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Publishing a book is the real deal if you're a writer. No author wants to shelve their manuscripts for the rest of their lives. EBooks are the fastest-growing segment of publishing today. These days, they are often downloaded through apps on smartphones and tablets. Unlike paper books, eBooks don't require printing, binding, or shipping. Therefore, EBooks are becoming more popular because they provide convenience and portability. Although some publishers claim they don't care much about eBook sales and only focus on print books, the reality is quite different. Publishing companies are investing heavily in developing their eBook services. They are constantly looking at ways to improve them and provide better customer service. Every writer or a dreamer has thought about getting their manuscript published! Writing a book is an achievement, but getting it out there and publishing it in the real world is something else. This can be challenging for the first-timers! You've to focus entirely on the five steps to get published and make it big!
Books have become a staple of modern life. Depending upon the niche of the book and considering the targeted audience, it's up to you to choose the suitable option. Here's a five-step guide to publishing a book.
DEVELOPING THE IDEA
THE ULTIMATE WRITING PROCESS
Although this sounds too obvious, we can't ignore the writing process. Every book starts with a single idea. Getting up each day, sitting at the same desk, and scribbling for hours is not easy. But that is what it takes to initiate the process primarily. Before writing down the first word on the paper, you've to know what you're writing for. Research on the niche, determine your target audience, and brainstorm before writing a draft. This stage requires time, and it's justified. While brainstorming ideas for your book title, remember that you can supplement your short title with a lengthier subtitle.
PREPARE YOUR MANUSCRIPT
A book manuscript can be any part of the actual book. Anything can be counted as a manuscript, from rough to final drafts. Although some authors find it suitable to create an outline of the book, they prefer to fill the content in accordingly. Now with the final draft of the manuscript, it must be cross-checked in terms of spelling errors, grammar, and punctuation so that your book seems professional. For nailing this step, your finalized manuscript should follow a proper format. And that is what your editor must be expecting from you. Apart from that format, everything is considered "noise," potentially diverting your reader's attention away from what you're portraying through words. Once you have finalized the manuscript's version with you, the publishing process becomes easier from that point on. Now, this manuscript of yours is going to turn into a masterpiece. The book's cover attracts the reader, the title intrigues the reader, and the book description takes care of the rest!
EDIT YOUR MANUSCRIPT
A thorough edit is an absolute necessity for your manuscript. Once you've published your book, it'll be read and ultimately judged by hundreds, maybe thousands of readers. Their reviews and decisions matter the most in determining how good your book will do. Wait a week or more before you edit. This way, you'll have fresh eyes on the editing part, covering it all. Start with the plot and characters. Read out the whole manuscript again while taking notes on the go. If this is too intimidating, skip to line edits. Maybe you can't wrap your head around the plot or character changes right now — but you can still work on the pacing of individual scenes. Try reading passages aloud if you're struggling to get through a chunk of editing. This is the best practice in freeing your mind, getting rid of the mental blocks, and working on what can be done to improve it.
PUBLISH YOUR BOOK
Regarding publishing your manuscript, there are two major alternatives to opt for: Either you go with selfpublishing, or you can go with the "traditional" publishing. The only difference is the approach toward publishing and its dimensions. Traditional publishing has perks regarding packaging, printing, and distribution of books. Still, with the self-publishing approach, authors feel more in control of the marketing tactics, the book's content, and the printing and publishing process.
Each kind of editing serves a distinct purpose. Assess your manuscript to determine your way to start editing the draft. When all the abovementioned things have been incorporated and taken care of, now's the time to publish it. In this step, the priority is to lay out your book properly, ensuring that it follows all the publishing guidelines and is ready for publication. Keep in mind that the final document is what is given to the printer. After printing, ensure that your book is accessible for purchase from a variety of well-known stores.
Meanwhile, maintain the first-printing copy of your book on hand. Enjoy the sensations that come with being a published author for a time! While you're going through the process of publishing your book, make sure you're also looking for ways to advertise it. If you self-publish your book, you may be responsible for advertising it, but if you have a publisher, they will be in charge of promoting your book. Interior design may not appear to be a fascinating aspect of the design process. Still, it is required to produce a properly produced book. Your book cover design is the first thing readers notice about your book. While it's crucial to be original, it's also critical to consider what other covers in your category look like.
SHARE YOUR BOOK
If you haven't already, now's the time to share your story with the world (literally). Writers spend days, weeks, even years writing a book down. After that, they spend hours in the designing and formatting process. Generally, they don't leave a stone unturned in making the best out of it, seeing their books in libraries and bookstores. You've to learn how to market your book. This is the last stage of getting done with the publishing of your book. It is advisable to start thinking about the marketing strategies when you're still in the writing phase so that, with time, you can come up with something that works. Keep in mind your targeted audience (readership) while marketing your book. Create an author website, use your social media accounts to promote your book, and even arrange an author event or a book launch. It can be fun, provided you keep your ideal readership in mind.
FINAL VERDICT
Publishing a book is always a challenge, whether you're going for self-publishing or not. Self-publishing companies have the advantage of being able to expedite the publishing process. They have a staff of experts ready to help. Because they're in charge of your book publishing schedule, you shouldn't have to wait long for supplies (assuming that you give feedback promptly, of course). Get along, go after that lifelong goal and get it done! Now you know what steps you've to take in order to get published! Some have numerous manuscripts floating around, and others have half-finished books shelved! Some have published already, even though others are just trying to get the first step! This is the time to get it done. Some even couldn't start, but now that you're aware of the steps to take, becoming an author wouldn't be a challenge anymore.
