How to write and sell your first self-published novel in 21 steps

How to write and sell your first self-published novel in 21 steps

My name is Zachary Delano Middleton I am a YA Fiction Author. I wrote Running After Delano and I am the owner of the publishing / life skills company called Grace to Cultivate LLC. (gracetocultivate.com) .

I want to share my process of writing and selling books as a self published novelist in 21 steps.

1. Believe that it’s even possible. — It’s easy to talk yourself out of writing a book. It’s generally a lengthy process that may require rewrites, saving money and a lot of advice from people that have not actually written books. Writing a book is a process not an event. A book is written one page at a time. It’s the first step and possibly the most important.
2. Write a business plan. — This seems like overkill. However, for certain self publishing services (especially in a digital economy) the money from the sales of a book is sent to the Business EIN number of the publisher. So it’s in the author’s best interest to consider the brand, business structure (ie. LLC, Sole proprietorship, etc.) and general sales strategy in the early stages.
3. Consider the business structure. — I found it helpful to get incorporated several months before my first book was completed. This way a person can have legitimate documentation when making their first sales. You can also start setting up your social media content. It’s worthwhile to vlog about the entire process.
4. Ponder your storytelling influences. — It’s helpful to look back at all of the forms of storytelling that have influenced you. I looked back at any memorable novels, radio dramas, sitcoms, movies, documentaries, etc. What was memorable about them? Why did they connect with me specifically? Often we can see the traces of our own styles when we examine the storytellers that have influenced us. Try to extrapolate the ingredients of their storytelling. This process allows us to be more fluid as authors write our new “recipes.”
5. Interact with books, podcasts and resources on how to write better. (ie. “craft” books, masterclass.com, etc.) There are many great resources that help a person become a better writer. My top five are 1. Reach out to a former English teacher or the writing center at your former or current school 2. Stein on Writing by Sol Stein 3. On Writing by Stephen King 4. masterclass.com membership (multiple writers) 5. Elements of Style by Stunk and White
6. Write a plot summary. — The elements of a plot summary are 1. Introduction 2. Rising Action 3. Climax 4. Falling Action 5. Resolution. This is the major storyline overview and helps you structure your outline. “5 Parts of a Plot in a Story” by Kristine Tucker expounds here — https://penandthepad.com/5-parts-plot-story-8394628.html
7. Write a book outline. — This is a more detailed plot summary. The outline is a detailed table of contents. It’s your book in the mini version.
8. Write your first chapter and then repeat until completion. — Your first draft is you “vomiting” your thoughts on a paper. I found it helpful to use legal pads and from there switch it to a digital word document.
9. Once your final draft is completed, read it. — The first time I didn’t look at grammar as much I read it for readability. Is it worth your reader’s time? Do you believe this is an accurate representation of what you hoped for in the beginning? Can you “live” with the words on the page for the next 10, 20 or 30 + years? Do you feel comfortable passing this on to your children?
10. Let your work “cool.” — There is no specific time. However, it’s helpful to have some time between when you write and when you proofread the work. Sol Stein expounds on this in his book Stein on Writing.
11. Return to the book and be the first one to proofread it. — You are editing for both the grammar and the “non-negotiables” or things that you have no desire to change.
12. Get your work proofread by a respected grammarian. (or more than one) — I would begin with your former English teachers, professionals or the writing center at the school in which you were connected. If you do not know any grammarians check out English professionals on upwork.com.
13. Create a book cover. — This step can be done personally on user friendly software like canva.com. However, I have found the hardest aspect of this process is structuring the appropriate spacing dimensions. If you would prefer to outsource this to a freelancer consider www.fiverr.com.
14. Get your book (typed pages) formatted to the size and specifications of your desired Print on Demand (POD) Service — As the name implies POD services allow your company the privilege of printing a book only when the customer is ready to buy. The strength of this type of partnership that the only major item needed for book sales is the website link for digital sales. No longer do self published authors have to lug books in the trunks of their cars. The major con is that you have to build customer relationships from zero. (Feel free to examine other companies. However, I found this company to be helpful during the evaluation process.(However, I have not used their services as of yet.) — Word-2-kindle.com)
15. Purchase an ISBN for your book (preferably a 10 pack bundle) — A ISBN is your book’s international standard book number. I would argue that this is the major factor that makes you or your company the primary publisher. At the time of writing this (February 2022) Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) does the heavy lifting on my book printing and distribution. (and takes a percentage of the royalties on book sold through their website in a non exclusive contract) However, I would argue that Grace to Cultivate LLC. is the publisher because of the purchase of the ISBN and the possession of the copyright. For more on ISBNs (The company that I purchased my ISBNs from were called www.bowker.com)
16. Final Book Review — Review all aspects of the book; grammar, formatting, book cover and any other paperwork connected to the structure of your book.
17. Submit your book for a copyright. — This is a way of protecting your work prior to selling the work. (For more information check out https://www.copyright.gov/ )
18. Submit your book to the self publishing company’s website. — There is wisdom in doing this step after the copyright. This is due to the fact the self publishing process can be done in less than 24 hours. I was asked to connect my LLC (EIN Number was requested) to the POD services website. Moreover, each ISBN number was its own book. (ie, a paperback is different from an e-book) This is the main step needed to make your book “official.”
19. Create a vodcast or a podcast that seeks to create value towards the target audience. — My target audience are parents, educators and students. As a result my podcast is the “Imagine Exposure Vodcast.” Like everything in our brand the goal of the show is helping the “next generation work smarter and not just harder.” We do this through a dynamic and diverse list of guests that help the students reverse engineer their goals through sharing their vocational story. Click here to check it out — https://www.pinterest.com/gracetocultivate/the-cultivate-countdown/ When deciding on your vod/podcast decide who is your target audience and use your platform to create value for them.
20. Connect your art to an industry or service. — As a YA Fiction author there is an obvious connection to schools, parent resources and youth programming. However, an authorpreneur has to examine if there is a way to create value for an established.
21. Get others to review your work. — As a self published author it’s always good to have someone else communicate the good quality of your work.This can be done through asking your friends, family and associates to review your books. This can also be done through respected Review sources like Kirkus Reviews. The cost is between $350 — $575. This can be pricey for some however, it’s a great conversation starter for librarians and industry professionals. I would also recommend using kickstarter.com or similar platform if it is not within your budget. Here is an example of my own Kirkus Review for Running After Delano. — https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/zachary-delano-middleton/running-after-delano/

Zachary Middleton (follow @zachdmiddleton on Twitter and or check out the Linktree link to explore other ways to support — https://linktr.ee/Gracetocultivate )