S for Self-publishing #AtoZChallenge

Firstly, get this clear. There are companies that ask money upfront (25k to 3lacs) to publish your book and call themselves the “Self Publishing Company” – it is actually, vanity publishing! They layer the company with this fancy term to save themselves from getting burnt and use the naive nature of first time writers to make money! Vanity is different from self-publishing, self-publishing is when you do every little thing for your book by yourself or pay someone to do the same (Time=Money), period!

Any consultant (?) that fancily calls you and says “we offer 20% discount on publishing packages” – DUDE RUN AWAY! Anything on web that reads “Select your package” – CLOSE THAT TAB ON YOUR FIREFOX, those “guided publishing plans” are sheet CRAP! – “We publish your books in any size and format,” they would claim – say NO THANKS!

Requirements:

• You had an idea and spent months on it, made it to a decent 25k to a lakh word book

• You employed a beta reader or an editor, proof read – and it is all set to go to print

 

Self-publishing: (EBook)

1. kdp.amazon.com

2. Sign up and create a kindle publishing account

3. Title, other details of the book necessary, book category, cover (Design it by self or ask a designer, it must cost less than 5000 INR) – ensure you already have the ePub version (get it done at smashwords.com)

4. The tax information might be confusing; it is actually nothing in India. Just punch in your PAN number when it asks for an ID and your bank details where you get royalty ( you get 23 INR for every book sold if it is priced less than a dollar)

5. In a few hours or maximum one day, your book will be up on amazon kindle

6. Market the book – sell it!

7. I don’t recommend it and I don’t do it, and I will NEVER do it – but you can suffix or prefix your name on Facebook with the ‘Author’ tag! J No offense to the existing! I respect their choice!

I want my name on print – on books – I want DP with my book in hand – yes! You can my bunny writer. You can.

1. Get your book a roll number i.e ISBN

2. Find a printing company – 1000 copies must cost you around 36,000 INR to 45,000 INR or if you think you know how many copies you are most likely to sell, the cost would increase. More you print – lesser the price

3. Amazon and Flipkart – you can distribute following the guidelines on their website

4. Find distributors and aggregators who will place your book in book stores for a cost

If you don’t know a printer or find it costly, www.pothi.com has options to print on demand – I STRONGLY PERSONALLY RECOMMEND