So, you have decided you want to write a book and self-publish. And now you want to know how to get started or what it all involves. Let’s talk about the ins and outs of writing a book from someone who just released their first book this year.
If you would like a copy of my book, you can get it here.
If you want to dive into the writing space, this blog post is for you.
1. Develop An Outline
Outline what your book will be about and the details involved. This could include the length of the chapters, whether the book be a devotional, a fictional story, or something else.
Here are some points to consider:
- What is each chapter about, and what are you hoping the reader will gain from it?
- Develop the key points in each chapter.
- Develop the takeaways from each chapter.
Some people will say this is where you should come up with a title, and that’s what I did. However, only some come up with a title right away. Some wait until they develop the book’s design.
Coming up with a title helped me stay on task and focused on the book’s outline.
2. Develop A Schedule For Writing
Self-publishing is a faster process than traditional publishing, but you don’t have to write your book in one day. Developing a schedule for writing means either a word count per day or a scheduled time you like to write.
I write best in the morning, so I schedule most of my writing time around 5 a.m.- 5:30 a.m.
3. Find A Copywriter/Editor
Finding someone to edit your work seems daunting, but finding an editor doesn’t have to be.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself regarding editing:
- Can you think of anyone in your life who edits well or someone who would be willing to assist you? (A friend, a former teacher, etc.)
- Do you even need an editor? Some people have a natural gift for editing.
If you don’t know someone willing or able to edit for you, Fiverr can help you find freelance editors.
Again, this doesn’t have to be a stressful process.
4. Developing The Design And Layout Of Your Book
In this part of the process, many people choose the title of their book, but if you already did that in step 1, you got that out of the way.
Once you have your title, developing a book’s design and layout is key. You can outsource this work. I did this because I couldn’t even draw a stick figure, let alone develop a book’s cover and layout. If you, too, want to outsource your design and layout, Fiverr is a great site that connects you with designers.
If you want to save on costs, Canva is a fantastic resource for designing books and layouts.
Or maybe you are a graphic designer, or you know someone in your life who can tap into their abilities and be a resource for you.
5. Self-Publishing Platform
There are a few self-publishing sites, but today, we will discuss how to self-publish on Amazon, also known as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
For Amazon KDP, you pick the page quality and the height and width of your book.
You upload your cover and the manuscript of your finished product.
Also, if you choose to use an Amazon ISBN, you will receive your own ISBN. Once you submit your book for review, you cannot change a few areas on Amazon KDP.
6. Release Date
You can pick your release date once you upload your book’s cover and manuscript.
You cannot change the paper’s quality, the book’s height and width, or the author’s name. (Ask me how I know this.)
I recommend getting the book sample before you click any buttons saying you want Amazon to approve your book.
The other thing you should know is that Amazon will lock your book a few days before the release date for a final review, so no changes can be made.
7. Celebration
The last step in this process is celebrating because you wrote a book, GIRL!
That is not an easy task, and I am so proud of you!!!
Let it sink in that you wrote a book, and the world can now read your finished product.
I celebrated with my two close friends by going out to dinner.
However you choose to celebrate, remember you are celebrating yourself, your dream becoming a reality, and completing a task some people only dreamed about!
Conclusion
I hope these steps help you in your writing process to self-publish.
I would love to hear what your book will be called or even answer any questions below. I’ll be praying for you on your publishing journey! You got this!!!
If you want to hear more from Broken Until Now subscribe to the blog, and follow us on Instagram at brokenuntilnow.
Blessings,
Ashley Marie
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