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Self-publishing is becoming an increasingly popular and viable option for authors who wish to publish their books on their own terms.
Writer Hugh Howey, the author of The Silo series, successfully self-published on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and became a publishing sensation. He published his first installation through AKD, which led to book deals and anticipated films based on his books.
It’s important to know, though, that Howey’s success didn’t come overnight. In fact, it took three years of self-publishing content before he saw an uptick in demand for more.
Online publishing can be an excellent way to reach a broad audience and hone your craft. Not only does it give authors the freedom to create whatever type of book they want, but it also provides them with an opportunity to reach a wider audience than what’s available through traditional publishers.
If you’re interested in self-publishing but don’t know where to start, this blog is for you! In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about how to self-publish a book online. From understanding copyright laws, finding the right platform, and marketing your book effectively–we have it all covered here!
What Are The Benefits Of Self Publishing A Book?
Self-publishing a book has many benefits, including:
- You retain complete control over your work.
- You can publish your book quickly and easily.
- You can reach a global audience with your book.
- You can make money from your book through royalties and other income streams.
How to Format and Upload Your Book to Different Online Platforms
There are a few different ways to format and upload your book online. The most common platforms are Amazon Kindle, Smashwords, and Lulu.
To format your book for Amazon Kindle, you’ll need to use a program like Sigil or Calibre to convert your file into the proper format. Once it’s in the right format, you can upload it directly to your Kindle account.
Smashwords is a bit different. They have their own formatting guidelines that you’ll need to follow. Once your book is formatted correctly, you can upload it directly to their site.
Lulu is similar to Smashwords in that they have their own guidelines for formatting. However, they also offer an option to let them handle the conversion for you. If you choose this route, simply upload your completed file and they’ll take care of the rest.
If you’re simply looking to create a PDF of your book and distribute it through your own website, you can use Canva for design and other online tools to sign and protect your PDF, as well as convert to and from several file types.
What Are the Best Ways to Market and Sell Your Book Online?
There are a number of ways to market and sell your book online. The best way to do this is to create a website for your book and promote it through social media and other online channels. You can also sell your book through online retailers such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Another option is to create an ebook version of your book and sell it through Kindle Direct Publishing or another ebook platform.
Distribution channels depend on your audience, as well. If your content is targeted toward a younger audience (teens and 20-somethings, for example), a TikTok video is a must. If your audience skews toward women, then Instagram and Pinterest are good social channels. Older audiences tend toward Facebook, while newsy and political topics seem to thrive on Twitter.
All that said, social media shares cost nothing, so blast away and watch for interactions. That will tell you if you’ve targeted the right audience through the right channel. Look for likes, shares, and comments (both good, bad, and neutral).
How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book?
There are a number of different self-publishing platforms available, each with its own set of costs and services. Amazon KDP is free to use, but they take a cut of your royalties (35% or 70%, which you can read more about on their digital book pricing page). Smashwords is free, and authors can earn 85% from the site’s sales, which you can learn more about on the Smashwords FAQ page. Lulu does an 80/20 revenue split with 80% covering print costs and Lulu’s commission, which you can learn more about on their Sell page.
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