In entrepreneurship, it’s important to have multiple streams of income. Options for income can include selling products, services, and even writing books. Writing a book is as easy as ever, with publishing constantly changing and becoming more accessible and affordable, such as with self-publishing.
Traditional publishing can take a lot of time, and also includes a myriad of changes, additions, and edits. If you want to publish a book in a less traditional way, here’s a guide to self-publishing.
Decide How You Want to Publish
Even when you self-publish, you can choose between publishing your new book as an ebook, printed copy, or even both.
Deciding how you want to self-publish your book will help you narrow the tools and systems you need to use. While there is no wrong way to self-publish, this is typically the first step to take once you’ve created your book.
Hire a Freelance Editor & Freelance Designer
If you were to hire anyone to help you self-publish your book, your best bets would be a freelance editor and designer. While you don’t have to spend a small fortune, hiring a great freelance editor and designer can take your book to the next level when self-publishing.
Not only will a freelance editor check for mistakes, but they can also help make sure that your book flows well. Because first impressions are so important, especially when it comes to gaining the eyes of avid readers, a freelance designer is also a great choice.
While traditional publishing houses will have this price built into the price of selling a book, self-publishing is a different field. You can always find someone that is affordable, while also delivering great results. Asking for referrals, offering bartering services, and even a quick Google search can help you find the right freelancers.
Beta-Test Before Self-Publishing
When you are self-publishing your own book, you won’t have a lot of eyes skimming through it to make sure that it flows well and doesn’t have any grammatical errors. This is where beta-testing comes in.
You can find beta readers in places like Facebook groups, book clubs, or even by posting on social media that you’re looking. These readers will then go through your book, let you know what they think, and give you the opportunity to make it better.
Use a Self-Publishing Platform
While you are free to self-publish on your own website, a self-publishing platform can help you take your book to the next level. Not only do they help with formatting your book, but they also help market your book on multiple websites, including websites like Amazon.
Some of these platforms will charge monthly, and some charge when you actually sell a copy of your book. It’s important to choose the platform that works best for you and what you can afford. For example, if you plan on selling your book casually, a monthly payment service may not be the best option.
However, if you plan on marketing your book and selling quite a few copies, or if you plan on selling physical copies, a monthly service with lower book sale fees may be your best bet.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
If you have a website and social media channels, now is the time to use them to your advantage. Post about your process, progress, and when your book is actually released. Build a hype around it. Network and have your friends, family, and colleagues mention your book too (if they’re comfortable with it).
Using social media to your advantage can mean your self-published book is a success, and also brings you more in sales over time. Social media can be your best friend, and it’s free marketing for your book, so be sure to use it.
Self-publishing doesn’t have to be a daunting and hard process. With technology, it’s now easier than ever to publish your first, or multiple, books.
