I’m the author of two bestselling books, and I’ve also helped many others self-publish and become bestselling authors via MindStir Media, so I’d like to think that I’m qualified to offer a few self-publishing tips… These 10 tips are meant to increase your chances at self-publishing success (my definition of success is to make a profit; your definition might be different).
- Determine your definition of self-publishing success. Do you want to simply see your book in print? Is your goal to make money on self-publishing? Want to quit your day job? It’s important to figure out what “success” means to you in order to set realistic work schedules and goals. Hint: You won’t be able to quit your day job by spending an hour per week marketing your book.
- Decide whether or not you want to “do it yourself.” Contrary to popular belief, self-publishing doesn’t have to be a solitary venture. There are companies out there willing to help with cover design, editing, distribution, marketing, etc. MindStir Media, for instance, provides completely unique and world-class mentoring & self-publishing packages.
- Regardless of how you go about self-publishing, it’s important to make your book stand out with a professional custom book cover design. I can’t even tell you how many times (and for how long) I’ve preached this, but your book cover is probably your single most important book marketing tool. Throw together an amateurish book cover and you might as well throw your book in the garbage. No one will buy it. No one will read it. This might sound harsh — and it is — but I’m only trying to convey the harsh reality of the importance of a quality book cover.
- Invest in professional editing! I’ve come across some authors here and there who think that their work is flawless. They’ve revised, revised and revised — so there can’t be anything left to be fixed. Right. Even the biggest bestselling authors in the world will admit that they need an editor. Editing can make or break a book. As an author, it’s incredibly easy to overlook your own errors. You know, love is blind, right? I often compare books to babies. No one wants to believe that their baby is flawed in any way. But you still need to hand your baby over to a professional at some point to evaluate its “health.”
- Make sure your book is formatted properly and has a professional interior layout. If you’ve never heard of hyphenation, widows and orphans with respect to typesetting, you need to hire a pro!
- Start marketing early if possible. It’s ideal to create positive momentum well before your self-published book is released. One way to do that is by creating a blog. WordPress is the #1 blogging platform. I actually put together a step-by-step guide that will help you start your own WordPress blog through Bluehost. There’s also a wealth of info on the Internet with regards to book marketing.
- Publish your book in multiple formats. Print editions, ebook editions and even audiobook if possible. Get your book out there in several book formats. This ensures that you’re not missing out on a market. Obviously there are exceptions to nearly every “rule,” but from my experience it’s easier to sell a book when you give consumers many buying options.
- Continue marketing! This is key. Many self-publishing authors decide to hang up the marketing hat a month or two after the release. That’s a terrible mistake! Keep moving forward. Schedule marketing into your daily schedule and don’t waver.
- Grow thick skin. The book reviews will inevitably start trickling in for your book at some point (if you’re spending time marketing). Not all reviews will be positive. That’s okay. Take a look at any bestselling book or product on Amazon, for instance, and you’ll see some negative reviews on the listing. The key is to look at the overall response. As an author, it’s easy to get emotional over a negative review, but it’s best to just ignore it and move on. Dwelling on a negative review, obsessing over it, will do you no good. And it’s also wise to never respond to a negative review!
- Keep detailed financial records. How will you know whether or not you’re profitable if you don’t keep track of your royalties (i.e. income) and expenses? Obviously you should consult a tax professional, but I can tell you that there are numerous deductions a writer can take legally.
If you don’t want to be alone in your self-publishing journey I highly suggest reaching out to me for a consultation… As a bestselling author and the president of MindStir Media, I’m sure I can help you with this process. Click here to sign up for a consultation or click here to leave me a message. And good luck!