Once a book’s published, it’s out there for all the world to read, so you want to get it right first time. Take self-publishing seriously: use the following checklist to publish like a professional.
(Note: if you’ve written a book for the sheer love of it and are publishing it just for fun, not as a serious business venture, then that’s fine. Feel free to pick and choose from these pointers as you like.)
The manuscript
- Is it as good as you can possibly make it?
- Are you absolutely sure it’s as good as you can possibly make it?
- Are you sure the idea is good?
- Are you sure the idea is original?
- Are you sure a market exists for the book?
- Are you sure the book fits neatly into its genre?
- Has the book been thoroughly edited and proofread?
The cover design
- Is it as good as you can possibly make it?
- Are you absolutely sure it’s as good as you can possibly make it?
- Is it eye-catching?
- Does it convey the essence of the book?
- Does it convey the genre of the book?
- Has it been (or does it look as though it’s been) professionally designed?
- If printing, is the quality good enough?
The typesetting
- Is it as good as you can possibly make it?
- Are you absolutely sure it’s as good as you can possibly make it?
- Has it been (or does it look as though it’s been) professionally typeset?
- Are the layout and style sensible and appropriate?
- Have you checked the layout carefully, page by page?
The publishing
- Is it a good-quality product (decent print job, ebook works on all devices)?
- Is the price reasonable and comparable to similar titles?
- Is the book available to buy in a wide range of outlets?
- Is all information about the book accurate in descriptions?
The marketing
- Do you have a detailed marketing strategy?
- Have you written compelling back cover copy?
- Have you lined up plenty of reviews?
- Do you have a website/blog that’s regularly updated?
- Are you engaging regularly in social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads)?
- Are you exploring local marketing opportunities?
- Are you coming up with original, attention-grabbing ideas to market the book?
- Are you putting a decent, sustained effort into getting your book noticed?
The next book
- Are you already planning this?
- Will it sit beautifully alongside the current book?
