How to self-publish on a $0.00 budget
So, you want to get started writing, but you don’t have money to spend (or just don’t want to spend it) on the publication process. What even goes into publishing and is it possible to do it yourself on a tight or non-existent budget?
I may earn a small commission on affiliate links.
I’m glad you asked because the answer is I’ll outline it for you here, and yes, it is possible! First, let’s look at what goes into a traditionally published book and use that as a starting point.
First, you have a writer who writes a book. Then, they take that book to an editor to get it polished up. Editors can make developmental edits (to do with the storyline/plot), line edits (also called copy editing; spelling and grammar corrections), or both. After revising their manuscript, writers will then query an agent or a publishing company. Some publishers only work through agents, some allow writers to directly query them. After getting an agent, the agent pitches the manuscript to a publisher. If the publisher accepts the book, they offer the writer a contract and now the writer is an author, right?
Almost. The publishing company will now format the manuscript for paperback and eBook publishing (if they bought the rights to publish both), have covers created, solicit endorsements for the back cover, and have the author approve the proof copy. At this point, the author isn’t looking for plot changes, just making sure there are no typos. Now, the publisher will order an initial run of print copies to give out to reviewers and the press. These are called Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs). So, before “publication day” publisher and authors may have several copies of the book in it’s final version already in hand. Now begins the marketing.
Although, publishers and authors have probably been marketing their book all along. This is where marketing ratchets up in order to have maximum sales on launch day/week. Or, better yet, pre-orders. Authors may do events, publishers may host giveaways on social media to allow an exclusive look at a copy to a lucky reader. Some authors may even do a media tour, where they show up on blogs, podcasts, and TV to pitch their book before it’s release day. Why is the release day so important?
Well, publishers often pay for the rights to publish a book by giving an author an advance on future royalties, usually just called an advance. Publishers want to recoup that amount as soon as possible, and so if they can generate a large volume of sales in the first week the book is released they can get close to recouping their advance. Publishers also want to see the books they publish on best-sellers lists, and to get on a best-sellers list a book usually needs 10,000 sales in the first six months. The smaller the amount of time needed to hit that goal, the higher a book can get on a best-sellers list.
After the excitement of launch week wears off, publishers may put less time into marketing and selling the books they publish. Most of their time, energy, and money goes into books being published, not their catalog that already exists.
So what can self-publishers learn from this?
Well, in order for any book to do well, it has to be a great-quality product. So, is your book’s quality on par with traditionally published books? If not, what will it take to get there?
Editors are expensive, but I think they are well worth it. But, I understand really wanting to get an editor but not being able to afford one. There are a few things you can consider if you don’t have the budget to pay an editor. 1) Trade work. Is there something you’re good at that an editor you know may be willing to trade their services for? I’ll let you know, this tends to only work if you’ve built a relationship with said editor. 2) Join a writing group. Edit each other’s works. The more eyes you get on your book, the stronger it’s going to get. 3) Volunteer editing team. Do you have people in your life who want to do whatever it takes to support your writing career? Are any of them grammar pros? Ask a few people to each edit sections of your book. Along with #1, this only works with people who like you already. Do what you can to make sure they continue to like you. And 4) Self-edit. I’ll write a post about the process of self-editing, but this one takes time. When self-editing is an indie author’s only option and they rush the process, they end up with a sub-par book. And that can cost you readers. So take your time. In between editing rounds, lock your book up and work on something else. Come back after at least a month, preferably more and read and edit again. This was the process I used for THE ONE and IT’S CALLED VODKA, DARLING. It took me 7+ years per book to get them to the point where I was ready to let the world see them. I also had a team edit THE ONE, and ALREADY ALMOST HOME. I haven’t hired an editor yet, but that’s not because I don’t value editors. I just don’t have the budget.
Then comes formatting. Kindle has templates that you can download and use, and they can be used with Word or with Google Docs. So even if you can’t afford Word, you can format your manuscript in Google Docs. Kindle also has a program that you can download for free to format eBooks. I suggest you play around with it and use it, because the quality is way better than just uploading a PDF or Word Doc. When formatting your paperback, I would suggest printing off the soft proof that Amazon makes you approve and read it with a pen in hand. I was able to catch a few things that way, as the format was just slightly different enough from the computer document I had gotten used to staring at. And I would 100% recommend purchasing a proof copy so you can see if any cover changes or interior formatting needs to be revised before printing. When working with Amazon, it generally takes a week for my proof copies to get to me and about three weeks for author copies to arrive. At Barnes & Noble, I think it takes about four weeks for both proofs and author copies. So, plan your launch timeline accordingly.
For covers, you can definitely design your own, and I’ll have a post showing how I make my covers. I would suggest going to a bookstore or library and looking at books in the genre you are writing to get a feel for what readers will expect. A cover will be the first thing your readers see, and a cover definitely makes or breaks a book sale. If there is any point in this process where I would suggest spending money, here’s where you’ll get the most bang for your buck. If you absolutely need to do it yourself, play around with different platforms and cover mock-ups. Then, just like your manuscript, let your cover design sit and come back to it. You’ll probably revise it a couple of times before you land on the cover design you want. Kindle also allows you to generate and download a cover template so that you can make sure to have your spine text centered and your barcode left uncovered.
Once you have a quality manuscript, a great cover, and everything properly formatted, you can market your book! You don’t have to spend money marketing it, a grassroots approach can definitely work for an indie author. Just know that you’re not going to see crazy sales right away or be able to sustain a high volume of sales with just one book. It took me five years before I started to see a reliable income stream that could help pay real bills. That was with five books out. So know that indie publishing is a long game, not a get-rich-quick-scheme.
Best of luck on your self-publishing adventure, and know that you can turn out a quality book on a very limited budget! It just means shouldering all of the work and wearing multiple hats, which may set your book launch back as you take the time to learn all of these skills well.