More Steps to Self-Publishing...
Yesterday, I gave a few tips on preparing to self-publish. Today, I'm discussing the actual publishing aspect.
The thing to remember is that self-publishing is a huge step into making your career a reality. Until now, you've probably only dreamed of being a published author. But it's about to become a fact! And I know how nerve-racking that can be. So one of the best ways to stay calm is to pace yourself. Don't think that you need to get everything done in a single day - if you do that, chances are you'll miss something or mess up.
So first things first - you need to decide what self-pub companies you're going to use. Many authors choose Amazon (Kindle Direct Publishing), which I recommend. What I do not recommend, however, is their Select program. Opting in to KDP Select has it's advantages, but one of the biggest downfalls is their exclusivity. While opted in to the KDP Select program, you cannot distribute your publication to any other retailers. This has the potential to cost you, since there are millions of readers on other retailers, such as Barnes & Noble and Apple.
Another good retailer is Barnes & Noble - you can use their PubIT! website to publish your Nook-books. Easy to use!
Apple can be a bit more difficult. If you do not have a MAC computer, you cannot directly upload to Apple. And even if you do, you will have to purchase your own ISBNs (which are books identification numbers), which can be pricey. Until you've established yourself and start making some money, I highly recommend using Smashwords.
Smashwords is a distribution website that will distribute your ebook to several different retailers (Apple, B&N, Kobo, Sony, etc). You can opt out of any of these retailers (for example, I always opt out of B&N on Smashwords because I upload directly to them) - your ebook is then distributed to these retailers. Smashwords does take a cut of your earnings (right around 15%), but they make it super easy to use, so you don't have to deal with creating your own epubs and whatnot. (You can upload your manuscript directly using a Word file)
The thing to remember is that self-publishing is a huge step into making your career a reality. Until now, you've probably only dreamed of being a published author. But it's about to become a fact! And I know how nerve-racking that can be. So one of the best ways to stay calm is to pace yourself. Don't think that you need to get everything done in a single day - if you do that, chances are you'll miss something or mess up.
So first things first - you need to decide what self-pub companies you're going to use. Many authors choose Amazon (Kindle Direct Publishing), which I recommend. What I do not recommend, however, is their Select program. Opting in to KDP Select has it's advantages, but one of the biggest downfalls is their exclusivity. While opted in to the KDP Select program, you cannot distribute your publication to any other retailers. This has the potential to cost you, since there are millions of readers on other retailers, such as Barnes & Noble and Apple.
Another good retailer is Barnes & Noble - you can use their PubIT! website to publish your Nook-books. Easy to use!
Apple can be a bit more difficult. If you do not have a MAC computer, you cannot directly upload to Apple. And even if you do, you will have to purchase your own ISBNs (which are books identification numbers), which can be pricey. Until you've established yourself and start making some money, I highly recommend using Smashwords.
Smashwords is a distribution website that will distribute your ebook to several different retailers (Apple, B&N, Kobo, Sony, etc). You can opt out of any of these retailers (for example, I always opt out of B&N on Smashwords because I upload directly to them) - your ebook is then distributed to these retailers. Smashwords does take a cut of your earnings (right around 15%), but they make it super easy to use, so you don't have to deal with creating your own epubs and whatnot. (You can upload your manuscript directly using a Word file)
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