There is so much that you can accomplish all online. Publishing a book is not like it used to be. The only person you need is yourself. Publishers still exist, but you no longer need one if you do not want to go through that process. You can self-publish from the convenience of your own home. Do your research before jumping in to have a better chance of success. Anyone can publish a book, but that doesn’t mean that they should.
Perfection
The product that you are putting together needs to be perfect. Moving forward with your first draft is not a good move. Even though you do not have to hire an editor, you want to have multiple sets of eyes on your book before you start looking into selling it. Spend the time needed to ensure that the information you are releasing out is your best possible work. Rushing this step is a direct move toward failure. Check your work and have others check your work. You may have to pay for this. One site that can be used in Scribendi, they will edit and proofread your work.
Pretty Package
Whether you will be selling physical copies of your work or electronic, you will want flashy artwork. There needs to be something that will catch the attention of those browsing for their next good read. The cover needs to show all that see it how good the content is. We may not judge a book by the cover in the end, but it does make the first impression. This could cost you unless you are as talented in art as you are with your words. The investment will be worth it when your book is flying off the shelf or whatever the equivalent is in downloads.
Publishing Platform
You could try your luck, send your draft to all the publishers you can find, and wait to see if they want to buy it. Another option is to try some of the free publishing platforms out there right now. One of the top used is Smashwords. They are linked with distributors like apple books and Barnes and Noble, along with many more. This means that readers will be able to find your book in more locations than just the Smashwords website. Adding your text is completely free. If your book is purchased on their website, you will receive 80% of the price. If it is purchased from one of the other, you get 60%.
Final Touches
After all the hard work of writing a fantastic book, getting the perfect artwork, and finding a platform, you are not done. The final touches include formatting it to the platform that you used. The last decision is pricing it correctly. Do your research on books in the same genre and length. Don’t make the mistake of pricing yourself too high.
Spend some productive time on the couch writing the next best read.
