Many of us stumble into the world of self-publishing with not much of an idea of what we are getting ourselves into. We have to figure out formatting, websites, blogging and marketing, all of which makes the writing process a piece of cake in comparison.
Katie Salidas, author of the very handy
Go Publish Yourself, shares the
5 common mistakes to avoid when self-publishing.
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5 Common mistakes to avoid when
self-publishing
New
authors are often chomping at the bit to get their books out into the market. I
understand this. I was there once, and it led me to make many mistakes as I
stumbled through the murky waters of self-publishing. Back then there were
fewer resources out there to inform the new and uninitiated. Fast forward to today, after publishing many
more books, I’ve begun to share the knowledge I’ve learned through trial and
error. Go
Publish Yourself is a handy-dandy little guide that can help you avoid many
of the common mistakes as you work to publish your novel.
So,
let’s take a quick look at some of the most common mistakes to avoid when
attempting to self-publish.
1 - Forgetting To
Write A Budget
Something
that most new authors don’t know until they’ve already jumped in feet first; it’s
easy to go broke trying to publish your first book. So before you take any
steps in the production of your book, sit down and create a budget.
Your
product (your book) is a direct reflection of the work you’ve put into it and
the money you’ve put into producing it. While it is important for you to
produce the best-looking book you can, you still have to remain cost-conscious.
You have to find the balance between quality and affordability.
Though
self-publishing suggests DIY (Do It Yourself), most of us are not able to do
all of the things required to create a book. That’s okay. In most cases you
won’t be able to do it all, and for some things, like editing, you shouldn’t.
You’ll probably have to contract out for things like cover art, editing, layout
(in some cases), and so on.
All
the money you spend toward the production of your book is a gamble. Remember
this. There is no guarantee your book will sell, no matter how much money you
throw into it. I’m not trying to suggest that you won’t make any money on your
book, but you do need to be very realistic in your goals and keep a very level
head where costs are concerned. You should never go into these separate
contract works with a blank check mentality. Spending $500 on a book cover
might not be the smartest decision, even if the artwork is spectacular. That
$500 will have to be made up in sales (along with all of your other production
costs) before your book can begin to make you money. All costs need to be
weighed out carefully. You should always be on the lookout for “the best bang
for your buck.”
2 - Skipping The
Editor
Self-publishing
originally received its dirty image because of the lack of quality associated
with it. In the early days of self-publishing, access to quality editors was
expensive. Authors who couldn’t afford good editing couldn’t produce a nice
clean product. That reflected badly on the author and self-publishing in
general. Now that self-publishing has become more popular, so too have
freelance editors. And they don’t cost an arm and a leg.
Self-Publishing
Website Guide - http://www.risingsignbooks.net/2012/03/self-publishing-website-guide.html
Quick
Tip - Don’t use a freelance editor who doesn’t offer a free sample. If you
can’t “try before you buy,” then don’t use them.
And,
No, your mom, sister, friend, critiquing partner, or beta reader, no matter how
much of an avid reader they may be, is not an editor. Hire a real editor.
3 - If You’re
Not An Artist, Don’t Do The Cover Yourself
We’re
writers; that doesn’t mean we’re graphic artists. It’s okay to NOT be a graphic
artist. If you don’t have the skills to do it, don’t do your own cover.
Yes,
people do judge a book by its cover. Book browsers will only give a book a few
seconds’ glance. A good cover can draw potential readers in, whereas a poorly
designed cover can send them running for the hills. It is for this reason alone
that you should consider hiring out for the cover art work.
You
could purchase a royalty-free photo and slap your name and book title on it,
but is that going to wow a reader who is browsing book shelves? 9 times out of
10 the answer here is no. And that’s ok. Just like with editing, cover art is a
lot more widely available now. It doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to
get a beautiful cover. And again I’ll
point you to my handy website guide.
Self-Publishing
Website Guide - http://www.risingsignbooks.net/2012/03/self-publishing-website-guide.html
4 - Forgetting The
Marketing Plan
Who
are you going to get to buy your book? Friends and family will only take you so
far, and many of them are more moral support than financial. Don’t be surprised
if only a select few members of your friends and family actually purchase your
book. Hey, it happens.
Forgetting
to write out a plan of action leads many new authors to using the spam approach
in their efforts to reach new readers. That kind of marketing just pisses
people off. This is why you need to sit down and set out guidelines, on paper,
to establish who your audience is and how you plan to reach them. I do offer a
sample marketing plan in Go Publish Yourself!
5 - Hanging Your
Hopes All On One Book
Not
every book is going to be a bestseller! Let’s just rip that band-aid off right
now. That means that no matter how much you throw into a book and its
marketing, it may not make it big. Try your best and do everything you can, but
don’t sink all of your hopes into just one book. An author’s career is based on
all of their work, not just one title. So keep on writing while you work to
promote your first book.
So, there you have it, the top 5
mistakes to avoid on the path to Self-Publishing. I want to thank you so much for
reading, and if you want to check out my other novels, you can find me at
http://www.katiesalidas.com
Go Publish
Yourself!
Self-Publishing
made simple. Get your polished novel ready for Kindle, Nook, or Print in thirty
days or less.
Avoid the common
stumbling blocks and get on the road to successful self-publishing. This handy
dandy guide, filled with insider’s tips and tricks, will unscramble the world
of self-publishing into simple, easy-to-follow steps.
What’s in the
book?
Common
Misconceptions
The Business of
Self-Publishing
Basic Costs &
Budgeting
Publishing
Formats: Epub, Kindle, Smashwords, & Print
Cover Art
Interior Layout
Pricing
Printing and
Distribution
Marketing Basics:
Platform Building, Book Signings, Blog Tours, etc.
And much more!
Don’t make rookie
mistakes. Learn from an insider!
Katie Salidas is
an author with several successful self-published titles. Each of her titles was
created in the DIY (Do It Yourself) style, without the aid of author service
companies. Through trial and error she has gained the knowhow to successfully
publish print and ebooks. Go Publish Yourself! has that knowledge assembled
into an easy-to-use format, packed with no-nonsense tips and quick and dirty
tricks, so you can take your novel to the next level.
So, what are you
waiting for? Go Publish Yourself!
Katie Salidas:
I am Super Mom!
Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond
those of mortal women, I can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading,
Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. I can put hot food on the table for dinner while
assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, I still find time to keep the
hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). I can do all of this and still have time
to write my novels.
Sorry… I
can’t even write that with a straight face.
Lies all lies.
Here’s the reality. I’m a sleep-deprived, overworked,
mom who just doesn’t know the meaning of the word balance. I try so hard to do
it all, (be super mom, wife, & author) and at the end of the day I fall
face forward into the couch.
Yes, you read that right, I tend to sleep on the
couch. It’s a point of frustration for my hubby and a thing of comedy for my
daughter. Imagine waking up to your little child yelling, “Mom slept on the
couch again!!!”
Because being supermom (or trying to) means a lot of
time devoted to family, writing is often done when said family is peacefully
snoozing away. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen asleep with my
laptop, on the couch. It just happens. Then, bright and early at 7am either my
hubby (on his way to work) or my daughter (getting ready for school) wakes me
up.
Writing is my passion. It’s a part of me. More than
just a hobby, it’s a compulsion. I have to do it. If I don’t do at least one
writing related thing each day I get cranky.
Hopefully, my passion can be your entertainment!
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