Key Tips On What Not To Do When Self-Publishing Your Book by Sarah Robinson | Renee Scattergood

Originally posted by Renee Scattergood:

The irony of becoming a successful writer isn’t much in the writing process itself. More often than not, talented storytellers struggle to have their books sold in brick and mortar shops because of the horrors of publishing.

Over time, the process of making written works available to the public has transformed.

Knocking relentlessly on the doors of large publishing houses is no longer the smartest way to have your manuscript distributed to your target audience.

Internet advancements now give you the chance to self-publish your book. Platforms such as Amazon’s Kindle, now allow online readers to browse, buy, download and read your books electronically.

Traditional Publishing VS Self-Publishing

Taking the traditional or the transformed publishing route has its own perks and disadvantages. Here are key things to remember before choosing what course to take:

• Traditional publishing takes time—it takes roughly 18 months before you get your book printed while self-publishing allows you to release your book in days or a few weeks.
• Publishers handle all activities from editing down to book distribution; self-publishing requires you to manage everything from editing and marketing your work.
• Publishers have control over all critical decisions. On the other hand, when you choose to self-publish, you get 100 percent of the profits and retain all rights to your books.

Tips On What Not To Do When Self-Publishing Your Book

Let’s assume you’ve decided to take the transformed route of publishing your book. To ease your journey towards becoming the next self-published superstar, take a quick look at these tips on what you should not do before rolling out that book with your own hands:

Failing to catch typos

Publishing an error-free book is definitely a no-brainer tip for you as a writer. Your friends and family probably don’t mind spotting an error or two, but your readers do. Don’t fret—failing to catch typos yourself doesn’t make you less competent. In fact, it’s the result of how you, as a writer, possess a precise grip on the meaning you want to convey. A competition exists between what you see and what exists in your head.

• To proofread your works, hire a skilled editor. Aside from grammatical errors, having fresh eyes allow issues such as plot holes, weak character developments, and other inconsistencies you don’t want your buying readers to point out, be addressed constructively.

Talking where you readers aren’t

Publishing is a business. Whether you choose to take the traditional or self-publishing route, you have to be fully-geared when it comes turning those paperbacks into actual cash. To do this, marketing plays a significant role. You can’t expect a huge fan base to grow on its own instantly, even after you’ve published your book successfully. You need to spark conversations with your readers to establish strong engagement.

• Bank on social networking sites—Facebook, Twitter and even blogs with a huge following. Remember, your message must be tailored-fit to your target audience. A boring template won’t make you a star.
• You can’t sell books on Amazon and expect it to reap bucks against a pool of previously published content—which, for the record could run around 600,000 to 1,000,000 books every single year.
• If you have enough digits, hire a team of marketing specialists who can create a buzz for you while still getting a hundred percent of the profits.

Choosing Photos Fit Only for Digital Viewing

The resolution in which images are displayed on your screen dramatically differs from what your readers see on actual paper. As a rule of thumb, graphics, as seen on your computer screen, are shown at 72 dots per inch. However, the dot density of an image when reproduced in the physical paper can be higher. Thus, not all images in physical print appear precisely as unsullied as it is in digital format.

Ignoring Copyrights

If you’re not in for a legal escapade—it’s best not to take copyrights for granted. As a potential self-publishing author, you need to understand how the gift of control over your works entails weightier responsibilities. Unlike traditional publishing, you need to be wary of more legalities when self-publishing your book.

• Avoid grabbing images and other graphic content through a basic browser search. Not all Google images you find are royalty-free.
• Use lyrics or texts in quantities that do not interfere with the creator’s rights.
• Evaluate the risks that come with using brand names to avoid trademark infringement.

Start Writing

The heart of every writer bleeds unique content on every page they work on—be it digital or physical paper. Share content that will add value to your reader’s life. Whatever publishing route you choose to take, always take pride in your craft, innovate!

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Sarah is a passionate writer and advocate for donating stories to the less fortunate. She currently works for BookRazor.com and enjoys reading her favourite novels in her pass time. She has a loving and very supportive family and enjoys visiting book signing events whenever she can.