The more you learn about self-publishing, the more these two truths become apparent:

1) It’s incredible
2) It’s hard

Self-publishing makes publishing more accessible. It allows you, the writer, to have control of every element of your book—because why shouldn’t you? But you have to understand what that means: you are responsible for every element of your book. Having more control is great, but it also means that you have to do the work.

As someone who’s been involved in some indie communities and done many indie book reviews, I’ve read some fantastic indie books that are as professional as they come, while I’ve read others that scream “self-published!!!” And that’s never a good thing.

So before you hit “publish” on that new book of yours, take a look at some of the common mistakes that self-published authors make—and avoid them like the plague!

Poor Editing

Y’all knew this was coming, right? I only talk about it so much because I can’t stress it enough. You must invest in editing. While self-editing is great and an important part of the editing process, not everyone is a good editor, and sometimes it takes another pair of eyes to tell you that. Even if you’re great at editing your own work, you still need an editor!

This is the number one thing that will make your book professional, so don’t skip out on it. Don’t go cheap on this bit. It is critically important.

Bad Cover Design

The truth is that a book is always judged by its cover. Have you ever picked up a book just because its cover looked interesting? Me, too! Even if you’re not interested after reading the back cover or the first page, the truth still stands: book covers attract potential readers.

Again, this is one element you can’t cheap out on. Find a good cover artist or pick up some graphic design skills and check your designs with an artist. Make your book cover stand out to attract those readers and make them want to look inside!

No Marketing

Look, I can’t blame anyone for being lazy on this one because I fell into that trap, too. No matter how great your ideas, how great your writing, a self-published book by a relatively unknown person will not sell itself. Marketing is another thing you have to invest in—though we’re not talking about thousands of dollars here.

Firstly, start with your blog or social media. Then reach out to family and friends. Talk to local libraries and bookstores; they love to help local authors by hosting events and/or displaying ads for your book! Beyond that, look into Amazon ads (if you’re publishing through Amazon) or other sites that will help you market your book.

Sloppy Formatting

Just like with the editing and book cover, your book should look professional from start to finish, back to front. This includes the tiniest details like formatting. Your readers will notice if your formatting is off, and it will be yet another excuse for them to put down your book. So take a second, third, and fourth look through your book on whatever platform you’re publishing on and make sure it looks right!

Rushing to Publish

This is absolutely the number one pitfall, so I saved the best for last. By rushing through any of the above elements, you’re compromising the quality of your book. Self-publishing is exciting because all of the power is in your hands. You can publish whenever you want! But it doesn’t mean you should publish whenever you want. Take the time to get everything right. Reach out for help when you come across something you can’t do yourself.

Don’t run into these pitfalls. All it takes to avoid them is time, patience, and a trusted friend, family member, or mentor to tell you where you need to spend more time.

Got questions about self-publishing? Drop a comment or contact me! And, as always…

Happy writing!
—E.J.

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