
A Brief Guide to Self-Publishing by Kaylie Kay
Introduction
I often meet people who have an idea for a book, are maybe even writing one already, and want to know how they get from the stage they are at to having it in a physical form or as an eBook. This document is a brief description of what I know; it isn’t meant to be definitive, but more of a starting point for those of you that are just beginning. Everything I’ve found out has been through endless online searches, and I’m simply pointing you in the right direction, sharing with you the basics of what I have learned. I hope that this makes your own journey to becoming a writer just a little easier than mine was.
Step 1: Write Your Story!
This may sound obvious, but so many people will never finish their manuscript. Don’t worry about it being perfect; it just needs to be finished, with a beginning, a middle and an end! Try not to get hung up on the prose or the finer details; if you are forever stuck on one chapter, or spend weeks on one scene, how will you ever get to the end? Whether you’ve plotted your story or made it up as you went along, make sure that your characters are believable, your chapters each have a place in the story, and your plot is well-paced. Read in the genre that you are writing to get a feel for what a reader will expect, or take a creative writing course if you have the time.
Step 2: Rewrite Your Story!
Some people find this the hardest part. You might need to draft and redraft until you are finally happy, but you will get there, I promise. Or you’ll at least reach a stage where you realise you might keep going forever if you don’t stop now!
Have you written a captivating plot that makes the reader want to keep turning the pages and created strong, believable characters. Readers want to like the main character, even if they are flawed. They want to end a chapter wondering what the next one brings. Read blogs from other writers and get as much good advice as you can.
Show, don’t tell. Have you used actions, dialogue and senses to tell your reader what is happening most of the time? Here’s an example: Rather than saying ‘Sarah was nervous,’ you can say ‘her hand trembled as she reached for the door handle.’ This is one of the most common complaints from editors, but once you get the hang of it you will see its value, as well as your increased word count!
Edit Ruthlessly. Every chapter should serve the story, and every scene should serve the chapter. If it doesn’t then cut it. Make every word count and earn its place.
Step 3: Decide Whether to Publish Traditionally or Self-Publish
There are pros and cons to both of these options, so I’ll start with the gold star choice of ‘traditional publishing.’
Traditional publishing is notoriously hard to get into.
It takes away most of your control and pays you a fraction of the cut per book compared to self-publishing.
However, the publisher might give you a huge advance. They will get you on the shelves at bookstores so that you sell thousands more copies than you might have, and they might even land you a TV deal... and it really does happen for some people!
If you believe in your book and are patient enough to apply over and over again and strong enough to deal with rejection, then I salute you and wish you the best of luck! You will need to do something called a “Query,” and what is required of you with this application will vary by agent and publisher. It isn’t something that I know a lot about, but as with everything, it’s all online if you search for it.
Everything past this point is for those of you who, like me, just want to get your work out there, want to be in control, and are happy to go at your own pace. You’ve probably got a bit of imposter syndrome and, deep down, don’t think you’re good enough, but heck, you’re still putting yourself out there, and that takes some guts!
Step 4: Get a Good Proofreader or Editor
It doesn’t matter how many times you read your own work, you will never, EVER, spot all your mistakes. At the very least, enlist the help of a professional proofreader before you publish your book. You cannot afford not to do this! Mistakes will have you immediately chastised by critical readers, and the negative reviews will put others off giving you a chance. If you can stretch to hiring a copy editor (something provided by publishers if you go the traditional route), it will certainly elevate your work. It will be money well spent in respect to the quality of your writing, but, with the average self-published book only selling three-hundred copies in a lifetime, you may never get it back.
Step 5: Design Your Cover
Have a look at covers in your genre and see what is trending. There are plenty of sites where you can buy off-the-shelf book covers to personalise, or consider hiring a freelancer from sites like Fiverr or Upwork to bring your idea to life professionally.
If you don’t want to spend any money, Amazon and Draft2Digital have a good selection of free cover templates for you to add your own text and pictures to.
Make sure you know what size you want your cover to be as it isn’t simple to change it later:
8.5” x 5.5” is standard in the UK
9” x 6” in the US
It’s your book though, so regardless of where you live do what works best for you!
This is a good time to start marketing! Consider sending out ARC (advanced reader copies) copies to readers through platforms such as Buzzsprout or Netgalley, or if you have a good following on social media, you can invite people to apply for one personally. Giving them a free copy in return for an early review is always a good idea… it will make sure your book is seen when it gets released.
Step 6: Format Your Book
This is simple once you know how, but I’ve definitely spent hours frustrated by formatting and reformatting! Here’s my tip: When you are sure that your manuscript is set out correctly, save it as a PDF. You’ll still need your Word document or equivalent for eBooks, but this file will be ready for upload for your paperback with no danger of it getting corrupted.
Personally, I use a freelancer to convert my manuscript in all the required eBook formats. I use Upwork and pay around $100 for the pleasure of not having to do it myself. But it’s totally doable on your own if you’re tech-savvy.
Step 7: Upload It!
You have a few options here, and it’s a bit of a minefield, but I’ll tell you my choices:
Amazon: I use Amazon for paperback and Kindle distribution. Once you set up your Amazon KDP account, it’s quite simple, as long as you have your files ready. You’ll need to choose your genre, keywords, and provide your blurb. Don’t forget to preview your book before you press the button too, because you’ll be surprised at how many errors you might find! Amazon like you to be exclusive to them, and a lot of authors will do this, but you can do this later if your sales through other routes are low. I don’t recommend that you commit right now.
Draft2Digital: This platform is superior in my opinion. It will take your document and turn it into a beautiful book for free. It will also publish your eBook on multiple platforms, including iBooks, and you can also print paperbacks through them, distributing to most online bookstores.
Both of these platforms allow you to set a release date in the future and enable readers to pre-order a copy. This gives you time so that you can continue to market your book while you do the last few things and ensure your release date is a huge success!
Step 8: Publish!
You’ve written the book, you’ve proofread and edited it, you have a great cover, and you’ve marketed it. Now you’re ready to launch!
Congratulations! You are now officially an author. I wish you every success in your journey, and I can’t wait to see your book out in the world!
Final Note: Whether you are hoping to make a career of writing or simply want the thrill of holding your own book in your hands, self-publishing is a rewarding experience. Keep learning, keep writing, and never give up on whatever your dream was when you began.
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