Self-publishing is where an author takes on the task of publishing a book for themselves. After writing the book, the author will proofread it, design the front cover, format the book as an e-book and for print, handle the printing and distribution of the book, and take on the marketing for the book.

Sounds daunting, yes?

The process of self-publishing can be complex for authors who have never self-published before, but there are many reasons why an author might want to go down the self-publishing route, rather than try to get a traditional publisher for their book.

One of the biggest reasons you might choose to self-publish your book is that you retain all the rights to your book. With a traditional publisher, you might find that your original draft bears little resemblance to the printed version of your book. Traditional publishers have the final say over its content and the look of the book, able even to overrule the author’s wishes if they feel it necessary for the book’s success.

When you self-publish, we’ll, of course, guide you towards the best format and help you with the writing to ensure that your book is the best it can be; but the final choice is entirely up to you.

It’s your book and you retain ownership of it – how it looks, feels, and the message you’re trying to convey.

Another draw for self-publishing is the potential for earnings. Self-published books yield much greater returns than those published by a traditional publisher. Books self-published with Amazon, for example, stand to earn up to 70% royalties – which means that you get 70% of the retail price of the book, only paying up to 30% to Amazon for selling and producing your book.

With a traditional publisher, when you’ve paid off your advance, you’ll still only earn around 10% of royalties. So, if a book costs £12.99 in a store, you stand to earn over £9 from each book sold, as opposed to a little over £1.30 per copy when your book has been published the old-fashioned way. In many respects, self-publishing makes sense.

Self-publishing a book can throw up all sorts of questions, such as should I publish an e-book or produce printed books? How many print books should I produce – a short-run or long print run? How can I market my book?

Wellness Books is here to answer all your questions and guide you through the process of self-publishing, from your first draft through to your print or e-book. We can provide editorial support such as proofreading and editing, and we’ll help you format your book to produce a quality finished product that readers will value. We’ll also make sure your book gets listed so that booksellers can find it, and we can also give you advice on marketing and set up all the tools you’ll need to promote your book, such as an author’s page and social media.

If you’re ready to get started, contact info@wellnessbooks.co.uk with a sample of your work and let’s set up a discovery call to see how we can help you get your book published.