Many writers find that they are most productive and imaginative right when they get up in the morning. Find out what time of the day works for you and set aside time during that period to write. Don’t forget to read while you write. Reading is the superfood that keeps writers nourished. Set aside time during your day, if you haven’t already, to seriously engage with books and the ideas in them.
A breakdown of the rough costs[1] X Research source [2] X Research source of self-publishing may look like this: Formatting: $0 (DIY) - $150 and beyond, although you shouldn’t be spending lots of money here. Cover art design: $0 (DIY) - $1,000. Know that if you opt for an e-book creation business, they’ll likely just use stock photos. Editing: $0 (DIY) - $3,000 for “developmental” (substantive) editing. Many first-time publishers expect to pay around $500 for a combination of proofreading and copyediting.
If you’re part of a writing community or a frequent participant on a forum, consider using that forum as a source of free (or relatively free) advice. Forums feature dedicated fans who are inspired to help other people along the way, and for whom proofing might be a huge source of pride. Proofing often takes several go-arounds until all the errors, formatting mistakes, and stylistic boo-boos are wrinkled out. Especially if you are relying on someone’s free services, it could take two or three read-throughs to get the book proofed. Even then, don’t expect it to be flawless.
This is especially important if it’s on a shelf at the book store. Expect to pay not just for the cover art, but also for the spine and back cover as well, which will cost extra. If you’re going through all this, however, it makes sense to have the very best presentation you can have.
You can buy an ISBN direct from ISBN but beware, a single ISBN is $125. [5] X Research source ISBNs also come in bundles if you’re trying to be economical. 10 ISBNs cost $250, 100 cost $575 and 1000 cost $1000. You will need an ISBN for each format the book will be in: . prc (kindle), . epub (Kobo and others), etc.
Little overhead; the costs that go into writing and editing the book are the same costs that go into publishing it. Making an e-book doesn’t cost much extra. If you hit it big, you hit it big. E-book publishers such as Kindle Direct Publishing let the author keep 70% of the total revenue of the book, meaning that if your book blows up and you price it competitively, you could be in for a windfall. [6] X Research source You keep all of your rights. You don’t have to give up your rights to a publisher who may not have your best interests in mind.
You’re responsible for all the marketing and advertising yourself. The publisher won’t market or advertise for you, usually. Competitive pricing. E-books can cost as little as cents, meaning that you’ll have to sell a lot of books in order to make publishing profitable over the long term.
Having a physical copy of the book, which is potentially valuable as a marketing tool. Leaving the physical printing of the book to a vendor, who handles all the production. Having a source that will distribute your book to perhaps major sellers worldwide.
POD publishing costs more money. You may have a physical copy of the book by the end, but your production costs will skyrocket compared to e-books. You have to format the book to the vendor’s specifications, which are sometimes idiosyncratic. Each vendor will have a list of formatting specs that you need to meet before submitting your book. Not as much marketing and distribution as you might think. Vendors may help market and distribute your book, but not as much as you might think. Often, POD vendors simply sell books online, and you’re responsible for any major marketing and distribution.
The single advantage of going through a vanity press is seeing a physical copy of your book out there. POD should give you the same result, however, and so many serious authors avoid vanity presses like the plague.
