How to Self-Publish a Book: A Comprehensive Guide for 2024

In this post, I’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to self-publish a book.

Everything from why you should self-publish to building a following and getting sales, even if you are a complete beginner and no one knows who you are.

Because I’ve been in your shoes. 

Not long ago, I self-published my first book, AI Writer, and I’ve gradually made 5,700 sales and counting, plus picked up 88 reviews.

I’m also working on getting my first traditional book deal right now, so I can talk about all the pros and cons of both, plus give you a roadmap for how to be successful self-published author.

Ready? 

Let’s jump in!

What is Self-Publishing?

Self-publishing is the process of publishing a book without the involvement of a traditional publishing house. 

You, the author, take on all aspects of the publishing process. This includes writing, editing, formatting, cover design, marketing, and distribution.

In self-publishing, you retain complete control. You decide when to publish, how to price your book, and where to sell it. You also keep a larger share of the profits compared to traditional publishing.

Self-Publishing Vs Traditional Publishing

Traditional publishing involves submitting your manuscript to a publishing house. If accepted, they handle the editing, design, printing, and marketing. They also pay you an advance and royalties.

Self-publishing puts you in charge. You don’t need anyone’s approval to publish your book. You handle all aspects of the process, or hire professionals to help. You keep all rights to your work and earn higher royalties per sale.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Traditional Publishing:

• Difficult for beginning authors
• Publisher handles editing, design, printing, book marketing
• You receive an advance and royalties
• Publisher owns rights to your book
• Lengthy process (often 1-2 years from acceptance to publication)

Self-Publishing:

• Easy for beginning authors
• You control all aspects of publishing
• You keep all profits (minus platform fees)
• You retain all rights to your book
• Can publish quickly (as fast as a few weeks)

Why Consider Self-Publishing?

These days, it’s far more popular than traditional publishing, so I probably don’t need to sell you on the benefits.

But here are a few details you might not have heard…

Traditional Publishers Are Hard to Please

If you’re a beginning author, traditional publishing might not even be an option.

For a nonfiction book, publishers are interested in authorities who already have a large following on social media, appearances on large podcasts, a lengthy email list, and speaking engagements. In other words, you already have to be well known.

And the standards are shocking. 

Recently, I’ve been working on getting a deal with a traditional publisher for the first time. I have an email list of over 100,000, and I’ve sold over 50,000 books through self-publishing, but that’s not enough.

To really take me seriously, major publishers want me to have a much larger social media following (i.e., over 100,000 followers) plus appearances on top 100 podcasts.

I could get a deal with a smaller publisher, I’m sure, but that doesn’t really interest me. To get the full benefits of traditional book publishing, the big publishers are typically the best.

For fiction, It’s even harder for a first-time author to get a traditional book deal. Even extraordinary fiction writers like J.K. Rowling get turned down for their first book.

It’s far easier to self-publish your first book, whether fiction or nonfiction, build up your following, and then wait until publishers are chasing you for a deal. When you’re ready for them, they will come looking.

Plus, there are lots of other benefits to self-publishing, such as…

Creative Control

Self-publishing gives you complete creative control over your work. You decide the content, style, and presentation of your book. 

Want to write a genre-bending novel? Go for it. Think your nonfiction book needs an unconventional structure? Make it happen.

You’re not bound by a publisher’s vision or market trends. Your self-published book stays true to your original idea. This freedom can lead to unique, innovative works that might not fit traditional publishing molds.

And I’ll be straight with you:

Dealing with publishers is annoying. Yes, they are experts in their genre, and yes, they want you to succeed, but their vision for the book might be different from yours. I’ve run into this multiple times when talking with publishers, where they asked for changes that I just wasn’t artistically comfortable with, and I had to walk away.

Like it or not, traditional publishing is a partnership where the publisher has a lot of influence over how the book comes out. That’s not necessarily bad, because some people in the publishing industry are worth their weight in gold, but even if you are working with a great publisher and editor and agent, you still have a lot of different people giving you their opinions and it’s a lot to manage.

Self-publishing is simpler, because you only have to please yourself and the reader.

Higher Royalties

Self-publishing often means higher royalties. Traditional publishers typically offer 10-15% royalties on print books and 25% on ebooks. Self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP offer up to 70% royalties on ebooks and 60% on print books.

Let’s break it down:

Traditional publishing: Ebook priced at $9.99 Your royalty: $2.50 per sale (25%)

Self-publishing (Amazon KDP): Ebook priced at $9.99 Your royalty: $6.99 per sale (70%)

The difference is significant. You earn more per sale, meaning fewer sales are needed to make the same amount of money.

Faster Publishing Process

Traditional publishing can take years. From finding an agent to securing a publisher to the actual publication, it’s a long journey. Self-publishing dramatically speeds up this process.

With self-publishing, you set the timeline. I wrote and published AI Writer in just 48 hours, start to finish, and it’s now sold nearly 6,000 copies.

The publishing process is simple. Once your manuscript is ready, you format it for Amazon and create a listing. If you know what you’re doing, it’s a few hours of work.

This speed allows you to respond quickly to market trends or personal deadlines.

Niche Markets

Self-publishing opens doors for niche topics. Traditional publishers often focus on broad, commercial appeal. If your book targets a specific, smaller audience, self-publishing might be your best bet.

For example, a book about the history of lighthouses in Maine might not interest big publishers. But it could find a dedicated readership through self-publishing. You can reach your target audience directly, without needing to convince a publisher of its market potential.

Learning Experience

Self-publishing is a crash course in the publishing industry. 

You’ll learn about editing, design, marketing, and business management. These skills are valuable for any future publishing endeavors, whether you choose to continue self-publishing or pursue traditional publishing.

And an author with a successful self-publishing track record is absolutely more attractive to publishers. It may not be enough on its own, but it makes you a less risky bet.

My personal opinion? You should almost always self-publish your first book.

The only exception is if you are already super famous. And most of us aren’t.

Test the Market

Not many people know this, but traditional publishers will often buy the rights to a hot book that was self-published. That means it’s really not an either/or decision.

 Self-publishing lets you test the market with your book. If it performs well, you have solid data to approach traditional publishers. If it doesn’t, you can revise and try again without a long wait.

This approach can be particularly useful for a series. Self-publish the first book, gauge reader response, and adjust your strategy for subsequent books.

It’s a wonderful feedback mechanism.

5 Crucial Steps to Self-Publishing Your Book

Self-publishing a book involves several key steps. Let’s break them down to make the process manageable and less overwhelming.

Step 1: Picking the Right Platform

Choosing the right platform is crucial for your self-publishing journey. It affects your book’s reach, your earnings, and the level of control you have over the publishing process. Let’s explore three major platforms:

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

Amazon KDP is the giant of self-publishing platforms. It offers unparalleled reach and ease of use.

Pros:

• Massive global audience
• User-friendly interface
• Quick publishing process (your book can go live within hours)
• Option for print-on-demand paperbacks
• Free ISBN for paperbacks (though with limitations)

Cons:

• High competition due to the platform’s popularity
• Lower royalties for books priced below $2.99 or above $9.99

KDP allows you to publish both ebooks and paperbacks. For ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99, you earn 70% royalties. Outside this range, royalties drop to 35%.

Example: If you price your ebook at $4.99, you’d earn $3.49 per sale on the 70% royalty plan.

KDP also offers Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service where you earn based on pages read. This can be a good option for series or prolific authors.

Barnes & Noble Press

Barnes & Noble Press offers a blend of digital and traditional book selling.

Pros:

• Established brand name
• Potential for in-store placement
• Print-on-demand service
• Higher royalty rates for certain price points

Cons:

• Smaller audience compared to Amazon
• Less user-friendly interface

B&N Press pays 70% royalties on ebooks priced $2.99-$199.99. For print books, you can earn up to 70% of the list price minus printing costs.

Example: For a 200-page paperback priced at $14.99, with printing costs of $3.85, you’d earn $6.64 per sale.

B&N Press also allows you to distribute your ebook to other platforms, giving you more flexibility.

Apple Books

Apple Books caters to iOS users, offering a sleek, design-focused platform.

Pros:

• High-quality user experience
• 70% royalty rate regardless of price
• No exclusivity requirement

Cons:

• Limited to iOS users
• Less promotional tools compared to other platforms

Apple Books pays 70% royalties on all price points. There’s no minimum or maximum price restriction.

Example: If you price your ebook at $9.99 on Apple Books, you’d earn $6.99 per sale.

Apple Books excels in presenting visually rich content. If your book includes many images or interactive elements, this platform could be ideal.

Choosing Your Platform

Consider these factors when selecting your platform:

1. Your target audience: Where do they prefer to buy books?
2. Your book’s format: Do you want to offer print books, ebooks, or both?
3. Royalty structures: Which platform offers the best returns for your pricing strategy?
4. Additional features: Do you need print-on-demand? Wide distribution?

You’re not limited to one platform. Many authors use multiple platforms to maximize reach. However, some programs (like Amazon’s KDP Select) require exclusivity, so read the terms carefully.

Step 2: Choose Your Title

Your book’s title is crucial. It’s often the first thing potential readers see. A good title grabs attention, hints at your book’s content, and sticks in the reader’s mind.

So how do you choose a good title?

Browse Titles from Your Genre

The difference between book titles for different genres is enormous. 

What makes a great how-to book title might not work for a memoir, and it’s completely useless for fiction. The opposite is also true. If you try to use a fantasy title like Hunger Games for a how-to book, it’s going to come off as weird.

So the best place to start? Just browse through the best-selling books on Amazon for your genre and get a feel for them. Write down any ideas that come to you.

Thoughts on Book Title Generators

Book title generators can give you ideas, but most of them only give you an idea or two, and I haven’t personally found them to be useful.

AI apps like ChatGPT can give you a lot more variety. Here’s the process I use:

1. Start by priming the AI with successful titles using a prompt like, “I’m doing research on successful book titles from the [GENRE] genre. Please give me a list of 50 titles from successful books within the genre.
2. Next, ask it, “What would you need to know about my book to generate some title ideas for this genre?”
3. And then just answer its questions and ask it to give you 20 ideas. I think you’ll be surprised by how good they are.

Sometimes you can use the ideas verbatim, or other times, the titles will spark ideas of your own. Either way, it’s a great way to kickstart the process of choosing your title.

Gathering Feedback Can Be Invaluable

Once you have a shortlist of potential titles, seek feedback. Ask your target audience, fellow writers, or beta readers. Their input can provide valuable insights.

Consider running a poll on social media or in writing forums. Present your top 3-5 title options and see which resonates most with potential readers.

Example poll question: Which title makes you most want to read a thriller set in a small coastal town? A. “Tides of Deceit” B. “Whispers on the Shore” C. “The Lighthouse Secret” D. “Coastal Shadows“

The results can guide your decision, but remember, the final choice is yours.

Harnessing the Power of Brainstorming

Effective brainstorming can lead to unique, captivating titles. Here are some techniques:

1. Word association: Write down keywords related to your book. Then list words associated with each keyword. Combine these to form potential titles.
2. Character + Conflict: Combine your protagonist’s name or role with the main conflict. Example: “The Detective’s Last Case” or “A Mother’s Revenge”
3. Setting + Event: Merge your book’s setting with a key event. Example: “Paris in Flames” or “Midnight at the Asylum”
4. Theme exploration: List your book’s main themes. Create titles that encapsulate these themes. Example: For a book about overcoming adversity, “Rising Strong” or “Unbroken Spirit”
5. Alliteration or rhyme: Play with sounds to create memorable titles. Example: “Silence of the Lambs” or “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Remember, your title should:

• Be easy to remember
• Reflect your book’s genre and tone
• Be unique (check Amazon to ensure it’s not already in use)
• Work well visually on a book cover

A strong title can make your book stand out in a crowded market. Take the time to craft one that truly represents your work and appeals to your target readers.

Step 3: Price It Right

Pricing your self-published book correctly is a delicate balance between making your book attractive to potential readers and ensuring you make a profit. Let’s break down the key factors to consider when setting your book’s price.

Cost Analysis

Before you can price your book, you need to understand your costs. These include both direct and indirect expenses:

Direct costs:

• Editing fees
• Cover design
• Formatting
• ISBN purchase (if not using a free one from your platform)

Indirect costs:

• Marketing expenses
• Time spent writing and promoting

For example, let’s say you spent: $500 on editing, $300 on cover design, $100 on formatting, and $150 on marketing.

Your total direct cost is $1,050. You’ll need to factor this into your pricing strategy to ensure you can recoup your investment.

Competitive Research

Research similar books in your genre. Look at both traditionally published and self-published titles. Note their prices, page counts, and formats (ebook, paperback, hardcover).

For instance, if you’re writing a fantasy novel:

• Ebook prices might range from $2.99 to $9.99
• Paperbacks might be priced between $9.99 and $17.99
• Hardcovers could range from $18.99 to $29.99

Your book doesn’t need to match these prices exactly, but they provide a good benchmark. Pricing significantly higher or lower than the norm could affect readers’ perceptions of your book’s value.

Price Flexibility

One advantage of self-publishing is the ability to adjust your price quickly. Use this flexibility to your advantage:

1. Launch price: Consider a lower introductory price to encourage early sales and reviews.
2. Promotional pricing: Run occasional discounts to boost sales. For example, you could offer your ebook for $0.99 during a week-long promotion.
3. Series pricing: If you’re writing a series, price the first book lower to entice readers. You can price subsequent books higher once readers are hooked.
4. Price pulsing: Temporarily raise your price, then lower it. This can make your regular price seem like a good deal.

Remember, your price isn’t set in stone. Monitor your sales and be prepared to adjust your pricing strategy as needed.

Step 4: Get Your Magic Number — ISBN

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique identifier for your book. It’s like the Social Security number of the publishing world. Let’s delve into why it’s important and how to obtain one.

Why are ISBNs Important?

An ISBN serves several purposes:

1. Unique identification: It distinguishes your book from others, even those with the same title.
2. Distribution: Many retailers and libraries require ISBNs to stock books.
3. Sales tracking: ISBNs allow you to monitor your book’s sales across different platforms.
4. Professional appearance: Having your own ISBN can make your book appear more professional.

For example, if you write a book titled “The Art of Cooking,” an ISBN ensures it’s not confused with other books of the same title. It also allows bookstores to order the correct version of your book.

Purchasing Options

You have several options for obtaining an ISBN:

1. Buy directly from Bowker (in the US): This is the official ISBN agency. Prices start at $125 for a single ISBN, with discounts for bulk purchases.
2. Use a free ISBN from your publishing platform: Some platforms, like Amazon KDP, offer free ISBNs. However, these often list the platform as the publisher, not you.
3. Purchase through an ISBN reseller: Some services buy ISBNs in bulk and resell them at a lower cost. Be cautious with this option and ensure the reseller is reputable.
4. Use a publishing service: Some publishing packages include ISBNs in their price.

Personally, I just go with the free ones from Amazon KDP. I’m not trying to build an independent publishing brand, so it’s fine if I’m not listed as the publisher. It has no impact on the sales of the book.

Remember, each format of your book (hardcover, paperback, ebook) needs its own ISBN. If you’re only publishing an ebook on a single platform, you might not need an ISBN at all. I typically don’t bother.

Step 5: Create an Eye-Catching Book Cover

Your book cover is your first opportunity to grab a potential reader’s attention. It needs to be visually appealing, genre-appropriate, and professional. Let’s break down the key elements of an effective book cover.

Imagery

The main image or design on your cover should instantly convey your book’s genre and tone. It should also be visually striking enough to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

For example:

• A romance novel might feature an attractive couple or a romantic setting
• A thriller could use dark, moody imagery with high contrast
• A self-help book might use bright, positive imagery or simple, bold graphics

When choosing or creating your cover image, consider how it will look as a thumbnail. Many readers will first see your book as a small image on an online store. Ensure your cover is clear and readable even at a small size.

Typography

The text on your cover is just as important as the imagery. This includes your title, subtitle (if applicable), and author name. Your font choices should:

1. Be legible: Ensure your text is easy to read, even at smaller sizes.
2. Fit your genre: Different genres often use different font styles. Research covers in your genre for inspiration.
3. Complement your imagery: Your text should work well with your cover image, not clash with it.

For instance, a fantasy novel might use an ornate, serif font for the title, while a contemporary thriller might opt for a clean, sans-serif font.

Color Psychology

Colors evoke emotions and set the tone for your book. Choose your color scheme carefully:

• Red can convey passion or danger
• Blue often represents calm or trust
• Green might suggest growth or nature
• Yellow can indicate happiness or caution
• Purple is often associated with luxury or mystery

For example, a horror novel might use a lot of black and red to create a sense of danger and excitement. A book about mindfulness might use soft blues and greens to evoke a sense of calm.

Consider using a color wheel to find complementary or contrasting colors that work well together. Tools like Adobe Color can help you create harmonious color schemes.

Professional Design Tools

While hiring a professional designer is ideal, it’s not always feasible for every author. Fortunately, there are user-friendly tools available that can help you create a professional-looking cover yourself.

Canva is a popular online design tool that offers a range of book cover templates. It’s an excellent option for independent authors on a budget or those who want more control over their cover design process.

Key features of Canva for book covers:

1. Pre-made templates: Canva offers a wide variety of book cover templates for different genres. These can serve as a starting point for your design.
2. User-friendly interface: Even if you have no design experience, Canva’s drag-and-drop interface is easy to navigate.
3. Customization options: You can change colors, fonts, and images to suit your book’s theme and genre.
4. Proper sizing: Canva provides templates sized correctly for various book formats, ensuring your cover meets industry standards.
5. Stock image library: Canva offers a vast library of stock images, many of which are free to use.

For example, if you’re writing a cookbook, you might start with one of Canva’s food-themed book cover templates. You can then customize the colors to match your brand, add your own food photos, and adjust the typography to emphasize your book’s title.

Here are a few examples of book cover templates you can find in Canva:

While Canva can produce professional-looking results, remember that these templates are available to everyone. You’ll need to put in extra effort to make your cover unique and stand out from others who might be using similar templates.

Remember, your cover needs to look good both as a physical book and as a digital thumbnail. Test your design at various sizes to ensure it’s effective in all formats.

Your book cover is a crucial marketing tool. It’s worth investing time and potentially money to get it right. A professional, eye-catching cover can significantly boost your book’s appeal and sales potential.

So we’ve covered all the main steps to self-publishing your book. Now let’s talk about how to get people to read it.

Expanding Your Author Platform

As a self-published author, your success hinges on your ability to reach and engage your audience. It’s also heavily influenced by your interviews on major podcasts, speaking engagements, and connections with businesses who may want to bulk order your book for their employees.

Altogether, these are called your “platform.” They are all the different ways you can potentially sell your book.

When you start selling your book, all of the sales will come from your platform. For example, with AI Writer, more than 98% of the sales came from my email list. Only the remaining 2% came from word-of-mouth. The word-of-mouth percentage is growing, but it’s slow as molasses.

The bottom line: you will ultimately spend more time building your platform than you do on your book. So, let’s explore three powerful ways to expand your reach: social media, podcast interviews, and speaking at conferences.

Leveraging Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for authors. It allows you to connect directly with readers, build a community, bring traffic to your author website (if you have one) and promote your work.

Which platform should you choose?

You should go where your target audience is most active. For fiction authors, Twitter and Facebook might be ideal. For non-fiction writers, Instagram and LinkedIn could be more effective.

Creating Engaging Content

It’s hard to give one-size-fits-all advice here.

If you’re an established author with existing fans, sharing behind-the-scenes details about the book and posting surveys can be a super valuable way to engage your fans.

But if you’re growing your audience from nothing?

For nonfiction, I would recommend sharing lots of advice around your area of expertise. Educational content does well across platforms, and if people like what you have to say, they will follow you for more. Later, you can convert them into book buyers.

For fiction, I would engage with the top authors in your field. Comment on their posts, reply to their readers, and gradually “siphon off” a small percentage of them to start paying attention to you.

You can also post content in your genre on your author site’s blog, such as “best of” lists, reviews of books, and anything else readers in your genre might find valuable. The goal isn’t to talk about your book. The goal is to become a central source of content within your genre and then later sell your book.

And consistency is key here. Develop a schedule and stick to it. For example, schedule two hours per day to interact with readers and post new content. Every day.

Getting Interviewed on Podcasts

Podcast interviews can introduce you to new audiences and establish you as an authority in your field.

Here’s a quick guide on how to get interviewed:

1. Identify Relevant Podcasts in Your Genre or Niche

Research podcasts that feature authors in your genre. Use podcast directories like Apple Podcasts or Spotify to find shows that align with your book’s themes.

Example: If you’ve written a historical fiction novel set in World War II, look for history podcasts or book podcasts that focus on historical fiction.

Then double check their podcast titles to make sure they interview authors. You don’t want to pitch a podcast that never interviews anyone.

2. Craft a compelling pitch to podcast hosts

Your pitch should be concise and highlight what value you can bring to the podcast’s audience. For example, here’s a pitch I recently wrote to Chris Williams:

3. Maximize the Impact of Podcast Appearances

During the interview, don’t mention your book every five seconds. Focus on providing value to their audience, and a good podcast host will give you ample opportunity at the end to talk about your book.

Your goal for the podcast is for it to get as many views as possible. You can then send the recording to other podcast hosts, and they will be much more likely to want you on the show.

Speaking at Conferences

Speaking engagements can boost your credibility and expose you to new readers.

1. Find Appropriate Conferences in Your Field

Research conferences related to your book’s genre or subject matter. Literary festivals, writing conferences, or industry-specific events can all be good options.

Example: If you’ve written a cookbook, consider food blogging conferences or culinary events.

2. Submit Speaking Proposals

Most conferences have a call for speakers. Submit a proposal that outlines your talk, its relevance to the conference audience, and your qualifications as a speaker.

3. Prepare Your Presentation

Create a presentation that provides value to attendees. This could be writing tips, insights from your research, or lessons learned in your publishing journey.

4. Network at Conferences

Conferences are prime networking opportunities. Attend other sessions, engage in conversations, and be open to making connections.

5. Leverage Speaking Engagements for Book Promotion

During your talk, mention your book when relevant. Have copies available for sale or bring bookmarks with purchase information and put them in everyone’s seats before the talk begins.

Overwhelmed? Just Take It One Step at a Time

The idea of sending your book baby out into the world can be overwhelming. 

You’re probably thinking, “Can I really do this?” 

Trust me, you can. 

Your passion and determination, paired with the insights from this guide, will propel you forward. 

Remember, every bestselling author started somewhere, just like you. 

And the perks?

Creative control, potential royalties, and that unbeatable feeling of accomplishment. 

There’s no better time than now to become a self-published author.

You’ve got this! Now, go make your mark.