Thanks to Amazon and Kindle, self-publishing has gained a high level of acceptability and respectability in the past decade. Self-publishing has a low barrier of entry that allows virtually anyone to write and publish a book. That’s why you need to be diligent about creating a professional book because readers absolutely will judge your book by its cover. These three tips will help you put out the best self-published book you can. Let’s get started.
Edit and Edit, Again
Nothing is worse than a book that tells a good story or contains valuable information but is so full of mistakes, typos, and grammar missteps that it’s impossible to read. It can be difficult to edit your own writing because you know what’s supposed to be there and your brain will trick your eye into seeing it, even if it’s not there. Make room in your budget for a professional editor. If you can’t afford a professional editor, ask a trusted friend or colleague for help with the editing process.
2. Create A Captivating Cover
Again, people absolutely will judge your book by its cover, so take time to create, or outsource, the best cover you can. If you have the creative ability to handle graphic design, you can use programs like Paint and Canva to create your own cover art. A well-done book cover is crucial for marketing success, so if graphic design isn’t your forte, try sites like Fiverr or Upwork for affordable outsourcing.
3. Start Marketing As Soon As You Start Writing
DO NOT make the mistake of waiting until your book is complete to start marketing it. If you take potential readers along on every step on your writing journey, you’ll build book buzz, and have a captive audience to market the finished product. Don’t forget to ask them questions along the way. Trust me, if you ask them, they’ll help you set important marketing parameters, like how they’d prefer to receive your book (Kindle or print), how much they’re willing to pay for it, and when they want a follow-up book. Keep track of the keywords and phrases they use along the way and add them to your SEO arsenal.
These three self-publishing must-haves will make sure your self-published book is readable, marketable and profitable. If you’ve already self-published, feel free to share your best practices in the comments. I’d love to hear what worked for you.