Step-by-Step Guide to Indie Publishing

The most important steps, according to me!

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First of all, there is no right way to publish. Whether you are planning to pursue traditional publishing or publish your manuscript yourself, I am here to help. But if you plan to publish independently, then you need to do it right. Here’s a brief list of what I think are the most important steps. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments. And if you are already successful on the indie path, please leave your own advice in the comments.

Photo by Rey Seven on Unsplash

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1. Finish your manuscript.

   This is the most important. You need to make sure your manuscript is good enough to compete in the marketplace. That means you need to edit it yourself and then send the manuscript to trusted readers. Once you collect their feedback, decide what you agree with and revise again. After the book is as good as you can make it on your own, I would hire professional editors before you send your book out (alone!) into the cold and often cruel world. You ideally need a developmental edit (to help with structure, pacing and plot) and a line edit (for overall clarity) and that can probably be done by the same person. But you also need a copyeditor for grammar and punctuation and a proofreader for a final check to catch any last mistakes.

2. Design (the cover and the inside)

   After the manuscript is perfect, you can start thinking about the interior and exterior design. I would hire a professional designer (from places like Reedsy or Fiverr) or use free tools like (Canva or BookBrush) for the book cover. Make sure the title, your name, and all other words are easily readable. For interior formatting, look into places like Atticus or Reedsy Book Editor. I’m sure there are other great places too. Share any recs in the comments!

3. Copyright your book

   In the United States, a copyright is automatically granted when you write a book, but officially registering it gives you legal advantages. Go to the U.S. Copyright Office’s website and fill out their application. It can take a few months for the copyright to process, but it is active as soon as submitted.

4. Obtain an ISBN

   An ISBN is a unique number that helps bookstores, libraries, and other distributors find and track your book. I recommend obtaining one from Bowker and they offer barcodes as well to go along with your ISBN. Amazon will give you a free one if you’re publishing through them, but you might want to obtain your own for more control over your branding. This is something I hope other indie authors weigh in on, but I always recommend preparing your book for as broad of a reach as possible.

5. Choose a publisher

   There are several options. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing gives you an ebook and print (paperback or hardcover). There is also Google Play Books and Apple Books. Or Draft2Digital which distributes ebooks to places like Apple and Barnes & Noble. Many of my clients do a combo of Amazon and Draft2Digital to start, but this is another area where I’d ask friends for recommendations.

6. Formatting

   You will need to prepare your files (the manuscript and book cover) by formatting them in whatever way the platform you’ve chosen specifies. You’ll also need to set your metadata (which is essentially your book’s digital fingerprint). Then you can choose your territories and set your royalty options and price. And if you want to gather reviews or blurbs, you can send advance reader copies out before you officially publish.

7. Marketing

   Once your book is out in the world, you’ll need to spread the word. Your website should be set up by this time. You can share the news there as well as on all of your social media platforms. You can also send an email to any interested family, friends, and fans. You can discount your price or run free promotions and ads. You can offer yourself as a guest on podcasts or blogs, attend writing conferences, visit your local library or bookstore and see if they’ll host a book signing for you. Marketing will be unending, so take it slow, monitor sales and reviews, see what works, tweak and try something else. And if this part of the process isn’t for you, you can always call in professional help. There are plenty of book publicists or marketing agencies available to hire.

8. Do it all again!

   While you’re preparing and getting ready to share one book with the world, you should always be thinking about what’s next. Plus, writing your next book is a great distraction for how slow it can take for momentum to build….and writing more books is a proven way to build more momentum. So don’t keep your fans waiting too long in between projects. If you can write while you’re also focusing on the business side of publishing, that is ideal. And if you can’t or you don’t love any part of this process, you can always hire an expert…including me!

I hope you find this helpful! I have never independently published myself, but all of this is based off what I’ve seen work for my clients. Don’t forget to leave your own questions / comments / recommendations / complaints in the comments.

Until next time,