Self Publishing

Finalize with the manuscript. Give it your best input (after submission you will not be able to have additional content other than what the editors request for). If you need help putting your manuscript together, join a writing class.

This is the bulk of the work because you want an editor to comprehensively look at your book’s flow, grammar, sentence structure, paragraphing, redundancy etc. At this point, you will have back and forth with your project manager and the editor on emails, phone calls, chats and convened meetings. This stage can take up to six months. Then you will have the final manuscript which you will commission to the design stage.

As the design phase continues, have an independent proofreader go through the edited manuscript to ensure the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted. This is where a graphic designer does the cover and inside text layout to suit your target readers.

The International Standard Book Number is a numeric commercial book identifier which is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency – in Kenya, the agency is KNLS. An ISBN is assigned to each separate edition and variation of a publication. No. of digits: 13 (formerly 10) Check digit: Weighted sum Example: 978-3-16-148410-0

Have a second proofreader go through the designed manuscript to ensure the text is flowing well and that the font types, sizes and line spacing are appealing to the eye. Changes can further be made at this stage towards perfection then you commission the final files to printing phase. You should aim at getting above 95% perfection of the book that meets international standards.

You can do print-on-demand (i.e flat rate irrespective of copies you order per time) or do bulk printing through offset printing that guarantees you a lower cost per unit for more copies ordered.

Copyright law makes it easier for authors to make money selling their books by preventing bookstores from buying one copy of a book, making copies of the book, and then selling the copies to their customers.

You should now price the book at this stage and plan on a launch whether virtual, convened or media coverage.

Develop a strategy for your distribution. Display in bookshops is for visibility and distribution and not necessarily for sales. You must develop a marketing strategy to drive the traffic to the bookshops

Join Authors Clubs and any other support groups to get help with marketing strategy. This should include help and training in setting up your book on social media platforms, book program launch, ebook selling on Amazon, ekitabu, snapplify and the likes as well as countrywide distribution through ecommerce platforms like Jumia.

Once you have set up your book on all the right platforms, here’s how to start generating traffic. 1. Blog and Podcast interviews 2. Your own Blog and Podcast 3. YouTubbe Channel 4. Join Support Groups online (Facebook reader groups are also working very well for many authors) 5. Join local clubs for authors and readers alike. TBC have one that’s very good 6. Utilize Digital Marketing, both on free platforms as well as paid campaigns 7. Use your mailing list to send informational content to your readers 8. Collaborate with other authors – combining one book content with another is becoming the way to go. But the winner of it all is Turn your book into a program

Book sales alone will not gain you the mileage you need. You will be disappointed. We buy T.D Jake’s or Myles Monroe’s or the likes books, not only because they have written the books well but because they also have other programs we follow or know them from. They have earned our trust in one way or another, so we get comfortable to read their content. You need to turn your book into a program. If you organize a workshop and have a registration fee (or not), most of the people attending will connect to you faster and are likely to buy your book as opposed to if they found it in a bookshop and you are a random guy (or lady). Some of the ideas include: 1. Workshops and Conferences 2. Self-Study online courses 3. Live Coaching programs 4. Paid Webinars, Online Conferences, Seminars 5. Speaking Engagements. These are very cost effective ways that will enable you reach the global market right from your house or office.