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.