If you’re planning to emerge as a new author, you must have a breakthrough with your first book. If you have a new and exciting story on your mind, it’s better to share it as a book with the rest of the world.
But publishers often don’t want to take risks with new authors. In that case, self-publishing is the only way to go. But you’ll have to do everything by yourself when it comes to self-publishing.
That’s why it’s essential to know about some obvious mistakes every author makes while publishing for the first time. So, consider these eight common mistakes to avoid as a self-publisher and make your first book a success.
1. Poor Cover Design
One of the self-publishing’s most common mistakes is not paying attention to the book cover. Although it’s not wise to judge a book by its cover, that’s often not the case. Sometimes book cover plays a crucial part in creating a positive first impression among the readers.
An attractive book cover can also generate a lot of interest which helps with marketing. That’s why traditional publishers spend a lot of resources in giving the perfect design to the book cover.
But unfortunately, most self-publishers try to save costs on book cover design and put a generic one which is quite unappealing. As a result, book sales go down significantly. Luckily, some budget-friendly book publishing services will give authors various options to choose the perfect design for self-publishing books.
2. Generic Book Description
Just like book covers, your book description also plays a vital role in creating the first impression. But often, authors forget to emphasize writing an appealing book description.
You can’t expect your self-publishing book to sell well with a boring or lackluster description. If you’re writing a children’s book, an intriguing book description is a must because children love exciting and fun stories.
So, when writing book descriptions, always mention some interesting plot from the story that will make people interested. But make sure not to add too much of the story and avoid spoilers.
3. Insufficient Market Analysis
Writing a book without proper research is one major mistake most authors make in self-publishing. As a new author, you want maximum success from your self-publishing book. That’s why you should first understand what kind of books people like to read and which genres are the most popular.
You can clearly understand all these factors by conducting a propel market analysis or research. If you can figure out people’s interests, you can write your book according to it, increasing your book’s profitability.
4. Self-Editing
Most authors want to edit their works to save cost, but that’s a wrong move. Most people can’t detect their own mistakes, which is quite natural. As a result, many errors remain unnoticed, even in the final version of the book.
An expert editor or proofreader will identify your grammatical errors and suggest restructuring your sentences. Editors can help you improve the quality of your writing, which is essential for the success of your first book.
5. No Marketing
You have to understand that with a self-publishing book, you will compete with some very famous authors. So proper marketing will play an essential part in the success of your book. But most self-publishing authors seem to ignore that part.
To stand out from the rest of the authors, you need to create a marketing strategy that reaches out to people. For that, branding is important for your book to make readers more engaged. Since most people frequently use social media, use it to connect with the readers and invite them to the book reading.
6. Incorrect Formatting
Because you’re publishing a book for the first time, you need to put your writings into proper formatting by yourself. That’s why you need to completely understand which type of formatting your book needs.
It’s because different types of content require a specific set of requirements that must be maintained. Many writers make the error of not following the formatting guidelines and, as a result, face severe consequences. So it’s advised to find out your required writing format early.
7. Lack Of Reviews
Nowadays, readers have become quite picky and heavily depend on good expert feedback. Before buying any book, readers will search for the reviews first, and that influences the decision to buy the book.
Unfortunately, most authors of self-publishing books don’t focus much on getting good reviews. Besides, self-publishing books have significantly low reviews compared to traditional books.
A good way to get positive reviews is by gifting your novel to book critics. This way, you can create a good relationship with the critics and use their reviews as advertisements.
8. Wrong Pricing
Pricing is an important part of a self-publishing book. Money should not be the only motivating factor for your writing, but it can be a significant consideration for the readers. Many self-publishing authors undervalue their works and set their book prices too low.
They suffer substantial financial loss. On the contrary, some authors set their book prices too high. As a result, readers don’t show much interest in purchasing these books.
Both of these scenarios are not suitable for a good rate of investment. That’s why you should always opt for a balanced pricing strategy to increase the number of sales.
Conclusion
Self-publishing can be tricky for first-timers as there are so many considerable factors. However, with proper awareness, most amateur mistakes can be reduced. It would help if you avoided the mistakes mentioned above to deliver the best version of your self-published book.
Ella Marcotte
Latest posts by Ella Marcotte (see all)
- UA vs GA4: The 4 Big Differences You Need To Know - April 8, 2024
- Understanding The Role Of Control Valves In Industrial Automation - April 8, 2024
- How Automation Can Boost Your Business Outcomes - April 4, 2024
