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Self-Publishing Your Book: A Step-by-Step Guide

by | Feb 5, 2025 | Blog, Self Publishing | 0 comments

What if I told you that self-publishing your book is simpler than most people think? By the end of this video, you’ll understand how to transform your manuscript into a professionally published book, complete with an eye-catching cover, proper formatting, and everything else you need to start selling on Amazon.

Here are the ten steps that will take you from aspiring author to published professional.

Step 1: Self-Publishing Your Book: Write and Revise Your Book

Let’s start with Step 1: Writing and revising your book. Now, you might be thinking ‘I’ve already written my book, can’t I skip this step?’ Here’s why this foundation matters: Many authors rush into publishing without realizing their manuscript needs one crucial element – market readiness.

Your manuscript needs to be more than just complete – it needs to be polished. Professional editing is a crucial investment in your book’s success. Every error that makes it to publication can impact your credibility as a non-fiction author. I’ve created a comprehensive video on editing your first book – you’ll find the link to ‘The Ultimate Guide to Editing Your First Book‘ in the description below.

But your manuscript isn’t the only writing you need to prepare in this step. You also need to craft two crucial marketing pieces: your book description and author bio. Think of your book description as your sales pitch – it needs to clearly communicate your book’s value to potential readers. For non-fiction, this means highlighting the specific problems you solve or knowledge you share. Your author bio, on the other hand, establishes your credibility in your field. Focus on relevant experience and qualifications that show readers why they should trust your expertise on this topic.

Step 2: Choose Your Self-Publishing Platform

Once your manuscript is polished and ready, it’s time for Step 2: Choosing your self-publishing platform. While platforms like IngramSpark and Lulu exist, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing dominates the market, offering both ebook and print options. For non-fiction authors, KDP is typically the best starting point – you can publish both digital and paperback versions through one dashboard, and their reporting tools make it easy to track your book’s performance across different markets.

While KDP gives you access to the largest book-buying audience, platforms like IngramSpark offer wider distribution to bookstores and libraries. The key is understanding that your choice of platform affects everything from your book’s availability to your profit margins.

For non-fiction authors, KDP is typically the best starting point – you can publish both digital and paperback versions through one dashboard, and their reporting tools make it easy to track your book’s performance across different markets.

Before we move further, two important decisions: ISBNs and copyright. KDP provides free ISBNs for your paperback, or you can purchase your own through Bowker for more flexibility. As for copyright, your work is technically protected upon creation, though some authors choose to register it for additional protection. Links to both Bowker and the copyright office are in the description below.

This is also the time to research your book’s keywords and categories – these are crucial for helping readers find your book on Amazon. Think of them as the digital equivalent of choosing which shelf your book belongs on in a bookstore.

Step 3: Format Your Book

Step 3 is where your manuscript transforms into a proper book. Think of publishing like building a house – your manuscript is the blueprint, but it needs to transform into actual building specs before construction. Many new authors get stuck right here, confusing their manuscript format with their final book format. Let me show you the difference.

On the left, you see a typical manuscript format – double-spaced, with one-inch margins and a simple font. This is perfect for writing and editing. But on the right, you’ll see how a published book looks – with proper chapter headings, styled paragraphs, and balanced margins. Reedsy’s free online tool can handle this transformation beautifully. Now here’s something to note: Reedsy will include a line on your copyright page stating ‘This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy.’ Since this is part of their free service, you can’t remove it. If this is a concern, I have a detailed tutorial on using Kindle Create as an alternative. You’ll find links to both formatting tutorials in the description below.

Step 4: Create A Book Cover

Step 4 is crucial because your cover is your book’s first impression. Before we look at how to create one, let’s understand what makes a professional non-fiction cover effective.

Professional non-fiction covers share key elements: clear typography for your title, appropriate use of white space, and imagery that resonates with your target reader. Think about the covers in your book’s category – your cover should look at home next to them while still standing out

Before you start designing, you’ll need to understand KDP’s technical requirements. Your cover needs specific dimensions based on your page count, proper resolution – at least 300 DPI, and a design that works in both full size and thumbnail view. Remember to preview your cover at thumbnail size – that’s how most readers will first see it.

I recommend hiring a   professional book cover designer. But if its not in your budget, let me show you how to bring these elements together in Canva. While KDP offers a free cover creator, I recommend Canva for its balance of professional features and ease of use. Here, I’m starting with one of their non-fiction templates. Notice how easy it is to modify the text, adjust the fonts, and move elements around. Even small changes to color and typography can transform a basic template into something that feels unique to your book.

Before we move on to uploading your book, if you’re finished with your manuscript and ready to publish I’ve created a free guide covering ‘5 Must Know Secrets Before Publishing to Amazon’ – these are crucial tips that could save you time and potential mistakes. Click the link in the description to get instant access.

self-publishing your book

Step 5: Self-Publishing Your Book: Upload Your Book

Step 5 is where everything comes together on KDP. Let me walk you through the essential parts of the upload process to avoid common pitfalls.

Start by choosing between Kindle eBook or paperback – I recommend setting up your eBook first. The process is simpler, and you can use what you learn for your paperback setup.

You’ll need several pieces ready: your finalized manuscript file, your cover file, your book description, and author bio we prepared in Step 1. Remember those keywords and categories we researched in Step 2? This is where you’ll use them.

Once you choose between ebook or paperback, you’ll be able to enter your book’s detail, which as you can see is very simple.

Pay special attention to the preview function – this is crucial. Check every page of your book in the previewer. Common issues to watch for include:

  • Proper chapter formatting
  • Image placement and quality
  • Table of contents links
  • Page breaks in the right places

When it comes to pricing, research similar books in your category. Your price should be competitive while reflecting your book’s value. For eBooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99, you’ll earn the highest royalty rate.

If you’re publishing a paperback, save your work in draft status and order a proof copy. This physical proof lets you catch issues that might not be visible in the digital previewer. While you’re waiting for your proof, you can continue setting up your eBook version.

Step 6: Set Up Your Author Platform

The sixth step is establishing your professional presence online. Your author platform needs four essential elements: a professional website, an email list, a professional headshot, and strategic social media presence. Think of these as the foundation that will support your book’s success and your long-term growth as an author.

Each element serves a specific purpose – your website acts as your home base, your email list builds direct connections with readers, your headshot establishes professionalism, and social media helps you engage with your target audience. For a detailed guide on building each of these elements effectively, check out my video ‘The Art of How To Build An Author Platform‘ – you’ll find the link in the description.

Step 7: Self-Publishing Your Book: Publish Your Book

Step 7 is hitting that exciting ‘Publish Your Book’ button, but let’s do one final review first. 

Go through your book details one last time: title, subtitle, description, categories, and keywords. Verify your pricing and distribution settings. Once you click publish, your eBook will typically go live within 24-72 hours, while your paperback might take 3-5 days to appear on Amazon. This timing gives you a perfect window to prepare for your launch activities in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch Your Book

Step 8 begins once your book is live on Amazon. Your first task is setting up your Amazon Author Central profile, which creates your official author presence on Amazon and unlocks valuable marketing tools.

 In Author Central, focus on three key areas to optimize your presence. First, create a compelling author profile with your professional photo and comprehensive bio. Second, enhance your book’s page by adding relevant photos and videos that give readers insight into your expertise and writing process. Third, track your author rank and access detailed sales data to understand how your book is performing.

A successful book launch requires careful planning and strategic timing. I’ve created a comprehensive Book Launch Strategy guide that walks you through creating a launch plan that builds momentum and maximizes your book’s visibility. You’ll find the link to this ebook in the description below.

During your launch phase, focus on gathering those crucial early reviews. Genuine reviews from verified readers significantly impact your book’s visibility and credibility on Amazon, setting the foundation for long-term success.

Step 9: Market Your Book

Step 9 is where you transition from launch activities to long-term marketing strategies. For self-help authors, effective marketing means consistently demonstrating how your insights can improve readers’ lives.

Consider where people seeking personal development spend their time. Are they watching motivational videos on YouTube? Reading personal growth articles on Medium? Engaging in self-improvement communities on Instagram? Your marketing should meet them there with valuable content that showcases your expertise.

If your book focuses on building better habits, turn your chapter on morning routines into videos, social media posts, and articles. One piece of content can serve multiple platforms while reinforcing your core message.

Focus on sharing valuable insights consistently. When readers trust your guidance, they’re more likely to invest in your book.

Step 10: Self-Publishing Your Book: Monitor Sales & Reviews

Step #10 is about tracking your book’s performance and gathering valuable reader feedback. KDP’s reporting dashboard provides detailed metrics about your sales and royalties, helping you understand which formats are performing best and where your readers are coming from.

Reviews aren’t just about star ratings. Read them carefully to understand what resonates with readers and what they wish your book covered more deeply. This feedback is invaluable for both marketing your current book and planning future content.

There you have it – ten clear steps to self-publish your book. Remember, every successful author started exactly where you are now. Take it one step at a time and stay consistent in your efforts. While you’re working through these steps, check out my video on building your author platform next – it’ll help you establish your presence and prepare for a successful launch. Don’t forget to subscribe for more publishing tips and strategies!

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