subject material to help you decide. It's also a good idea to study your competitors and note what has and hasn't worked for them.

  • Step 3: Finding the Right Printer

    • Once you've decided which format to go with and the number of books you'd like to have printed out, it's time to start shopping for a printer.
    1. Research and familiarize yourself with trim size costs so you can make economical decisions.
    2. Shop around and get several quotes on things like trim size, number of pages, binding, and paper quality.
    3. With most printers, the more copies you order the lower the cost of printing.
    4. If you don't need a lot of copies, some companies offer a POD or Print on Demand option, where you can order copies as you need them.
    5. Don't be afraid to ask a printing company to see samples of their work.
    • If you're only going to print out a few copies for friends and family, you may decide not to go with higher quality paper or binding, but remember if you're planning to sell your book that you want it to be able to compete with books published by major publishing houses. Keep in mind while choosing a printer that if they can't offer you the quality you're looking for at a good price, chances are there is someone else who can.

  • Step 4: Marketing Your Book

    • Marketing your own book is probably one of the hardest things about self-publishing, but it can be incredibly rewarding as well. If it is within your budget you can hire a publicist to do your promotional work for you, or you can do the work on your own. Don't forget if you are handling everything on your own, you are also responsible for distribution.
    • Here are some tips to help you get off on the right promotional foot:
    1. Start your own website where you can promote and sell your book directly.
    2. Send free copies out to reputable reviewers.
    3. Study the market and keep an eye on your competitors. If they are successful, try to learn from their strategies.
    4. Network, network, network! Network with other authors, editors, publishers and learn from them. They are also great people to share your book with once it's in print.
    5. Know your target audience, and then sing your praises to them. If you're publishing a book about electronics, consider running an advertisement in a popular electronics magazine.
    6. Book yourself a booth at any relevant conventions and offer the book at a small discount. Be sure to enclose a free book-marker with your website and seller information so your buyers can tell a friend.
    7. Promote through online bookstores.
    8. Try to arrange book signings at local libraries and book stores.
    9. Check with local book stores to see if they are willing to sell your book on consignment.
    10. Contact any local colleges and universities. Offer to do a free reading in exchange for them selling copies of your book in the campus bookstore.
    • These are just a few ideas, and by no means the only ways to promote your book. Get creative, and get out there and start pushing your book!
      • TIP: It's a little known fact that you have to spend money to make money, so don't be afraid to give books away to reviewers if you think it will help your sales in the longrun.

  • Conclusion

    • Self-publishing has definitely become a popular option for writers, especially with the recent surge in ePublishing. It offers writers the opportunity to get their work seen without the hassle of rejection. It also gives the writer 100% control over the fate of their manuscript, and you can't beat that.
    • While self-publishing may not be for everyone, it certainly has made it easier than ever for writers to get their work out on the market. Because it's so much simpler than traditional publishing, an increase of mediocre work has flooded the market. This means you'll have to work twice as hard to make your work stand out. Don't let these facts discourage you from self-publishing if that is the route you decide to take with your book. Hard work, research, an excellent marketing plan and persistence will help you get a leg up on the competition.

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