The process of self-publishing

When I first decided to self-published my first novel, I believed the process would be simply and seamless. I just needed to have all my files ready to upload and off I would go. This is, in fact, true to some extent. However, 'having my files ready' wasn't quite as easy as I expected. Here are some of the challenges I encountered and what I learned to that I (hopefully) don't make the same mistakes next time!

1. Where to begin?

   Amazon KDP is the place to go to self-publish. I was advised to go to Amazon KDP to publish my eBook and IngramSpark for the paperback. Why? Because IngramSpark also handles book distribution to bookstores and libraries. To keep it simple if you're a beginner, however, I would recommend starting with Amazon KDP as I found the process simpler. There are many YouTube videos describing how to set up your account and begin the process, just search 'Step by Step Amazon KDP'.

2. Formatting

   Having attended a self-publishing workshop where the facilitator provided templates on how to format a manuscript in MS Word, I had my pages all set up nicely with chapter headings, page numbers, headers/footers etc. In my Surviving Sunbeam, I used fonts which resemble a person's handwriting in sections, and this proved challenging when submitting my files. Firstly, I had to check whether the fonts were able to be used for commercial purposes, and was surprised to find that many of the Word fonts aren't. Thankfully there are plenty of sites where I could download suitable fonts. The best ones to use are either Open Type or True Type, and ensure you check their license terms (usually downloaded along with the font) to ensure you have permission to use them commercially. Next, I needed to embed these fonts into the Word Document to ensure they would show up on the finished printed product.

3. eBook formatting

   Having never actually read an eBook, I wasn't sure how they looked on Kindles and other devices; thus I assumed it would be the same as the printed book. Not so! Such readers only display a limited number of fonts, so all my fancy handwriting fonts did not display when I uploaded the manuscript. I ended up using Kindle Create (free download and fairly easy to use) to amend my manuscript so it was suitable for an eReader. This removed my fancy fonts and images, but after frustrating myself I decided this was the best option. It didn't change the story.

4. Proof Proof Proof

   I must have uploaded and reuploaded my manuscripts at least a dozen times to Amazon and IngramSpark before my final approval. The main reasons for this was issues I have described above with formatting, but also general MS Word issues with headers and footers, and image alignment. This was particularly important for the paperback, where I used different fonts as well as pictures. Making a list of what to check before starting the upload process will come in handy.

5. Printing costs

   My original paperback edition had almost 500 pages and was going to cost around $15 to print! Thinking about what I wanted to sell it for, as well as what goes to the publishers, that wouldn't leave me with much profit. While my main goal is to get my story out there to readers, having spend a significant amount of time and money crafting it to the final product, I do hope to make something, without having to sell it for much higher than comparable titles. Reducing the font size shortened it by over 150 pages and thus reduced the costs. Amazon had slightly lower printing and postage costs.

6. Cover Design

   Despite the saying, people do judge books by their covers. Unless you have decent graphic design skills, along with the appropriate software, I would highly advise getting a professional to design your cover. This can be costly, however I felt it was worth it to get a good looking product. Although I do have some graphic design skills, and very old versions of Photoshop and Illustrator on an ancient Mac, my skills were insufficient to create something to the standard I envisioned. I researched what other titles in my genre look like - in this case Young Adult - and found using illustration is very popular. I used Fiverr to find my cover designer and was able to find someone who would perform the service for a reasonable price. Be astute in seeking professionals from Fiverr, however: read reviews, see examples of their work, and consider their qualifications and experience. AND NEVER FALL FOR RANDOM, UNSOLICITED MESSAGES ON FACEBOOK OFFERING SERVICES!!! As soon as I opened my Facebook author page I found myself inundated with messages from people offering various services. Sadly, these people are almost always scammers who are likely to take your money without providing anything of quality. True professionals never cold-message people like that. There are other sites as well as Fiverr to find cover designers so shop around.

   You will also need to ensure your cover fits the desired trim size of your book i.e. 5x8, 6x9 etc. For a paperback, you will need both the front, back and spine designed in a wraparound style, but you only need a front cover for an eBook. Amazon KDP Cover Calculator is a valuable took in helping your cover designer know the dimensions of your desired trim size.

7. Uploading

   Now, once you truly have all the required files in order, uploading is fairly straightforward. It takes time for both Amazon and IngramSpark to check through for any errors and return an on-screen proof. Check this carefully, because sometimes things don't end up the same way they looked in a different program. If you've formatted everything correctly, however, there shouldn't be any problems. There are several steps to go through before actually uploading the manuscript, including selecting subject categories and keywords - again, consult YouTube or the Help pages to work out what works best for your book. Have a brief summary of the story ready - longer than a blurb but shorter than a full synopsis. This is what people will read when they click on your book so make it interesting and intriguing.

8. What's next?

   You can choose a date on which to release your book - either the same day you upload (if you're confident that everything is perfect), or a specific date afterwards. Giving yourself a couple of weeks between the upload and actual release gives you some leeway in case (heaven forbid) there are errors. You can order a proof copy of your paperback to see how the final product looks and see whether you're happy with it.

   Assuming everything is now 100 percent the way you want it to be, your book is now ready to be published! Congratulate yourself for making it through the process and look forward to seeing your work come to life and be enjoyed by others.