Whether you have previous publishing experience or you’re checking my blog out knowing nothing, these posts will help you chart a course through the wonderful, ever-evolving self-publishing landscape.
So how common is self-publishing?
More than you might imagine. In 2016, over 70% of all ebooks launched in the US were self-published. In addition, self-published titles accounted for 42% of Amazon ebook sales.
These statistics strongly suggest two things:
- A lot of authors are self-publishing.
- A lot fewer of them are generating sales.
So, how can an emerging independent author ensure their book stands out from the crowd?
Get ready to wear a lot of hats
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room; or the double-edged sword, if you prefer. Self-publishing gives you the power to choose your own path: you aren’t beholden to any publishers or book marketers, only yourself. However with this power also comes responsibility: you will be responsible for doing everything a traditional publisher does for one of their authors.
Once you’ve written your fantastic book, you will slap on your commissioning editor’s hat as you ensure your book is adequately edited and proofread. Once that’s complete, you will pop on your Art Director’s cap and ensure that your book is well-design. And through it all, you will also be turning yourself into a book-marketing machine.
Do you have to do this all by yourself?
Absolutely not.
Over the course of these blog posts, you find out what it takes to successfully self-publish a book. Not only will you get an overarching view of the process, you will learn which parts of self-publishing can be handled inexpensively by the author, and which parts will demand the attention of a professional.
Nobody likes the idea of having to spend more money than they have to. But if you are serious about getting people to read your work, you cannot afford to publish an amateurish product.
This is an interesting post. Thank you so much for creating time to put up the very informative article. I have been planning to start publishing books and sell through Amazon KDP. I have the idea and skills to write very interesting and compelling contents but I don’t know the tips and tricks to make my book sell on Amazon and other stores. I will bookmark this article and other subsequent articles you will be posting here. Your posts will be helpful.
Hey there,
Thanks for finding the post useful. I have already posted the rest of the series.
Check the last post (that contains links to all posts)
How to self-publish a book-Part 10
Thanks again,
Marios
This is an insightful tip and I can’t wait to read the part two of this lovely article. I am not a good writer but i jave been looking for a platform that would enhance my skill and i appreciate the fact that you came up with thia informative article. I have bookmarked this page and i am following steadily.
Thanks for this insightful tip
Hey Ola,
I’m really glad you liked the post. Check How to self-publish a book – Part 2
Marios
Publishing useful books had been a difficult task in the past years because you must have a captivating writing skill before you can publish out. Looking at the article you have provided great insight which is very helpful for newbies in this niche. I look forward to the part 2 of this great article.
Thanks
Abioye olalekan
Hey Abioye,
Thanks for the kind words. You can check part 2 of the series here.
Marios