4 Ways Indie Authors Can Improve Self-Publishing

For a would-be author, it has never been a better time to write and publish a book. Anybody can do it. And that is the bad news, because anybody will do it, and very often they produce something that looks amateurish at best.

Books that are poorly written, edited, and designed brings unwanted consequences. They become money losers instead of moneymakers. They make the author and publisher look bad. Readers cannot, or perhaps do not, get the entertainment or information that they seek.

Ways in which independent (indie) authors can improve self-publishing include:

1. They get their work professionally edited.

Everyone needs editors. A professional edit is crucial to putting your best work forward.

2. They learn about books.

Like any business, publishing has its own set of best practices and customs. If you are the author, publisher, or both, take time to study what other books in your genre have been published. Take time to see the size, basic layout, binding, and everything else you can about books published in your genre.

In this way, you can see what your competitors are doing—and plan to make your work even better.

3. They learn about publishing.

You can self-publish through printing a physical book, digitally producing an e-book, producing an audio book, or any or all of these.

Take time to research the various publishing options. Ask yourself how would readers most like to find this information. For some, print is the way to go. Others are learning how to store things on their computer high drive (or in a virtual cloud somewhere). Take time to identify your options here and consider them.

4. They learn about the publishing business.

When your book actually gets published, it’s easy to kick back, take a deep breath, and give thanks that your book is off your desk.

Wrong idea. Selling the book is primarily the author’s responsibility, and it’s imperative to understand how one is going to get paid—and how much.

With a glut of information out there about self-publishing, it’s easy to get confused. Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual, The Writer magazine, and Writer’s Digest magazine are good resources to consult about self-publishing successfully.

Consider these things when you start thinking about your self-publishing project.