Everything has changed in the last two decades: even your face and the pitch of your voice. With the rise of the internet and social networking platforms, people at large volumes are inclined towards doing things on their own.
Thus, the realm of writing and publishing hasn’t remained unaffected. Most authors are interested in self-publishing their books, as traditional publishing methods are not everyone’s cup of tea.
If you are interested in self-publishing your fiction/non-fiction book, this blog post is all you need to read. We have inspected 16 essential aspects that you must consider before self-publishing your book.
1. Write what truly matters
Anyone can write about mainstream topics, but only a few gifted people dare to pen down ideas and experiences that matter to them. This means writing about things that will put your readers on the edge. That will make them think out loud. That will urge them to learn and analyze more.
If your reader is not presented with a cliffhanger, the chance for them to stick around will be slim. Hence, as an author, you must create meaningful and thought-provoking content. Words and stories that people can resonate with.
2. Don’t follow the crowd
It is pretty simple. Just do your thing! You must have the courage to break away from the crowd and embrace your individuality. By doing so, your book will have an element of exclusiveness. Your work should be some extent of your personality and have that evergreen touch of uniqueness that readers absolutely love!
3. Learning as an ultimate goal
It doesn’t matter if your book is fiction or non-fiction. In the end, it must help your reader learn something. Your goal when writing should be to educate your audience. Your words should hold the ability to help your audience learn and grow.
The real question is how? The answer is pretty straightforward. Do not aim to please anyone. Instead, be real, vulnerable, and authentic. Explore topics that will provoke your audience to think critically and help them look at and understand things with a different mindset.
4. Build your audience
What’s the point of investing hours on end in writing and self-publishing if nobody is going to read it? I know, right? That sounded awful and heartbreaking. Therefore, you need to be smart and approachable to avoid that situation.
Be smart with your tactics. Use free social platforms such as Twitter, Quora, Facebook, and Instagram to build your fanbase. Post short snippets and powerful quotes from your book on these platforms, leaving your readers curious. Respond to comments and engage in conversations. Knowing that they can run to you for an answer will help them build a relationship of trust and reliability with you and your work.
5. Blogging
Blogs have been trusted to be the 5th most trusted source when it comes to online information. A blog is like a website or page where you can post anything related to your brand or life. Credibility is important for authors, as it convinces people to take an interest in your books. Your credibility grows the more you post and when you gain more followers, as this shows people you post valuable content. Regularly posting articles or blogs related to your book will help your readers understand and appreciate your effort.
6. Be generous
The term self-publishing fools most people. They think this implies that they don’t have to spend a single penny, and their book will be published. This is nothing but a delusion. Nothing in this life comes for free, so how can self-publishing a book be cheap?
You have to be prepared to spend a lot of money. Everything requires money, from hiring an editor to a cover designer to formatting your book. I don’t want you to feel let down, but you must pay some money to publish your book. At the cheapest level, you should be prepared to pay for the first copies of a print-on-demand book and the cost of shipping them to you.
7. Build an Audience by always being available
To be approachable to your fans, you must be active on your social media and blog. Self-publishing is tricky because a big label is not promoting your book. So, you have to do it on your own. Keep your audience updated and engaged. Post frequently and let them ask questions and have discussions. Try to write back people who slide in your inbox. Respond to comments and encourage them to participate in your journey.
8. Captivating book description
Your self-publishing efforts will not go to waste if you will play smart. Write a description that will make every reader want to buy your book. Your book description should be convincing enough for the readers to grab their attention and evoke their curiosity.
9. Make it evergreen
A thing you need to consider before self-publishing your book is that it is worth the reader’s money. If the book revolves around a topic or concept that will be outdated six months later, it will be nothing but a waste of money and time. Make sure whatever you write will hold meaning regardless of changing times and trends. A great example is Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ written in the Victorian era but still resonates with the readers. It is EVERGREEN!
10. You will need professional help
Just because you have the ability to do something on your own doesn’t necessarily mean you should do it. You might be capable of checking and correcting your book, but hiring an expert to assist you is better. You might have the skill to make a book cover, but you will need to get assistance from someone.
It can be tough to self-publish without some assistance from experts. You can hardly do it all by yourself. Doing something by yourself might save you money initially, but it will cost you more money in the future. This is when self-publishing companies like Universal Ghostwriter come in handy. Their expert writing and design team can make your self-publishing venture much easier. The services you can avail of are as follows:
Proofreading:
It focuses on correcting minor errors and inconsistencies (for example, in punctuation and capitalization). Proofreaders often also check for formatting issues, especially in print publishing.
Copyediting:
Copy editing ensures a piece of writing is accurate and correct.
Developmental editing:
Developmental editing provides an outsider’s perspective to help identify any gaps in an author’s writing. A developmental editor can provide writers with honest opinions about the work’s appearance and offer guidance on improving it.
11. Learn to negotiate
Now that you know you will require professional help, like hiring people who offer self-publishing services. You must know how to get your idea across the table and get things done within the budget you have in mind.
Make sure to do your homework and try to become really good at negotiating. An author with a lot of money can pay $25,000 to get professional help. First, you have to plan how you will spend your money. Then, talk with others to ensure you can get the necessary assistance to follow your budget.
12. The magic of visuals
Your book cover has to be outstandingly intriguing. It is something you must spend time, energy, and money on. A compelling book cover is key to selling more copies!
Elements of a book cover:
- Color Scheme: Choosing the right color scheme for a book’s cover is crucial. Different colors evoke different feelings and emotions, so choosing the right color scheme is important. The visuals should match the tone of your book and attract the targeted audience.
- Title: Make the title stand out by choosing the right typography, font size, color, and positioning.
Types of book covers:
- 2D: A 2D book cover is a flat, traditional design used for printed books and e-books.
- 3D: A 3D book cover is a three-dimensional representation used for marketing and promotional purposes to make the book appear more realistic and engaging in digital contexts.
13. Make it immune to errors
When self-publishing, people tend to overlook the importance of having expertise. Your story cover and marketing strategy may be excellent, but you still need to make sure your writing is free of grammatical inaccuracies. There must be no inconsistent spacing or formatting errors. Anything that will take away the charm and originality of your book must be eliminated at any cost!
14. Marketing 101
Did you know that books that are well-written do not always make a lot of sales? Books that are well advertised often sell well. When you self-publish a book, you will be responsible for promoting it to everyone. If you don’t know much about marketing, like content marketing and social media marketing, you should look for some reliable blogs to start learning from.
You don’t have to be a marketing expert, but it’s important to know how to attract the right people who will be interested in your book. You can count on your closest family and friends to buy your book. You will have to persuade others strongly outside of that small group. Making video trailers promoting your book is one of the easiest ideas to make it known to the audience.
15. Make eBooks your best friend
Everything is going digital, and publishing is no exception! Less than 1% of books are sold in a bookstore, and even fewer self-published books exist. Considering this, all self-publishers should prioritize digital formats. Selling an eBook is cheaper than selling a physical book. Selling an eBook is also easier because people can buy it and start reading it right away.
16. Don’t give up
Keep your head up and believe in yourself. You’ve come this far. If you were able to come up with a bomb idea and translate it into a book, then you can definitely self-publish it and make it a huge success. Do not give up thinking of all the things that could go wrong. You’ve got this!
Conclusion
Self-publishing can be tricky, but considering everything that can make the process smooth will benefit you. Even though you have an idea and a story that people will invest time reading, relying on self-publishing companies such as Universal Ghostwriter will be a wise choice. They offer services like proofreading, formatting, and book cover design.
