Change The World With Words

I’ve been doing some serious research into self-publishing options recently and one thing I’ve learned is that self-publishing is not for everyone. It can, however, be a great option for those who are prepared to market, promote and sell, as well as write.

My research has turned up over fifty resources (including some great freebies and some very affordable paid services) that I think could be useful to self-publishing newbies (and some of them to traditionally published authors too). Have a browse through them and let me know what you think.

Six Self-publishing Companies That All Offer A Little Extra

AuthorHouse offer a free Writers Guide To Publishing in their Author Resources section.

Booklocker.com has an online Guide to POD and Ebook Publishing at their website that offers a surprisingly honest look at the process of self publishing (including a section titled “The Reasons Not To Use Us”)

CreateSpace is the self-publishing branch of Amazon, and provides self-publishing services including free DIY tools such as a Cover Creator for easy online design. Note: You do not have to publish with CreateSpace to make your book available on Amazon. You can do that through the other self-publishers.

Lulu offers a free consultation with one of their services consultants to assess your needs. Some of their book options also include a free ISBN.

Trafford offer a free publishing guide and monthly newsletter to potential self-publishers.

Xlibris also offer a free Publishing Kit to prospective authors

Six Essential articles about self-publishing:

Subsidy Press or Author Services Publishers

A good article that explains exactly what the self publishing companies or book packagers actually do.

25 Self-Publishing Companies Analyzed, Compared and Ranked

Essential reading before you even make a shortlist of self-publishing companies to approach.

Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know

25 tips from someone who has been through the self-publishing process, and learned a lot along the way.

Top 10 Tips for Self-Publishing a Book That Doesn’t Look Self-Published

There’s no shame in self-publishing, but there’s also no reason for your self-published book not to look every bit as professional as a traditionally published book.

Top Ten pitfalls to Self-Publishing Success

What not to do and how not to do it.

Marketing Your Self-Published Book

From creating a marketing plan, to book signings to web casting, everything you need to know about marketing your book, with links to a sample press release and web page.

Three Great How-To Ebooks for Self-publishers:

Self-Publishing Secrets  
No-nonsense guide that reveals the tips, tricks and secret pitfalls every self-publisher needs to know.

Kindle Kash  
How to publish your book for the Kindle, make it available on Amazon, and earn 70% in royalties.

The Best-Seller Secret  
How to turn your book into a #1 Amazon best-seller. This system guarantees your book will hit the #1 spot on Amazon – in its category – or your money back. (Note: I haven’t used this system, yet. I’m told it really does work, but it requires time and effort. If you have time and effort to spare – why wouldn’t you try it?)

Four Professional Editing Services for Self-Publishers

Professional editing/critiquing is often what makes or breaks a self-published book. Don’t publish your book without putting it through the editing process. The following are all professional editing companies that offer editing services to self-published authors.

Writer’s Helper

SPi global

Scribendi

 A-1 Editing Service

Twelve Useful Free Resources for Self-Publishers:

You don’t have to pay a fortune (or a penny) to start researching your self-publishing options, or creating your books.

WritersGiveaway.com offers The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing – By author Shelley Lowery. Available for free download when you sign up for the free newsletter

WritersGiveaway.com also offers a free E-book creator.

50 YouTube Strategies for Authors is a free report from SelfPublishingCoach.com.

Book Marketing on a Shoestring Budget: Guest Blogging for Success is also free from SelfPublishingCoach.com.

Self Publishing Resources is giving away JUMP START YOUR BLOG IN 28 DAYS: Blogging Checklist for Authors & Self-Publishers free when you sign up for their monthly newsletter.

Fast Pencil provides a range of free writing and publishing tools, including a way to import your blog posts if you’re converting your blog to book form (an increasingly popular way of producing a self-published book)

Go Publish Yourself  is a site you can join for free and receive a self-publishing package including an “Author’s Bill of Rights”, “Why Self-Publish” PowerPoint, “32 Simple Ways to Market Your Book Online”, Teleseminars on publishing and marketing, plus a load of discounts on self publishing services.

Smashwords Book Marketing Guide: How To Market any Book for Free is available for free download from Amazon.

FreeEbooks.net have A Cheap and Easy Guide to Self-Publishing eBooks available for free download (you’ll have to register, but this is also free and then you’ll be able to download 5 free ebooks each month).

FreeEbooks.net also have 147 Killer e-publishing Strategies available for free.

The Top 10 Things You Should Know about Self-Publishing Your Book (free video tutorial)

How To Self-Publish A Book (free video tutorial)

Four Specialist Book Promotion and Marketing Companies:

You can do all the promotion and marketing for your self-published book yourself, but if you do decide you need to hire some help you could consider these specialist marketing companies:

Ink tree Marketing

Book Market

Smith Publicity

Combined Book

Three Book Trailer Production Companies:

Books have trailers these days, just like movies. It’s not essential to have one but if you do you can post it on Youtube, your Facebook fan page or your blog. They can be quite an attention grabbing promotion tool.

Circle of Seven Productions

JKS Communications

Crush Creative

Four Cool Book Design Companies

You’ll need a cover design and perhaps a design for some of your interior pages. As with most self-publishing tasks you can do it yourself, but if you want to look into professional design, consider the following:

Bookwrights

Brio books

Gorham Printing

Archer Graphics

Ten Useful Books For Self-Publishers

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living by Peter Bowerman

The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, Fourth Edition – Everything You Need to Know About the Costs, Contracts, and Process of Self-Publishing by Mark Levine

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote and Sell Your Own Book by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier

Smart Self-Publishing: Becoming an Indie Author by Zoe Winters (Kindle eBook)

Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print and Sell Your Own Book by Dan Poytner

Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking by Steve Weber

The Self-Publishers Marketing Guide by Debbie Higgs (Kindle eBook)

Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book by Patricia L. Fry

Wham! Bam! Publishing: The Strategic Marketing Plan for Authors and Publishers by Janice Marie Phelps, Joan E. Phelps and Janice Phelps Williams

Promote Your Book: Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author by Patricia L. Fry

There are, of course, hundreds more that I could have included.  If you have a self-publishing resource to recommend, please share in the comments. If you have friends, followers or blog readers who are interested in self-publishing, please consider sharing or linking to this page.

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