Publishing my book had been my goal for years. I worked on it throughout high school and a couple of years after. There were times where I thought I’d never finish it.
And then I did. I was so excited, it was finally done! I quickly wrote up the book blurb, got the cover, and published. My dream of being an author was coming true!
Then I realized everything I did wrong.
In my excitement, I made so many mistakes. Some I was able to fix, and others I wasn’t able to. Thankfully I did a few things right and dodged the bigger bullets, but the lesson was learned. You never rush the publishing process.
I’m sharing every stupid mistake I made when publishing so you can avoid them. And I’ll also tell you what I did right. Because why learn the hard way when you don’t have to?
1). Do NOT forget about editorial reviews
Ah, yes, the first of my blunders. I blame this mistake on naivety and just want to have a published book already.
Reviews can make or break a book. But editorial reviews are a little different. They come from professional reviewers, so they carry much more weight. If The New York Times gives you a glowing review, more people will buy your book. Because when the Times says a book is good, it’s good.
Did you know you have to request a review months before publication? I didn’t.
When I went to submit my book for an editorial review, I was shocked by the requirements. Three months prior. Four months prior. But nothing for already published books.
Luckily I was able to find a few willing to review after publication, but it was a lot harder and I didn’t get as many as I would’ve gotten if I had just waited.
Get editorial reviews before publishing, otherwise, you will vastly limit your options.
2). Do NOT wait on building a website
Having a website is a must for an author. Your readers can learn more about you and your works, and join your newsletter. Some authors credit their websites to bringing in the majority of their sales.
I waited on building the website, which didn’t hurt me in the long run, but it caused me more work. I had more to do after the book came out, trying to play catch-up instead of enjoying my accomplishment.
Take the time and build your website first. You won’t regret it.
3). Do NOT go without an editor
Oh look, something I did right! One of the most important things every book needs is a good edit. To catch all the mistakes and make everything perfect before anyone reads it. We’ve all experienced those stories that would’ve been so much if someone polished it up.
I knew I needed to do that. So I got not only an editor, but I asked a few friends and family to be beta readers, giving me their thoughts on the edited manuscript. When it came time to publish, I knew the book was ready.
Reach out to an editor. Find beta readers while you’re at it. Then you’ll never doubt the quality of your manuscript.
4). Do NOT ignore your newsletter
Back to the mistakes. Because I didn’t have a website, I also didn’t have a newsletter. Which meant I wasn’t growing my fan base.
Newsletters turn your readers into fans. They’ll check out every book you churn out, even as you jump from genre to genre. But I didn’t know that.
It was only until recently that I started trying to build my mailing list. I tweaked my website to make finding the sign up easier and added the link to the end of my manuscript. Now I just need to wait for people to subscribe.
Start on your newsletter earlier rather than later. I’ve also learned that offering something exclusively for anyone who subscribes will bring in more people. Which means bringing in more fans.
5). Do NOT make your own cover
This has an exception to it. If you’re a graphic designer or already a cover designer, then great! Save some money and do it yourself. But if you’re artistically challenged like me, you need to hire a professional.
Despite the saying, we really do judge a book by its cover. You could have the next Great American Novel on your hands, but no one will pick it up if you have a poorly made cover.
Professional cover designers know how to pull you in. Look at your bookshelf for proof. You didn’t read the blurb before you picked it up. The cover caught your eye. It made you decide you had to have that book. If it had a brown paper bag as the cover instead, would you still have bought it?
The answer: No.
There’s a science behind creating a book cover, one people are paid to understand. A science I knew I had zero experience with. By hiring a professional designer, I was able to get an amazing cover. It didn’t affect my sales and I avoided a massive mistake. Plus I got a lot of compliments on it.
I’ll dive further into tricks I learned on cover designing in another post, but for now, hire someone who knows what they’re doing. Because after an editor, this is the biggest investment you can make with your book.
6). Do NOT forget about customer reviews
This is something I both did and didn’t do. Sure, what I did helped. But I wasn’t able to get as much out of it as I would have.
Unlike editorial reviews, customer reviews are given by the average reader. They’re what gives you that all-important star rating on Amazon. You want as many as you can get. Because Amazon sees it and will help it decide where your placement should be in the search results. And obviously you want a high rating, because who wants to buy a one-star book?
What I did right was reaching out to reviewers as soon as my book came out. What I didn’t do was add a note at the end of the manuscript asking to review it. And it hurt. A lot.
Why, you ask? Because during a week-long promotional where my ebook was free, I had over nine hundred downloads in one day. And not. A single. Review. Because I didn’t have that note.
It’s in there now, but I could’ve had more reviews than what I currently have.
Do what I did right and contact people willing to review your book. And learn from me by adding that simple note before you publish.
7). Do NOT decide against researching publishing options
The end all be all. Deciding what route you want to take to publish is not something you choose with a flip of a coin. Do you want to focus on online sales? Or do you dream of having your book in a brick and mortar store?
I knew what I wanted. And after taking the time to do the research, I knew what path was the best for me. If I didn’t, I could have picked the wrong publishing option. One that stopped me from reaching my goals.
So look into publication options. Choose what works for you. This is not a decision you want to rush.
We learn from our mistakes. I definitely have. But if I had someone tell me all this beforehand, all my mistakes could’ve been avoided. Hopefully, I’m that someone for you.
Take my experience and use it. That way you can publish your book without any regrets.
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