Are you a proud author of published books? Have you had a horrible experience publishing your book traditionally? 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. While we understand learning how to publish a book yourself can be the best decision for you, you need to know what you’re doing. So, if you need help getting familiar with how to self-publish a book, don’t worry; we’ve got your back.
Here is the perfect guide that will walk you through each step, helping you dodge any pitfalls.
How to Publish My Own Book?
Do you need some help with 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 can be summed up in 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. Whether you’re publishing books through the traditional way or on your own, success depends widely on how well your book is being perceived by the readers.
Although there is no surefire way to ensure your book grabs the attention of the readers and becomes a bestseller, there are certain approaches to help write a book that will appeal to the audience. 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 way approach for that 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 own 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. Brainstorming story ideas based on your personal interests and then considering how they would fit into the book category and appeal to a particular target audience is a strategy that can benefit you in the long run.
However, if you don’t have a specific idea in mind, start with some market research to see what’s trending and try to figure out 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 to 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. As someone who is trying to make a career out of writing books, you can’t be wasting your time. 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. Ideally, try to look for a professional who has plenty of expertise in the same genre and has knowledge of various types of editing.
Once your manuscript has been edited and refined, you can move on to making sure it’s visually appealing, too.
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. While focusing on how your book looks on the outside is crucial, 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. As a result, it’s a waste of time, money and resources. However, you don’t have to stress about any of that in the modern era.
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. As a result, audiences from all across the globe can access eBooks in various formats, making it incredibly convenient for readers and authors.
In addition, royalties for eBooks are highly profitable, making 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 in the digital world. It allows authors to upload their manuscripts in a specific format so that it can be printed. 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
While eBooks have been in demand for the longest time, many readers are turning to audiobooks. We live in a world where we can barely make time for our hobbies as 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. Now, this decision needs to be well-thought as it directly impacts how well your book will do.
When it comes to self publishing books, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing has been the most popular platform due to its wide-ranging features and resources. Readers can visit the Amazon link and choose what format they want to read the book in based on the options available 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. Conduct 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. As a result, it will help you establish credibility, reach the target audience, drive sales, and create a loyal following.
By promoting your book through various channels and engaging with readers, you can increase your chances of success. 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 full-service ghostwriting firm that specializes in providing various services that allow authors and others to write and publish their books and everything in between. Regardless of what you need assistance with, our experts are equipped to cater to you.
Contact us for more assistance.
