How to Self-Publish Your Book

Adult Writing Workshop

Stephanie Ewing, Author

Your Non-Expert Partner in Crime

easier

easier

I’m sorry . . .

Your Mindset

The 1st hurdle we are going to jump over is actually in your your head.

• You are a writer if you are here.
• You are an author if you have a finished rough draft.
• You are a published author if your book is out in the world.

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Do you have an author email address? Get one now.

Go Indie!

Have control of content, timeline, marketing, bigger % of royalties

Traditional

Submit your book or book proposal to big publishers.

Deal with rejection.

Give up creative control.

Spend Money or LEARN

Spend Money

Buy how-to books

Buy courses

Pay ghost writer

Hire vanity/hybrid publisher

Hire: editor, cover designer, formatter, website designer, social media manager, VA, etc

Learn

Watch Youtube videos

Listen to podcasts

Search for resources

Join writer/author groups

Try it, fail, do it again

Be brave

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The BIG question . . .

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

What type of book?

Are you writing the book of your heart?

• If yes, then just write - who cares what anyone else says.

Are you hoping to sell lots of copies?

• You need to know your market, your genre, the reader expectations - you need to read, a lot.

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Tools: Publisher Rocket, Kindleprenuer, K-Lytics, Categories, Search Terms, Research

Fiction or Nonfiction

Fiction: 3 Act Structure, Hero’s Journey, Romance Beats, Save the Cat, POV

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Nonfiction: conversational tone, academic, how-to

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Write your book

This is a really hard step.

Recommendations:

• Check out the free information on Reedsy.
• Read books about writing.
• Just do it.
• Seriously - quit allowing yourself to procrastinate.

Edit the Book

WOW

This section is so huge that I really can’t do it justice.

Self-edit

Developmental edit

Proofread

Beta read, alpha read, alien read . . .

Formatting Your Book

Hire it done - Fiverr, Upwork

Do It Yourself - Microsoft Word, KDP, Reedsy, Vellum, Atticus

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How to format in Word - information from Kindlepreneur

Things you will need

Cover for ebook

Front/Back matter (copyright, preface, author bio)

Book Description

Keywords

Price

Things that tripped me up: barcode, author photo, ISBN, keywords, author bio - pretty much everything after writing!

Get a book cover

Hire a designer - Upwork, Fiverr, 99Designs

DIY - Canva, Word, shrug - IDK

Choose your publishing platform

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing - KDP - exclusive?

Or go WIDE . . .

IngramSpark

Draft 2 Digital

Book Vault

Kobo

Apple, Google Play, Serial Sites, Smashwords, Lulu, Shopify

Today’s Example - KDP for ebook only

Write book

Edit book

Format book

Get cover

Other things: copyright page, table of contents, back matter, ISBN

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For a print book - you will need a back cover for your book with author photo, author bio, and book blurb. You will also need to format your book again with page numbers for this.

Details are important.

Book Description

Categories

Keywords

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If you don’t know what a box means - look it up.

Tools I Use

KDP - Amazon

Mailerlite

Facebook Groups

Canva

Written Word Media

Kindleprenuer

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Things I am learning: TikTok, FB ads, Book Promos, AI

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Steps to Self-Publishing: https://blog.reedsy.com/self-publishing-checklist/

Step 1: write an awesome book

Step 2: edit and proofread

Step 3: choose title

Step 4: design cover and format

Step 5: get online - where can readers find you - funnel

Step 6: publish - Amazon or wide

Step 7: details: keywords, description

Step 8: marketing, reviews, newsletter sign up

Now what?

Write - put your butt in the chair.

Learn - seriously, go join a writer’s group on your favorite social media platform.

Look it up - search the group for your answers, check the date as info changes. Don’t be the person asking the question that has been answered 500 million times - be resourceful. Don’t start drama, focus on writing.

Have fun, take risks!