Unlike in years gone by, nowadays anyone with something to say and a manuscript can share their words with the world.

In the past, self-publishing was so expensive and confusing that few people went that route. But now, it is much more feasible.

In fact, self-publishing a book can be done in just a couple of hours once you’ve got everything ready. 

Read on to learn all about self publishing for beginners. 

Self Publishing for Beginners

The easiest way to publish a book is to choose from among the publishing companies out there.

With free self-publishing models, you don’t pay a cent upfront. You just pay the publishing companies with the proceeds of your sales through a royalty agreement.

This is a great way to self publish a book with little risk. You won’t have to have a garage full of books that you are responsible to sell. 

But First, Hire an Editor

Before you go one step further in self-publishing, you need to hire an editor. Even if you’ve had several beta readers who gave meticulous notes (and we hope you did that already).

A professional editor will ensure that your book doesn’t scream amateur. The right editor will also fix grammar errors, point out plot problems and other subtle mistakes that your readers will no-doubt find.

Format Your Manuscript

Once your manuscript has been polished to perfection by a professional editor, you need to convert it to the right format.

The format depends on which self-publishing platform you’ll be using. Typically, it will be 

Once your book has been polished by a professional editor, it’s time to get your manuscript formatted for the platform you’ve chosen.

Typically, the format will be .ePub or .mobi. You can use Calibre for free to convert your manuscript into the right format. 

Get an ISBN

In case you don’t know, an ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number.

This 13-digit number is used all over the world to identify a book. Many booksellers require an ISBN to stock a book. 

If you plan to skip the book printing and binding and just sell your book as an e-book, you may not need an ISBN.

Beware of publishing companies that offer a free ISBN. Most of the time, you won’t be listed as the publisher. This limits your rights and ownership of your own work.

It’s better to invest the $125 and purchase an ISBN on your own. 

Create a Book Cover

Everyone judges a book by its cover. That’s why traditional publishing houses have entire teams dedicated to designing book covers.

Your book cover is a vital marketing element that you mustn’t ignore. Self publishing a book means that you don’t have access to the design and marketing teams that a large house does.

So you’ll need to consider your cover design options and see what works best for you.  

Bottom Line on Easiest Way to Publish a Book

Thanks for reading. We hope this article has demystified self publishing.

At the end of the day, the easiest way to publish a book is to choose between the publishing companies that specialize in self publishing.

At Instant Publisher, we specialize in self publishing for beginners and experienced authors alike. 

We offer offers quick, affordable book publishing, excellent customer service and a variety of print finishing options.

Contact us today and let’s get started.