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My Self-Publishing Journey Thus Far

Angel Hawkins 36 Comments

Hello readers! I am so sorry it’s been so long since my last blog post but I promise it’s for great reason! My self-publishing journey has taken some very positive turns in the past few months and I am happy to say that I finally have an official date for publication – 2/20/2020 (yes, I love the play on numbers!). 

Those of you who have followed me, know from my last blog post that I was in the midst of editing and now all the hard work is coming to fruition. I thought I’d take this blog post to list steps for others who may be interested in self – publishing their own work. Mind you, I can only speak from my very present experience and hope my journey can enlighten others on what to do and what to definitely not do. 

Step 1. Write your book! This is probably the single most important step and, though the most obvious, has to be done before you complete any other step. I know it’s tempting to dream of perfect covers and seeing your book in bookstores but if you don’t have a quality product to first work with, all else is for naught. 

Step 2. Hire a book editor and proofreader. This will definitely be an asset in the long run. So often we get emotionally attached to our work, and rightfully so, however a set (or two or five) additional objective eyes does help. Of course, in this regard, you do so within your means and budget. I was fortunate enough to find someone who offered both at a fair price given my day job as a teacher. Her name is Nay Merrill and you can check out her site here at thatgrammargal.com to inquire about her other services! She helped out a ton and totally understood my character’s voice so you will definitely want to find someone likewise. 

Step 3. Create a book cover. Depending on your budget, there’s a ton of resources out there. Keep in mind though that an attractive book cover does well for drawing in audiences even despite the old adage of not judging a book by its cover. People do. I was fortunate enough to have an amazing graphic designer as a husband who created my cover beautifully and exactly how I wanted it. Although, depending on your platform, there are loads of free cover creator apps of your budget isn’t too large. Just make sure it’s as attractive and doesn’t infringe on other legal issues. 

Step 4. Copyright and identify your work. Whenever you create literature or the like it is automatically copyrighted. However, in order to enforce your copyrights, you have to register it. As I was researching best options, I came across a self publishing package offered by Bowker, perhaps the major book identifier company in the U. S. The package included ISBN s, an ebook creator, barcodes and I paid to enforce my copyrights. These all help identify your work and keep you in charge of distribution and your rights to your intellectual property. 

Step 5. Format, format, format. In truth, this step could come right after writing your novel but it is so critical and painstakingly tedious that it deserves its own step and proper time to do so nicely. I really had to learn as I went with this step but ultimately would recommend Amazon KDP ebook creator and Calibre for any file outputs you want to create. I initially created my work with a Google docs but these platforms cover them to acceptable files like epub, mobi, PDF and Amazon’s own Kindle formats. You want to distribute through as many viable channels as you can and make it attractive as well, no matter the format. Since I plan to distribute paperback, hardcover and ebook, it’s more formatting though depending on your goals you so not have to do as much. 

Step 6. Have your book reviewed. Again many resources are available for free or paid reviews. Word of mouth is the best publicity pre-launch so it can only help to try to seek out positive reviews for your work. 

Step 7. Decide upon the platform you want to publish. It’s no secret that Amazon is a leading global retailer and is one that probably shouldn’t be overlooked as a self-published author. Their royalty rates, conversion services and exposure across the world can only benefit sales and is one I would recommend. 

Step 8. Set a publishing date. As it were, I could theoretically publish my work sooner. However you want to give a decent amount of time for your audience to grow, network and create buzz for your work. 

Step 9. Consider a book launch event. As a self published author, you are responsible for everything – marketing, design, promotion, content, everything. So what ultimate achievement could an author not afford to miss but their own book launch?! Talk to local bookstores, inquire with nearby libraries or even coffeehouses so that you put yourself out there and gather recognition for the hard work you’ve put in. I’m currently in talks with a couple local bookstores at the moment as a master of fact. So having the advice steps completed prior definitely does help as well as having a decent social media following. 

Step 10. Celebrate. Finishing and publishing a book is no easy feat and is one to be rewarded. You have accomplished something that not everyone can do so you should treat yourself to some champagne and cheesecake or chocolate and be proud of the work you’ve done. 

I know the above steps may seem daunting and while even I myself have felt a tad overwhelmed, especially with step 5, I know it will all be worth it once I have the physical copy of my book in my hands. I hope this proves useful. 

Thank you readers who have followed me on this journey. I look forward to publishing my debut novel very, very soon as well! 

You can even pre-order my debut novel here! Happy reading!

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36 Comments

  6. Mudpiefridays
    Reply

    Great article. This is a topic I know I need to learn more about and you really helped me understand some good ways. Thank you.

  7. Nicole Escat
    Reply

    Nice post, thanks for sharing your journey. It’s so great to know this step by step procedure to publish your own book.

  13. Derek Phifer
    Reply

    Best of luck to you. One of my friends is self-publishing, and she always tells me how hard it is, but she feels like she has to go through with it. Kudos to you. Maybe one day I’ll get around to doing it myself.

    • admin Post author
      Reply

      It is a ton of work but has given me insight into what traditional publishing must be like. It is fun and exciting though at the same time. Good luck if you do decide to give it a shot!

  14. Erin
    Reply

    This is a great guide for anyone looking to self-publish. It can be so overwhelming to figure out the steps to publishing. Thanks for sharing!

    • admin Post author
      Reply

      It is, especially if you’re doing it for the first time and learning as you go (as I am haha). Hopefully this helps to synthesize the wealth of resources just a bit.

    • admin Post author
      Reply

      It really isn’t and it’s hard to look at it objectively at first since it is like your baby. Hiring one, or two or more editors depending on your budget does help a ton!

  18. Emily Fata
    Reply

    What an exciting time this is for you! Self-publishing is quite an adventure and something that will pay off in the long-run. I wish you the very best of luck!

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