Self publishing is giving traditional publishing houses some serious competition these days. More and more authors are realizing they can keep control of their work and decide for themselves when and how to sell it. Companies like Lulu and Reedsy give writers real options to get their books out there without jumping through corporate hoops.
While there are several companies out there (Reedsy being one of them), some basic tips work across most self publishing platforms and the industry in general.
Proper Formatting
Every self publishing company wants your manuscript formatted correctly before you upload it. Sure, there are some general rules, but each platform has its own quirks. Always check your specific company’s guidelines before hitting upload on what you think is a perfectly formatted book. Trust me, their requirements might surprise you.
High Resolution Images
Your book cover needs high-resolution, high-quality images. Period. Check those formatting guidelines again for exact specs your platform needs. Even though you’re self publishing, most writers aren’t cover design pros. It’s worth spending part of your budget on a good cover artist.
Proofreading Properly
Along with hiring a cover artist, getting a professional proofreader is smart money. There’s endless debate about whether self published writers really need professional proofreaders, but honestly? Yes, you do. Even professional editors and writers miss errors in their own work. Fresh eyes catch what yours can’t.
Write a Blurb
Your “blurb” is just a few sentences or a paragraph that tells readers what your book’s about. You know, that description on the back of paperbacks.
When you’re publishing yourself, writing this blurb falls on you.
Study some good examples, or hire another writer to help out.
Set a Price
As a self published author, you get to set your own price. This freaks out writers who don’t have sales experience, but it’s not as scary as it seems.
You need to consider a few key things when pricing your book. Look at current market prices for new books at retailers, figure out what your self publishing company takes (some grab a percentage off the top), and decide what return you want on your publishing “investment.”
If you paid for proofreading or cover design, factor those costs into your pricing too.
All these pieces determine your final book price. For marketing, some authors offer introductory discounts, which most companies let you do.
Proper Manuscript Length
Many great self publishing companies don’t set word count requirements and will publish stories of any length, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore standard lengths. Readers expect certain lengths, and so do most writers. Self published or not, stick to industry standards for formatting and manuscript length.
Learn the difference between novels, novellas and short stories before you dive in.
