Over the years, I’ve written/co-authored and/or ghosted 16 books, all published in the traditional way—with a signed contract from a well-known publishing house and an advance. Once I handed in my completed manuscript, my work was more or less done, except for any interviews the publishing house might arrange. This year I stepped into the brave new world of self, aka “indie,” publishing. What I learned right away was that completing a manuscript is only Step One. The rest could fill a book—and, in fact, does, in the recently released Publishing Architect’s Blueprint: Self-Publishing Fundamentals, which covers everything from manuscript preparation to correctly pricing the work to choosing the distribution channels that will make the book available internationally and much more.
Bestselling author Sherrie Wilkolaski, also a book and magazine publisher, radio talk show host, and professional publishing consultant, has worked with thousands of authors, creating bestsellers and/or propelling authors to the top of the Amazon lists. She has a secret for making Amazon bestsellers—which she is saving for her as-yet-untitled next book.
“It takes an army to successfully publish a book,” says Sherrie. “Don’t attempt to ‘wing it,’ skip crucial steps, or take on tasks like cover design that should be left to professionals—unless you are an expert in that field.”
Once you have completed your manuscript, think like a traditional publisher and establish a plan for your book (the “blueprint” mentioned in the title) as well as a budget. Will you choose a full- service publishing company, such as lulu.com? Or combine a package with standalone services; for example, using CreateSpace.com with pressque.com, which offers editing? The book gives pros and cons and cost estimates for every option.
Your blueprint should also include an organized list of the book’s information, such as the title, number of pages, ISBN numbers, etc.
And always have your manuscript professionally edited. Sherrie says: “Many authors, yes, even professional writers, make the mistake of trying to save money” by having non-editor friends review their work. Unedited material and error-filled writing accounts for a lot of less-than-desirable end products that, in the past, gave self-publishing a bad name. After that, you’ll need to have it formatted; first for the print version and then for electronic distribution, such as Kindle or ePub.
“Book cover design is the first and last step,” in production, adds Sherrie. You’ll need to hire a professional for this as well. For my self-published title I selected my cover image, giving the designer all the information she needed. The result was a beautiful cover.” Cover design issues are a common occurrence: Among the scores of designers she has worked with, notes Sherrie, only one got the formatting right for print-on-demand. “So make sure your designer understands exporting files for print-on-demand versus offset printing,” which is what is used for short and large print-runs.
Once your book is launched, the legwork begins. Don’t just throw it onto Amazon and hope it sticks. Prior to publication, you should have completed a lengthy to-do list that includes, among other things:
- A detailed sales, marketing and PR plan
- An author website
- Established and active social media accounts
- Press kits and releases ready for distribution to media outlets
- A professional-looking book trailer available on your author website, social media and video channel
- Both print and e-book advance review copies (ARCS), for purposes of obtaining endorsements and reviews
“Distribution of the book impacts marketing,” understates Sherrie. “So think beyond Amazon. If you only distribute via CreateSpace, a retailer will not accept the book. IngramSpark provides a wider international distribution channel and includes a return policy, so the book can be made available in brick and mortar stores.”
Marketing is critical and needs to be more than just a one-time effort. However you choose to market, keep doing it for the life of the book. “It’s like exercise,” says Sherrie. “You do it to stay healthy—and you market to keep your book alive.”
So if you’re even just thinking about dipping a toe into self-publishing, Sherrie’s book will, at the very least, familiarize you with the terminology and reveal new ways to market your existing titles. ASJA members also get a 25 percent discount on any of Sherrie’s consultation services; just use the code ASJA when signing up.