Is self-publishing worth it?

Here are a few things to consider when making the decision to self-publish or not.

Pros of self-publishing:

• Save money: traditional publishers often take a significant cut of book sales and royalties.
• Keep your creative control: you have complete control over your book content, design and marketing.
• Faster timeline: submission processes and contract negotiations with traditional publishing can delay publication.

Cons of self-publishing:

• No external deadlines: without anyone holding you accountable, you must be extremely self-motivated and also able let go of chasing perfection.
• Upfront costs: you are responsible for all expenses that go into publishing your book.
• Marketing is your responsibility: once you’ve published, you have to figure out how to get your book noticed.

Recommended reading: Self-published authors success stories

What’s the process? How to self-publish in eight steps:

Before publishing...

Write your first draft

• Decide on an idea: whether you already know what your book is about or you’re still trying to decide, the following questions can help narrow your focus: WHY do you want to write a book? WHO is your ideal reader? WHAT do you hope the reader will get out of it?
• Create an outline: Before you start writing a book, it’s important that you have a clear vision of what you’re creating. A well-structured outline can serve as the backbone of your writing journey, providing direction, coherence and a roadmap for your story.
• Research: thorough research is essential for creating a book that’s accurate and believable.
• Get writing: Once you’ve completed all of the necessary preparation, it’s time to begin writing your rough draft. This requires committing to consistent routines and productive writing habits.

For help getting started with your writing project, make sure you download my free guide.

Perfect your manuscript with editing and proofreading

• Revise: Every book worth reading goes through many rounds of revisions. You need to have an honest, ruthless eye on your writing so that you can know what needs reworking. Click for some tips to help you self-edit your writing.
• Write your second draft: This is when you can apply your revisions and edits. Here are some questions to help you: Does your book have a consistent tone? Is there an overarching theme that can be developed? Are there weak parts of the book that can be removed? Does the book have a strong opening hook? Does it have an impactful conclusion?
• Proofread: this is the final step between you and the reader. Proofreading focuses on eliminating mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
  

Design your book cover

As much as we’d like people to judge our book by its contents, what they see first is the cover and description. The job of both of these is to hook the reader and entice them to continue reading. 



It’s a good idea to invest in a professionally designed book cover that visually represents your book's genre and themes. And to craft a captivating book description that entices potential readers and gives them a clear idea of what to expect.

Contact me for recommendations on professional book cover designers.

Build your author profile

As soon as possible, you should start building your online presence to connect with other authors and potential readers.

• Author website: Create a professional website to showcase your books, provide information about you as an author and offer ways for readers to connect with you.
• Blog: Regularly update your website with content related to your books, writing process and topics of interest to your readers. This will help increase your visibility, website traffic and reader interest.
• Social media: Start by choosing platforms that align with your target reader audience. Then begin sharing engaging content regularly. This could include snippets from your book, a behind-the-scenes look at your writing process or posts that encourage readers to engage and share their opinions.

Once you're ready to publish...

Pick your platform: two ways you can self-publish

Physical books

This approach is more traditional and tangible. It involves printing, stocking and selling your book in bookstores, libraries, and retail outlets.

• Large offset printing runs: if you are happy to invest, you can take advantage of the lower cost-per-book of offset printing. The more you order, the lower your cost-per-book will be.
• Print on demand: this is a popular option as it’s cost effective and simpler for you as the author. You pay slightly more per book with digital printing on demand, but you won’t have to pay for printing until you receive a customer’s order.
  
  

Ebooks

Ebooks have become increasingly popular for self-publishing. The upfront costs are much lower without physical printing and distribution. And with the click of a button you can reach a global audience!

• Direct ebook retailers: you are responsible for uploading files, filling out metadata, and managing promotions for each retailer. The advantages to this option are having complete control and receiving full royalties. Examples of ebook retailers include: Amazon Kindle, Apple Books and Google Play Books.
• Distributors: A distributor site is convenient as it does the work on your behalf. You can upload your ebook to their website and they will send your files to various retailers and collect your royalties (for a fee). Examples of distributors include: IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and BookBaby.
  

Format your book

Your book will need professional formatting before publishing. Generally, self-publishing companies will need two files from you. Your manuscript file and your cover file. Formatting requirements can differ between platforms so make sure you research this before you begin making changes.

If you'd like support with formatting your book, send me an email. I can recommend an expert who can help!

Get an ISBN

If you want to sell your book in physical stores or online, or make it available to libraries, your book will need an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). This is a system for numbering and identifying books.

ISBNs are 13-digit codes that help retailers to identify book titles, author names, the type of book, publisher and editions, to make marketing more efficient.


If you are self-publishing, you may be able to get a free ISBN from the companies that print and distribute books or you can purchase your own.

Market your book

As a self-published author, it’s your responsibility to build your platform and promote your book effectively. I always tell my clients, without excellent marketing, nobody will know you've written a book!

There are several ways you can do this:

• Collaborate with book bloggers and influencers: this is a powerful way for you to reach a wider audience and promote your books. Influencers have dedicated followers who trust their recommendations, making them valuable partners for book promotion.
• Utilise paid advertising: Consider running targeted online ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Amazon. Two huge benefits of paid ads are: you can target your ideal reader, and you can retarget and show ads to users who have previously shown interest in your book or visited your website.
• Local outreach and networking: you can partner with local bookstores, libraries and community groups to host book signings, workshops or readings. Or try participating in local or virtual book fairs, author panels and literary events to connect with readers and fellow authors.
  

Want help bringing your book idea to life?

I have some exciting news! I am now an Author Accelerator certified book coach.

As a book coach, I will be guiding fiction authors through the book writing process, helping them stay organised, brainstorm ideas and get their book ready for publishing.

And to celebrate this milestone I have a special deal for you. I'm offering $50 off my Mini Blueprint for a Book service.

This is a planning tool for writing your novel that takes you through thirteen steps to help you get started. To give you a blueprint for a book you truly believe in!

Send me an email if you'd like to know more about it: leanne@inredpencil.co.nz