Being a newbie writer can be quite an obstacle. But this is even truer for self-publishing writers who are expected to do a majority of the work themselves and pay for the entire publishing process. So if you are newbie writer who is just starting out, you had better be careful.
There are a multitude of mistakes and pitfalls that you can fall victim to. And there are a lot of great tips that will make the self-publishing process so much more efficient. Here are some self-publishing do’s and don’ts for newbie writers.
Do’s:
- Do research on your target market
Before you even think about writing your book, you should do research on your target market. Your target market is the audience that you will be writing to. Which is why you should be very meticulous when it comes to researching them.
Your choice of target market can mean the difference between success and failure. Your target market choice is also a way for you to make your book marketing strategy more focused and efficient. All in all, knowing your target market will make the book marketing process so much easier for you in the long run.
- Do prepare a budget
It is a well-known fact that self-publishing a book can be expensive. Depending on the quality of your book publishing and marketing campaign, expenses can be quite high. And some authors have even paid a small fortune in order to get their books published.
So before you start the self-publishing process, you should make a budget for every aspect of the self-publishing process. From the book editing process, printing process to the book marketing process, you should make a budget for every aspect of the self-publishing process.
Being a newbie author, you would not know how expensive self-publishing can be. So make a budget and stick to it religiously.
- Do ask other writers for advice
Being a writer is a unique job, and because of this very few people know about the challenges you face at a daily basis. Only other writers have gone through the insecurity of being a writer. Only other writers could know the suspense of releasing a book. Only other writers could feel the pain of being rejected for a book deal.
Which is why it is important that you reach out to fellow authors and get as much help and advice as you can. Fortunately it’s quite easy to reach out to reach out to fellow authors.
You can join an online forum and converse with other writers. Through these forums you can get good advice on how to self-publish your book and how to efficiently market your book. You can also reach out to other writers through your author blog and help one another market your works.
All in all, being a writer is a tough job so you should get as much help as you can.
- Do try out self-publishing companies
Self-publishing your book takes a great deal of work and time. And because you are just starting out as a writer, there will be times that you won’t know what you are doing and you will need help.
This is where self-publishing companies come in. Self-publishing companies are publishing houses designed to cater to self-published authors.
By signing up with self-publishing companies you will be given a choice of self-publishing services. The services will not only cover the publishing process, but also the book marketing process and will allow you to fully reach your self-publishing potential.
BookVenture.com is a great example of an efficient and effective self-publishing company. Why publish with BookVenture you ask? It is because it is not only well respected as a self-publishing company, but it is also quite multifaceted, and new services are created at a regular basis to stay competitive. And what’s more BookVenture.com also offers very affordable prices for the services they offer.
All in all, self-publishing companies are extremely useful to have on your side if you’re a newbie author. Just be careful on selecting the right self-publishing company, because not all self-publishing houses have the same standards for service. So it always pays to be as discerning as possible.
Don’ts:
- Don’t chase after bestsellers lists
Bestselling author’s lists are a constant in the book industry. And through the years they have been used by authors as a way to gauge their skills as writers. This is because the more books you sell, the better you are as a writer.
Having your book declared as a national bestseller is not only a source of pride for some authors but they are also a great way to enhance their reputations and get an even bigger fan base. Sadly though, there are far too many bestsellers lists nowadays.
True, there are some legit book review companies still active to this day. But they are vastly outnumbered by the less reputable ones. Some authors even go so far as to buy stacks of their books in order to gain the needed sales to qualify for a place in a bestsellers list.
But the times have changed. And bestsellers lists no longer have the clout to make or break a writing career. So instead of wasting your time chasing after a bestsellers lists, you should do your best to market your book as effectively as possible.
- Don’t use traditional book marketing methods
Seeing as you are self-publishing your work, it is a good idea to just avoid traditional marketing methods altogether. This is because, what may work for traditionally published authors may not work for you.
First things first, traditional book marketing methods are quite expensive and they take connections to pull off. Whereas, being a self-published author, you would have a more limited budget.
There is also the fact that traditional book marketing is slowly losing ground. They are no longer as relevant as they were years ago. So it is more advisable that you look for more alternative but still effective ways to market your book.
- Don’t let your doubts deter you from self-publishing
Self-publishing a book is a daunting prospect for any writer. And the longer the self-publishing process goes, the more challenges will come up. The more difficult things get, the easier it is to doubt your abilities.
Which is why it is important that you have a strong belief in yourself early on. Steel yourself against these challenges and keep reminding yourself that these challenges are nothing new.
They are merely a part of being a self-published author and you can overcome them. A strong foundation and unyielding self-belief is a must for self-publishing writers.