Self-Publishing a Book: Complete Step-by-Step Guide for First-Time Authors

You've written the book. Now you need to publish it. Self-publishing sounds complicated, but the process breaks down into 10 clear steps — and you can go from finished manuscript to a live book listing in under a week. Here's how.

This guide assumes your manuscript is complete. If you're still writing, save this and come back when you're done — the publishing process is much easier to execute cleanly once you have a final draft.

Step 1: Complete a Professional Edit

Before you publish, your book needs to be edited. Professional editing has three layers — and you need at least two of them.

Developmental Editing (Big Picture)

Reviews your manuscript's structure: does the argument hold, does the plot work, are characters consistent, does the pacing feel right? For non-fiction, this is almost always worth the investment. For fiction, it depends on your writing experience. A first-time novelist benefits more from developmental editing than an experienced writer working in their fourth genre.

Cost: $0.03–$0.08 per word for a 60,000-word manuscript = $1,800–$4,800 for a full pass.

Line Editing (Sentence Level)

Focuses on prose quality: clarity, flow, voice, word choice. After developmental editing smooths the structure, line editing polishes the execution. Many editors bundle developmental + line editing at a discount.

Cost: $0.05–$0.15 per word = $600–$1,800 for a 60,000-word manuscript.

Copy Editing (Mechanics)

Catches grammar errors, typos, punctuation mistakes, factual inconsistencies. This is the minimum editing standard — a clean copy edit is non-negotiable if you want professional reviews. You can do a first pass yourself with tools like ProWritingAid ($0/month for basic tier), then hire a human copy editor for $300–$900 to catch what software misses.

Minimum editing standard for a first book: Professional copy edit ($300–$900). If you skip everything else, don't skip this.

Step 2: Format Your Manuscript for Publishing

Formatting is invisible when it's done right — and glaring when it's done wrong. Your book needs formatting for two outputs:

eBook Formatting

For digital books, use Kindle Create (free from Amazon) or hire formatting for $50–$150 via Reedsy. Kindle Create handles most standard books automatically; it gets tricky if you have complex formatting (footnotes, tables, sidebars, images with captions).

If your book has any of those, test the conversion on a free Kindle app before publishing. If footnotes break, if images pixelate, if tables collapse — fix these before going live.

Print Formatting

Print interiors require specific page layouts matching your trim size (page dimensions). The standard for most non-fiction and fiction is 6" x 9". Download the correct KDP template for your trim size and use it — it has pre-configured margins, headers, footers, and chapter page breaks.

If you're formatting yourself: set margins to at least 0.75" on all sides, use a serif font at 11–12pt for body text, and never use justified text (it creates ugly rivers in print).

Vellum ($50/month or $390 one-time for Mac) is the industry standard for indie print formatting. Worth it if you're publishing a series or doing multiple books.

Step 3: Design a Professional Book Cover

Your cover is your single most important marketing asset. Here's the hierarchy:

Pre-made covers ($50–$200)

Professionally designed, genre-specific templates with customizable title/author text. Services like BookCoverCreations (bookcovercreations.com) or Reedsy's marketplace offer these. Browse designs in your genre, pick one you like, brief the designer on your title/author. Turnaround: 3–7 days. Best value for most first-time self-publishers.

Custom covers ($200–$1,500)

Designed specifically for your book. Platforms like Reedsy and 99designs let you run a design contest or hire a specific designer. You get a cover that's built around your specific content and optimized for your genre. Worth it if you're spending money marketing the book, or if your genre has distinctive visual conventions.

Cover checklist before you publish:

• Reads clearly at thumbnail size (100px wide) — this is how most readers see it first
• Correct genre signals — fantasy readers expect certain visual cues, business readers expect clean and professional
• Title and author name legible
• Print paperback covers include spine with correct width matching page count
• Back cover description included (for print)

See our full book cover design guide for what to look for in a cover and how to brief a designer.

Step 4: Get an ISBN (or Don't)

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is your book's unique identifier. Here's the choice:

Use Amazon's Free ISBN

KDP provides a free ISBN when you publish. Your book shows up as published by "Amazon Publishing" or "KDP". Fine for eBook-only authors selling on Amazon. The downside: some libraries, bookstores, and distributors prefer to see a publisher-of-record that isn't the retailer.

Buy Your Own ISBN ($125 for one, $295 for ten from Bowker)

You own the metadata, your publisher-of-record is your author name or imprint. Required if you're distributing through IngramSpark (which is required if you want bookstore and library distribution). Optional if you're eBook-only on Amazon.

For most first-time self-publishers: start with Amazon's free ISBN. You can switch to your own ISBN later if you need wide distribution.

Step 5: Choose Your Publishing Platforms

You have three main distribution options:

Amazon KDP (Required for Most Authors)

Amazon accounts for roughly 50–80% of self-published book sales in the US. Not publishing on Amazon means leaving the majority of the market on the table. Set up a free KDP account at kdp.amazon.com and publish your eBook and/or paperback there.

Wide Distribution (IngramSpark + Draft2Digital)

IngramSpark distributes to bookstores, libraries, and indie retailers — channels Amazon doesn't reach well. Draft2Digital automates distribution to Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and others. Both require a separate account from KDP.

Going "wide" (distributing everywhere) vs. "KDP Select" (exclusivity to Amazon) is a major strategic decision. See our full royalty comparison to decide what's right for you.

Direct Sales (Author's Loft or your own website)

Selling directly to your readers means zero marketplace fees. You keep 85–100% of revenue instead of 35–70%. This works best when you have an existing audience — email list subscribers, social followers, podcast listeners. They already know you; redirect them to your direct store and earn more per book.

A common hybrid strategy: publish wide on KDP (for discovery) + sell direct on Author's Loft (for revenue from your own audience).

Step 6: Upload Your Book and Set Metadata

This is the operational step. Log into your chosen platform, upload your manuscript, upload your cover, fill in the metadata fields.

Metadata fields that matter most:

• Title + subtitle: Exactly as you want it to appear — including subtitle
• Author name: This appears in search results. Be consistent across all platforms.
• Book description: Your sales copy. Lead with what the reader gets, not what the book is about. Format with HTML (bold, line breaks).
• Keywords (7 fields): Search terms your ideal reader would type. Specific > generic. Think phrases, not single words.
• Categories: Two categories determine your competition set and ranking dynamics. Choose accurately.
• Age/grade range: Set accurately. Amazon penalizes misleading settings.

The 70% Royalty Requirement (for eBooks)

To earn 70% royalty on Amazon eBooks, price between $2.99 and $9.99 and ensure you're distributing in the correct territories. Outside that range, you default to 35%.

Step 7: Set Your Pricing

Pricing signals quality and affects your royalty per sale. Here's the common range:

Use each platform's pricing calculator to understand net royalty before setting your price. The calculator shows you exactly what you earn per unit — useful for comparing KDP vs. wide distribution.

Use the royalty calculator to set your price based on your break-even goal →

Step 8: Preview, Review, and Publish

Before you go live, use every preview tool available:

• KDP's eBook previewer: Opens your manuscript in a simulated Kindle interface — see exactly how it looks on a screen
• Print preview: KDP shows a 3D book mockup with spine, cover, and back
• "Look Inside" preview: Ensure your interior content is what you want readers to sample

Once you're satisfied, hit publish. Your book enters the review queue — typically 24–72 hours for a first book. You can update content after publishing, so don't overthink this. Just get it live and start gathering real-world feedback.

Step 9: Build Your First Reviews

Reviews are the social proof that converts browsers to buyers. Here's how to get them without violating Amazon's terms:

• Email your existing list: If you have an email list (even 50 people), send them a direct link to the book. Ask them to leave an honest review.
• Book bloggers: Reach out to bloggers in your niche. Many review indie books for free in exchange for a copy. Search for "[your genre] book blog" or find lists on sites like BookSirens, Storyorigin, or NetGalley-equivalent platforms.
• Goodreads: List your book on Goodreads and engage with the community. Readers on Goodreads are active reviewers.
• ARC readers: Build a list of advance review copy readers for your next book. These are readers who commit to leaving a review in exchange for a free copy.

What not to do: Don't buy reviews, don't trade reviews with other authors (the review swap networks are detectable and violate Amazon's terms), don't offer to write reviews yourself under different accounts. Amazon's algorithm is sophisticated about detecting manipulation — the risk isn't worth it.

Step 10: Set Up a Marketing Foundation for Your Next Launch

Your first book is not the goal — it's the foundation. Here's what to set up now so book two is easier:

Capture reader emails

Add an email list signup to your book (an URL at the end, a link in the backmatter). Even if you only get 50 emails from your first book, that's an audience you own. When book two comes out, those 50 people are your launch team.

Author's Loft membership includes email capture tools and a reader management system — making it easy to build your list while selling direct.

Set up your author website

Your website is your home base. Even a simple one-page site with your book, your author bio, and an email signup is enough. Direct readers from Amazon to your website, where you can capture them for future launches.

Plan your content marketing

If you have a non-fiction book, write blog posts targeting related keywords. If you have fiction, create short content related to your book world. This content compounds — a blog post written in month one can drive organic traffic for years.

Build your Amazon author page

Complete your KDP author page: author photo, bio, your other books, blog link. Readers who liked your book visit your author page; make it a good experience.

The Self-Publishing Checklist

Here's the summary checklist for self-publishing your first book:

1. Finish and edit your manuscript
2. Format manuscript for eBook and print
3. Design or commission a professional cover
4. Decide on ISBN (free via KDP or buy your own)
5. Choose your distribution platforms
6. Upload manuscript, cover, and metadata
7. Set your price using royalty calculators
8. Preview and hit publish
9. Gather your first reviews via email, bloggers, and social
10. Build your author platform and email list

The process is not complicated. It requires attention to detail and willingness to invest in the pieces that determine quality (editing, cover). The authors who succeed in self-publishing treat it as a craft — they invest in production quality, they build their audience before they launch, and they measure progress in years, not weeks.

See how Author's Loft supports indie authors with direct sales and reader management →

Download the free book promotion guide — includes launch checklist and marketing tactics →