Most people think that a book is a simple, commonplace object — words on a page, one page after another until you reach the end. What’s complicated about that?
But then, when you decide to publish yourself, the picture becomes murkier. You begin to realize there are many decisions that go into making a book. The questions start, and never seem to stop:
• Hardcover, paperback, ebook?
• How big a book?
• Where to sell, and for how much?
Then it gets even more confusing:
• What should I do first?
• How long will it take?
• How do I stay on track?
If you are considering self-publishing, each one of these questions needs to be addressed and answered. There is no one correct answer. It is you, as the publisher, who must do the research, learn the options, and make the decision.
With the help of the internet, there are gobs of resources you can go to that will help you make the right decisions. Here are a couple sites to get you started in the right direction. Disclaimer: these are the top sites that popped up when I googled ‘self-publishing tips.’
http://goinswriter.com/self-publishing/ Jeff Goins even offers a free e-book on how to build an online audience; Jane Friedman at https://janefriedman.com/self-publish-your-book/ provides a How to Self-Publish Your Book website. At http://www.cnet.com/news/self-publishing-a-book-25-things-you-need-to-know/ , David Carnoy talks about 25 things you need to know about self-publishing.
In this day and age, just writing the end on your manuscript doesn’t mean the author’s work is finished.