A Quick Guide to Publishing Your First Novel

Publishing your first novel may seem like a daunting task.

From editing your work to finding the right publisher, the process consists of several steps. While there is no specific methodology, because many different factors can come into play, here is the rundown of how you publish your novel:

Edit Your Work

Editing your novel is a way of preparing it for readers.

You must make sure that inconsistencies in the plot are resolved, any mistakes corrected, and sentences checked for readability.

Try and read your novel out loud.

This helps you notice any phrases that don’t fit and slow down your editing – making you more likely to catch mistakes. Don’t be afraid to make significant changes.

Follow your vision.

If you feel like a part of your novel needs rewriting, spend time on that. Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward.

That is what the editing process is about – presenting a complete work that has been parsed through for mistakes.

Write A Synopsis

Whether for your book cover, or the description section on a website, it is essential to have a synopsis prepared for your novel.

Make sure your summary covers the plot’s central theme and leaves room for the reader to want to find out more.

Therefore, do not reveal too much, and make sure that your synopsis leaves questions that potential readers will want answers to.

A synopsis shouldn’t be too long, mainly if it will be featured on the book cover. A website will have more space to have a longer description, so writing multiple can be helpful for future promotion

Get a Book Cover

There are many sources for book covers online.

Some websites will offer custom covers or premade covers you can choose from.

You can also use freelancing websites like Fiverr and Upwork to find artists. Hiring an artist can be done locally or online on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

Working with most of these sources gives you flexibility and experience with direct communication with the artist.

You can be sure you are playing safe with the popular templates on template websites. There are customization options as well. Therefore it is essential to decide how much one wishes to spend and which source to use for a book cover.

If you wish to make one yourself, free applications like Canva and Visme provide you with some templates or a blank canvas.

You will have to keep in mind the front cover, the spine, and the book’s back cover. The text, font, spacing, and alignment must be considered carefully.

Format Your Book

To publish your novel, you have to decide the dimensions of the pages and format your book accordingly.

The printing process is simple, as the work is already set to the correct width and height.

There are many online tools to help format your book, but general programs like Word can also be used if you have the proper knowledge.

Make sure your chapters are spaced out appropriately and titled or numbered. Include page numbers and either the chapter name or the book name at the top of each page.

You can also leave it blank.

Structure your novel in the final format – with the name in the beginning, the publishing details, the chapters, a foreword, etc. After the book, you can put an acknowledgments page and potentially have citations if your work uses any.

Make sure that the page’s height and width are known, and the file is formatted accordingly. The book cover will also be a part of this final format, so make sure the dimensions match the page printed on or displayed on.

Choose Your Publishing Platform – Self Publishing

This would be the most critical step for most authors.

In some cases, it is also the most difficult.

How do you know if self-publishing is right for you with so many options to choose from? Well, it depends on what your specific publishing goals are.

As mentioned earlier, I wanted the freedom that comes with self-publishing. Since I want to release my books as I write them and do not enjoy social media, it makes sense not to use a traditional publisher.

However, your goals might be different.

Here are some of the most popular self-publishing sites:

KDP or Kindle Direct Publishing allows writers to publish their work quickly for a cut of the sales. At the time of this writing, and I don’t expect this number to change, the amount is 35% or 60%, depending on whether you are using VAT (value-added tax) and the price sold. They also offer printing services for hardcover and paperback.

The benefit of this site is that it is owned by Amazon, which has the most extensive reach out of all sites on this list. You can also enroll in their exclusivity contract, allowing you to better position and promote your work. There are also expanded distribution options, which will help you get into bookstores or libraries.

Barnes and Noble Press. The royalty share here is 40% to 65%, depending on the book’s price. B&N press also partners with third parties, such as 99designs, for book cover designs and other platforms.

Kobo. Here, the royalty rate is 70% on books priced more than $2.99 in the U.S. OR 45% for books priced below $2.99. While it might be a little higher, it does not have as high a reach as these two. However, you might want to consider if you are more concerned with higher royalty or reaching more customers.

There are many other self-publishing sites or platforms, but these are the top three. Other sites may not have as much reach as these do, or they might require upfront payments. 

Be wary of the contracts you sign and the legal agreements you get into. You do not want to lose ownership of your work.

Choosing Your Publishing Platform – Traditional Publishing

Another way to publish is the more traditional way, with a publishing house. There are three types of conventional publishing routes:

• Vanity Press: This is sometimes lumped in with self-publishing because you are essentially paying the press to handle most, if not all, of the aspects of book creation. Some houses will even ghostwrite your novel for you.

• Small Press: This is a smaller traditional publishing company than the larger, more established publishing house. If ever, they rarely require any upfront costs, which is the most significant distinction between them and vanity presses. They will pay you for your book outright (which often gives them exclusive rights) or give you an advance with royalties, or just royalties.

• ·Established Publishing House: Often limited to the “Big Five” (Penguin/Random House, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, and Macmillan), these companies are considered every writer’s dream. If you sign with them, or one of their imprints, you are guaranteed sales and marketing know-how. However, that is not always the case. I have known plenty of authors who have signed with one of these established companies and did not see a significant return on their books.

You need to partner with a literary agent to get one of the more established publishers or some small pressers.  The agent’s job is to represent you and your work at one of the publishing companies, and should they decide to take you on, the agent will negotiate your advance, marketing package, etc.

Consider that literary agents will expect a percentage of your book sales, and some might even ask for upfront costs.

Choosing where and how to publish your novel is the most crucial part of ensuring that your book is on bookshelves or listed on websites.

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