I Wrote a Book,And You Can

Too!Three Easy Steps to Publish Your Very Own Book

IntroDo you have an idea or story you’d like to share with the world? Ever dreamed of publishing your own book? Well, you can!Thanks to print-on-demand services, you can publish your very own book at little or no cost. Read on to learn how.

Step 1: Create ContentDon’t get overly excited about design details and such just yet. First, narrow down a topic for your book and determine the target audience.

Step 1: Create Content (cont’d)Then create an outline for the book to provide structure. You can adjust it later as needed. The outline is also a nice reference guide as you progress through writing the book.

Step 1: Create Content (cont’d)Next, start writing. It doesn’t have to be in sequential order, and don’t worry about grammar or formatting yet. Just let the ideas flow. Don’t worry about length either; quality over quantity.

Step 1: Create Content (cont’d)After completing the draft, see if you’d like to rearrange anything. It should all have a logical flow. Then give it a thorough read for grammar, typos, etc. Ideally, have a friend or family member proofread it as well.

Step 2: Build ItFor self-publishing, you need to sign up with a service such as CreateSpace, Lulu, or IngramSpark. The following steps will be CreateSpace-specific.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Go to CreateSpace.com and create an account for free. From the Member Dashboard, click on Add New Title to begin a project. Enter a name for the project, and click the radio button for Paperback.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Then click on Get Started right next to the Guided option, as this will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Enter the requested information on the Title Information page. Go to the next page and have CreateSpace assign a free ISBN for the book. (Or you can purchase your own ISBN separately and provide it to CreateSpace.)

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)On the Interior page, select white or cream paper, as well as color or black & white print. After choosing your book size, download the formatted template.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Copy/paste all of your text into this template. Review it thoroughly to ensure everything looks correct. You can adjust the font type/size and spacing within the document.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Once you’ve completed this, go back to the Interior page and upload your document. You’ll have the option to review it online using a virtual book reader.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Move onto the Cover page. You can use one of the templates provided by CreateSpace to make an okay-looking cover. Better yet, create your own cover using Canva.com or some other application. Or, you can hire someone to create a cover for you via Fiverr.com.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Go to the Complete Setup page to submit your files to CreateSpace for review. After CreateSpace completes its review (typically within a day), order a proof copy of the book. It only costs a few dollars, and you can review the actual product before it goes on sale. If needed, make changes. Or if everything looks good, approve it.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)Almost done! Select the distribution channels, such as Amazon US & Europe, establish a price for the book, and enter a description. The more information and relevant keywords you enter, the better.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)As for pricing the book, you can use the built-in royalty calculator and play around with the numbers to determine a reasonable price.

Step 2: Build It (cont’d)When all this is done, your book will show up in a day or so on Amazon, ready for purchase. You can also submit your book for publication on Kindle, although you may need to simplify the formatting so everything looks correct. After you submit the file, you can use a virtual Kindle app to see how the e-book would look to readers.

Step 3: Market Your ProductNow it’s time for the hard part 😛. Since you don’t have a publisher marketing the book on your behalf, this responsibility lies on you, the author.

Step 3: Market Your Product (cont’d)For starters, use word-of-mouth to let friends and family know about your new book, or others who may be interested in the subject matter.

Step 3: Market Your Product (cont’d)If the opportunity arises, deliver a speech about the subject and plug your book at the end. You can also consider printing out flyers or ordering business cards to distribute.

Step 3: Market Your Product (cont’d)Harness the power of the internet. Perhaps post a YouTube video to discuss your topic and tell viewers about the book at the end, providing a link for purchasing.

Step 3: Market Your Product (cont’d)Another idea is to write blog posts with tidbits from your book to give readers a taste, and then request that they buy the book for the full story.

Step 3: Market Your Product (cont’d)Leverage social media such as FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread the word. But don’t just spam and ask people to buy your book; provide nuggets of value that entice people to want to buy it. Pique their interest.

“And the plot thickens…” 😨

Step 3: Market Your Product (cont’d)The more reviews you can get for your book, the more visibility it will potentially have. Be careful about soliciting reviews, though, as Amazon has rules about this. You typically can’t offer someone money to review your book, nor can you have family members review it.

ConclusionSo that’s it! You too can publish your own book if you put your mind to it. Best of luck.

If interested, check out my book on wealth-building at amazon.com/dp/1537796917. Available in paperback and Kindle.