Even as recently as a few years ago, most authors were focused on print publishing. The shift toward digital self-publishing has been gradual but dramatic. Now, rather than wait and hope an agent or publisher will work magic, the indie author is in control.
The work of writing your eBook is still difficult, but publishing can quite literally happen at the push of a button. The catch is in making sales off the eBooks you self-publish.
We recommend taking the following six steps between initially writing your eBook and self-publishing.
- Re-read your finished eBook. Once you’ve completed your initial effort at writing, go back and read the eBook from the perspective of someone who will be reading it for the first time. Be critical with yourself and your story, and don’t be afraid to edit/cut/revise.
- Hire an editor. While it may seem like an editor is your enemy, picking apart every last detail and word choice, a good editor is your partner in making your eBook something that will be purchased.
- Hire a proofreader. The editor and proofreader need to be two different people and each will look at your eBook from a different perspective. While the editor will help you make sure your characters are well-developed and the story makes sense, the proofreader will look over the eBook line by line to ensure everything is spelled correctly, all the punctuation is properly done, and catch as many typos as possible.
- Hire a cover designer. Unless you are a graphic artist, pay someone to create your cover design. The cover is not just an image representing your eBook; it is a powerful marketing tool.
- Hire a formatter. If your eBook will contain images, hyperlinks, multimedia, or anything other than text, you may need to rely on the expertise of a formatter who will ensure that your eBook looks right on any digital reader device your audience chooses to use.
- Hire a marketer. You may be able to take on the role of marketing your own eBook, but if you have the resources, you can have a much larger impact if you have a publicist working to promote you and your eBooks. Choose someone who is social media savvy, has experience working with authors, and can demonstrate results.
