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WELCOME to the Self-Publishing Guide!
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Created by Brianna J. Stephens - www.briannajstephens.com
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Hi, I'm Bri. I self-published my debut novel, Firemane, in June of 2026 and learned a LOT along the way. Honestly, it was kind of overwhelming trying to digest the amount of information and things that need to happen in order to successfully publish a book. Luckily, I'm a lists and notes kind of person, so as I navigated publishing, I tracked EVERYTHING and put it all into one place.
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Now I'm ready to share all that information in the hopes that it can help you on your own journey.
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This checklist is organized into 9 phases. Many of the phases overlap, but I tried to put them in an order that makes the most sense when it comes to self-publishing your novel. Hope this helps!
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*Note: This checklist is meant to be a tool to help you on your journey. Not every item on this list may apply to you.
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1. Author Platform & Branding (website, social, email)
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2. Writing & Editing
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3. Cover Design & Interior Formatting
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4. Legal & Publishing Essentials (ISBN, copyright, LCCN, DBA)
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5. Pricing & Distribution Setup (KDP, IngramSpark)
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6. Audiobook (ACX)
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7. Reader Engagement & ARC Team (Goodreads, BookFunnel, ARCs)
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8. Marketing, Launch & Merch
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9. Post-Launch & Local Sales
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Before starting your next book:
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• Duplicate this workbook and rename it with your book title (or something memorable)
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• Navigate to the tab "Publishing Checklist"
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• Clear the Status, Notes, and Deadline/Date cells that were specific to the last book (e.g. old ISBNs, old dates, vendor confirmations) - keep the Task and Cost columns as a reference for what things cost and how the process flows.
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• Reset the "Done?" column to blank for every row.
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• Cost column already totals per phase (Subtotal rows) and overall (Grand Total row) - these are formulas, so they'll update automatically as you fill in new costs.
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• Add rows within a phase any time - right-click a row inside that phase's block and insert a row so it stays grouped with that category.
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Tip: keep a running "lessons learned" note in the Notes column with anything you need to remember (for this time or the next) such as timelines, vendors, or costs.
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Lastly, if there is anything missing from this notebook that you think should be added, please don't hesitate to reach out!
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Disclaimer: This checklist is shared for informational and educational purposes only, based on one author's personal self-publishing experience. It is not professional, legal, financial, or tax advice, and it is not a substitute for consulting a qualified attorney, accountant, or industry professional. Costs, vendors, platform requirements, and timelines change frequently and vary by book, genre, and publishing goals — verify current details independently before relying on them. This template is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, express or implied. By using this resource, you agree that the creator is not liable for any loss, damage, expense, or outcome — direct or indirect — arising from its use.
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