How to Self-Publish a Non-Fiction Book and Become a Successful Author

Self-publishing process of a successful non-fiction book can be subdivided in 7 logical steps. I use this process in writing my books and it proved to be very useful. Also, I know many other prominent authors who follow these steps religiously while creating their books.These 7 steps suit non-fiction books best. While fiction writing and marketing process is similar – there are some differences and you can read about them in our next article which talks about fiction writing.But now, let’s start with the steps…1. To write a non-fiction best-seller you must know the reasons “why” you want to write a book.Many authors don’t even think why they want the book they just start writing anyway. But your outcome for the book depends heavily on your reasons “why”. From personal experience, I noticed that most people write books for reasons like:-leaving a legacy
-increasing credibility and authority in a certain area
-stand out from the competition.
-promote a cause or something they believe in
-make money by creating an income stream.
-create a business around it.
So, before you set out on your exciting adventure of book writing, think seriously why you need a book.2. You must choose a great topic with a huge crowd of followers.This one is simple to understand. Even if you write the best book in the world but there are only a few people who are interested in the topic – then you will never have a best-seller. You may sell one or two books to your friends and that will be it.Therefore, before you start, check out who you are going to sell the book to and how many people in the world will be interested in buying it.3. Write the book yourself or get it written for you.If you want the book for credibility or for other business purposes you can outsource the writing bit of the process. There are many ghost-writers out there who are happy to write a book for a fee. In fact, many books you see in shops nowadays are written by ghost writers. But if you decide to do it yourself then, you should consider these elements:- write a grabbing and concise title and subtitle
-research on the topic and find out what people want to know about, so you can make the book interesting for the reader.
- outline the chapter’ name in logical sequence
- write the content chapter by chapter
- write a table of content, glossary, index, forward etc.
- proofread and edit (it is better be done by someone professional rather than yourself).4. Make the covers of your book and decide on other graphics, photos or pictures.The front cover is one of the most important selling points for your book. Spend as much time as you need to create a unique front cover. It should include the title and subtitle, author’s name and relevant graphics.The back cover is the second most important part of your book. It should include: a blurb, testimonials, barcode and ISBN.Remember!!! The front cover should give the buyer the first impression of your book. You only have 4 seconds to do this. If in that time if your reader is not attracted to your book he will put it back on the shelf and continue browsing other books.5. Get the book published.Look for a publishing company you can trust and where you are able to keep all the rights to your book yourself.Warning!!! Many companies you find on-line charge you for publishing your book and also take some or all of your rights from you. Many authors have been caught like this.Always remember that self-publishing is about keeping all the rights to your book. So, when you start dealing with companies who claim to help you with publishing – check them out and ask about your rights and read all the contracts properly. Never sign anything that you find that is not understandable to you.6. Create a marketing plan.Marketing is the king of publishing. Even the best book in the best topic area will not do you any good if it is not marketed properly. You can hire a marketing expert to promote the book for you which can be expensive. Either way you choose (with a marketing expert or without one) you need to prepare a press kit to make yourself ready for any media opportunities.A Press kit should include:-short biography related to the book
-PR (press release, one page long)
-professional photos of yourself
- a few credible testimonials about your bookNow look for any opportunities that arise in the press on your books topic then send press releases out, call the local or national radio, check out journalists to contact etc. Make sure that everything you do is relevant to the topic of your book. Relevancy is the one of most important things in the media.7. And of course you should shamelessly promote yourself on-line and off-line. Create a web-site, blog, write and distribute articles, make a Facebook page, Twitter page, Linkedin account related to your book.Become a public speaker and speak about your topic. Remember, that your speeches should include selling. Offer your book every time you speak.To conclude, if you follow and implement all the 7 steps I described above, I guarantee your book will be well on the way to becoming a best-seller. Just try and see for yourself!