Own the process of self-publishing
By Jeremiah Landes
Many of us document our lives through photos, letters or personal journals, but there’s a growing trend to share our memories in a more expansive way: self-publishing.
My father and stepmother, Dan and Martha, are some of the most active seniors I have met. Each year, between adventures to places like Australia and Antarctica, they self-publish novels and sell them on Amazon, various websites, and at book signing events.
Martha freely shares advice with friends who want to write their own books, and her instructions are the primary source for this article.
Many companies are eager to publish your memoir, historical novel or romance. Consider these guidelines if you have the money and don’t want to spend the time.
Authors who want to do nothing but the writing can hire a company like Reedsy to handle editing, design, formatting, marketing, distribution and more. Using Reedsy’s core writing and formatting tools is completely free for authors, allowing you to plan, write, edit, and export books, with optional paid add-ons for advanced features.
• Writers may also upload their work to an “aggregator” service like Draft2Digital or Smashwords, which can help them distribute their books to sites like Amazon or other booksellers.
• www.fiverr.com is a good website to find professionals willing to take your manuscript and get it published.
You may also decide to go it alone. Martha writes: “I’m too cheap and just do all of this myself — except the covers, which I hire out.”
Writers intending to self-publish should first think about:
• Do I want to create an e-book or have printed copies? If I print, do I want hardback or paperback versions? What size book do I prefer?
• What genre does my book fall under? (Tip: Look at other books’ cover designs in that genre.)
• Try creating a tagline and brief description that can appear on the back of the book.
• Will I set up a website or Facebook page to help people purchase the book(s)? (See https://www.marthalandes.com )
• Who will carefully proofread my drafts and give honest feedback? How much should I pay them for their time?
For each format type you want (paperback, audiobook, e-book), you must purchase an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). Visit www.bowker.com to buy one for $125 or a batch of 10 for $295. Visit www.myidentifiers.com to assign your new ISBNs to the format of each book.
Many people self-publish using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (www.KDP.com). The company offers a free ISBN that can be used only for offering your book on their platform. If you have an Amazon Prime account, you can sign in to this service and obtain their instructions for submitting materials.
Martha doesn’t choose to use Amazon’s “Advanced Distribution” because she likes to market her books on other platforms. Similarly, if you’re publishing an e-book, opt-out of “KDP Select” unless you only want your book distributed through Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. However, writers who choose this can still sell print versions of their books on other websites or stores.
Martha advises new writers to consider services offered by Ingram Spark, www.ingramspark.com, to make the book available at bookstores or through online distributors, although this company has strict guidelines about how you upload the book and cover.
Formatting your manuscript
If you use Microsoft Word and other programs, here’s some helpful information for formatting.
• Choose your page size in Layout. Martha’s books are 5.25'' x 8'', but other options are available.
• Select “Custom Margins.” Be sure to mirror them.
• Setting up page numbers and headings can be problematic. Google helps.
• The font should be readable — Times New Roman or Garamond are accepted everywhere. Consider using at least a 12-point font.
• Use “Insert Page Break” instead of pressing “Enter” down to the bottom of the page.
• Use margins instead of the “Tab” button.
• Formatting e-books is a complicated process. Before uploading, you’ll need to convert a Word file to “e-Pub” using Calibre software.
Cover designs
Book publishers have specific dimension-requirements for cover art. Martha and Dan often use an overseas artist they found at Fiverr. Even if you already have a cover designed, you may want to look for extra help formatting the book’s spine.
Ordering copies
Before publishing your book through KDP or Ingram Spark, order at least one “proof copy” to make sure the book is being published just the way you want.
“We usually order proofs, make changes, then order one more proof copy before hitting ‘Publish,’” Martha says. “Once the book is live, you can order ‘Author Copies.’ They are much cheaper than ordering retail copies, but you do pay for the shipping. If you can wait a few weeks for them, choose the slowest form of shipping. It’s definitely the best way to buy a bunch to keep at your house, give to libraries, or sell on your own.”
Jeremiah Landes works as a videographer from his home in Battle Ground with his wife, Katherine, a violin teacher, and their two teenagers. His one contribution to self-publishing is part of Cody Benjamin’s “Movies From the Mountaintop.”
