Self-publishing will require you to write, edit, print, design, market, and sell the book. This can be rather overwhelming considering you will have to complete all these tasks yourself. It is important to not think of it all at once, but to take it as a step-by-step process. You must focus on one duty at a time before you move on to the next step. Another step is to find out which subjects are already covered by free information on the Internet. If you are writing a how-to book, maybe all the information you are putting into your book is available at the click of a button for free. If you are writing fiction, however, then this is new and obviously would not be available on the Internet. People enjoy well-written stories and are always looking for the next great novel.
Understand the market you are trying to the sell the book to. If you have written a book on science fiction similar to already-existing science fiction books, be aware your sales could suffer. There are many steps before you even reach this point.
After you have finished writing your book it would be wise to hire an editor to make all the necessary corrections. This investment will pay off in the long run, because appropriate grammar will further add to your reputation and help you gain respect from other authors. The last thing you want is for your book to be printed and then find out all the mistakes which were printed in it. People tend to get ahead of themselves and rush the book out too quickly without reviewing it for grammatical errors. Know the basics on sentence structure and syntax. There are many sites with free tutorials on how to craft well-written sentences.
Once the editor has gone through your book with a fine-toothed comb and you are free of grammatical errors you are now ready for designing. A visually appealing layout will increase sales. You have to be aware of font size, paragraphs on each page, how long do the chapters extend, etc. You do not want the font size to be so small it is difficult to read, and you do not want the font size to be so large so it looks like a children’s book. PostScript Type 1 is the traditional printing format. What genre your book is will determine the type of layout you will have, but your personal tastes may factor in also. The cover is the first thing the reader sees before opening the book, so it is important to make sure the cover conveys what the genre is about. You also must convert your text into a .pdf file to be sent to the printer.
There are various programs where you can design your cover. You can design it yourself or hire a professional, which might be very expensive. There are virtually a million different designs to choose from, so mix and match and play around with different ones until you are satisfied. The most important aspect is ensuring the title is readable and clear from small to large thumbnail sizes.
Finding the right printer is critical and is the most expensive part of the publishing process. Research the different types of printers and see what is in your price range. If you pay too much for a print you might make less in profits. Many factors on pricing are decided when printing like number of pages and type of cover and graphics you chose.
Now that you have printed your book it is time to market and sell your book. Distributers will turn down self-publishers for the most part, so finding distributers will be a difficult task. Amazon is one way to get your book to the masses, but obviously they want to make a profit as well and will charge you to sell your book among other various charges, guidelines, and regulations.
Self-publishing is a risky venture and you are not guaranteed success by any means. Self-publishing can lead to becoming an established author also, which enhances your chances of being represented by a publishing firm later in your career. Self-publishing can be overwhelming and is not for everyone. It takes individuals who will make sacrifices and make an investment to get oneself off the ground in order to make a decent earning. You must be patient and know that once you have completed all these steps it will be worth the sleepless nights and the stress. There will be times when you doubt yourself and wonder if it is all worth it. There will be times when you want to give up and forget the whole thing and wish you never started self-publishing. If you push through the negative feelings and doubt, though, you can achieve success and your self-pushed book will reach thousands, maybe millions of people.
