Self-publishing your book: The good, the bad and the ugly

It’s a great time to self-publish your book.

The process has not been easier with a number of tools and platforms at your disposal.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Here is a breakdown of the self-processing process.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Let’s start with:

The good:

• The process is straightforward. Start writing your manuscript. I recommend Scrivener to organize your chapters and make the process seamless.
• Share your manuscript with beta readers and revise it after you get their feedback.
• Hire an editor. You can find editors on Reedsy.
• Hire a copyeditor.
• Hire a cover designer or design it yourself using Canva.
• Buy an ISBN from a place like Bowker.
• Format your book for publishing — You can use Kindle Creator or you can hire someone through Fiver.
• Upload your work on Amazon publishing service, KDP.

The bad:

• Nothing is for free. You need to upfront between $3000-$5000.
• You will have to allocate time for hiring and vetting your team: The editor, the designer, the copy editor, etc.