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.
A wife, mama, and grandmother. Debra and
her amazing husband make their home in the majestic mountains of western North
Carolina.
Great, Debra, and on a subject on most writers' minds in this modern era of publishing! Did I see you at Blue Ridge this week and fail to recognize you? You wouldn't be the only one!
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