Publishing
Self-Publishing Dos and Don'ts
The typeface used on the cover and on the pages, the images included, the editing of the content. With self-publishing, you have the final say at each step of the production of your book—nothing happens without your vision and your approval.
But if you want to produce a professional piece of work, all that creative control does still come with its caveats. Here are a few things that you should and shouldn’t do when publishing your own book.
Design
DON'T design your own cover.
Nothing screams “amateur” like a poorly designed book cover. Regardless of how well your book is written, a reader has to get through that cover to reach the actual text, and that’s unlikely if it doesn’t catch the reader's eye. If you don’t have experience with cover design, now is not the time to explore your skills.
DO have a cover designed by a professional, or at least someone with a background in cover design.
Professional designers do more than pick out an image and stick it on the front of your book. They also take the genre, subject matter, and dimensions into account, as well as book design trends and no-nos.
Typeface
DON'T use novelty typefaces for your book.
Comic Sans and Chiller have their place—and that place is in emails to friends and invitations to Halloween parties. What seemed fun and whimsical on your Word document may look downright childish in a bookstore.
DO use traditional typefaces.
Garamond, Bembo, Janson, Electra, or Caslon will give your book a classy and professional look.
ISBN
DON'T reuse an ISBN.
Your first book didn’t sell that many copies, and now you’re self-publishing your second. Why not just move that old International Standard Book Number (ISBN) over to the new book and save a few bucks? Sorry, but that’s impossible.
DO use a different ISBN for each book.
Not only does an ISBN identify a unique book, it also identifies the book’s edition and format. For example, your book’s hardcover, paperback, and (depending on who you ask) e-book versions each require their own ISBN, as do their different editions.
Images
DON'T assume that an image will look good on the page because it looked good on your computer display.
On your computer screen, images are displayed at 72 dots per inch (dpi) in what’s called the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color space.
DO make sure your image is prepared with the proper resolution and color space.
Pictures in printed books are usually 300 dpi and use the Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black (CMYK) color space. Make sure your graphics are prepared for the format in which they’ll be displayed.
Editing
DON'T handle editing yourself.
Of course, you should reread your book, make changes, look for mistakes, and fact-check. However, it’s likely that you won’t catch everything. You also already know what you meant when you wrote the draft, so your mind is prone to “fill in the blanks” without realizing it.
DO have someone else, preferably someone with an editing background, review your book.
If possible, enlist the services of a professional editor to review your work—not just for spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes, but also for character development and story content. An educated second opinion can raise the quality of your work more than you might expect.
Ready to self-publish your book? Get started with our free publishing guide.
AuthorHouse provides an extensive portfolio of book publishing packages that have helped thousands of writers become published authors.
Writing
Outlining and Drafting Your Story
Five Reasons Less is More When It Comes to Beating Writer’s Block
A Short History of Life Writing
Common Writing Mistakes You Should Avoid
The Dos and Don'ts of Writing the Author Bio of Your Self-Published Book
The Difficult Things: Writing About Pain, Grief, and Hardship
Writing About Your Life: Ideas To Help You Get Started
An Editor's Guide to Producing a Compelling Romance Novel
Why You Should Have a Professional Edit Your Work
Mastering the Art of Self-Editing: Essential Tips for Self-Published Authors
The Importance of Professional Editing: Elevating Your Self-Published Book
Unleashing Your Inner Author: Overcoming Writer's Block
The Do's and Don'ts of Self-Editing Your Manuscript
Publishing
Five Self-Publishing Do’s and Don’ts
The Benefits of Self-Publishing
The It’s a Team Effort: How Publishing With Us Works
How To Publish Your Book in Five Easy Steps
Four Common Self-Publishing Roadblocks and How to Overcome Them
Five Tips for a Professional Cover Design
From Brainstorming to Publishing
A Beginner's Guide to Navigating Publishing Services
Book Cover Design: How to Make Your Book Stand Out
DIY Self-Publishing vs. Supported Self-Publishing: What's Right for You?
Self-Publishing a Book in 8 Steps
10 Autobiographies That Will Inspire You
Navigating The Top 8 Book Distributor Services: Pros and Cons
The Ultimate Guide to Self-Publishing
Demystifying Self-Publishing: How to Turn Your Book Dreams into Reality
Designing Eye-Catching Book Covers: A Guide for Self-Publishers
Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing: Making an Informed Decision
Navigating the World of Print-on-Demand: A Primer for Self-Publishers
Distribution Options for Self-Published Authors: Reaching Your Target Audience
Self-Publishing on a Budget: Cost-Effective Tips for Authors
“Mind the gap”: Lessons Learned from Self-Published Authors
Setting Yourself Up for Success: 5 Essential Tips for Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing Platforms: 5 Things to Consider When Making Your Choice
Book Cover Design 101: Creating an Eye-Catching Book Cover
Book Cover Design: How “Founder's Syndrome” Impacts Your Success
From Blog to Book: Turning Your Online Content into a Publication
Overcoming Self-Doubt as a Self-Published Author: Boosting Confidence and Motivation
Marketing
Precision Marketing: Define, Learn, and Create Your Target Audience
Build a Platform: Don’t Overlook Direct Sales
The Perfect Pitch: 5 Ways to Pitch Your Self-Published Book
Joining Book Festivals: 5 Ways To Maximize Your Appearance
10 Reasons Self-Published Authors Should Promote Their Books
10 Reasons Why Authors Should Still Send Press Releases
7 Reasons Why Self-Published Authors Should Go Print Too
A Beginner's Guide to Self-Publishing Success
Marketing Strategies for Self-Published Authors: Getting Your Book Noticed
8 Tips for Establishing Your Author Brand
Unleashing Your Book's Potential: Building Your Audience like a Startup
The Art of Writing Compelling Book Descriptions
Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Marketing Strategies for Self-Published Books
By clicking “Request My Free Consultation”, you are providing your electronic signature, voluntarily authorizing AuthorHouse UK and its affiliates to contact you using a manual or automated telephone dialing system and send you advertisement or telemarketing messages by email or text/SMS/MMS message to the address and phone number you have provided above. You are not required to agree to this in order to buy products or services from AuthorHouse UK. You certify that you are over the age of eighteen (18). You’ll get up to ten (10) messages per month. Standard message and data rates may apply. Click here to view our privacy policy.