Many self-publishing authors publish titles regularly.
Learning all the skills necessary to do so is time very well spent. For these authors, taking the time to learn makes self-publishing very economical.
However, for authors who wish to self-publish only one ebook, assisted self-publishing can avoid learning to do everything that is needed, which takes a very long time.
Even if you go through all the trouble of learning everything necessary, you may forget it all by the time you come to publish another ebook.
Learning how to self-publish
For people with good computer, marketing, and design skills, self-publishing an ebook is relatively easy.
However, if you are concerned that you may not have the know-how, it can be a challenging exercise.
While there is a lot of online advice, self-publishing an ebook or print book involves many aspects and potential pitfalls.
Learning how to format a book for self-publishing is not always easy for first-time authors.
You need to know how to use word processor styles, create first-line indents, find and delete blank lines, and create a linked table of contents.
One of the most crucial elements is creating an eye-catching book cover.
Then, there are items such as adding the correct copyright notices, disclaimers, and license notes.
Added to these are creating backups, file converting, and creating and saving multiple versions to suit the specifications of different self-publishing platforms.
You also need to prepare and format two manuscripts differently for ebook and paperback.
If all this sounds too difficult, you might need some help.
Essential elements for a new book
There are many other aspects you need to consider when self-publishing a book.
Your book will have to have an excellent cover design, so you may need to find a professional book cover designer.
You should research categories and keywords and write a book description with appropriate content for SEO or site search.
Often, you can use a sub-title to improve your potential book discovery.
You will need to decide on an appropriate selling price.
Also, you have the choice to publish exclusively with KDP Select or use open publishing. Then what book promotion will you need?
Learning to do all these tasks can seem daunting for authors new to self-publishing.
If you are unsure that you can do all these things, you could need some help publishing your book.
Then, it might be worthwhile to consider using a self-publishing service to help you.
What does assisted self-publishing mean?
Assisted self-publishing is not at all like signing with a publisher or agent.
Publishing this way allows an author to retain all their book rights and royalties.
It is usually a one-time fee service. The author pays a modest amount to have a book or ebook published, with no ongoing contractual arrangement.
Unlike a contract with a publisher, which will demand book rights and a share of royalties for years, there are usually no strings attached when using a publishing service.
Once your book is published, you will have access to your publishing accounts on Amazon or Draft2Digital to monitor your sales and earnings.
An author may hope for extra help with book marketing with a traditional publisher contract.
But in recent years, publishers are more likely to leave this to the author because marketing budgets have diminished considerably.
The best recommendations for assisted self-publishing companies are well-known names such as Blurb, Lulu, and BookBaby.
There are also many other small self-publishing services that you might find using Google or Bing search.
The choice is up to each author
Self-publishing has given authors many choices in creating a published work in either an ebook or print-on-demand paperback.
Many self-publishing authorpreneurs publish books regularly.
However, some new writers and authors are taking the opportunity to publish only one or perhaps two books.
Apart from self-publishing, there is hybrid publishing, vanity publishing, and of course, there is still traditional publishing.
Each author will make their own choice as to which publishing route suits them the best.
But seeking a service to help you is a viable option for authors who want to publish an ebook with a minimum of fuss and don’t want to spend days, weeks, or months learning how to do everything.
Summary
Before making any decisions, beware and make sure you choose a publisher you can trust.
There are many different types of publishing services available now for new authors.
Assisted self-publishing is only one of many publishing choices you can make to publish your book.
Take your time and do your research before you decide on which publishing option will suit you best.
Related Reading: How To Pick A Title To Help Your Book Discovery Online
