Self Publishing Tips: 5 Tips That All Young Authors Should Read
The self-publishing world is growing for a young author or writer. Check out my 5 tips self publishing tips to help you in 2020.
Click on the image to read Scott’s How To Support Indie Authors blog. You may learn other nuggets of advice here!
Self Publishing Tips: Think About It
Self publishing tips are all over the internet these days. The world for publication as a young author has transformed tremendously within the previous couple of years. Now that so many young authors are deciding to self-publish their novels on Amazon and Kobo, among others, it opens up the work of publishing to so many talented young writers.
For many self-published authors, it will feel as if you’ve entered a world that is entirely alien to you after you self-publish. In the past, the writer merely had to specialise in writing. Suddenly, the writer is opened up to a new world of things to learn at a rapid pace.
If you are considering self-publication as a means to get your book out there in 2020, here are my words of advice to get your foot on the ladder in the New Year.
Click on the image to see the fiction books I have released so far. Both Inside Iris and Anna’s Awakening are available for purchase on Kindle and paperback from Amazon.
Approach Writing, Editing, & Presentation As A Professional
When it comes to approaching the writing, editing, and final presentation of your fiction books, it is best to take your time to nail it.
As a young writer considering self-publication, you cannot write the first draft of your book and assume that you’ve finished and it’s ready to release into the world.
Unfortunately, you’ve still got a tremendous amount of work to do before the book is ready to spread its wings and take flight.
A well-written, self-published book requires:
- Revision,
- Re-writing,
- Detailed proof-reading, and
- To be formatted correctly.
Once all that has been done, for your book to grab attention within the hyper-competitive world of fiction as a young writer, it needs an engaging blurb and an appealing cover design.
If you aren’t prepared to graft to revise, edit, re-edit, proof-read your novel, format accurately and pay an artist to produce a cover, don’t be surprised if initial sales are low and the reviews are poor.
In the world of self-publication, there are thousands of books printed every year from people similar to you as a young author. For your book to stand out from the crowd, it is essential that you take the time and put in the work to make your book unique.
Click the image to read more of Scott’s Creative Writing Blogs. Scott is rapidly rising as a top Creative Writing Blogger in the UK. Read these to see why!
Self-Published Young Author = Do It All?
As a young author, it is imperative that you know your strengths and the areas you can take on yourself. Remember, as a young author; you don’t have to do everything on your own.
If you were to be honest, you would most likely agree that you’re not qualified to try to do everything!
When putting together your manuscript and cover package, it is vital that you pay people who are qualified to take on roles that they are professionals in. Get these professionals to
- Give you feedback on early drafts,
- Edit and format the novel,
- Proof-read the final draft for errors, and
- Design the cover.
Unfortunately, this will likely cost a little you money, however, unless your final polished product is as appealing to readers as another, they won’t buy it. Once your novel is sat beside a competitor’s, whose book has had money spent on it, you’ll ultimately lose out on sales.
With such a large number of young writers, authors, and poets self-publishing books every year, competition for customers is exceptionally high. As a business person and young writer, you don’t want to offer potential readers a reason to not buy for your book!
Joining writing or reading groups as a young author can be useful too. There, you can:
- Get feedback on early drafts,
- Engage with fellow writers who could edit and format your novel,
- Fellow authors could also proof-read a final draft ahead of publication, and,
- There are many cover designers out there who charge affordable rates as freelancers for digital marketing services.
As a young writer, if you don’t understand where to start, don’t worry. Many experienced authors can fret at the publication of their novel whether it’s self-published, independently published, or traditionally published.
A Google search can deliver many options. The search results will also offer many price points. However, be sure to check testimonials and reviews to ensure the services you are paying for are up to scratch.
Click on the image to go to Scott’s SG Fiction YouTube channel. Here, young authors can find Creative Writing Advice and Tips content as well as Promotional videos of Inside Iris and Anna’s Awakening.
It’s Ready When It’s Ready!
The final draft is completed, and the book is finished, it’s been edited, formatted, proof-read and is wrapped in a stunning, eye-catching cover. You can hit the button to publish, right?
STOP!
It would help if you had book reviews and promotional materials in place before you launch your novel to the world. As a young author, you want potential customers to click on the book and see that lots of people have already browsed it and reviewed it. If you expect strangers to click on your novel and buy it immediately, they will need to see that others have taken the time to purchase and review the book before they buy it themselves.
Young writers who are internet savvy can get organised with book bloggers and reviewers. Many young authors can arrange to exchange a copy of their novel ahead of publication for an honest review of your book on sites such as Amazon.
If you have a social media following, you can make some copies of your novel available for review for loyal followers in exchange for reviews.
You need to be aware, as a young self-published author, this process takes time. As you wait for book reviews to be prepared from your reviewers, place the book on pre-order on Amazon. As you wait, you can also compile and release some promotional materials on YouTube and your author blog to build up the release of your novel.
Your timings must be coordinated so that reviews of the book all appear several days before the official release date of your novel. It is also vital that you publicise the book reviews once they are uploaded.
All of these strategies will help to build up the release of your book as a self-published young author. There is no need to rush the book’s publication. If anything, you should drip-feed the publicising of your novel months before release. By showing the redrafting and editing process, followers on social media can be involved in the process as you go.
Click the link to view Scott’s YouTube playlist of Anna’s Awakening promotional videos.
Why Not Network With Other Young Authors?
It is often lonely being an indie author or self-published writer, and you’ll feel as if you have to learn everything from scratch. Don’t feel as though you’re alone in the big, bad world of self-publication or independent publication!
There are tens if not hundreds of fellow young authors and writers online who are in the same position as you. Why not network with other authors? Social media has many online writing communities that are packed with them!
Go online and share tips, advice, moan and complain – without being too negative. These fellow young authors are going to be valuable contacts after you publish your novel. By networking, you’ll also be able to promote each other. By networking, you can promote your book for free, and help them to share their books in return.
As With Everything, Be Patient!
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. At times, your novel will not sell a bean. At other times, your book will sell well, and it will climb the charts freely, with little effort from you as the author.
During those times of drought, all self-published young writers need to be patient and remember that they have set out on a career that is tough, extremely competitive and takes years to get traction. Allow yourself space to breathe, take praise when it comes, and savour every success that your self-published novel allows you to taste.
Click on the image to read the Type Case Young Writers’ Interviews. Here, you may learn more about self-publication and what it is like to be a young author.
Self Publishing Tips: The Takeaway
By reading my five self-publishing tips for young authors, I hope you have learned something that can help you stay sane in the mad world of online publication.
As I look to publish my second novel, Anna’s Awakening, in February 2020, I continually build up the process and share my latest developments on social media.
If you are a young writer, follow me on social media to see further ideas of how you can promote your self-published book online. You can also subscribe to my SG Fiction newsletter to receive the first THREE chapters of my debut novel, Inside Iris, for FREE. You can also read my Type Cast Young Writers’ Blogs to see how fellow young authors are approaching their fledgeling writing careers.
In 2020, I am looking for 8 to 10 young writers to appear in the second series of Type Cast. If you are a young author between the ages of 16 and 25, please email me a scott@sgfiction.co.uk to enquire and receive the Type Cast Young Writers’ questionnaire to fill in.
I look forward to sharing more creative writing advice for self-published and independent authors in the coming months as I get closer to publishing Anna’s Awakening. Follow me to keep up to date with my journey towards publication.