The mechanics of publishing a book aren’t hard, there is a lot to consider if you want to be a successful indie writer. Publishing an e-book is easy. Publishing it well requires a lot more work.
Now that you have decided on self-publishing an e-book route, where do you begin?
- Most important- DO NOT try to Do-It-Yourself.
- Be a professional: use professionals to do all the publishing services for you. Work with professional book designer, UK such as White Magic Studios, who can make sure your book is packaged and presented well.
- After you have completed the manuscript; hire an e-book editor and hence-after get your manuscript formatted.
- Next step would be to get an attractive book-cover done professionally by an e-book cover designer. E-books’ cover like physical books brings about the first impression to your readers even in the size of a thumbnail. If you have a sub-standard cover, it won’t matter how good your novel is.
- There is also a significant problem with the resolution and sizing of illustrations (images) within e-book formats. So choose your publisher wisely for the best readers’-experience.
- Layout of e-books are quite different from printed books in the sense that a reader may read in portrait or landscape form; and the layout should be user-friendly- be it a tablet, Kindle reader, e-readers…
- You could take your chances with one of the many automated e-book conversions out there, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be happy with the results. Don’t take a chance.
- Research on the genre, your target audience, how other authors are making it to the top of the charts, etc.
Next job is selling your e-book. Well, only e-book conversions and publishing it, doesn’t help. You have to do the marketing well, get it published through the right platforms, distributors and retailers.
Also, self-book publishers help new authors with marketing tips and tricks; and gaining a following of readers who will enjoy and buy your books.
Because just publishing without marketing (translated into sales) is pointless. Some of the tips are-
- Networking (with authors and readers) both online and offline are one of the very essential keys to success. Start by attending a writers’ conference where you have access to a lot of useful information.
- Create a website for your book along with Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram accounts. Use them to keep followers interested in you and your book’s progress, and to reach out to reviewers.
- Contact book clubs online or in your local area and offer to do a reading, interview or author Q&A.
- Try to get reviews from bloggers who has a large following or from others. This will nudge other readers/followers to read/buy your book.
Professional self-publishers who assist indie authors help in all the above mentioned services also helps authors by publishing the e-book through the best distributors; which is then retailed by Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and some others. This is so that the authors receive the maximum book royalty. They also help the e-book authors with acquiring the ISBN, unique to the book.