DIY Route

Independent Book Publishing Guide: What Must an Author Do?

Beth Kallman Werner — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:27:13 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Beth Kallman Werner on 4/16/2025 7:27:13 PM

This session with Beth Kallman Werner of Author Connections takes a topline view of the soup-to-nuts publishing process, breaking down a simple checklist any author can follow to prepare the manuscript, a timeline, a budget, and a flexible plan to follow. The checklist covers:

Writing
    Editing
    Marketing
    Cover Design
    Interior Layout and Design
    Production/Formatting
    Distribution
    Marketing

Yes, marketing appears twice, because it must be a focus both early and later on in the process!

There are various considerations that change depending on the book, its genre, commercial vs. personal goals, etc. Beth discusses many factors that affect choices along the publishing path, guiding authors to make best choices for individual needs.

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALC-Handout_5F00_Indie-Publishing-Guide_5F00_Werner.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../IndependentBookPublishingGuideWhatMustanAuthorDo.mp4

About the Presenter:
Author Connections (AC) has been serving a global roster of author and publisher clients since 2010. AC is devoted to editing and marketing excellent content for discerning readers. As former Director of Marketing & Sales for Kirkus Reviews, Beth worked with major houses and indie authors on book reviews and title campaigns for any size budget. Since launching Author Connections, Beth has worked on more than two hundred titles in fiction and nonfiction, adult and children’s books; many earning multiple marketplace awards and accolades. Beth is Advisor to the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (NGIBA), a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and Author Connections has earned the coveted Seal of Excellence from the Association of Independent Authors (AiA). Beth’s own book, "Travels of an Independent Woman", is scheduled for September 2026. For more information on Author Connections and the services offered, visit https://authorconnections.com/.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Independent Book Publishing Guide: What Must an Author Do?

Author Learning Center — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:22:57 GMT

Revision 2 posted to DIY Route by Author Learning Center on 4/16/2025 7:22:57 PM

Writing
Editing
Marketing
Cover Design
Interior Layout and Design
Production/Formatting
Distribution
Marketing

Yes, marketing appears twice, because it must be a focus both early and later on in the process!

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Independent Book Publishing Guide: What Must an Author Do?

Author Learning Center — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:16:20 GMT

Revision 1 posted to DIY Route by Author Learning Center on 4/16/2025 7:16:20 PM

This session with Beth Kallman Werner of Author Connections will take a topline view of the soup-to-nuts publishing process, breaking down a simple checklist any author can follow to prepare the manuscript, a timeline, a budget, and a flexible plan to follow. The checklist will cover:

Writing
Editing
Marketing
Cover Design
Interior Layout and Design
Production/Formatting
Distribution
Marketing

Yes, marketing appears twice, because it must be a focus both early and later on in the process!

There are various considerations that change depending on the book, its genre, commercial vs. personal goals, etc. Beth will discuss many factors that affect choices along the publishing path, guiding authors to make best choices for individual needs.

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALC-Handout_5F00_Indie-Publishing-Guide_5F00_Werner.pdf

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Author Russell Nohelty on Founding Wannabe Press, and Its Evolution

Russell Nohelty — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 13:59:20 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Russell Nohelty on 7/20/2020 1:59:20 PM

The initial push behind Wannabe Press was Russell Nohelty's frustration with traditional publishers. He struggled to get a publishing deal for his work, so he decided to learn how to publish for himself. He ran a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his first book and put some of the money toward starting Wannabe Press. His company publishes mostly comics and anthologies, but has recently started publishing some science fiction and fantasy novels. In addition, Russell has established The Complete Creative, which includes books, courses, and a podcast, focused on helping other writers and authors succeed.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AuthorRussellNoheltyonFoundingWannabePressandItsEvolution.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Author Russell Nohelty on Founding Wannabe Press and Its Evolution

Russell Nohelty — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 14:28:09 GMT

Revision 1 posted to DIY Route by Russell Nohelty on 7/17/2020 2:28:09 PM

Making the Most of Your Publishing Budget

Author Learning Center — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 14:49:30 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Author Learning Center on 6/10/2019 2:49:30 PM

When self-publishing, costs can easily add up. As you continue to purchase services, hire experienced vendors, and make your book the best it can be, you can suddenly find yourself spending much more than you intended. Unfortunately, this is incredibly easy to do if you don’t set a budget for yourself and stick to it.

Let’s look at some of the most common publishing services, why they’re essential, and how you can get the most for your money out of each one.

Editing

This publishing component is one that many authors try to skip, and their books ultimately suffer because of it. While it’s not impossible to edit your own manuscript, it’s much easier to miss mistakes in your own writing. Getting a professional editor to look at your book will ensure that your book is the absolute best it can be, and your future readers will thank you for it.

If you don’t have the budget for an editor to look over your entire manuscript, consider submitting just a few chapters to start. The feedback you receive from this sampling will likely expose your bad habits and allow you to make further revisions on your own. Doing this will likely go much further than hiring a low-cost, inexperienced editor that may miss just as much as you would.

Cover design

Your book’s cover will be one of the most important factors in getting potential readers interested in your book. They will never know what it’s about or how great it is until they pick it up in the first place, so the cover is crucial. If you aren’t a designer, you shouldn’t be creating your own cover.

For those on a tight budget, you may be able to find some reasonably priced design options online. If you’re not set on a specific cover design, there are companies that offer pre-designed packages that cost much less than ones designed specifically for you. Occasionally, you may even find contests where you could get your cover designed for free.

Formats

While printing physical books can be a costly affair, some more affordable options have cropped up in recent years. For example, with the increasing popularity of eBooks, authors can now publish digital copies of their books at very low cost. This provides them with an opportunity to gain some interest and excitement surrounding their book before they ever have to pay to have it printed. Not to mention, eBooks allow for an extremely quick turnaround and no distribution costs.

If you’re set on having printed copies of your books, consider the print on demand (POD) option. This option allows you to print copies of your books as they are sold rather than printing as many as you think (or hope) you’ll sell and paying to store them in a warehouse. Therefore, this is a much more cost-efficient option.

Distribution

Once you’ve determined how you will print your book, you must think about how it will get into readers’ hands. There are so many different ways to distribute and sell your book, so the key here is to do your research. The most popular options is Amazon Kindle Direct. This is a free option that allows you to distribute your book to Amazon retailers around the world.

Other considerations

As you’re determining your publishing budget, don’t forget to also think about your marketing budget. While you will hopefully start gaining royalties once your book is published, there is always the chance that you will have to do a fair amount of marketing before that happens. Make sure to plan accordingly. It’s much better to save now and spend more once you find some success with your book rather than to spend now and hope for the best later.

If you’re lucky enough to have an audience already, you could consider a crowdfunding campaign to obtain monetary assistance from those eager to see your book published.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Making the Most of Your Publishing Budget

Author Learning Center — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 14:48:07 GMT

Revision 2 posted to DIY Route by Author Learning Center on 6/10/2019 2:48:07 PM

Let’s look at some of the most common publishing services, why they’re essential, and how you can get the most for your money out of each one.

Editing

Cover design

Formats

Distribution

Once you’ve determined how you will print your book, you must think about how it will get into readers’ hands. There are so many different ways to distribute and sell your book, so the key here is to do your research. The most popular options is owned by Amazon: Amazon Kindle Direct. This is a free option that allow you to distribute your book to Amazon retailers around the world.

Other considerations

If you’re lucky enough to have an audience already, you could consider a crowdfunding campaign to obtain monetary assistance from those eager to see your book published.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

The Indie Revolution - video

Keith Ogorek — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 16:47:37 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Keith Ogorek on 6/7/2019 4:47:37 PM

Keith Ogorek, President of the Author Learning Center, talks about how the book indie revolution is similar to what happened in the music industry.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheIndieRevolution.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

The Indie Revolution - podcast

Keith Ogorek — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 16:47:06 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Keith Ogorek on 6/7/2019 4:47:06 PM

Keith Ogorek, President of the Author Learning Center, talks about how the book indie revolution is similar to what happened in the music industry.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheIndieRevolution.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

Making the Most of Your Publishing Budget

Author Learning Center — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 14:42:25 GMT

Revision 1 posted to DIY Route by Author Learning Center on 9/25/2018 2:42:25 PM

Let’s look at some of the most common publishing services, why they’re essential, and how you can get the most for your money out of each one.

Editing

Cover design

Formats

Distribution

Once you’ve determined how you will print your book, you must think about how it will get into readers’ hands. There are so many different ways to distribute and sell your book, so the key here is to do your research. Two of the most popular options are owned my Amazon: CreateSpace and Amazon Kindle Direct. These are both free options that allow you to distribute your book to Amazon retailers around the world.

Other considerations

If you’re lucky enough to have an audience already, you could consider a crowdfunding campaign to obtain monetary assistance from those eager to see your book published.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Bryan Beach on the Various Paths to Getting Published - podcast

Bryan Beach — Fri, 26 May 2017 15:30:02 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Bryan Beach on 5/26/2017 3:30:02 PM

When author Bryan Beach wrote his first novel he initially pursued a traditional publishing path. His first step was to query literary agents, knowing that this was the best way to get work placed with a traditional publisher. Beach did not find success in pursuing this path so he self-published his first book and has continued to self-publish all of his work through Amazon in an eBook format. This path has given him complete creative control and freedom over his book projects while retaining all rights.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Bryan-Beach-on-the-Various-Paths-to-Getting-Published.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

Bryan Beach on the Various Paths to Getting Published - video

Bryan Beach — Fri, 26 May 2017 15:30:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Bryan Beach on 5/26/2017 3:30:00 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Bryan-Beach-on-the-Various-Paths-to-Getting-Published.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Now is a Great Time for Poetry - podcast

Mary Mackey — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 08:34:02 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Mary Mackey on 3/4/2017 8:34:02 AM

Because of today's vibrant Internet-based culture, award-winner Mary Mackey says it's an ideal time to be a poet--especially for women and minorities who have been discouraged in the past. Mackey shares her tips to other poets, including the need to concentrate on their craft and create interesting work, but the potential to reach a huge audience online brings great possibilities.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../MaryMackeyNowisaGreatTimeforPoetry.mp3

Tags: fiction, Poetry, podcast

Now is a Great Time for Poetry - video

Mary Mackey — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 08:33:50 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Mary Mackey on 3/4/2017 8:33:50 AM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../MaryMackeyNowisaGreatTimeforPoetry.mp4

Tags: fiction, Poetry, video

Publishing Tools: InDesign - article

Kay Ziegler — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 10:34:53 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Kay Ziegler on 2/26/2017 10:34:53 AM

It’s always a little daunting to take a stab at new software, when you’re already fast and furious with the applications you know. For a writer or illustrator, however, InDesign is a great tool with many desirable features to enhance your workflow. The combination of editing choices is endless. Even if you tried to master the full range of services, you probably wouldn’t discover them all.

On the author end, InDesign is convenient, as it allows you easily to paste your work onto its blank sheets. If you don’t want to use a word processor, this program allows you to type your work right onto a new page. It has all the standard features you’re accustomed to like choosing font color and size. The text can be positioned on the page, as left-justified, centered, or in other configurations. The program enables you to create a table of contents page, and countless other typical features you simply can’t live without. You can add captions, headers, and footers as well. You can create and edit your whole book right there on the InDesign program, making the illustration portion of your project an easy next step.

For the illustrator, this program replaces the use of a separate photo-editing program to add pictures to documents. You can add your pictures within the program, and manipulate them with the ease of clicking a few buttons. The program allows you to edit the photos for size, positioning, and focus. You can change their coloring and use other techniques, such as fading and shadowing. Even the angle of the picture can be altered. They have a nifty feature that gives you the exact degree of the angle, so there’s no need to guess. Layers can be added. There is even a scissors tool for cropping. In offering all this, within a document that already contains your text, you effectively cut out the middle man. There is no need to go back and forth between applications, and in turn your workflow becomes both simplified and far more organized. It makes it easy to illustrate your own book. If you’re a freelance artist, you can illustrate someone else’s book, with a much cleaner process for sharing information with your writer.

With all these benefits, what are the drawbacks? It’s possible you shouldn’t completely dismiss word processors and photo-editing software. This is where assessing your needs comes in. Is learning new software worth the effort? InDesign is sometimes a bit tricky to figure out. You may find it hard to create new pages and layers. With some practice, however, you should become reasonably comfortable using it. Once you master InDesign, it could become a great tool for an illustrator or author.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Consider Quick Publishing for Nonfiction - podcast

Jeff Stanger — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Jeff Stanger on 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

With technology changing at a rapid pace, it’s important to get your nonfiction work to your audience in a timely fashion. Listen as author Jeff Stanger encourages writers to publish their nonfiction work quickly, while the information is relevant and applicable.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../JeffStangerConsiderQuickPublishingforNonfiction.mp3

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

Consider Quick Publishing for Nonfiction - video

Jeff Stanger — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to DIY Route by Jeff Stanger on 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../JeffStangerConsiderQuickPublishingforNonfiction.mp4

Tags: Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

The Indie Revolution - podcast

Keith Ogorek — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Revision 1 posted to DIY Route by Keith Ogorek on 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

Keith Ogorek,senior vice president of marketing for Author Solutions, talks about how the book indie revolution is similar to what happened in the music industry.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheIndieRevolution.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

The Indie Revolution - video

Keith Ogorek — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Revision 1 posted to DIY Route by Keith Ogorek on 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

Keith Ogorek,senior vice president of marketing for Author Solutions, talks about how the book indie revolution is similar to what happened in the music industry.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheIndieRevolution.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Now is a Great Time for Poetry - PodCast

Mary Mackey — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Revision 1 posted to DIY Route by Mary Mackey on 12/14/2016 12:00:00 AM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../MaryMackeyNowisaGreatTimeforPoetry.mp3

Tags: fiction, Poetry, podcast