Speaker 1: 0:50

One of the most persistent myths about self-publishing is that you have to do everything by yourself, and nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I believe that trying to handle every aspect of publishing yourself is just a recipe for disappointing results and burnout. Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilbo and I'm here to help you write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming, so each week, I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you. So pick up a pen and let's get started.

Speaker 1: 1:37

In today's episode, we're going to talk through 10 steps to self-publishing your novel, and whether you already know you want to self-publish or if maybe you're not sure which publishing path is right for you. Either way, this episode is for you. I'm going to give you a complete blueprint that will help you take your finished manuscript and turn it into a polished and published novel. But before we get into what those 10 steps are and what the blueprint looks like we have to talk about the elephant in the room. Many first-time authors drastically underestimate how many decisions they'll need to make when it comes to self-publishing their novel From file formats to pricing strategies, from cover design to metadata optimization and all the things in between and each one of these choices will impact your book's potential success in the marketplace. So, if you are planning to self-publish your novel, or if you're thinking about self-publishing your novel, you need to know that this path is going to require a lot of strategic thinking as well as a lot of careful planning, and because of this, it's easy to get stressed out and overwhelmed. I've seen it happen to a lot of first-time authors, which is one of the main reasons why I wanted to tackle this topic today. So, again, I'm going to break down the entire self-publishing process into 10 steps. We're going to start with the essential mindset shift that every author needs to make. We'll then explore how to build your publishing team, discuss the critical importance of professional editing, and I'm even going to share some of the strategies that have helped my clients and students successfully publish books that not only look professional but actually reach their target readers and generate consistent sales as well. So, whether you're putting the finishing touches on your manuscript or you've been sitting on a completed draft wondering what the heck to do next.

Speaker 1: 3:21

Today's episode will give you the clear roadmap you need to confidently bring your book into the world. So let's dive in, starting with step number one, and that is to cultivate a publisher's mindset. So, before you take a single step toward publishing your book, you need to embrace a really important shift in how you think about yourself and your work, and that's because you're no longer just a writer, you're also becoming a publisher as well. I know this might sound obvious, but it's this first step and this mindset shift that is really going to lay a nice foundation for everything that follows. It's also something that many first-time writers overlook so many first-time writers. They will approach self-publishing as simply an extension of writing, but it's an entirely different endeavor that requires new skills, perspectives and decisions. So this kind of professional publisher mindset really just means viewing your book as both an artistic creation and a product that's going to be in the marketplace, and while traditional publishers can separate these functions across different departments, as a self-published author, you need to wear both of these hats simultaneously. Now, this doesn't mean compromising your artistic vision in any way. It just means giving your story the professional treatment it deserves.

Speaker 1: 4:37

So let's take a look at what this kind of publisher's mindset might look like. Number one it looks like treating your book as a business investment. So you need to understand the costs, the returns on those costs and the strategic decisions that you're going to be facing and have to make along the way. Number two it means thinking about your readers as customers, so considering their needs and experiences at every stage of the publishing and marketing journey. Number three it means making decisions based on industry standards and your own market research, so not always just personal preferences, although of course, you can do whatever you want. It is your book.

Speaker 1: 5:14

But you know, if you want to have a career as a successfully published author, then you will need to kind of look outside of your own personal preferences. Number four it means seeing your book as a part of a larger author career, so not just a one time creative project. And then, number five it means taking ownership of the quality of your book at every single stage. So no cutting corners or settling for something that's good enough, right, we want to take ownership of quality at every stage. So that's kind of what this publisher's mindset looks like and some of the most common self-publishing pitfalls. So things like having an amateurish cover, poor editing or ineffective marketing things like that. They almost always stem from approaching the publishing journey as just trying to get the book out there as fast as possible and just kind of getting it off their plate, instead of taking the time, care and attention to launch a professional product.

Speaker 1: 6:07

Now a little pro tip from me start your publishing journey by creating a simple business plan for your book that includes things like your goals, your budget, timeline and target audience. Even if you don't have all of the answers just yet, you can continue to fill this out as you go and as you make decisions, and the goal is for this document to really become like your North Star. So not only will it be a quick reference for you, but it will also help you make difficult decisions throughout the entire publishing process as well. And the cool thing is is that you can start that at any time, even as you're working on your first draft, all right. So that is step one to cultivate a publisher's mindset. And with this publisher mindset firmly in place, you're ready to begin assembling the team that will help you bring your vision to life. So that's step two. You want to build your self-publishing team. You bring your vision to life, so that's step two. You want to build your self-publishing team.

Speaker 1: 6:59

One of the most persistent myths about self-publishing is that you have to do everything by yourself, and nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I believe that trying to handle every aspect of publishing yourself is just a recipe for disappointing results and burnout. If you look at some of the most successful self-published authors, you'll see that they've built a team of professionals who elevate their book far beyond what they could accomplish alone. So, to piggyback off of what we just talked about around cultivating a publisher's mindset, what I want you to do is think of yourself as the CEO of your book project. So you're responsible for the final decisions and the overall vision.

Speaker 1: 7:34

But you can rely on specialists for their expertise in certain areas and, like any good CEO, your first task is going to be assembling the right people to help you execute your vision a developmental editor who can help you strengthen your story structure, character development and overall narrative. If your manuscript still needs this kind of big picture work, it could include a line editor and or a copy editor, who can help you polish your prose, correct grammar, spelling and inconsistency issues. It can include a proofreader who catches those final typos and formatting issues before publication. It could include a cover designer to help you create a professional and genre-appropriate cover that will attract your target readers. Your team could include an interior formatter, who ensures your book looks professional on the page and functions properly as an ebook. If you want to create an audiobook, you might need an audiobook narrator and or a producer. And then, finally, your team could also include someone that's a marketing consultant or contractor, so someone to help develop strategies for reaching your target readers, whether that's through email, facebook ads, social media, getting in catalogs, going to book fairs, whatever that looks like. So, again, these are all potential roles that you could fill on your self-publishing team.

Speaker 1: 8:54

Not every author is going to need every team member and your specific needs are going to depend on your skills, your budget and your goals. The key here is honest self-assessment. So where do you need professional help to ensure that your book meets industry standards? That's where you want to start. Now a little pro tip from me start building relationships with your potential team members before you need them, so you can do this by joining writing communities where professionals hang out, follow service providers on social media or get on their email list and even collect recommendations from other authors. And this is important because the best and most high-quality professionals will often have waiting lists. So planning ahead and getting on their radar ahead of time is really important. All right, so that is step number two to start building out your self-publishing team.

Speaker 1: 9:44

Now, with your publishing mindset established and your team beginning to take shape, it's time to focus on one of the most important aspects of your book's success, and this is ensuring the manuscript itself is truly ready for the prime time. So step number three is to finalize your manuscript with professional editing. Now. Even if you've already worked with beta readers, revised your manuscript extensively and feel confident about its quality, professional editing remains an essential investment for self-published authors. This step is going to ensure the foundation of your book. Its actual content is structured, sound and polished. And again, this is really important because, no matter how skilled you are as a writer or how thoroughly you've self-edited, you're never going to catch all the issues in your own work. It's just a fact of life. Try as hard as we might, we are never going to catch all the issues in our own work, and this is where professional editors come in. Professional editors bring both technical expertise and objective distance to your manuscript. So they're going to see what you can't because you're too close to the work, and this fresh perspective is invaluable in terms of taking your book from good to great.

Speaker 1: 10:52

Now, depending on where you are in the revision process, you might need different levels of editing. I have a whole episode on this topic. It's episode number 83. It's called what Kind of Editor Do you Need for your Book? I will link to that in the show notes. But to give you a quick overview, a developmental editor is someone who's going to help you focus on the big picture of your story. So does it work? Will on the big picture of your story? So does it work? Will it satisfy readers and are you delivering on the requirements of your story genre? A line editor is someone who will focus on the craft and flow of your writing at the sentence level. A copy editor is someone who will address technical issues like spelling, grammar, punctuation and consistency, and then a proofreader will provide that final quality check to catch any remaining errors. So again, just a very high level overview. If you want to go deeper into this, go check out episode number 83, which I will link to in the show notes.

Speaker 1: 11:44

Now, many first-time authors make the mistake of skipping professional editing to save money, only to receive negative reviews highlighting the very issues editors would have caught. I see this happen all the time and it makes me so sad. What's important to remember is that readers don't give you a pass on quality just because you're self-published. They're going to compare your book to everything else they read, including traditionally published books. So again, my two cents you definitely don't want to skip this part. Now a little pro tip for me to get the most value from professional editing, you want to prepare your manuscript thoroughly first, so do as many self-editing passes as possible and or enlist the help of trusted beta readers before hiring a professional. This will allow the editor that you do hire to focus more on the subtle issues present rather than the obvious problems that you could have fixed yourself. All right, so that is step number three. Finalize your manuscript with professional editing. And while your manuscript is being polished to perfection, there's another parallel process that you should be starting, one that many authors unfortunately leave until after publication, and that parallel process is step number four, which is to start building your author platform.

Speaker 1: 12:58

An author platform really just encompasses your ability to reach your readers directly, so it's the collection of channels and relationships that allow you to connect with your audience without any intermediaries. And while it might seem a little early to think about your platform before your book is published, the truth is that building an effective platform takes time, which is why I recommend starting now, while other aspects of your book are being developed, because here's the truth your author platform isn't just a marketing tool. It's the foundation of a sustainable self-publishing career. The most successful self-published authors don't just release books into the void and hope they sell. They build direct connections with readers who will buy not just their current book, but future books as well, and this direct relationship with your readers is your most valuable asset as an author.

Speaker 1: 13:49

So what are some key components of an author platform? Well, number one is your author website. So this is your digital home base where readers can learn about you and your books. It could include your email list, so how you directly communicate with your subscribers anyone who's bought your books interested in buying your future books, whatever it is. This could mean having a presence on social media. If you choose to be on social media, this could look like content creation, so getting yourself and your book out there by writing blog posts, appearing on podcasts, creating videos or any other kind of content that allows readers to get to know you and your books a little bit more. If you do any kind of speaking or events, so in-person or virtual opportunities to connect with your readers and it could even include things like relationships with the media or any kind of influencers. So bloggers, podcasters you know people like that who speak to your target reader.

Speaker 1: 14:39

If you want to go deeper into this topic, I will link to episode number 106 in the show notes. That episode's called Five Steps to Building your Author Platform and that episode goes into a lot more detail about the kinds of things you can include on your author platform, where I recommend starting and things like that. All right, now, don't feel pressured to have all of these things I just mentioned, and definitely don't feel pressured to establish all of these things at once. I recommend starting with the foundations, so a simple author website and an email list at bare minimum. If you want to get a little fancier, maybe that looks like including a social media platform you enjoy or that you're already on. You know something like that and then build from there.

Speaker 1: 15:21

I will always suggest focusing on depth over breadth in your platform building efforts. So, for example, one social media platform where you regularly engage with readers is going to be far more valuable than being on five platforms that you don't like and rarely update. So choose where to invest your time, based on where your target readers actually gather and based on what you enjoy doing as well, and remember that platform building runs parallel to your other publishing tasks and continues long after your book is published. Also, remember that consistency matters more than immediate results, so hang in there and aim for progress over perfection. Now, as you begin establishing your author platform which, remember, that is step four there's one component that deserves special attention, and it's an element that's so powerful and so valuable that it warrants its own step in our 10-step blueprint.

Speaker 1: 16:11

So step five is to start growing your email list. It's the single most valuable asset that you can build as an author, far outweighing social media followers or website traffic in terms of actual book sales and career stability. Why is that? Well, it's because your email list is the only platform that you truly own and control. I'll say that one more time because it's so important. Your email list is the only platform you truly own and truly control Social media algorithms change, platforms come and go, but your direct connection to readers through email remains constant. Also, when someone joins your email list, they are literally inviting you into their inbox. They are giving you permission to email them, and this is a privilege that comes with unparalleled opportunity for meaningful connection. So if that is not enough reason to start building your email list, here are some additional reasons why you should start doing this now, well before your book is published. Number one, you can start building anticipation for your upcoming release. Number two, you'll have an audience ready to buy, review and recommend your book when you do launch it. Number three, you'll establish relationships with readers that extend beyond one single book. And number four, you'll create a foundation for sustainable book sales, independent of algorithms.

Speaker 1: 17:31

Now, in case you're wondering, starting an email list is technically pretty simple. All you need to do is sign up with a provider like MailerLite, kit or MailChimp. There are a bunch of email service providers out there. I go into this in more detail in episode number 107. That's called Email List Building Essentials for Authors. I will link to that episode in the show notes. But, like I said, starting an email list is technically pretty simple. The challenging part is going to be showing up consistently and communicating with your subscribers on a consistent basis. So, again, I go into more detail about this in episode number 107, but please don't let this step intimidate you. It doesn't have to be as hard as a lot of people make it out to be.

Speaker 1: 18:13

Now a little pro tip from me, if you haven't already create some kind of compelling reader magnet. If you've never heard this term before, it's essentially a free piece of content related to your book that entices people to join your email list. This could be something like a prequel short story, a character interview, a deleted scene or even the first few chapters of your upcoming book. No matter what you come up with, you want to make it substantial enough and interesting enough that readers feel like they've received real value in exchange for their email list. In episode number 107, I also have a few additional ideas of what you can do for your reader magnet. If you're not sure where to start with that, all right now.

Speaker 1: 18:53

Like platform building, list growth is a gradual process that is ideally happening alongside your other publishing tasks. So start small, focus on quality subscribers who genuinely connect with your work, and be patient with the process. It's not going to happen overnight, but once you get to the stage of actually publishing and marketing your book, you will be so glad that you started these efforts ahead of time. All right, so that is step five. Start growing your email list. And now, with your audience building efforts underway, it's time to shift focus to the visual and design elements that will make your book stand out in a crowded marketplace. So step number six is to create a professional book cover and interior design.

Speaker 1: 19:33

Now, I know we've all heard the advice don't judge a book by its cover, but the reality is that everybody does exactly that, especially in the digital marketplace, where your cover is often reduced to a tiny thumbnail that's competing with countless other tiny thumbnails. So I think it goes without saying that a professional book cover is really, really important. And a professional cover doesn't just make your book look good. It communicates important information to your potential readers in an instant, so it can give them insight into things like what genre your book belongs to. The tone and emotional experience that readers can expect from your book, the level of professionalism they'll find inside, and even whether this book is for them or not. And one of the most common mistakes self-published authors make is underestimating the importance of a professional cover design. An amateur cover doesn't just look unprofessional, it actively signals to potential readers that the content inside might be equally amateur, which, after pouring so much blood, sweat and tears into your book, that's not something you want right Now. A little pro tip from me If you're not really sure what you want your cover to look like or where to start, go research best-selling covers in your specific sub-genre before hiring a designer.

Speaker 1: 20:46

Look for patterns and color schemes, typography, imagery and the overall feel. These patterns exist because they signal to readers what kind of book they're getting. In an ideal world, your cover would be unique while still clearly belonging to your genre's visual language. Alright, now, in terms of budgeting for your book, I do recommend prioritizing your cover design investment. At the time of this recording a professional cover typically costs anywhere from $300 to $3,000. So there is definitely a wide range of pricing and investment options there, but the return on investment through your increased visibility and sales makes this one of the wisest investments in your publishing journey. So just my two cents on that.

Speaker 1: 21:29

Now, the same principles apply to interior formatting, though to a lesser degree. A well-formatted book interior enhances the reading experience, while poor formatting creates friction and frustration for readers. If you want more information on book covers and book interiors, go check out episode number 163. That one's called how to Find and Work with a Book Cover Designer, and I will link to that in the show notes as well. All right, so that is step number six create a professional book cover and interior design.

Speaker 1: 21:59

And so now, with your book's content polished and its visual presentation professionally designed, it's time to make important decisions about how and where readers will be able to find and purchase your novel. Which brings us to step number seven choose your self-publishing platforms and distribution channels. Now, this step represents a key decision point that will significantly impact your book's reach, your income potential and your marketing strategy. But a lot of authors make this choice without fully understanding the implications of different distribution approaches. What's most important to know is that the platforms you choose determine not just where your book is sold, but how you're going to market it and what business model you're going to follow.

Speaker 1: 22:39

And there are two primary approaches to self-publishing distribution. The first one is exclusive distribution, and this approach makes your ebook available exclusively through Amazon. It enrolls you in Kindle Unlimited, where your subscribers can read your book for free and you're paid per page read. It will provide additional promotional tools like countdown deals and free book promotions, but it does require 90-day commitment periods. So that's option one. Definitely some pros and cons in there, depending on your goals.

Speaker 1: 23:09

Option two is wide distribution, so this makes your book available across multiple retailers like Amazon, apple Books, barnes, noble, kobo, etc. This helps you reach readers worldwide who prefer platforms other than just Amazon. This option allows direct sales through your website or other platforms that make that possible, and it provides more stability through diversified income streams. However, this option will require more complex management or the use of aggregators like Draft2Digital. So that's option number two. Again, there are pros and cons with that option as well.

Speaker 1: 23:42

Now, like I said, neither approach is superior. The right choice will depend on your specific genre, your goals and your marketing strengths. For example, there are a lot of authors in certain genres like romance, thriller, science fiction that find exclusive distribution through Amazon highly profitable due to Kindle Unlimited readers. On the flip side, there are authors in other genres or who have strong direct platforms that will often earn more money through wide distribution. So, again, it comes down to your genre, your goals and your marketing strengths. For most authors, amazon is the logical starting point, given its market dominance, but don't lock yourself into exclusivity without understanding what you're giving up Now. That being said, this decision doesn't have to be permanent. Many authors switch strategies as their career evolves, or they experiment with different approaches for different books in their catalog. All right, so that is step number seven choose your self-publishing platforms and distribution channels. Step number eight is to develop your book's metadata and marketing copy. So now that you've chosen your publishing platforms, it's time to make sure readers can actually find your book in a sea of millions In the digital book marketplace.

Speaker 1: 24:53

Your book's metadata is as important as its content when it comes to discoverability. In case you've never heard this term before, metadata includes all the information that describes your book to retailers and readers alike. So the title, the subtitle, description, keywords, categories and things like that and well-crafted metadata helps the right readers find your book, while poor metadata leaves it invisible, regardless of quality. Now what's important to know is that each element of your metadata serves a specific function. So the title and subtitle are there to catch attention and signal to the reader the book's genre and or its content. The description or blurb is there to entice readers to buy through that compelling marketing copy. The keywords are there to help your book appear in relevant searches. The categories exist to place your book where browsing readers can find it, and your author bio establishes your credibility and your connection with readers.

Speaker 1: 25:49

Now, the most important principles for effective metadata are relevance and specificity. You want your book to appear in searches and categories where it truly belongs and will satisfy readers' expectations. Misleading metadata might generate initial clicks but will inevitably lead to disappointed readers and poor reviews. So just something to keep in mind. Now a little pro tip from me. I always think it's a valuable exercise to study the descriptions and keywords of best-selling books in your genre and your sub-genre. Take note of the specific language they use, the way they structure their blurbs and the emotional triggers they employ. This research will be invaluable in crafting metadata that resonates with your target readers and gets your book in front of those target readers as well.

Speaker 1: 26:35

All right, so that is step number eight develop your book's metadata and marketing copy.

Speaker 1: 26:39

Step number nine is to set your pricing strategy. Now. Pricing your book effectively requires balancing multiple factors perceived value, market positioning, reader expectations and your own revenue goals. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this, but there are principles that can guide you toward the optimal price point for your specific book. Something to keep in mind, though, is that your book's price is not just about revenue. It's a marketing tool that signals quality and positions your work in the market.

Speaker 1: 27:09

With that being said, some key factors that should influence your pricing decision include things like genre norms, so different genres have different price expectations. Your book length also factors into it, so longer books sometimes command higher prices. You'll also want to think about series position, so if it's the first book in a series, those are often priced lower as entry points. You'll also want to think about the format of your book, so different formats whether it's ebook, paperback, hardcover or audio all have different pricing standards. You want to think about your launch strategy, so new releases might warrant special pricing or some kind of special promotion, since you're launching your book out into the world. And then, of course, consider your overall goals. So is your goal to make money with this book, or is it more about reader acquisition? And this one's important, because sometimes it makes more sense to go out as a first-time author targeting reader acquisition versus targeting making a bunch of money with your first book. So just something to keep in mind.

Speaker 1: 28:06

Now a little pro tip from me I always advise to plan your pricing strategy with flexibility in mind. So consider different price points for different seasons of your book. For example, you might have launch pricing where the goal is to generate early sales and early momentum. Then you might shift into having regular pricing, which is your standard price point for your book. Then there might come a time where you have promotional pricing for special occasions or marketing pushes or things like that. If you're writing a series, you might have different prices for different books in the series and things like that. All right, so that is step number nine. You want to set your pricing strategy.

Speaker 1: 28:41

Step number 10 is to secure your brand assets. As you approach publication, it's key to ensure that your author brand is consistently represented across all platforms and all touch points with your readers. Your brand assets are the visual and textual elements that identify you as an author and create a cohesive experience for your audience. And this is important because a consistent author brand builds recognition, professionalism and trust with your readers. So the key author brand assets that you'll want to secure before publication include things like number one a professional author website, which ideally you would have started working on already. Remember, this is your digital home base where readers can learn more about you and your book. Number two would be consistent author accounts across any social media platforms that you plan to use. Number three is a professional author photo, so ideally you would have a high quality image that represents you and your vibe appropriately. Number four is an author logo or some kind of visual identity, so this could include using consistent colors, fonts and design elements when you do go out and market yourself in your books.

Speaker 1: 29:49

You'll also want to secure your author central account, so these are your claimed author profiles on Amazon and other retailer platforms. If you don't have a professional email address already, you'll want to secure that, so you can do whatever you want here, but I always recommend having an email address with your author domain, so, for example, yournameatyournamecom, savannahatsavannahgilbocom, something like that. And then, lastly, you'll want to finalize your author bio, because you probably will need to use this more than you think and it's not something you want to have to recreate every time you need it. All right, so these are all of the brand assets that I would recommend securing before publication, and while some of these assets do require financial investment, others simply require careful attention to consistency. So, for example, using the same author photo, bio and header image across all platforms isn't going to cost you anything, but it creates a cohesive and professional impression. All right, now a little pro tip from me. I recommend investing in a professional author photo if you can. This will be one of your most reused assets and it will significantly impact how readers and industry professionals perceive you. Now, that being said, a good author photo does not need to be expensive. What's most important is that the picture is clear, you're wearing appropriate attire for your genre or your vibe, and you have good lighting. So I would say those are the key elements of a great author photo. Alright, so that is step 10, secure your author brand assets.

Speaker 1: 31:17

Now, before I share some final thoughts with you, I just want to recap those 10 steps, because I know we covered a lot. So step number one was to cultivate a publisher's mindset. Remember that when self-publishing, you're no longer just a writer, you're becoming a publisher as well. Step number two is to build your self-publishing team, so this includes everyone, from the editors, the proofreaders, cover designers, interior formatters, audiobook narrators and producers, and even marketing consultants. Again, you don't need all of these people on your team. Just think about where you need professional help to ensure that your book will meet industry standards.

Speaker 1: 31:52

Step number three is to finalize your manuscript with professional editing. Step number three is to finalize your manuscript with professional editing. Step number four is to build your author platform. So, remember, I said at the bare minimum, this would be your author website and your email list. Step number five is to start growing your email list, so not only getting your email list set up, but also creating some kind of reader magnet and starting to get subscribers on your list as well. Step number six is to create a professional book cover and interior design. Step number seven is to choose your publishing platforms and distribution channels. Step number eight is to develop your book's metadata and marketing copy. This includes things like title, subtitle, description, keywords, categories, author bio and things like that. Step number nine is to develop and set your pricing strategy. And then, lastly, step number 10 is to secure your author brand assets.

Speaker 1: 32:42

Now, remember, I have put everything we've gone over in this episode into a PDF guide for you. So if you go to savannagilbocom forward, slash, self-publish all one word One more time. That's savannagilbocom forward, slash, self-publish, all one word, One more time. That's savannagilbocom forward, slash, self-publish. I'll send you a nice little guide that includes everything we went over today. Now I know that the path from finished manuscript to self-published book involves a lot of important decisions and a lot of dedicated work, but it's a path that's well worth taking. I hope that the 10 steps we've gone over today have given you a structured roadmap that breaks down that seemingly overwhelming task of self-publishing your novel into smaller, more manageable pieces. I hope you can see that each step builds on the one before it, helping you create a really solid foundation for your self-publishing success.

Speaker 1: 33:28

Remember that every successful self-published author has stood exactly where you stand now, manuscript in hand, wondering how to transform it into a book that readers will discover, enjoy and recommend. Use these 10 steps as your guide and be patient with yourself and trust the process. Some days will bring breakthroughs and others will feel like you're taking steps backward. This does not mean there's anything wrong with you or your book. It's just part of how the self-publishing process goes. So take a deep breath, embrace your new role as publisher and get to work.

Speaker 1: 34:01

So that's it for today's episode. As always, thank you so much for tuning in and for showing your support. If you want to check out any of the links I mentioned in this episode, you can find them in the show notes listed in the description of each episode inside your podcast player or at savannahgilbocom forward slash podcast. If you're an Apple user, I'd really appreciate it if you took a few seconds to leave a rating and a review. Your ratings and reviews tell Apple that this is a podcast that's worth listening to and, in turn, your reviews will help this podcast get in front of more fiction writers just like you. And while you're there, go ahead and hit that follow button, because there's going to be another brand new episode next week, full of actionable tips, tools and strategies to help you become a better writer. So I'll see you next week and until then, happy writing.