The ultimate guide on Book Publishing - How to Publish a Book: 41 Rules for Successfully Publishing a Book That You Will Love Forever. Whether you're aiming for a Big 5 book deal or exploring the realm of DIY self-publishing, this comprehensive guide is your roadmap. Discover expert advice on navigating the entire publishing process and selecting the path that aligns perfectly with your goals.
From uploading your manuscript to choosing categories and keywords and obtaining an ISBN, every step towards self-publication is demystified here.
Get ready to embark on your journey to becoming a published author with confidence and clarity.
We are so excited to announce the publication of my guide to Book Publishing: Steps for Publishing a Book: 41 Rules for Successfully Publishing a Book That You Will Love Forever. It's available as an ebook and a paperback.
Whether you're chasing a book deal with a Big 5 publisher or trying your hand at self publishing a book, this guide has all my best advice on navigating the publishing process and choosing the right path for you.
How to get your book uploaded and self-published
The last stage in your self-publishing adventure is to upload and publish everything.
By this time, you should have a fully edited text, inside files, cover pictures, marketing content, first prices, and a self-publishing platform.
There are just a few steps before your books go on sale.
Consider getting an ISBN.
ISBNs are 13-digit codes bookshops, libraries, and distributors use to identify books. ISBNs are around $125 per book format in the United States (print and audio editions of the same book require different ISBNs). Purchase them from Bowker singly or in bulk for a discounted price.
If you're self-publishing, acquiring an ISBN is optional because many platforms, such as Amazon, do not require one, and other distributors will provide you with an ISBN or a different identification number for free or at a reduced cost.
However, there are certain benefits to acquiring your own ISBN. Retailers will not sell books without an ISBN. Suppose you want to change distributors or achieve larger goals as a publisher. In that case, an ISBN can help you keep your books together under the same identification number and ensure you are always identifiable as the publisher.
Also, if you receive a free identity from a distributor such as amazon, they will likely be listed as the publisher rather than you.
I finally decided to purchase ISBNs for my self-published books, but if your aims are limited or you simply want e-books, you may want to skip this step to save some money.
Choose your categories and keywords.
When you upload, you’ll likely need to choose some categories and keywords to help Book Publishing know where to list your book by Book Publishing Company.
For fiction, determining your category or genre is typically simple. Still, there are several classifications for nonfiction, so you may want to spend some time investigating similar books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble to see how they are classified.
Put yourself in the position of someone looking for a book similar to yours while developing keywords. If you created a fantasy novel, you might use "Dragons," "Knights," "Magic," and so on, but if you wrote a diet book, you might use keywords like "Diet," "Fitness," "Health," and so on.
As David Gaughran pointed out in our previous interview, focusing on micro-niches allows you to appear on the correct bestseller lists.
Upload!
This may be the easiest stage in the entire procedure.
You must submit your files and enter marketing copy on all the sites you intend to distribute. Make sure you're selecting the correct settings. Still, the websites are rather self-explanatory and simple.
You may either choose a publishing date in the future or publish immediately. Your Book Publishing will be under review for 24–72 hours, and then you’ll have a book available for sale.
WHOA! Book Publishing has been Done!
If you find a typo in your book or wish to update it after publication, don't worry; you can repair the problem and submit fresh files. If you wish to unpublish your book or produce a new version, you can withdraw it from sale at any moment.
Now, get your copyright registered.
There are many misunderstandings concerning copyright and its meaning. One critical point to remember: your work is copyrighted when you make it. You do not need to include a copyright sign on each page or do anything extra.
Registering your copy-right with the Library of Congress within three months of publication offers further legal benefits. It makes it easier to seek damages if someone copies your work.
To register, visit Copyright.gov and follow the instructions.
Please remember that I am not an attorney; this is not legal advice; if you have any questions, please speak with one.
See anything I missed? Are there any self-publishing pros with wisdom to add? Take to the comments!
Need help with a Book Publishing Company? I provide manuscript editing, query analysis, and coaching services.
Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing: How to choose
This tutorial will teach you all you need to know about plotting the course for your book. Self-publishing or traditional publishing? Which one should you choose? I'm here to help.
Before I start, I want to clarify one thing: there are no universal answers, only what’s right for you and your book.
Very Online traditional and self-publishing evangelists often hurl accusations that anyone who doesn’t follow their path is crazy. Ignore the noise. Get in tune with what’s important because that’s the only determining factor. There are plenty of successful traditional Book Publishing and successful self-published books.
How do I know? I’ve followed both paths! My Jacob Wonder bar series was traditionally published, and I self-published How to Write a Novel and How to Publish a Book. My self-published books have sold as much as my traditionally published ones, and I ultimately enjoyed both approaches.
If you’d like advice considering your circumstances, please book a consultation with me!
Here’s what I’m going to cover in this post on choosing between traditional publishing vs. self-publishing:
• A brief overview of traditional and self-publishing (and hybrid, too)
• Cost/benefits of traditional and self publishing a book
• Moving between traditional and self-publishing (and vice versa)
• Getting in tune with your goals
• Questions to consider
• Charting a course that works for you
Overview of traditional publishing and self-publishing
If you’re coming to the publication process fresh, it’s important to understand how these processes differ first. Here’s a brief look at how a book becomes traditionally published or self-published. You can find more extensive posts that cover the ins and outs here:
• How traditional publishing works
• How self-publishing works
Traditional publishing
Traditional publishing is the classic process that was largely the only game in town in the pre-Amazon days of the publishing industry. Here’s how it works.
An author with a finished manuscript (fiction) or a book proposal and sample pages (nonfiction) finds a literary agent (major publishers) or approaches publishers directly (small presses). If there’s interest, a publisher makes an offer (more on this in a bit), and a deal and contracts are negotiated.
An editor at the publisher helps the author improve the book, and the publisher begins to put the book together (cover design, interior design, etc.). The publisher’s PR, marketing, and sales teams work to drum up interest in the book, hoping “accounts” (mostly bookstores) will place large orders. This pre-publication process can often take a year or more.
On publication day, the publisher’s distribution ensures that the book appears in bookstores and is restocked promptly. The author (now rich and famous beyond their wildest dreams! Just kidding, probably not!) gets to work on their next book.
Self-publishing
Self publishing a book works much like traditional publishing with a few key differences: 1) the author has to put the book together and market it on their own (or subcontract these responsibilities), and 2) self-publishing doesn’t have traditional distribution or sales teams, so a self-published book is not likely to end up in bookstores.
You can think of self-publishing as comprising six key tasks. Either the author must handle these on their own or work with freelancers to accomplish them:
1. Editing (developmental editing and copyediting)
2. Writing cover copy and marketing materials
3. Interior design
4. Cover design
5. Determining your price point and marketplaces
6. Marketing and promotion
When all the appropriate files are ready, and you’ve determined how and where you want to publish, your book can be uploaded and available for sale nearly instantaneously.
Then, you just have to figure out how to market it to your first readers.
Hybrid publishing
In the last ten years, new upstart hybrid publishers have entered the scene that combines some of the features of traditional publishing and self-publishing.
They might, for instance, offer some of the “Book Publishing Services” of traditional publishing, like editing and cover design. Still, instead of offering authors an advance for the rights to the book, they may ask authors to make an upfront investment to cover the costs of these Book Publishing Services. Typically authors will earn less per copy sold than self-publishing, but more than traditional publishing.
The models and reputability of hybrid publishers vary tremendously, so vet a potential publisher thoroughly and research the process thoroughly.
Costs/benefits of traditional publishing vs. self-publishing
Let’s get straight to the brass tacks. How exactly do authors make money via the traditional publishing a book, and what costs can they expect?
Here are some basics. For a more thorough look at the money side of things, check out these in-depth articles:
• How authors make money
• What it costs to self-publish a book
Traditional publishing
One of the benefits of traditional Publishing A Book is that it doesn’t cost authors anything (even postage is largely a thing of the past), and publishers pay you.
Reputable agents do not charge authors up front and work for a 15% commission on domestic deals and 20% on foreign rights deals (typically split 10% to the primary agent and 10% to a subagent). It’s crucial to understand that agents only get paid when you get paid, so if an agent asks you for money, there’s a decent chance they’re a scammer.
When they’re interested in acquiring a book, publishers offer an advance against royalties–anywhere from a negligible fee to millions of dollars–which is the author’s to keep if they abide by the terms of the agreement. Typically, advances are divided into installments as the book moves through various benchmarks of the Publishing A Book process.
Authors are also allocated royalties–a percentage of every copy sold or a percentage of the publishers’ net profits–and can earn income from sub rights, for instance, if the publisher retains translation rights and sells French language rights to a publisher in France.
Sometimes agents will also try to sell subrights they reserved for the author, such as film and audio rights, and sell those to studios and audio publishers directly.
After their advance, authors do not receive additional income from publishers until their book “earns out,” meaning the royalties and subrights income exceeds the advance amount. Then, they receive royalties and other income per the split allocated in the agreement.
Self-publishing
One of the benefits of self-publishing is that authors receive more per copy sold than in traditional publishing. Still, self-published authors typically start in the hole because of what it typically costs to self-publish well.
Between professional editing, design, and marketing, producing a professional-looking book (and/or a professional audiobook) can easily cost several thousand dollars or more. You can get thrifty and work out barters to keep costs down, but self-publishing requires a commitment, whether it’s time or money.
Moving between traditional publishing and self-publishing
It’s a perennial ongoing myth that self-publishing will kill your chances with traditional publishers. It’s just not true. Plenty of examples of authors who have moved from self-publishing to traditional, including some seriously huge ones like Colleen Hoover.
Just because it happens doesn’t mean it’s easy. Unless a self-published book takes off (think thousands of copies sold minimum), a publisher will unlikely be interested. If you want to move from self-publishing to traditional, it’s more likely that agents and publishers would be more interested in a new, non-sequel book of yours that you can pitch fresh.
But these days, agents and publishers understand that author careers take many different paths. Some authors consider themselves “hybrid” authors who float between traditional and self-publishing, depending on the project.
Even my Jacob Wonder bar books have moved between traditional publishing and self-publishing. I eventually got the rights back from my original publisher and re-self-published them, meaning I now receive a share of every new copy sold directly.
Getting in tune with your goals
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s turn back to you because your goals and priorities will determine the right path for you.
Engage in some reflection. Dig a layer deeper. Of course, you want your book to be published, but why?
Why did you write the book? How important is it to you to make it revenue-positive? Do you want it widely distributed, or are you fine with having copies to give to friends and family?
Try to sort out whether internal or external validation is driving you. Think about how patient you are and how much control you want over the process.
Starting this process with self-reflection and being acquainted with your writing goals will prepare you to make the ideal selection. I also have a few questions to help you focus.
Questions to consider to deciding between traditional publishing vs. self-publishing
Have trouble deciding? Here are seven things to ask yourself to help you decide which path you should take:
1. Is your book a niche/passion endeavor, or does it have a wide, national appeal?
2. How much control do you want over the publishing process?
3. How much does the validation of traditional publishing matter to you?
4. How important is it for your book to be in bookstores and libraries?
5. How capable are you at marketing and self-promotion?
6. Can you afford to invest money in your book?
7. How patient are you?
Is your book a niche/passion endeavor, or does it have a national reach?
To attract a traditional publisher, particularly the major ones, you must have a book that fits into an established genre, is the appropriate length, and has mass commercial appeal. I enjoy using the airport bookshop test here. Is your book something you may find on sale in an airport bookstore?
The big publishers are targeting mainstream audiences. If your potential readership is narrower, you might want to go directly to a small press or self-publish.
And if you’re writing most kinds of nonfiction, you need to be one of the top people worldwide to write and promote that book if you want to pursue traditional publishing. Assume that everyone worldwide is writing a book (mostly true). Publishers will pick among the top two or three people for any subject.
Self-publishing is a viable option for nonfiction writers without a strong platform.
How much control do you want over the publishing process?
One of the things I like most about the traditional publishing process is the collaboration with experienced professionals.
But this means giving up some control. Your agent may want you to revise it before they send it to publishers. You will almost assuredly be edited at a publishing house. You won't have permission for your book's cover; you'll probably just have joint consent for the title. You will have little influence over how and where your book is promoted, including discounts and promotions.
This requires a collaborative mindset and ceding some decision-making. Your publisher may make judgments that you disagree with, which might drive you mad.
Meanwhile, self-publishing gives you complete control. You may choose your changes, cover, title, fonts, marketing, and pricing.
If you have a specific idea of how you want your cover to look or are determined to include your graphics, self-publishing may be the way to go.
How much does the validation of traditional publishing matter to you?
There's still something rewarding about going through the traditional publication process, having your work verified by specialists, and being compensated for your efforts.
Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster are still well-known brands.
But maybe you don’t care about the publisher's name on your book's spine. That's okay, too! Determine how important a publisher's validation is or whether you're comfortable going directly to readers.
How important is it for your book to be in bookstores and libraries?
Traditional publishers maintain a competitive advantage because of their distribution and sales infrastructure. You'll need a traditional publisher to make your book widely available in bookshops and libraries.
Sure, you can build personal relationships with tiny bookstores, but official publishing is the most reliable method to get your book into stores and libraries.
This may no longer be relevant in a world where about half of all books are purchased online. If you self-publish, your book will be available on Amazon, Bookshop org, and other major platforms.
How capable are you at marketing and self-promotion?
While there’s no guarantee that a traditional publisher will promote your book in a major way, they’ll at least give you some kind of marketing push.
If you self-publish, you are completely on your own. You don't have to be a social media guru or a superstar to help your book create critical word of mouth. However, you will need to take action to reach your initial readers.
Self-publishing a book is a straightforward process. Marketing is frequently the source of confusion for people.
Can you afford to invest money in your book?
Say what you will about traditional publishing, but one of its advantages is that it is not prohibitively expensive. Before submitting your manuscript for publication, you may be charged for printing it or paying an editor. Unlike publishers, agents do not charge you until they collect a fee from the sale of your book.
With self-publishing, there are many tasks involved, such as generating a cover, editing, copyediting, formatting, and self-promotion, that you’re either going to have to spend the time to do yourself or pay someone to do for you.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, navigating the complexities of book publishing demands insight and strategy. Whether you're drawn to traditional publishing's established pathways or the autonomy of self-publishing, informed choices are pivotal. It equips you with the essential knowledge to embark confidently on your publishing journey.
With Horizon Book Marketing, discover tailored solutions to amplify your book's reach and impact. Accept the possibilities, hone your art, and approach this transforming path with clarity and purpose. Your publishing success story starts here.
