You have written a book, now what? Being a first-time author can be daunting, especially when following the self-publishing route. Therefore, we have compiled a top-ten tips list to help get you started.
The top-ten tips
- After completing writing your manuscript, read and revise it (probably more than once!). As the writer, you may not always be able to see the shortcomings in your own writing. One of the first steps you should take is to send your manuscript to beta readers or undergo a manuscript assessment.
- Take time to research your publishing and self-publishing options. For more information on publishing models, check our article here: https://makeabook.co.za/publishing-models/.
- Get a professional editor. This is one of the most important things to do when self-publishing. An editor is worth their weight in gold and will play a very important role in getting your manuscript bookshelf ready.
- Design a professional book cover. This will attract the right readers to your book and make it stand out from the crowd. It is advisable to find a professional cover designer, as they understand the in and outs of good design.
- Make sure your book is properly formatted and typeset, so that your book’s text is readable and legible.
- Hire a proofreader. In addition to picking up grammar, spelling and punctuation errors that may have slipped through the editor’s fingers, they will make sure that your book is properly formatted.
- Obtain an ISBN from the National Library. For more information on this, you can visit their website: https://www.nlsa.ac.za/.
- Determine the retail price of your book. Look at what it cost you to produce and print your book, as well as the prices of similar books in the same genre.
- Set up a marketing and promotion plan. There are numerous ways to market and promote your book: social media, author website or blog, book reviews, local events or hire a book publicist.
- Identify and find the right distribution channels for your book. Distribution channels to consider include bookstores, print-on-demand and e-book distribution through companies like Amazon.
Does all this seem like a bit too much? The good news is you don’t have to go through the self-publishing process all by yourself! By using a self-publishing service provider, like Staging Post, your project will be managed the right way from editing to final product. You can check out our blog for more detailed information on the different steps in the self-publishing process: https://makeabook.co.za/blog/.