So You Think You Want to Self-Publish

 

By Debra Dupree Williams

 

This year (2025), I became an indie published author. There are still days when I question the wisdom. A small traditional publisher published my first book. I wrote the book, and they did all the other things—book cover, formatting, more edits, acquiring the ISBN, choosing paper color, trim size, etc. etc.

 

Writing a book is the straightforward part for me. All the other things make me want to pull out my hair.

 

If you’re going indie, you need to know what that means for you, the author. Books do not simply show up on Amazon or any other retailer by magic. It takes a lot of work and time. I’d rather write, not be a publisher, yet here I am.

 

It has taken much longer than I thought. I was naïve to believe I could launch books in just a few short weeks. The process takes much longer.

 

My advice? Learn to let things slide off your back as you traverse the waters of self-publishing. Take a deep breath and dive in. Understand that things are going to happen over which you will have no control. Be patient.

 

Edit your book to the last jot and tittle. In all honesty, my last book was a mess. I’d been in far too many critique groups, and made the mistake of trying to please everyone. Don’t do that. It’s your story. Trust your writing and edit, edit, edit, then find the best professional editor you can afford. I did that. She took my mess and made it shine.

 

I had no clue how to format, so I hired someone. She did an outstanding job.

 

I needed a cover designer. Once I approved the cover, it still had to be sized and the spine correctly printed.

 

Someone must format the e-book edition. I wasn’t even aware of this being a thing. My cover designer put me in touch with a woman whose knowledge is unsurpassable

 

Once all these things are done, you must find categories and keywords—a huge learning curve for me. I’ve spent countless hours analyzing books on Amazon and also on Publisher Rocket. Then you must calculate how much money to charge for your books and pay all who have helped you.

 

What I have given you here is just a small sample of the things a self-publisher must do to get that book in the hands of the readers. Self-publishing is challenging, but it also has its rewards. I’ve put together a great team for any future books, and I’m very thankful for that.

 

Check out this book by Joan Frantschuk for some great tips on self-publishing. (Click here.)

Do you have any other advice for those who want to self-publish?

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.

Debra DuPree Williams brings her love of family into the stories she shares. A true Southerner, she can’t help but weave her ancestors’ tales into all that she writes. She’s an award-winning author whose first novel, Grave Consequences, A Charlotte Graves Mystery, won third place in the Director’s Choice category at the 2021 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Her work has appeared in the Selah Award Finalist, Moments With Billy Graham, and in Michelle Medlock Adams’ deluxe edition of Love and Care for the One and Only You. Debra is a guest blogger on the Blue Ridge conference website and The Write Editing, among others.

 

A wife, mama, and grandmother. Debra and her amazing husband make their home in the majestic mountains of western North Carolina.