5 Essential Tips for Aspiring Self-Publishing Authors in 2024

Self Publishing Book

There are millions of people worldwide with a dream to publish their book one day. Some people achieve their dream easily, while others need time and the right resources to publish their books and reach out to the right people.

If you are one of such people, you may have heard about the benefits of self-publishing for writers. Luckily, the power of publication is not limited to exclusive publication houses nowadays. Instead, writers can become self-publishing authors regardless of any factors.

However, writing and uploading a book to a printing platform is not enough if you want your book to do its best. After all, there must be several books written in a certain genre. You must do much more to attract potential readers to your book.

If this is your first-time self-publishing a book, here are a few tips to help you along the way.

1. Hire an Editor

Editor
Source: knliterary.com

There are many hardships involved in writing a book. These challenges can differ for every writer based on their lifestyle, experience, and niche. However, there are some problems that every writer shares. One such problem is editing your own work to eradicate all the issues.

When you begin writing a book, you can understand better that it does not happen overnight. Sometimes, it can take weeks, and on other occasions, it can take months too. During this time, writers battle with hundreds of revisions and their biggest enemy –writer’s block.

In such circumstances, if a writer thinks they can edit their own work for self-publication, they are mistaken. It can be hard for writers to determine all the grammatical mistakes and redundancies in their work. However, the work by editors is backed by years of experience.

They make sure that your work has no grammatical issues, factual mistakes, spelling errors, or unintentional puns. In addition, they can also help you with the tone, consistency, and flow of your books. They are essential partners in your self-publication journey.

2. Start Marketing Early

Self-publication can be a long and challenging process. Many self-publishers think they only have to worry about the process later on. However, the experts in the field disagree with the notion. When you work with the best self-publishing companies, they will recommend promoting your work earlier.

Whether you write a single book or series, it is important for you to have your fans and potential readers engaged. Most writers start a blog and create a mailing list to stay in touch with their readers. In addition, one cannot forget the importance of social media in marketing.

As a writer who wants to promote their book, make sure you are active on all famous social media platforms. Share your writing process with your followers, give them sneak peeks, and you can also start a countdown to excite your readers about the upcoming book.

Another way of marketing you may not want to overlook is using podcasts. It is a growing way of engaging with your customers and readers that recently gained popularity. By arranging podcasts, you can answer the frequently asked question and learn more about your audience.

Ideally, your marketing regime for a self-published book must start at least 8-12 months before you self-publish your book. You can also consider placing ads and sending the announcement to your followers through your mailing list.

3. Focus on the Book’s Cover

Book Cover what
Source: type-ed.com

There are millions of people who publish their work every year. Of course, there are different niches, subjects, and topics discussed in these books. When a potential reader enters a bookstore or looks for books online, in most cases, they are looking for something to inspire them.

The first thing that a reader sees is the book cover. If the book cover does not attract a reader, they might not be interested in what’s written inside. Therefore, you need an inspiring book cover to get every reader’s attention across your book.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that your book cover may be one of your work’s most important marketing tools. That is why millions of writers worldwide hire seasoned book cover designers to make sure that their work stands out even when hundreds of other books surround it.

If you are self-publishing for the first time, make sure that you do not rely on the book cover designer’s suggestions alone. Instead, make sure that you educate yourself about what makes a good cover. You can also discuss your personal preferences with the book cover designers.

4. Create a Community

You cannot expect your book to be successful unless you have a community of followers that will follow your work and keep up with your upcoming projects. This step is an essential part of marketing your product or service.

Becoming a successful author requires much work even before that book is self-published. When you create a plan to engage your followers before the release of your book, you can easily get people excited about what is about to come.

Social media and your writer’s website can help you create an online community. If you work according to a plan, you can gather many people with mutual love or interest for your upcoming book for discussions and updates.

This will give them constant reminders and updates about your upcoming words. Of course, it will also help generate word-of-mouth marketing for your work. If you start nurturing a community 9-11 months before the book is out, it is likely that you will have a strong community for your work.

5. Focus on the Cover Text

Book Cover Text
Source: aboutamazon.co.uk

When the writers revise their manuscript for the last time, they think the writing part is over. However, that is not true. Some more things need to be helped by your writing talents. Of course, you cannot forget about the title, subtitle, back cover copy, and book descriptions. You cannot compromise the quality of these titles since they are all part of your marketing regime. If you do not have any experience in promotional writing, it’s time to get some.

When it comes to your book’s cover text, it’s best to think from a reader’s perspective. Try capturing their interest and engaging their imagination with the words on your cover. Consider this one of the most important shots at promoting your work.