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Self-Publishing in Seven Steps: Take the Challenge

© Donna Murphy

With over 100,000 independent and small presses now established in the U.S., book publishing has become more accessible, even to the common citizen. The exciting field of self-publishing has seen similar growth. Even with the numerous tasks involved in the self-publishing process, more people are opting for this route because of the ability to be more in control of their publication's outcome. Self-publishing is not a new trend. As a matter of fact, it is an antiquity that has come back stronger than ever. Many of our early forefathers were self-publishers, to include: Alexander the Great, Cicero, Johann Gutenberg, Benjamin Franklin and William Bradford. When you think of book publishing, authors like John Grisham and Anne Rice might come to mind. Heavy hitting publishing houses like John Wiley & Sons, G.P. Putnam and Prentice Hall are among the competition that confronts the small and independent presses of today. But, don't forget about those books that made it to the best-seller status that were themselves self-published - "What color is Your Parachute?"; "Feed Me I'm Yours"; "Moosewood Cookbook"; "The One Minute Manager" and plenty others to join the ranks.

This series of articles will walk you through seven critical and often grueling steps toward getting yourself published. Helpful websites, books, associations, and more will be provided whenever necessary. The self-publishing process will be broken down for you into seven manageable steps that will be discussed in depth. These steps will include:

Step One: Manuscript Completion

Step Two: Book Id# Acquisition

Step Three: Book Pricing

Step Four: Book Production

Step Five: Book Promotion

Step Six: Book Distribution

Step Seven: Book Fulfillment

Keep in mind that many of these steps overlap and intertwine. That's the beauty (and the curse) of the book publishing business. In order for you to be a successful self-publisher, you need to be diligent, optimistic, pessimistic, and determined. This process can be a long and sometimes challenging path to follow, but it's worth the journey. What are you waiting for, take your first step toward getting that book of yours published!

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