Self-Publishing for the First-Time Author
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About this ebook
These are a few of the questions that many aspiring authors ask as they set out on their publishing journey. Aggregating 5 plus years of experience in the self-publishing space, M.K. Williams has compiled the answers that you need into an easily digestible format to walk you through the publishing process. There are lots of online gurus who will throw acronyms, jargon, and advanced strategies at you right out the gate. Williams breaks down the practical steps that you need to take as you self-publish your first book.
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Self-Publishing for the First-Time Author - M.K. Williams
An Author Your Ambition Book
by M.K. Williams
Copyright © 2022 MK Williams Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The use of any of my works in AI learning or NFT is prohibited. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator,
at the address below.
First Printing, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-952084-20-1 (eBook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020900835
Second Edition, 2022
All content reflects our opinion at a given time and can change as time progresses. All information should be taken as an opinion and should not be misconstrued for professional or legal advice. The contents of this book are informational in nature and are not legal or tax advice, and the authors and publishers are not engaged in the provision of legal, tax, or any other advice.
Links included in this eBook might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you, but it can help me continue to create and put out more content. Thank you for supporting my work so I can continue to provide you with helpful content!
Printed by MK Williams Publishing, LLC in the United States of America.
authoryourambition@gmail.com
www.authoryourambition.com
Works by M.K. Williams
Fiction
The Project Collusion Series
Nailbiters
Architects
The Feminina Series
The Infinite-Infinite
The Alpha-Nina
Other Fiction
The Games You Cannot Win
Escaping Avila Chase
Enemies of Peace
Non-Fiction
Self-Publishing for the First-Time Author
Book Marketing for the First-Time Author
How to Write Your First Novel: A Guide for Aspiring Fiction Authors
Going Wide: Self-Publishing Your Books Outside The Amazon Ecosystem
Author Your Ambition: The Complete Self-Publishing Workbook for First-Time Authors
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: My Book is Complete! Now What?
Chapter 2: How do I Edit my Book?
Chapter 3: What are the Technical Details to Manage?
Chapter 4: Where Can I Publish my Book?
Chapter 5: How do I Format my Book?
Chapter 6: How Should I Price my Book and What is a Pre-Order?
Chapter 7: Continuous Learning and Ambitious Goals
Chapter 8: Your Publishing Plan
Bibliography
Resources
Dedication:
To all the aspiring authors who dream, plan, write, and work hard to make it a reality.
Introduction
My Story
In late 2013, I attended a local author’s workshop at a library near my home. I had written two novels by this time, and I had failed to secure any interest from a literary agent. Getting an agent is the first step in the traditional publishing process, after writing your novel. I was excited to be able to speak with a local author who had gone through the entire publishing process to hear what I should look out for; any tips on what I could do to improve my query letters. I was ready to learn the ins-and-outs of publishing. I did see that the author’s work was not in my genre, so I knew asking for her agent’s contact information wouldn’t make sense. I understood going in that any advice she gave would be specific to her genre. But I figured at a minimum that we could chat and I could learn something from her. I didn’t know any other local authors at the time. I was looking for connection and community. I was looking for answers.
What happened was the exact opposite.
I sat through her presentation and patiently waited for the Q&A portion. I asked what advice she had for anyone starting out on the publishing journey. She looked at me and said, You’re what? 23? What could you possibly have to say?
I was stunned. I could not believe that this woman who didn’t even know me had dismissed me so casually. She not only didn’t want to help me, she thought I had nothing to say just because of my age, because of how I looked.
I was crushed. I didn’t write for a few months. How could I reach my goal of having my book published, when I didn’t know how to get there? There was no information out there to help me figure it out. Or at least, I hadn’t found it yet.
It was my husband who noticed that I had been disconnected and uninspired. He saw that I hadn’t been spending my weekends writing as much and asked me why. He inquired if getting a publishing deal was the goal, or if having a published book was the goal? I looked at him like he had twelve heads. Those are the same thing!
He smiled and then asked if I had even considered self-publishing. I balked. He did not understand. I couldn’t do that. If I self-published then I would never get a publishing deal. Research it, do the work to prove that it isn’t a valid option for you. Then go back and work on the traditional route.
My husband and I are both very ambitious, Type-A people. When he issued a challenge like that I had to respond and prove to him that I was right (but in a very loving, ‘I told you so’ manner). I set out to do my research. And the information I found wasn’t what I had expected. When I was in college I had briefly looked into self-publishing. I had taken one look at a website that offered offset print runs of 1,000 books, saw the sticker price, and closed out of the browser.
But the second time around I saw that there were services that offered print-on-demand books; I would not have the upfront costs or the inventory. There was access to publish directly with major retailers. My husband was right: self-publishing was a viable option. Popular books like 50 Shades of Grey and The Martian had started as self-published efforts that gained traction after growing an online audience. I swallowed my pride, told him that he was right, and set about the task of writing my third novel. That novel was Nailbiters, and it became my first self-published book.
When I set out to publish that book in 2015, I spent hours scouring the internet for information. My limited research in 2013 had given me the confidence to self-publish, but now I needed the nitty-gritty details. How could I get my book out to major retailers and make sure libraries across the nation would accept it? How much was all of this going to cost? What pitfalls were waiting for me? I have condensed my years of experience into this book so that you don’t have to spend your precious time looking everywhere for one answer.
I took time away from writing and editing to learn each of these details. Self-publishing is not for the faint of heart. You are effectively becoming a one-person writing, publishing, publicity, distribution, and sales enterprise. While this sounds daunting, many don’t realize that traditional publishers still require their authors to do much of their own marketing and publicity. When you self-publish you add on some work, but you retain all your rights and royalties.
When I first investigated this avenue, it was clear that there was still a stigma around self-publishing. Every agent I had queried when I looked into traditional publishing had clear warnings on their websites: do not apply if you have self-published previously. I thought that this would be a mar on my publishing permanent record. I later realized that being self-published would make me a bad client because then I would know the questions to ask, the payment structure to negotiate, and all the small details that they would probably prefer I didn’t check into. The idea that self-published authors are taking the lazy way out
has long since been refuted. Most people now appreciate the level of effort and business acumen needed to succeed at self-publishing. As traditionally published authors look to self-publish their next book, the publishing industry is poised to change once more.
The reason that I am telling you this is to let you know that there has never been a better time for you to self-publish your book. The availability of information, print and distribution options, and community support has never been better. It has certainly improved over the years as I have published my own books.
Your Story
To get you started, I am going to break down the information that will be the most helpful to you in your first endeavor in self-publishing. How will readers consume your book? Where will they be able to purchase it or rent it? How can you make sure it is set up correctly? What costs are associated with this process? What are the best strategies for launching your book to ensure sales and reviews?
These are all questions I had many years ago. I will give you answers based on my experience and expertise. Your strategy will be unique to you, the book you write, and the audience you serve. Your plan for self-publishing is specific to your book, your genre, and your vision for your career as an author.
Through this book, I am going to walk you through the steps that you will need to take to self-publish your book. We will start with some plans that you