Finished writing the manuscript for your future bestseller? Well, there’s still a long way to go before it actually gets on the best sellers list. First, you need to get it published. If you’re planning to self-publish your book, do remember that you have to allot a portion of your savings, your time, and your attention to the creation of your book.

If you choose to self-publish, you definitely have to employ a couple of people to help you get that book out. Here are some useful tips to guide you in your self-publishing journey.

1. Get an editor!

Constructive criticism always helps. Getting an editor enables you to look at your book from different perspectives. There might be a couple of things you have overlooked that an editor will notice.

Even the best-selling authors had to listen to their editor’s feedback. You should be open to your editor’s criticism because there might be certain areas that need polishing. After all, your book will be subject to criticism when it gets published and is available to the world. You might as well trim down possible targets for criticism when you still can.

If you insist on doing the edits yourself, then follow Ernest Hemingway’s advice, “Write drunk; Edit sober.” Alastaire Allday’s interpretation of this is that you have to separate your writing days and your editing days. Editing on a separate day will give you a fresh perspective on what you’ve written.

2. Hire a good graphic artist!

No matter how often people say not to judge a book by its cover, people do judge books by their covers. Of the millions of books produced, you should have something that sets you apart from the rest. You have to stand out. A well-made book cover can help you get noticed. An attractive cover can grab peoples’ attention and get them to read your book’s synopsis.

Once you’ve hired a graphic artist, communicate with that person and share your ideas. Do give the graphic artist your input; don’t let him make all the decisions because you might end up rejecting his/her work in the end if you don’t like the finish product.

You have to tell your artist what you want upfront, and more importantly you have to be certain about it.  You have to settle with a concept. Again, be certain about what you want. Your graphic artist won’t get things done if you keep changing your mind.

3. Write a convincing book description.

If you’ve managed to grab people’s attention with that one-of-a-kind book cover, they’ll want to know more about your book. This is a make or break matter for authors. The book description is crucial because this is what gets people to buy your book.

While a good one will definitely get people to buy the book a bad one will, without a doubt, get people to ignore it. Don’t include sub plots when you write your synopsis. Write the main plot, but don’t reveal the juicy details. Leave them hanging and wanting for more. You should be brief and captivating. Bring in those power words to spike their curiosity.

4. Print on Demand.

For a self-publishing author, Print on Demand is a painless way to publish your books. Instead of printing in bulk, you can choose to have a copy printed only when someone places an order. This is a more cost-effective way. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to produce good results.

5. Publish in different book formats.

Some people still prefer the tactile and olfactory satisfaction of opening a new book. People are still fond of print no matter how easy it is to buy eBooks using their phones, eReaders, or tablets. If you do decide to publish in print, you can go with a print on demand service. Again, it won’t be too hard on your budget.

Another book format you can go with is the eBook. There are a lot of services that provide self-publishing authors a chance to publish eBooks at a very low cost and some even for free. For instance, Kindle Direct Publishing allows authors to publish for free. Sales in various countries allow you to reap 70% royalties.

Barnes and Noble also provides authors a chance to publish their eBooks for free. If you don’t know who to hire to do the edits and the design of your book, Barnes and Noble provides services to get those things done for a just price. In a matter of days, these online retailers can make your book available to millions of viewers.

If you think eBooks and print are the only popular book formats, think again! Audio books are just as popular. Think about it. People already get giddy reading charming romantic lines from a favorite character. How much more if an actual person is saying those lines? With the right casting choice and a good story line, it will definitely make your listeners’ imagination run wild.

Even when your book isn’t fiction, audio books can still be as effective. Whether it’s a cookbook, a science book, or a history book, you can take your reader from cover to cover with a good recording. With a great deal of attention and effort poured into these techniques, your book will be ready for the best sellers list. If you learned more techniques along the way, feel free to share them with us!