Anyone can self-publish these days, but to do it successfully, there are some things you absolutely need to do, says MindStirMedia. Here are the eight most important.
- Choose Professional Editing
It is so important to have your book professionally edited. You won’t catch all of the mistakes yourself, and you want your manuscript to look as perfect as possible. Professional editors know what to look for and how to suggest the right changes to make your work really shine.
- Design a Great Cover
It is the cover that will attract people to your book quicker than anything else. That is where a lot of work needs to go, and it makes sense to pay for a decent cover to be designed or illustrated. If you are not a designer or artist, then you should leave this aspect of your book to the professionals.
- Save Your Money
It can be expensive to prepare and market a book effectively, but you should beware of services that charge way more than the market average. There are plenty of scammers out there who will try to take advantage of you, and you need to do some price comparisons so that you aren’t a victim.
- Make the ISBN Purchase
Your book will be easier to find and label if it has an ISBN number. This is not a requirement for publication, but it can give your book that extra boost it needs to do well and to be made available in more spaces.
- Choose a Distribution Partner
Have you decided how your book is going to be distributed? You can use print on demand services such as Blurb (review here) or digital publishing options like Amazon KDP. These kinds of services can save you money by printing only when you need copies or by sidestepping the physical printing option entirely.
- Market Effectively
The hardest part of the whole process will probably be to market the book well. You can’t just put your book out there in the wide world and hope people will come across it naturally. You have to get the word out, and that takes time and money. Learn how to market your book through social media, book reviews, and publicity strategies.
- Stay Grounded
While anyone can publish a book, not everyone’s book becomes a top seller. Keep your expectations in check and realize that your book may need time to find its audience.
- Network
You can grow your audience by making friends with other authors and with book groups. Make friends with librarians and bookstore owners as well to reach even more people. Use these resources to hone your craft and learn from passionate people so that you can make your book the best it can be and to expand your reach.