For aspirant writers, learning how to publish traditionally can be a tedious journey. Thankfully, as the world changed, self-publishing has become easier than it’s ever been. As the internet becomes more accessible to many there are now new ways authors can professionally publish their book without breaking the bank.
But first, what is self-publishing?
Self-publishing is the ability to publish a book without an established publisher. Traditional publishing used to be the only way to publish your book but it does take a long process and it can cost a lot. However, with new technology, anybody can now publish an ebook and post them on reading sites like wattpad and they can do this pretty much for free!
Some famous books like Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, The Martian by Andy Weir and The Shack by William P. Young are successful examples of self-publishing and it just goes to show that self-publishing may be tough but it gives underrated authors a chance to make their voices heard.
This post is a step by step guide to self publishing and how you can get the book out into the world in quick easy steps!
Write your Book
Through traditional publishing, most writers would have a creative team to help and guide them to write the first draft of their novels but of course, writing the manuscript will still be dependent on every writer’s routine and discipline in finishing their work. Having a detailed plan in mind and knowing what you want to write will be of great help in choosing your genre and creating your book.
Finding a routine to make time for writing can be a great habit to push yourself to continue writing. Sometimes it can be hard to write and exhausting to put together ideas but having a disciplined routine can make writing a leisure instead of being a boring task.
2. Edit the manuscript
While some ebook platforms such as wattpad will let you have the opportunity to edit your work while its being read, printed formats does not allow it. One should be able to edit as much as they can before they finally finish the final draft. The manuscript will need to go through several rounds of editing, rewriting and proofreading and as much as possible, it is cheaper to work on your own edits.
However, it still needs to be edited professionally. There are free editing softwares available and some can also be paid. It is entirely up to the writer which path they will take but the manuscript will still need to be edited professionally for proper formatting and proofreading before it can be published.
3. Design a good book cover
A good book cover can be a determining factor to spark a readers’ interest to read your work. As self-publishers would have to rely on their book covers for sales, an attractive book cover can catch a reader’s eyes and it needs to be seen whether through the use of ads or algorithms. It needs to be talked about and intrigue readers into reading your book.
Design formats are important, even the way the title is poised on the front cover. When you’re done with illustrating your desired cover, you can hire a graphic artist or go for free designing softwares available online.
4. Get Feedback
Once you’re done with the final draft of your manuscript, give out copies to a few of your friends and family members so you could have a gist of whatever it is that you’ll need to edit before publishing the book.
Feedbacks are important as readers will judge and critique your book once its out into the world, so you have to be thorough in errors that you might have missed during editing.
5. Publish two book formats: an ebook and a print book
For first time writers, it would be good to publish an ebook through reading community platforms. Wattpad can be a great start and can make your book gain popularity easily. Ebooks are also offered at a lower price compared to print books and this can help your book get to the readers easily as sometimes, readers would explore the internet for underrated readers and your book might just be perfect for their tastes.
With Print-on-Demand (POD) services, writer can upload their files into the system and once an order is put through it prints the copies it needs to be sent to the reader. The cost per unit is higher than traditional publishers but it does not have too much of a risk that makes it a good option for self-publishing authors.
6. Create a launch plan
Before your book is out into the market, you’ll need to create a detailed launch plan that can determine the success of your debut. This can be done by hyping up the release of your book through social media ads, book trailers and by word of mouth. Make your book release something to talk about in the book community, connect with readers and strangers online for free advertisement. An effective launch plan can make the release easily as readers anticipate the book itself before its even out into the market.
7. Market to the max!
Once your book is out on the market, sometimes it will still need to be pushed a little more further to increase the sales. There are tried and tested methods in marketing and this can help a self-published author to get their books into the reading lists of every reader out there.
There are a number of ways one can do this such as paying for newspaper advertisements or paying for influencers to promote the book itself but the most recommended way is to get your book into the algorithm. Once a book is being talked about, algorithms makes its way to the a person’s interests and if the book is making its way through social media platforms, your book can easily get into the readers’ hands.
Final thoughts:
Self-publishing can prove to be a tremendous amount of work, there are a lot of risks but once you put your whole effort into the rest of the process, it will be just as worth it in the end. With self-publishing, you are given a platform in which your ideas could be heard by the people and its success will be determined by your will and passion to get your book out into the world.