Table of Contents
What is self-publishing?
“Self-publishing” means a writer publishing their book or other written work without using a professional publishing house. When an author decides to self-publish, they are responsible for all aspects of publication, including editing, layout, design, and promotion.
Digital publishing services like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark have made self-publishing easier. This has removed the need for writers to find a traditional publishing house to get their books out to the public. Self-publishing is a good option for writers who want to keep creative control, keep more of the money they make from sales, and speed up the spread of their work. But if you want your work to be as good as that of traditionally published authors, you’ll have to put in a lot of time, energy, and money.
The History of Publishing.
Traditional ways of publishing can be traced back to when ancient civilizations copied and sent out hand-written documents. In the 1500s, printing presses were invented, completely changing the publishing business by making it fast and cheap to make many copies of a book.
In the 1450s, the Gutenberg Bible was the first book made using moveable type. This was the start of the modern publishing business. Newspapers, magazines, textbooks, and novels were some types of media that could benefit from the growing printing industry as time passed.
In the 1800s, steam-powered printing presses were invented, making printing many more books possible and leading to the rise of mass-market publishing. In the 20th century, the offset press and photocopier improved modern printing, and the personal computer and the World Wide Web made electronic publishing possible.
With the rise of digital publishing, e-books, and self-publishing, the publishing business is always developing and changing. New technology and platforms have made it easier for writers to publish their work and reach readers worldwide. Traditional publishing, however, still plays a key role.
Self-Publishing a Book Today
Digital publishing services like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Barnes & Noble Press, Kobo Writing Life, and many more have made self-publishing a book easier than ever. Self-published books often follow these basic steps:
Before publishing a good book, you must write and edit it extensively. If you can edit your work, paying someone else to do it may not be worth it.
Draw the cover for your book: The surface is the first thing readers see. So, it needs to be eye-catching. Hire a professional designer or try to do it yourself with Canva or a similar program.
Your book may need to be formatted in a certain way before publication. But this might be different from platform to platform. For example, e-book and print-on-demand publishing platforms like Amazon’s KDP have strict manuscript formatting rules.
Find a publishing system that suits your needs by learning about the different ones on the market. The distribution, royalties, and fees should all be taken into account.
Set a price for your book. Consider how many other books are in the same category, how long yours is, and how much you want to charge. Consider setting a competitive price for your book to sell more copies.
Upload your manuscript to your preferred site for publishing and click “Publish.” If you have done the steps above, you can give your book to the public.
After publishing your book, you must get people to buy it. You can get the word out about your book through social media, mailing lists, and reading/review websites.
Even though self-publishing has big benefits, making a book that meets traditional publishing standards takes time, effort, and money.
Traditional Publishing vs Self-Publishing
Traditional and self-publishing are two different ways to get a book onto the market. Here are some of the biggest differences between the two:
Control: When an author self-publishes, they have complete control over the book’s content, cover design, and marketing. Traditional publishing, on the other hand, means giving up some power to the publisher, who may change the book’s content or cover design and handle the book’s marketing.
Timeframe: Self-publishing can be faster because the author is responsible for editing, formatting, and uploading the book to online retailers. Traditional publishing, on the other hand, can take months or even years because of the publisher’s submission process, editing, and production schedule.
Cost: With self-publishing, the author has to pay for editing, cover design, and marketing, but with traditional publishing, these costs are covered by the author. Traditional publishers, on the other hand, usually give authors an advance and royalties based on how many books they sell. However, with self-publishing, authors keep all the profits but must pay the upfront costs.
Reach: Traditional publishers have distribution channels and relationships with booksellers that can help a book reach a wider audience than self-publishing alone. But with the rise of online retailers, self-published authors can also reach readers worldwide.
Ultimately, the choice between traditional and self-publishing comes down to the author’s goals, budget, and personal preferences.
How much does it cost to self-publish a book?
The cost of self-publishing a book can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as the book’s length, how complicated the formatting is, and how good the cover design is. Here are some common costs to consider:
Editing: Professional editing can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the level of editing needed (developmental, copyediting, proofreading). Many self-published authors choose to work with freelance editors to keep costs low.
Cover design: A professionally designed book cover can cost anywhere from $50 to $500 or more, depending on the design’s complexity. Many authors work with freelance designers or use templates already made to save money.
Formatting: Formatting for print and ebooks can cost anywhere from $50 to $500, depending on how complex the formatting needs. Some self-publishing platforms offer formatting tools for free, while others charge for the service.
ISBN: Most print books need an ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, which can be bought for $125 to $250, depending on the country.
Marketing: Marketing costs vary greatly depending on the author’s goals and budget. Many authors, like social media and book promotion websites, use free or low-cost ways to market their books. Others may hire a publicist or pay for advertising.
The cost of self-publishing a book can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the needed services. Self-publishing, on the other hand, lets authors control their costs and choose the services they need, making it a more flexible and accessible option for many writers.
How to self-publish a book
Here are the basic steps to self-publishing a book:
Write and edit your book. Write and change your manuscript until you’re happy with the result. Consider hiring a professional editor to help with developmental, copy, and proofreading edits.
Choose a self-publishing platform. Several self-publishing platforms exist, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, Smashwords, etc. Each forum has pros and cons, so look into each to determine which is best for your book.
Format your book: Your book needs to be formatted to work with your chosen platform. Some platforms offer free tools for formatting, while others require you to format your text yourself or pay someone to do it for you.
Design your book cover. Your book cover is the first thing readers will see, so it’s important to make it stand out and look professional. You can design your cover using a free tool like Canva or pay a professional designer to do it for you.
Set your price: Decide how much you want to charge for your book. Remember that a too-high price may turn off potential readers, while a too-low fee may not cover your costs.
Put out your book: Upload your formatted manuscript and book cover to your chosen platform and set the price. Preview your text to ensure everything looks how you want it to.
Market your book: Once published, you must market it to reach possible readers. This could be done through social media promotion, book reviews, paid to advertise, and other methods.
Self-publishing a book takes a lot of time and work, but it also gives authors control over their content and lets them reach people worldwide.
What are self-publishing companies?
Self-publishing companies are businesses that help authors publish their books by offering a variety of services. These companies offer various services, such as editing, formatting, cover design, printing, distributing, and marketing.
Print-on-demand (POD) companies let authors print their books one at a time, as ordered, instead of printing a large number simultaneously. This saves authors money on printing costs and allows them to sell their books through online retailers.
Distributors of ebooks: These companies format and send ebooks to online stores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. They might also design and edit book covers.
Hybrid publishers combine parts of both traditional publishing and self-publishing. They offer services like editing, cover design, printing, and distribution to authors, but they also take a cut of the money made from selling the books.
Author service companies: These companies offer services like editing, formatting, cover design, and marketing to help authors self-publish their books. They also provide author coaching, manuscript evaluations, and planning for a book launch.
Self-publishing companies can be helpful for authors who want to publish their books but don’t want to handle only some of the process. But authors should do a lot of research on each company and consider the costs and benefits before choosing to work with one.
Where to self-publish your book
You can self-publish your book on several sites and through several companies.
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is free for Kindle ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks to be self-published. It has a lot of tools and services, like designing covers, formatting, and marketing.
IngramSpark is a platform for self-publishing that lets you choose between print-on-demand and ebook publishing. It sends books to over 40,000 stores worldwide, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and small stores.
Draft2Digital is an ebook distributor that makes self-publishing and sending your ebook to big online stores like Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble easy and affordable.
Smashwords is a platform for self-publishing books that focuses on ebooks. It gives away free tools for formatting and making book covers and sends texts to big online stores like Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.
Lulu is a platform for self-publishing that lets you choose between print-on-demand and ebook publishing. It has a lot of tools and services, like designing covers, formatting, and marketing.
Blurb is an online platform for self-publishing that focuses on high-quality print-on-demand books. It has a lot of tools and services, like designing covers, formatting, and marketing.
Each company or platform has its features, benefits, and prices. It’s important to look into each option and compare them to find the one that works best for your book and your goals as an author.
Self-publishing industry trends
Here are a few current trends in the self-publishing industry:
Self-publishing continues to grow in popularity, especially among independent authors and those who want more control over their content and royalties.
Audiobooks have become more popular in recent years, and many self-publishing platforms now offer services for making and distributing audiobooks.
Growth of hybrid publishers: Hybrid publishers, which combine aspects of both traditional and self-publishing, are becoming more common. These companies give authors a range of services, from editing to distribution while letting them keep more control over their work.
More emphasis on marketing: Since so many books are self-published, authors must find ways to stand out. Marketing has become an important part of self-publishing, and many authors use social media, book promotion services, and other methods to reach readers.
Self-publishing platforms and companies are always improving their tools and services, making it easier for authors to produce high-quality books and reach a wider audience.
More diverse voices: Self-publishing has allowed writers from underrepresented groups to share their stories and reach readers. As a result, there have been more different voices in the self-publishing industry in recent years.
As the self-publishing industry changes and new technologies and services emerge, these trends will likely continue.
