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Self-Publishing – Avoid These Mistakes

Even if this is your first time self-publishing, there is no excuse for you to commit mistakes. Committing mistakes with your self-published book can project the perception that your work is made in an unprofessional way and this can significantly hinder your success.

Here are some mistakes which you can easily avoid:

Poor Writing

Whenever we write, it is natural to miss a punctuation, or make a spelling and other typographical mistakes. But to allow these mistakes to appear on your book, will make your appear very unprofessional. Just imagine readers reading the blurb page and finding mistakes which could have been avoided if you only had somebody review it for you before printing and distribution.

Another thing that you have to consider is the flow of organization and thought. If your book is disorganized then it can be difficult from someone to read and understand it. You have to make sure that you have a good detailed outline to help you with the writing. If you are having difficulties writing and think that you need somebody to help you out, then you can get a co-writer or an editor to check your work.

If you are writing a story or novel, remember that continuity is important. There are some writers that would miss this out, for example, if your protagonist has hazel eyes, then make sure that his or her eyes stay the same color throughout the story unless it is significant for the story to change it. Avoid giving incorrect information and details. Also, avoid putting wrong captions in pictures and graphs, if you decide to use these.

Inadequate Book Editing, Formatting And Layout

You have to invest on the formatting of the book. Book sales can be significantly affected by a bad cover or a bad title. You may need to get a book designer to do your book layout and your cover. Booksellers recognize that jackets and covers are very important in clinching sales. So do not sacrifice in getting a professional to do the cover design.

Aside from the cover, another thing that can affect book sales is the format of its contents. There are different formats, you can check books from your shelf or you can go to the library to look at some. Things that you need to take note of are page distribution among the title pages, copyright pages, dedication pages and the start of the first chapter.

Lack Of Promotion, Marketing And Distribution Plan

Okay, so let’s say you have produced a good book. It has been checked for mistakes, wrong spellings and typographical errors. Now, you have to come up with a good marketing plan. It is important not to miss this important point. Some self-published authors have overlooked this thinking that having a good book on their hands would be good enough. But how will a book sell if readers do not even know it exists?

You have to make sure that you have a well-planned advertising, marketing and launching plan. If you think you cannot pull it off, then do not hesitate to get an experienced person to help you out.

Aside from marketing, some self-published authors also tend to make mistakes in distribution. Make sure that your target audience gets to have a chance to buy your book. Some authors overlook online distribution. There are cost-efficient online distribution channels where you can have your book made widely available to a targeted and hungry audience. the internet is becoming a convenient place for people to buy stuff that they want and need, so don’t overlook the online sales and distribution channel for your product.

Another thing that self-publishing authors should not forget is getting ISBN numbers. Actually, this is an easy thing to do. There are several websites that can give you instructions on how to buy ISBNs from RR Bowker, the U.S. ISBN agency.

Self-publishing requires a balance between all aspects of the project, from conception to success. To be successful with your book, you do not have to just only write an excellent book but make sure you maximize opportunities for your potential readers to be able to get acquainted with it and buy it.

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