The Essential Self-Publishing Guide

By Tricia Drammeh

Are you an aspiring writer who has always dreamt of publishing a book? Or have you already written your book and are confused about your next step? The Essential Self-Publishing Guide will help you explore your publishing options, walk you through the steps of publishing your book, and help you realize your dream of becoming an independent author. If you are a writer on a tight budget, this guide will not only help you determine where to cut costs, but will teach you how to perform many self-publishing tasks on your own. With creativity, determination, and a little bit of patience, you can become a published author!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tricia Drammeh
• Release date: Jun 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005291068

Tricia Drammeh

Tricia Drammeh is a wife and mother of four children who lives in New Hampshire. Her published works include The Fifth Circle, The Seance, Better than Perfect, and the Spellbringers series. She is currently working on her ninth novel. When Tricia isn't writing, she can be found hanging out with her dog, devouring books, or drinking record-breaking amounts of coffee.

Book preview

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all the amazingly talented indie authors who give their time and expertise to help others and make the community a better place. Two such authors deserve a special shout-out – Maegan Provan and Joleene Naylor. I’m so grateful to have shared my publishing journey with such brilliant writers and cherished friends.

FAQs

Who Am I?

Among other things, I am a published author of eight novels, several short stories, and a poetry collection. I am also an editor of fiction and non-fiction. My clients include small publishers and self-published (independent) authors. I have even written and edited instruction manuals. As a blogger, I have penned numerous posts about self-publishing and writing, and these articles are available for free on my blog.

What is Self-Publishing?

Stated simply, an author who self-publishes undertakes all aspects of bringing their manuscript from draft to published book. An independent author is responsible for more than just writing the book – they oversee editing, formatting, cover art, publication, and marketing. While this doesn’t mean the author must perform all these tasks on their own without any help whatsoever, they will need to outsource those aspects of publishing they are unable (or unwilling) to perform. (We’ll talk more about this later.) Does all that sound overwhelming? It can be, but my hope is that this book will help you through the process of self-publishing so it doesn’t seem quite as daunting.

Am I actually going to learn how to do all this stuff?

After reading this book, you will have learned several new skills. For example, later in the book, I am going to show you how to format your manuscript step-by-step using Microsoft Word. I am also going to teach you how to upload your book to Amazon and how to build your paperback book on KDP. I will help you build an author platform and show you how to set up your page on Author Central. Most importantly, I will help you make decisions about your publishing journey that are right for you.

This book is structured in a way that breaks down the process chapter by chapter. Section One of this book discusses various topics in depth. Section Two serves as a step-by-step guide. For example, we will walk through the entire process for formatting your manuscript for Kindle, setting up a table of contents, starting a blog, etc.

You’ve mentioned publishing on KDP. Is that my only option?

There are many options available to you as an independent author. In fact, there are so many options it would be difficult (if not impossible) to cover everything in one book. In terms of publishing software or writing tools, there are many options to choose from, but since I use Microsoft Word (as do most of my friends and clients), that is my focus in this book.

In this book, I do discuss other ebook publishers beyond Kindle. D2D is an excellent option for authors looking to publish on iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and with various other retailers. Smashwords is another ebook publishing option and they offer a complete, extremely thorough guide for free on their site that can explain the process of publishing to their site much better than I ever could. In this particular book, I have decided to stick with providing detailed instructions on formatting for KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

Though I have used Kindle, Smashwords, and D2D and feel confident in recommending them, I strongly encourage every author to research all their options so they can make the best decision for their individual publishing career.

Why Self-Publishing?

When I began writing my first book, I had lofty visions of agents fawning all over me, eager to publish my masterpiece. I envisioned million dollar publishing contracts and movie deals. I was going to be right up there on the NYT Bestseller list alongside Stephenie Meyer, Nora Roberts, and John Grisham. My dreams were quickly dashed when I began querying agents and discovered how incredibly difficult it can be to get someone to read your query letter. Having an agent request to read the manuscript and then offer you a contract is like winning the lottery. Not only must you have a well-written book, you must write something that is commercial – something that will make money for the agent and publisher.

Self-publishing has been a way for authors to get their books in front of an audience without having to go through the time-consuming and sometimes depressing process of queries and rejections. At last, authors can publish their books and, through the wonders of social media, connect directly with readers!

When self-publishing first came on the scene, people laughed. Agents, traditional publishers, and sometimes other authors scoffed at self-published authors, calling them delusional or desperate. They said self-publishing was a last resort for writers who couldn’t cut it in the real publishing world – until independent authors started laughing all the way to the bank! Suddenly, self-publishing wasn’t such a joke. It was a viable option for authors. A first choice – not a last resort. Some traditionally-published authors, tired of being ignored by the publishers (who, of course, gave the best marketing opportunities and bookshelf space to their bestsellers) and weary of handing over a huge chunk of their sales to their agent and publisher, decided it might not be so bad to give self-publishing a fair shake.

There are many advantages to self-publishing your book. Self-publishing allows you complete creative control over your book. It enables you to work according to your schedule – you can take as long as you would like to complete your book, or you can publish books as quickly as you can write (and edit) them. You are your own boss. You work for YOU and you answer only to your readers. As an independent (indie) author, I’ve found the experience to be very rewarding. It’s a lot of work, but fortunately there are numerous resources out there to help you.

What is the difference between a self-publishing service and a small publisher?

While no two publishers or self-publishing companies are the same, I’ll give you the basics. Self-publishing services work for you. You hire them. You pay them a fee to perform various services such as editing, formatting, or cover art. Some self-publishing companies will provide all these services for one lump sum, while other companies or individuals specialize in one particular service such as editing or book cover art. Your publishing costs are all upfront, but once your book is published you collect all the proceeds from the sales of your book. It’s also important to note that a self-publishing service is not a publisher. They do not hold any rights to your book, nor do they collect royalties. They are there to provide a service – nothing more.

A publisher is an individual or company who generally takes over all aspects of publishing. They will provide editing services and will often choose cover art for you. While you will usually have some input on what changes are made to your book, or which cover art is chosen to represent your masterpiece, the publisher often has the final word. The publisher decides whether to publish your book in ebook, paperback, hardcover – or all of these. They decide where your books are sold and how they are distributed. The publisher will be responsible for taking care of editing, formatting, and uploading your book to Amazon and other sales channels – at no upfront cost to you. They make their money by taking a percentage of sales. You will receive a royalty – a payment which can amount to anywhere from five percent to twenty percent of the book price.

If you choose to work with a small publisher, there are certain limitations depending on your contract. Some publishers will ask you to sign a clause offering them first dibs on subsequent books. Some will ask you to sign over movie rights. The publisher can control how and where you share excerpts from your book. A publishing contract is a legal obligation which should not be entered into lightly.

Another publishing option I’d like to briefly mention is vanity publishing. Vanity publishers will ask authors to pay up front for packages. These packages vary in terms of cost and services offered, but some charge tens of thousands of dollars. A vanity publisher will ask you to pay for services upfront, but will often offer add-on services for marketing and advertising after the book has been published. Many of these vanity publishers charge top dollar for editing packages, but end up providing substandard work. The results of their marketing schemes never live up to the promises made. Worst of all, a vanity publisher holds copyright to your work. Since these companies act as publishers, they hold certain rights, depending on the contract you’ve signed. Rarely will a publishing company come right out and tell you they are a vanity publisher, but if a company is asking you to sign a contract (particularly one that hands over any rights to your work) AND asking for money up front, you’re probably dealing with a vanity publisher.

There are advantages and disadvantages to working with any publisher. Just like there are advantages and disadvantages to self-publishing. Should you avoid the upfront costs of publication by signing with an indie or traditional publisher who will do everything for you? Or would you like to retain complete creative control over your book by self-publishing? Only you can decide.

What Makes This Book Different?

I know what you’re thinking. Self-publishing books are a dime-a-dozen. They’re everywhere. Some are great sources of information, and some... well, they just aren’t. I’ve read numerous books about writing and self-publishing, and the ones I’m most wary of are those books that promise you (usually right on the book cover) that you are going to make a fortune.

The fact is, most authors (self-published or traditionally-published) are not millionaires. It isn’t easy to make a living as an author, especially as a brand new author with only one book under your belt. Being a published author takes a lot of work, a lot of determination, and a lot of patience.

And that, dear readers, is what makes this book different from the rest. I am not going to tell you how to write a bestselling book. The truth is, no one can accurately predict which books are going to be bestsellers and which will not. Despite what some books might claim, there is not a secret formula to becoming an overnight self-publishing success. There are no magical shortcuts. It might take you three books or thirty books before you are making a good living as an author. That’s the truth.

This book is meant to be a guide to self-publishing. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to take your masterpiece from manuscript to published book. Within these pages, you will find practical tips, valuable information, and words of encouragement. What you will not find are false hopes, misrepresentations, or get-rich-quick schemes.

By the end of this book, you will have the tools and knowledge needed to become a published author. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started.

Section One

From Writer to Published Author

Chapter One

Write a Spectacular Book

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The first step to becoming an author is to write a book. Not just a good book, but an amazing book. It sounds simple, right? If only that were true.

If you’ve already written your book, you have completed the single most important step to becoming an author. The other steps in the publication process might seem overwhelming, but you have already cleared the most difficult hurdle. You have written a book! And if you can write a book, you can do anything.

If you are still writing your book, or are contemplating writing a book, you are in for an incredible ride. Though it can be frustrating, time-consuming, and downright exhausting, there is nothing more satisfying than holding your published book in your hands.

For those who are still writing your book, the most important thing you can do at this stage is finish it. Do not let anything distract you – even stuff that seems important (but really isn’t). Do not prioritize