Self-Publication for Dummies

For too many authors the steps of self-publication are a mystery. While there are plenty of books on the subject, most are unsure of where to begin. This is actually easy: Finish the bleeding manuscript first. While there are some exceptions to this, it helps to have a finished manuscript in hand before you even think about publishing. However, once you have a manuscript in hand, you can now debate publishing it. Whether you choose to pay a group of freelancers, use a hybrid publisher, or (Heaven forbid!) do it all yourself (or some combination of the above), the steps are pretty much the same.

[One exception is serialization, where the book is released chapter by chapter to be compiled into one big book later on. This helps with buzz but can hurt as much as help the book, especially if the chapters aren't catching on. It can also hurt you if you stop releasing chapters; this gets worse if you do this a lot. Still, it can help monetize the book before it's released and you can get some feedback on it as you go, so there are some advantages.]

When Do You Start Marketing?

The hardest part is when to start marketing the book. You can break it down into four phases: Buzz, Pre-Publishing, Publishing, and Post-Publishing.

Buzz is when you're starting the book; you should let it drop every so often that you're working on the book, with hints of the plot, setting, and characters. You can describe scenes you're writing, problems you're having, and how you've overcome specific challenges. In other words, you're letting people know something is coming that they should be watching out for. You want to start putting the idea of your book into people's heads, preparing the way for something big on the horizon. You can start this when you start writing the book, and can release excerpts every so often.

Pre-publishing marketing is when you actually have a manuscript finished and you're starting to put the book together. You should start releasing cover art, and pictures of the characters, and generally let people know that your book is going from "something I'm working on" to "SOMETHING ACTUAL IS COMING." This is where you start getting serious about marketing and start letting people know what you're up to. The best time to start this is after the manuscript has been written, edited, and revised at least once; get some art created and go for it.

Publishing is from when you start taking orders to the book's release date. This is when you put out press releases, send out ARCs, start doing interviews, and let people know they can start ordering the book. You should advertise it, up your social media presence, and even do some signings. This is arguably the most intense time for marketing the book, and is only over when you decide it's over, usually a month or three after the book is actually published.

Post-publishing is when you've decided the book has run its course. Just put it on the proverbial bookshelf, make it part of the background (it's on the website, you list the book every so often, and it becomes part of the marketing materials) until you decide to bring it back, such as for anniversaries, special events, or fans ask for it. Then just treat it like it's being published.

[Obvious Note: You may have multiple books going with each in their own phase of publishing and marketing. Time to learn juggling if you want to succeed.]

Yes, You Need A Website

You should have a website, and not just a Facebook page or an Amazon landing page (these are also good, so get them if possible). It helps you get the buzz going, gives your fans a central location for news on your books and other projects, and even allows you to give access to free books and sell merch. In short, if you're serious about your marketing and you book being a success, a website is mandatory.

The Many Different Edits

Editing is the most expensive step of the process and arguably the most important: If the book sucks, even the most successful marketing campaign will yield only minimal results. This and marketing are why most writers prefer traditional publishing; having someone pick up the cost is the best way to avoid paying the thousands it can cost for a good editor.

The first edit is the beta reader. While it's stretching the definition of editing, these free readers do give valuable information, even if it's usually not the best. Nonetheless, it's important to put it through this stage as a hivemind can help you catch plot holes, character inconsistencies, and the most egregious grammar issues before you send it to someone you actually have to pay, making their job easier and possibly saving you money.

Otherwise, while there are many different editors, you should look at a line editor, a developmental editor, and possibly a sensitivity editor. The developmental editor will go through and look for big issues in plots, characters, and general setting and make suggestions on how to solve them. The sensitivity editor looks for accidental racist, homophobic, and other problematic issues; this can prevent a lot of bad reviews and the wrong kind of controversy. The line editor will go through the manuscript line by line and hunt down grammatical issues, dealing with them as needed

While there are other types of editors, you may want to look into a fact checker, especially for historical and biographical stories.

When you get feedback from your editors, you should revise as needed. It's entirely possible that there will be several rounds of this, especially if the subject matter is controversial or the writer is working in an unfamiliar language. However, it will get done and you put the book together.

[Try to avoid self-editing and relying on friends and family. You're too close and they may be more worried about your feelings than a good product. Also, just because you can write doesn't mean you can edit: The two are definitely different skills. Paying someone to do it is well worth the cost.]

Putting The Book Together

If editing is the most expensive cost, then putting it together is the cheapest one, but it also involves the most wheels. You're going to need a cover designer, a layout person, and possibly a blurb writer. For some projects, you may need some interior art. You should also buy your own ISBNs for every format, especially if you're using multiple platforms. If you're an American, you should apply for a Library of Congress number and register your copyright.

This is the stage where you finalize all of the little details. You should also debate BOTH printing and print and demand. Printing gives you copies for conventions and signings but means you need to worry about sending them out (fulfillment) and storing the inventory, as well as printing more books as needed. Print on demand means that the book is printed when someone orders it; it's usually a little more expensive but it means you don't need to worry about inventory and fulfillment. Combining the two allows readers to buy the book whenever they want, but also means you have books for other uses. Sometimes both are better.

Letting It Into The Wild

Now you need to just publish it. The marketing just needs something to market and the readers need a book to buy; you should have everything in motion so it's just a matter of seeing what the book can do. This is when you finally crack open the champagne and give yourself a moment to celebrate.

Before putting your nose back to the grindstone and getting back to work. It's never really over.

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So, this is self-publishing. Well, in the broadest strokes possible and in the smallest nutshell one can find. There is a lot more to it than this, but this should get you going. May you have the luck of a fool and the patience of a saint; you're going to need both. But at least you now have a map of the wilderness.