You've finally finished your literary masterpiece and have decided against the route of working with a traditional publishing company to publish your book. You want to retain control of your book and its marketing, and you don't want to share your books profits with anyone. Congratulations! Now that you have made the decision to publish the book on your own there is much you have to know.
There are many hats/responsibilities that you have as a self-publisher to produce a professional quality book. The rest of this article is going to cover the important responsibilities/hats your have before, during and after the process of taking your manuscript to print.
- Financial. First and foremost you are responsible financially for the books production. You make all the financial investments and take all the financial risks, and then keep all the profits. Before beginning the publishing process set a budget for all expenses related to the publication, distribution and marketing of your book.
- Writer. This is the foundation for all future success. Study your craft. Refine your work. It's imperative to have organized and readable work.
- Editor. All books need to be edited by someone other than you, the author. If you are not fortunate enough to have a qualified relative or friend that to edit for you, hire a professional.
- Proof-Reader. This is the stage to verify all punctuation and spelling. After you go through your book let a friend or relative go through your book to find any additional mistakes.
- Interior Designer/Formatter. Prepare your manuscript for print. Choose paper size, fonts, margins, etc. This determines how your book will look when printed.
- Printer. Thousands of books and booklets are created each year at copy shops. In this case you are your own printer. Make a wise decision when choosing a printer. Consider using a commercial book printer.
- Warehouser/Shipper. Your fans are waiting to read you newly printed book. It doesn't do any good to get book orders unless you can fill and ship them. This takes time, space and energy. Consider selling your books online through a variety of online retailers.
- Marketeer. This is where there real work begins. Shrewd promotion and sales strategies will do much to ensure your publishing project is successful. Get the word out. Be creative and imaginative.
- Legal Adviser. It's important to protect your intellectual property. Some things you can do yourself such as filing your own copyright paperwork. There are other situations where it may be important to consult an attorney - if you've been accused of libel or copyright infringement.
- Business Manager. This may be the most important role of all. You can do a fantastic job on all other aspects of your business and still lose everything if you neglect this important responsibility. Managing your writing career will be work but can also be fun.
About this Author
http://SimplieIndie.com - Simplie Indie is an e-commerce and resource hub for independent authors and musicians.
http://PrismaticPublishing.com - Prismatic Publishing is a custom publishing company that works exclusively with independent authors.
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