The Essential Self-Publishing Checklist for First-Time Authors

So, you’re a new author, ready to self-publish your first book. 

Congratulations on taking such an important step!

Writing and publishing a book takes a lot of courage, and you’re stepping out and making it happen!

When I started in the self-publishing industry decades ago, I was lost on the whole process, and there weren’t many resources available online like there are today. I had to rely on books like Marilyn & Tom Ross’ Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, which provided a helpful checklist to ensure that no steps were missed. 

In this self-publishing checklist for first-time authors, you’ll find a trusted foundation for publishing that you can build upon. Although the self-publishing industry has become more mainstream over the last twenty years, the basic steps for getting your book published are still the same.  

I. Pre-Writing & Planning

→Define your book’s purpose and audience
The key to writing a great book is remembering that it’s not for everyone. If you set out to write a book that everyone will love, you’ll never finish it because pleasing everyone is impossible. Do yourself a favor and take the time to define who your ideal audience is and why you’re writing the book. This will help you clearly define the tone, content, and marketing.

→Choose your genre and subgenre
Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, it’s important to know the genre and subgenre expectations. You can write whatever you want, but before you break the rules in any genre, know what the rules are first. Readers are loyal to genres, and their expectations are clearly defined. The last thing you want to do is confuse your reader. You can write whatever you want, but gain some traction first by testing the waters, building an audience, and making sure that the type of book you’re writing fits snuggly into its genre.

→Outline your book
Whether you consider yourself an outliner who believes in an in-depth book outline or a pantser who writes off-script as the ideas come, knowing where you’re going in both cases can help you stay focused, increase writing efficiency, and give you a soft place to land when you’re characters are not playing nicely.

This can be something as simple as a rough take on what happens in the beginning, middle, and end, so you know which way to face on your journey, or it can be dozens of pages like Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward novel, which was 21 pages. (He considers himself a mix of outliner and pantser)

→Set a writing schedule
At the beginning of a writer’s journey, everything is fresh and new. The sky is a little brighter, and everything smells like your favorite dessert. Then, somewhere between chapter 3 and Part II of your story, you get stuck. The flow of the story is off, the dialogue is stilted, or the protagonist feels one-note. Roadblocks will come, so establishing deadlines and goals will help to keep you moving forward when you want to stop. Writing a great story comes with a lot of ups and downs. Having a consistent schedule will become your best friend because showing up is half the battle.

→Research comparable titles
You have a great idea for a book, but are there any other books on the market that are similar? Finding books that are in a similar vein and selling well is a good sign that your book could potentially do well, too. Take the time to learn market trends and better understand the current market. Consider how other books are priced and their positioning. 

II. Writing & Development

→Write the first draft without overediting
Are you a perfectionist when it comes to your writing? I sure am! It’s super hard for me not to correct my writing as I write, but I’m learning to let the editing bug go in my first draft because if I don’t, it takes me three times as long to write it. Why? Because I spend unnecessary time editing things that end up getting cut out completely or rewritten. It’s much better to make it to the end of a draft without edits, then circle back to take a closer look. Finishing a story is so much more satisfying than not finishing one because you couldn’t get a chapter just right.

→Track your progress
Keeping a word count goes along with scheduling writing time. Seeing your word count go up is a great motivator to keep moving forward. Most writing software, like Google Docs or Scrivener, includes a wordcount display. For Google Docs, click on Tools=>Wordcount and check the box that says, “Display word count while typing” to see your word count while typing.

→Get beta and sensitivity readers
Get feedback from early readers, especially for cultural or emotional accuracy. Beta and sensitivity readers ensure that your book isn’t missing anything. Beta readers give honest feedback about the story before it is published, while sensitivity readers let you know if there’s anything in your book that is culturally offensive or a better way to word something to remain culturally sensitive.

→Revise based on feedback
Once you receive feedback, decide what to keep and what to toss. Remember, you are the publisher, so you have to do what’s best for the book from a business standpoint. Try to check your ego at the door, and discern which feedback has value. You want the best book possible, so that means leaning into objective opinions that can help your book shine. All feedback is not valuable, even well-meaning critiques. Look for what is constructive and make the adjustments. You know the saying that “It takes a village…”? The same holds true for book publishing success.

You are the creative genius as the author. You bring the ideas together to create a masterpiece that’s rough around the edges. Allow all of the other publishing geniuses, from editors to beta readers, to do what they’re good at to polish your work so that it shines.

→Hire a professional editor
As I pointed out in the previous section, there are more valuable pieces to the book publishing puzzle than just the author. Sure, you can do everything by yourself, but if you’re not an expert in every aspect of publishing, then you’re leaving some value on the table.

Some writers are editors, but the golden rule of writing is “never edit your own work” unless it’s just the preliminary edit before you pass it on to a contracted editor.

You may be the best editor in the world, but editing your own work is a different beast. Your brain can play tricks on you because it knows what you want to say. You can read the same sentence 10 times and miss the glaring punctuation mistake or misspelled word because your brain corrects the mistake every time you read it, especially if you’re skimming. It’s easier for a professional editor to catch mistakes because they are looking at it with fresh eyes. 

Find a professional developmental, line, or copy editor that fits your budget and trust them to do the work. You don’t have to agree with everything that they suggest, but taking editing off your plate will be a huge load lifted.

III. Book Design & Formatting

→Create a compelling title and subtitle
So, here’s where your creativity can hit a small roadblock. Sure, you want the title of your book to stand out, but if it’s not catchy or memorable, you’ve just sabotaged potential sales. Unique spellings, similar titles to other books, and uninteresting ones are all a recipe for disaster because a confused reader is never a good thing. Titles and subtitles should be interesting but easily searchable and genre-appropriate. This doesn’t mean boring; it just means making the pathway to finding your book an easy one.

→Get a professional cover
Your book cover is the first thing a potential buyer “reads” before they ever open your book, so you want it to stop them in their scrolling tracks. Great covers sell books, even the bad ones. How many times have you seen a commercial or ad for a product that looked fantastic, only to buy it and discover that it was a piece of trash? It happens. Why? Because our eyes often convince us to buy before our brains have a chance to hit the pause button. Impulse buying is a real thing. Just make sure that you invest in a genre-specific, high-quality design that’s as amazing on the outside as your story is on the inside.

→Write a strong book description (blurb)
So, your book has an amazing cover and is doing its job to get people to pick it up or scroll down the page to read the description. This is your chance to shine! Remember that your book’s description is its sales pitch. It should hook the reader, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. But be careful not to give away the whole story. Have you ever watched an amazing movie trailer only to spend money on the movie and realize all the good parts were in the trailer? Ha! Don’t do that with your book’s description. Give just enough to create intrigue and let them discover your amazing story once they buy it.

→Format the interior (print and digital)
High on the list of setting yourself up for publishing success is interior book formatting for print and digital. You no longer have to spend a lot of money to give your book a professional interior design, unless your book is complex or you want something unique. Today, you can format it yourself using user-friendly formatting software like Vellum or Atticus. If you want more design flexibility, you can use industry-standard software like Affinity Publisher or InDesign, but know that there’s a significant learning curve with professional software.

If you don’t have the time or just want to focus elsewhere, hire a professional book interior designer. I’ve formatted books myself and hired designers. It just depended on my budget, time, and whether I felt like doing it or not.

You want your book professionally formatted because it improves the reading experience. Books that are properly formatted (e.g., proper spacing between lines and characters) reduce eye strain, enhance readability ,and can create a more engaging experience for the reader. Use tools like Vellum, Reedsy, or hire a formatter for a clean layout and readability.

→Choose trim size and paper type (for print)
Books can be printed in all shapes and sizes, depending on the type of book. Here are some standard trim sizes to keep in mind when selecting the proper size for your book.

Fiction

• 4.25 × 6.87 inches 
• 5 × 8 or 5.5 × 8.5 inches 
• 6 × 9 inches 

 Nonfiction

• 5.5 × 8.5 inches
• 6 × 9 inches 
• 7 × 10 inches 

Educational / Textbooks

• 6 × 9 inches 
• 7 × 10 inches 
• 8.5 × 11 inches 

Children’s Books

• 7.5 × 7.5 inches 
• 7 × 10 inches 
• 10 × 8 inches 

Coloring Books

• 8 × 10 inches 
• 8.5 × 11 inches 

Coffee Table Books

• 9 × 12 inches 
• 10 × 10 or 11 × 11 inches
• 11 × 14 inches

Photography / Art Books

• 8.5 × 11 inches 
• 11 × 8.5 inches
• 12 × 12 inches 

Cookbooks

• 7 × 10 inches 
• 8 × 10 or 8.5 × 11 inches 

Graphic Novels / Comics

• 6.625 × 10.25 inches 
• 7 × 10 inches 

Workbooks / Journals

• 6 × 9 inches 
• 8 × 10 or 8.5 × 11 inches 

IV. Publishing logistics

→Secure an ISBN (or use platform-provided)
If you plan to sell your book online, then securing an ISBN is necessary. You can either buy your own (e.g., single or block of ISBNs) or you can use a free identifier offered through your platform of choice. For eBooks (ISBNS are not required) and internal tracking, some platforms will use their own identifiers, so you may see these depending on the platform you select:

• Amazon uses ASIN. 
• Google Books uses Google Book ID. 
• Apple Books uses Apple ID.
• Kobo uses an internal product ID 
• Audible uses and Audible product code

For print books, should you choose a free ISBN or buy your own? It depends on the control you want. A free ISBN will fall under the name of the ISBN supplier. For example, with Amazon KDP, when you use their free ISBN, the publisher will show up as “Amazon” or “Independently Published” but will not show your publishing imprint.

Other downsides to using a free ISBN include:

• Locked distribution rights: Free ISBNs are often only usable on the platform that issued them. 
• Less visibility: Free ISBNs are easy to find on the issuing platform, but not necessarily in industry databases.
• Limited control: The platform controls metadata, reporting, and the catalog your free ISBN is attached to, which could lead to issues later if you choose to purchase an ISBN for other editions.
  

→Register copyright (optional but recommended)
Under US law, your book is automatically protected once it is written, but registering your book’s copyright will give you an extra layer of protection by establishing ownership legally.

→Decide on publishing platforms
There are many quality publishing platforms to choose from with similar book quality. Select the one that best fits your budget, distribution needs, customer service requirements, and printing categories. The chart below compares current POD platforms.

Print-on-Demand Platform Comparison

Platform	Formats Offered	Free ISBN	Distribution Reach	Best For	Notable Limitations
Amazon KDP	Paperback, Hardcover	✅ Yes	Amazon stores globally	Broad reach, fast setup, budget-friendly	Limited bookstore/library access with free ISBN
IngramSpark	Paperback, Hardcover	✅ Yes (U.S.)	Bookstores, libraries, online retailers	Wide retail access, professional presentation	Limited retail visibility unless the ISBN is owned
Lulu	Paperback, Hardcover, Spiral	✅ Yes	Lulu store, Amazon, Ingram	Niche formats, workbooks, educational content	Visual-heavy books, art, and photography
BookVault	Paperback, Hardcover	❌ No	Shopify, WooCommerce, direct-to-consumer	High-quality printing, eCommerce integration	Must provide own ISBN
Blurb	Trade Books, Photo Books	✅ Yes	Blurb store, Amazon, Ingram	Requires an external ISBN and setup	Limited trim sizes for trade books
BookBaby	Paperback, Hardcover	✅ Yes	Amazon, B&N, Ingram, Apple, Kobo	One-stop publishing with editing/design services	Higher upfront costs
Printify	Journals, Notebooks	❌ No	Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce	Merch-style books, journals	Not ideal for traditional books
Acutrack	Paperback, Hardcover	❌ No	Custom fulfillment, direct sales	Branding, packaging, bulk fulfillment	Requires an external ISBN and setup
Gelato	Paperback, Journals	❌ No	Global POD network	Eco-conscious printing, global reach	Limited book-specific features
Pothi (India)	Paperback	✅ Yes	Indian market, direct sales	Regional language books, Indian authors	Limited global distribution

→Set Pricing strategy
Pricing your book can be a little bit sticky because prices are all over the board. One of the best ways to determine the best price for your book is to first research books in the same genre to see what they’re selling for. Then find a price somewhere in the vicinity. Low-balling might work in the short term, but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially if you want to maximize profits. Pricing your book really low can backfire unless it’s just a promotion. Readers may come to expect low pricing and protest if you decide to raise your prices later. 

Take the time to do the math. Set a goal for how much you’d like to make per month on book sales, factor in printing costs, platform fees (or commission), and applicable taxes or fees. Based on these numbers ,reverse engineer the costs to determine the best price. If it’s too high in comparison to what other books in your book’s genre are charging, consider adjusting the cost per book.

If a book is too high, you may price out potential buyers, which could mean reduced discoverability in the long run. If a book is not selling because the price is too high, it is less likely to be picked up by the platform’s algorithm as a book that might interest its audience.

→Upload final files and preview
Before hitting publish, double- then triple check your formatting, metadata, and the other small details, especially if your book is being printed offset. There’s more flexibility with POD printing because mistakes can be fixed fairly quickly by uploading a new file, but you can avoid a lot of extra stress by making sure the book is polished, no matter what type of printing you use.

V. Marketing and promotion

→Build an author website or landing page
Social media and other third-party platforms are great for getting your name out there, but ultimately, you want to control the narrative. Do this by making sure you have your own author website or landing page. Ideally, you want to send people from other platforms to your sites, so they can sign up for your email list, and you can market to them directly.

When you depend on other platforms for visibility and traffic, you have to work with their algorithms, which can change, but when someone signs up for your email list, you know that they want to hear from you and that your email or newsletter will reach their inbox (barring SPAM capture). 

With social media, you can post something, but because the platforms are so crowded and their algorithms are doing their own thing, you can never be certain who is actually seeing your post, and it’s often a very small percentage. Having your own website and email list allows you to share information about your books, special promotions, and information about you directly to subscribers who are asking to hear from you.

→Create an email list and lead magnet
How do you get someone to sign up for your email list? Offer them a freebie like a sample chapter, character profiles, a reader’s guide, etc. Think outside the box to find imaginative ways to connect with your audience, so they look forward to hearing from you.

→Develop a launch plan
Once you get close to finishing your book, start planning your book launch. This is a time to schedule promotions, reach out to your community, and create buzz about your book’s release. Don’t wait until the last minute. Do your research early so that when the time comes, you won’t have to guess at the next best move.

→Reach out for reviews
Reviews are a way to get constructive feedback before you officially release the book. Create a street team of early readers who can talk your book up on social media. Contact book bloggers and other bloggers within your book’s genre to ask for a review. Don’t forget to supply a free digital copy or printed ARC copy in return for their review, and ask for their honest review. No pressure. Platforms like Amazon frown on asking for positive reviews. The good news is that you can select the best ones to include as a blurb on your cover, website, and social media account.

→Set up author files
Claim your book on the following book sites:

AllAuthor

Amazon Author Central

AuthorsDen

BookBub Partner Profile

Goodreads Author Program

Inkitt Author Hub

LibraryThing Author Pages

Reedsy Author Profile

Smashwords Author Dashboard

Once you set up your bio on these sites, don’t forget to engage with readers. 

→Plan Ongoing Marketing Strategies
Keep the momentum going by staying in front of potential readers. Consider strategies like paid ads (e.g., Facebook, Amazon), book promotion sites, podcast interviews, or guest blogging.

VI. Post-publication and growth

→Monitor sales and analytics
Author and business consultant Peter Drucker’s famous quote, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure”, fits perfectly in this section. Remember that as a self-publisher, you’re more than just an author. You also run a book business, even if it’s just one. If you want your business to be profitable, you have to know your numbers. Track your book’s sales performance across platforms and continue to tweak your strategy to maximize sales and profits. 

→Engage with readers
You can’t have book sales without readers, and repeat book sales are more likely when you engage with your readers. Take the time to show your appreciation to your loyal readers and potential readers by engaging with them when you can. You don’t have to post every day or even every week, but in whatever way you choose to engage, do it consistently, so readers know that you care. For some, this could mean keeping an active social media profile where you share pieces of your day-to-day. For another author, a once-a-month newsletter with contests, promotions, or a positive message might be a better fit.

Consider your readers like an extended book family, and build a community you love.

→Update your book (if needed)
As mentioned, if you print using POD, typos are fairly easy to fix by correcting the file and uploading it back to the platform. Stay on top of mistakes that you find or that readers bring to your attention. I usually suggest that authors keep a record of the small mistakes that are brought to their attention and upload a new file after 30 days. This will give readers time to read the book and bring mistakes to your attention. 🙂 But, if it’s ga laring mistake that might confuse the reader, fix it immediately. A cover refresh is also a good idea later down the road if you add to the series or there’s a market shift and you need an update.

→Plan your next project
Even if you don’t add another book, you want to keep the momentum going for continued book sales. Companion guides, printable posters, quote cards, mini-courses, webinars, etc. Keep your book fresh in their minds!

Did you find this self-publishing checklist for first-time authors helpful? Keep it handy as you walk through the publishing process so you don’t forget anything, and remember that it’s okay to take your time. Self-publishing is definitely a marathon and not a sprint. The learning curve can be steep sometimes, but it’s so worth it when you cross the finish line.