The complete guide to self publishing for independent authors

Is self publishing right for you?

• More creative control: You're in complete control of your book's contents, design and layout. Every decision is yours, from fonts to cover design, letting you create your book just as you imagined it.
• Faster time to market: Traditional publishers can take months or even years to bring a book to market. With self publishing, you're in control of your timeline. We can help you take your book from manuscript to finished product often in a matter of weeks.
• Higher royalties: Traditional publishers only offer you 10-15% of your book's sales. By self publishing, you can earn as much as 50% of your book's royalties.
• Global reach and exposure: Thanks to our worldwide distribution channels, your book has the potential to reach readers in every corner of the world.
• You own the rights: Keep 100% of the rights to your book, including digital and print, as well as future possible adaptations like audiobooks or even movies. With traditional publishing, you often have to give up control of your intellectual property. Self publishing gives you control over the rights and lets you future-proof your book.

How is the print quality for self published books?

Thanks to advances in printing technology, today's self published authors can access the same high-quality, crisp, professional printing services as traditionally published authors. Whether you're printing 25 copies of your book or 25,000 (or more!), making sure every copy looks as good as the last is a hallmark of top-grade print quality.

When printing your book, you have a variety of options to choose from, including:

Hardcover and softcover options

• Softcover, also known as paperback, is more flexible and lightweight. It's usually made from thick paper or cardstock.
• Hardcover is more rigid and durable. It's made from thick cardboard and covered in cloth or paper.

Digest or trade trim sizes

These are the physical dimensions of your printed book. You'll often see digest or trade trim sizes. Here's what that means:

• Digest size is usually smaller, around 5.5 x 8.5 inches. It's a common format for magazines and smaller books.
• Trade size is a larger book, around 6 x 9 inches. Most paperback and hardcover books are this size.

Finish options

The texture and look of your book cover can come in two different types of finishes:

• Matte finish: A non-reflective, smooth surface that gives the book a more professional, subdued look.
• Gloss finish: A shiny, reflective surface that makes the book stand out and catch the reader's eye.

How do I get a professional book cover design?

“I'm a writer, not an artist!” We hear you loud and clear. The fact is, people do judge a book by its cover, which means you only have one chance to make a great first impression with a professional cover design.

When self publishing your book, it's a good idea to work with professional designers who understand your specific needs and artistic tastes. Working with a knowledgeable design team specializing in book cover design means you can have your book cover look exactly the way you imagine it. Whether you want a minimalist design or something more intricate, the right designers can make it happen for you.

Don't forget the interior formatting of your book as well. Making sure that your book is easy to read and visually appealing means you'll need an artistic touch on the inside, too. Working with a professional designer also ensures that your self published book looks consistently good in both print and ebook versions.

How do I convert my manuscript to an eBook format?

Millions of people read every day on their digital devices. From tablets to laptops to eBook readers, this is an audience you won't want to overlook. That's why it's a good idea when self publishing a book to convert your manuscript to eBook format as well.

For authors, this can be quite a challenge, as there are a number of technical hoops to jump through and every eBook conversion software program is different. Just like working with a professional cover designer to have the artistic version of your book come to life, you can also work with a professional to have your manuscript converted to eBook format, and have it look as flawless and crisp as the print version.

When converting your manuscript to eBook format, you'll want to make sure of a few important steps:

• Seeing a proof before the conversion is final: The last thing you want to deal with when self publishing a book is selling an eBook version only to discover that the formatting is a mess. Working with a knowledgeable team that specializes in eBook conversion means you'll get a fully formatted proof to sign off on before the file is finalized.
• Compatibility with all major eReaders: Your finished eBook should be compatible with all major eReaders, including Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad, Nook, and many more. This opens up your book to the widest possible range of readers to enjoy on their preferred platform and device.
• Ongoing support from your conversion team: Even after your published eBook is live, you may discover something that needs a little tweak. You'll want to work with a professional team that's able to give you ongoing support for any questions you may have or any issues that crop up after the file is converted.

How do I convert my book or eBook into an audiobook?

The audiobook market is exploding and it's no secret why. These days, people are short on time, but don't want to give up their favorite reading habits. Converting your book into an audiobook can greatly enhance your reach and help you tap into new, underserved markets.

When working with a professional audiobook production company, it's important to consider the following:

• A wide choice of narrators: You want to be certain you're working with a narrator who can accurately convey the essence of your book and bring it to life.
• Studio-quality recording: An audiobook is only as good as its recording, which means you'll want to make sure you're getting studio-quality, professional-grade sound engineering and editing.
• Audiobook distribution: Once your audiobook is recorded, you're still not done! There's distribution to account for, particularly on major platforms like Audible, iTunes, and Google Play. Or, you can earn 75% royalties by selling your audiobook in the BookBaby Bookshop.

Fortunately you can sidestep doing all of the work yourself and entrust our professional team to handle it for you with flawless results from start to finish!

How do I market a self-published book?

Marketing your self published book can feel overwhelming! Where do you even begin? Should you start with Amazon or choose social media ads? No matter what your book is about, there are some marketing channels that are a must:

• Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing: Listing your book on the world's largest bookselling platform opens it up to millions of potential readers.
• Barnes & Noble: Make sure your book is available in one of the largest bookselling chains, both online and in stores.
• IngramSpark: Distribute your book to independent bookstores and libraries as well as specialized and niche markets.
• Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play: Expand your eBook sales across multiple platforms for greater exposure.

Getting your book into the hands of major distributors is only the first hurdle. There's also social media marketing campaigns, which you should take full advantage of in order to reach your ideal readers. That means targeting readers on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn through channels like:

• Custom ad design: You'll want to create unique ads specifically tailored to your audience across multiple social media channels. Remember that readers on Instagram and LinkedIn are a wholly different audience than readers on Facebook, and you'll want to customize your ads accordingly.
• Targeted audience outreach: Put on your marketing cap if you want to run social media ads, as you'll need to dive deep and target people based on their interests, demographics, and reading habits.
• Campaign management: Advertising on social media means having lots of little areas where you can tweak and adjust the settings in order to maximize book sales and target the right kinds of users. That means knowing not just how to run ads, but how to manage entire campaigns as well.

What if I need editing help or more advanced marketing support?

No two authors are alike, so why should self publishing options try to wrangle you into paying for services you don't need? If you need additional support, such as advanced marketing, audiobook creation, editing help, or other options, it pays to work with a team that understands the unique needs of authors looking to self publish.

It's understandable to have questions about editing, design, marketing, and book distribution. Whether you need hands-on support or you have questions even after your book is published, working with a knowledgeable team that specializes in supporting and guiding self-published authors is crucial to the sales success of your book.

To that end, BookBaby is proud to offer editing services to our customers. We focus on three different types of editing:

• Line editing: This type of editing focuses on improving sentence structure, readability, and flow. We make sure your writing is engaging, clear, and easy-to-understand.
• Copy editing: With copy editing, we take a closer look at your grammar, punctuation, and syntax. The last thing you want is to have distracting errors pushing people away from your book!
• Proofreading: Before your book goes to print, we do one final check, correcting any typos and formatting issues to make sure your book looks and reads flawlessly!

What can I do as a self-published author to improve my book sales?

As an author, there are several things you can do in order to help boost your book sales. When you work with a self publishing company like BookBaby, we give you all of the tools you need as an independent author in order to maximize your sales and exposure, including:

BookBaby Bookshop

Bookshop is an online platform designed exclusively for authors who self publish through BookBaby. It gives you the freedom to sell your book directly to readers without involving third-party retailers, which can eat into your profits. While it's good to take advantage of the massive outreach that sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble have (and we highly recommend it), using the Bookshop platform gives you several notable benefits as well:

• Higher royalties: Authors get 50% royalties on every printed book sale, 75% royalties on every audiobook sale, and 85% royalties on every eBook sale made directly through Bookshop. Compare this to the 10-15% royalties you'd earn through traditional retailers. That means more money in your pocket.
• Faster payments: Some platforms, even online powerhouses like Amazon, can take weeks or even months to pay out royalties. Bookshop pays authors on a weekly basis, so you don't have to wait long to enjoy the rewards from your book sales!
• Pricing and promotions: You're in complete control over your pricing and promotions. Set your own retail price for your book, then offer promotional discounts, bundles, or special deals for your audience.
• Real-time sales reporting: Access the latest sales data and track your book's sales directly on the Bookshop platform. See how successful your marketing efforts are with real-time sales reporting.
• Zero inventory hassles: No need to print or store large quantities of your book. With Bookshop, your books are printed and shipped directly to readers through BookBaby's Print On Demand service. We handle it all, seamlessly, without any upfront costs to manage inventory.

Author education

Part of the excitement of being a self published author is continually refining your skills to better understand every part of the self publishing process. At BookBaby, we offer a variety of author education sessions including webinars and blogs that cover everything from writing tips to advanced marketing strategies so you'll be fully prepared and know what to expect.

Author support

The best self publishing companies are those that directly support their authors in many different ways. Our expert publishing team is always here for you, ready to answer your questions, troubleshoot issues, and provide guidance along every step of your journey so that you're never stuck trying to juggle it all yourself!

Can I work with a self publishing company to take care of all of this for me?

Self publishing can feel overwhelming. From marketing to editing to formatting, there's always another step. As a company founded to help self published authors turn their manuscript into a full-fledged, published book, we help writers of all backgrounds realize their dreams of being published, and support them every step of the way with tools and guidance to help maximize sales and exposure.

If you're looking for a professional, reliable, experienced self publishing company to help you transform your manuscript into your own self published book, look no further than BookBaby. We have the team and capacity to handle every aspect of your publishing venture, from printing and binding, to cover design and marketing. Need additional editing services, audiobook creation, eBook conversion, or ongoing marketing? We can help. Let us use our proven skills and services to create a stunning published book you can be proud to show off!

Self publishing plans customized to fit your needs

BookBaby works alongside authors of all kinds. Whether you have a ready-to-print manuscript or you need help along the way, we offer a customizable self publishing experience that is designed to let you choose the services you need, without paying extra for what you don't. We can work with any type of author and any budget.

Choosing BookBaby means choosing the best self publishing experience possible. We won't just create your book — we'll distribute it everywhere so others can read it, too. Everything you need to make your dream possible is right here.

Self publishing: A powerful decision backed by an unparalleled team

Choosing to self publish your book is a smart decision that gives you full control over your creative work, including its distribution and how you connect with your readers. As a leading self publishing company, BookBaby offers you comprehensive services that are fully customizable to meet your needs. Whether you're making your writing debut or you're an experienced writer, our diligent and dedicated team is here to help you bring your book to life.

With a variety of publishing options to choose from, including fully customizable publishing paths, you can pick and choose the services you need most. From expert editing to professional cover design, powerful marketing campaigns and global distribution channels, BookBaby has the knowledge and proven track record to make sure that your book not only meets industry standards, but stands out in a crowded marketplace.

Nowhere else will you find the tools, guidance and dedication to make your publishing dreams a reality. We back our services with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we're committed to working with you until you're exceedingly satisfied with every part of your project from start to finish.

The fact is, the publishing landscape is changing. Take the first step today to transform your manuscript into a published book: One that captivates your readers, sells like hotcakes, and builds your brand as an author. The world is ready to hear your story — bring it to life with BookBaby.