Steps to Self-Publishing: Before you publish
When it comes to self-publishing, there are several ways your luck can roll. If you don't get your name out into the digital world, chances are you'll have a hard time. When you self-pub, you're more than just the author - you handle all of your books marketing, formatting, editing, cover designing, and bookkeeping, unless you contract out these services to others. This blog series will be an advice column for those seeking to self-publish, and some of the steps you might want to take in order to (hopefully) be successful!
STEP 1 - Write something.
But don't just write it, write it well. You might not know the difference, which means you will need to get beta readers. A beta reader is NOT someone you know, a family member, or a friend. Advertise on writing forum, ask a friend of a friend - you want someone who won't let their relationship with you bias their opinions of your work. Friends and family are always going to say you've done well, that's their job. But you don't need a coddling - you want to make your work the best it can be, which means if something doesn't work well for a reader, you need to know it.
STEP 2: Edit
When editing, you should always go through at least once (probably twice or three times, though) on your own and pick out any misspelled words or grammar mistakes. If you have a friend/family member who is very good with grammar, you might want them to take a look at it.
One of the hardest parts about self-publishing is deciding whether or not to invest in a professional editor. I highly recommend it, since a professional is going to pick up mistakes you might miss. I know it can be expensive, but you can always go back to one of those writing forums and find someone who will do it cheap. You may have to search, but they are out there.
Even though it's an added cost, I think it is one that is well-worth the price. When you consider self-publishing, you need to be prepared to invest in yourself.
STEP 3: Marketing & PR
One of the easiest ways to market is through social media. You will want to create an author account on one or all of the social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and start promoting your upcoming work. You should start this process at least one month (if not more) before you plan to release your book. Starting a blog is probably a good idea, too, to get a loyal following of readers. Blogger offers a free blog, as well as many other websites.
When doing a blog (and Twitter posts), make sure you use plenty of hashtags related to you as an author (#newauthor, #newrelease, #newebook) - This will help you gain more followers, and you want to build up an audience for your book.
STEP 4: Cover Design
Again, I highly recommend hiring an cover designer, unless you are proficient at graphic design. There are tons of people who have websites with pre-made covers available at low prices. If you choose to make your own cover, make sure it is high resolution and not cheap looking. Your cover image is the face of your book, and if it looks homemade, there will be fewer sales. Unfortunately, many readers judge books by their covers.
The next steps are directly related to publishing, so I will approach them in to
STEP 1 - Write something.
But don't just write it, write it well. You might not know the difference, which means you will need to get beta readers. A beta reader is NOT someone you know, a family member, or a friend. Advertise on writing forum, ask a friend of a friend - you want someone who won't let their relationship with you bias their opinions of your work. Friends and family are always going to say you've done well, that's their job. But you don't need a coddling - you want to make your work the best it can be, which means if something doesn't work well for a reader, you need to know it.
STEP 2: Edit
When editing, you should always go through at least once (probably twice or three times, though) on your own and pick out any misspelled words or grammar mistakes. If you have a friend/family member who is very good with grammar, you might want them to take a look at it.
One of the hardest parts about self-publishing is deciding whether or not to invest in a professional editor. I highly recommend it, since a professional is going to pick up mistakes you might miss. I know it can be expensive, but you can always go back to one of those writing forums and find someone who will do it cheap. You may have to search, but they are out there.
Even though it's an added cost, I think it is one that is well-worth the price. When you consider self-publishing, you need to be prepared to invest in yourself.
STEP 3: Marketing & PR
One of the easiest ways to market is through social media. You will want to create an author account on one or all of the social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and start promoting your upcoming work. You should start this process at least one month (if not more) before you plan to release your book. Starting a blog is probably a good idea, too, to get a loyal following of readers. Blogger offers a free blog, as well as many other websites.
When doing a blog (and Twitter posts), make sure you use plenty of hashtags related to you as an author (#newauthor, #newrelease, #newebook) - This will help you gain more followers, and you want to build up an audience for your book.
STEP 4: Cover Design
Again, I highly recommend hiring an cover designer, unless you are proficient at graphic design. There are tons of people who have websites with pre-made covers available at low prices. If you choose to make your own cover, make sure it is high resolution and not cheap looking. Your cover image is the face of your book, and if it looks homemade, there will be fewer sales. Unfortunately, many readers judge books by their covers.
The next steps are directly related to publishing, so I will approach them in to
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