Being a newbie author can be quite difficult, seeing as there are a myriad of things that you are expected to do. But if you are going to be a self-publishing author, things may get even more complicated. This is because you will be expected to do everything and pay for the publishing process yourself.
Which is why it is important that you have a checklist before you get started on the publishing process. That way, you will be able to keep track of every aspect of the book publishing process. Here is an essential self-publishing checklist for newbie writers to follow.
- Find the right concept for your book
When it comes to writing a book, the first thing you should have is a good concept for your book. Your concept is the idea that your entire book will revolve on. Which is why you should choose a concept that you are interested in. Remember that you will be working on this book for months on end. So it is important that your concept is something that you are fully interested in.
Secondly, it is important that your concept is relevant. You don’t want to write a book that no one cares about. All in all, finding the right concept is extremely important, because it will affect the book publishing process until the very end.
- Identify your target market
As it was stated earlier, it is a good idea to choose a concept that is relevant. Which is why you should identify a target market. That way, you will know who you will try to impress and market your book to. It will also guide you on how you write your book and help you customize your book marketing campaign in the future.
- Make an outline of your book
Before you get started on the book writing process, it is important that you make a quick outline of your book. A quick outline will provide you with a system. This system will allow you to write your manuscript more efficiently and make it easier to keep tabs on every aspect of the book writing process. Think of your outline as a sort of blueprint on how to put all the settings, characters and events together to create a truly coherent story.
- Make a writing schedule
A writing schedule is a must if you want to stay on track of the writing process. Having a writing schedule is especially important if you are working a full time job or raising a family. So before you start writing your book, it is important that you have a set writing schedule.
It can be set early in the morning if you are a morning person, or even late at night if you are a night owl. Or in the middle of the day if you prefer. In truth, there is really no suggested timeline. What’s important is that you choose a schedule that you are comfortable with and that you can keep consistently.
- Get started!
Once you have finished finding the right concept and making an outline it is now time to get started on the book writing process. One thing you should remember about the book writing process, is that it will take a lot of time and work. There is really no way of knowing how long the writing process will last. So you should prepare yourself for the long haul.
The writing process will take up a majority of your time and will consist of long and tedious hours of work. So the best advice you can get for the book writing process, is to be as patient as possible. Take your time and enjoy the process. Don’t rush things and just take the process one step at a time.
- Edit, Edit and edit some more
The book editing process is extremely important. This is because fans can be very finicky about the quality of a book’s editing. So it always pays to be as careful about the book editing process as possible. During the writing process, it is important that you double check your manuscript after every writing session. That way you will be able to keep tabs on every aspect of your work.
If you want to be as thorough as possible, it is always a good idea to have a professional look into your work. This will not only ensure that your manuscript is at the best condition possible, but it is also a way for you to gain some peace of mind throughout the whole process.
- Try out self-publishing companies
Being a self-publishing author can be very enriching, but there is really no shame in asking for help if things get too complicated. One great option is to reach out to self-publishing companies. These types of companies are publishing houses specially designed to help self-publishing authors.
Through these self-publishing companies, authors are given the help they need to fully succeed in the book publishing process. Each self-publishing company offers unique self-publishing services that covers almost every aspect of the book publishing process. These self-publishing companies also offer a myriad of services that help in marketing self-published books. All in all, self-publishing companies are quite useful and give self-publishing authors a chance to publish their books with as minimum hassle as possible.
Just be reminded though that not all self-publishing companies have the same standards on their services. So you should really be careful in choosing a self-publishing company. Remember, you will be paying for these services, so you should make sure you get your money’s worth.
All in all the self-publishing process is a very work intensive and unpredictable process. But if you take heed of the things listed on this checklist, the process will be a lot easier.