Self-Publishing Tool Kit: A Free Resource For Writers
Self-publishing, once considered a somewhat alternative form of publishing, has gone mainstream. More novels, memoirs, poetry and short story collections, and nonfiction books are self-published these days than are published by traditional presses. Thanks to the boom in digital and print publishing, anyone can see his or her book in print!
If you’re deciding whether or not to self-publish, or if you’ve already self-published but want to see if a traditional publisher is interested in your novel or nonfiction book, our Free Self-Publishing Tool Kit will help.
Over the years, we’ve helped many self-published authors submit their books to literary agents; and we can help you too! We write query letters, proofread and format, and research the best-suited literary agents for targeting. For more information about Writer’s Relief, visit our services overview page.
Or just enjoy our free tips and strategies for self-publishing writers!
Getting Started: Is Self-Publishing Right For Your Memoir, Nonfiction Book, Or Novel?
- Top Reasons To Query Literary Agents Before Self-Publishing. If you’re hoping to land a traditional book deal, we at Writer’s Relief feel that your first course of action should be to find a literary agent BEFORE you self-publish. Here’s why.
- When Should You Give Up Trying To Publish Your Book With A Traditional Publisher? Some writers quit trying for a book deal after they query five agents. Some don’t quit even after they’ve queried five hundred! Find out the best time to begin looking into alternative routes to publication.
- Self-Publishing Self-Test: How To Determine If You’re A Good Candidate For Self-Publishing Your Book. Pose these questions to yourself so you can get a better understanding of whether you’ve got the right mindset, budget, and expectations for successful self-publishing.
- Is Self-Publishing The EASIEST Way To Get Published? Decoding The Hype And The Facts. Some companies promise that self-publishing success is as easy as writing a check. But that may not be true!
- The Seven Best Kinds Of Books For Self-Publishing Authors. Some books excel in the self-publishing industry. We list their genres and angles.
- Self-Publishing: What Type Of Publisher Is Best For You? There are a number of different types of publishers: Which of them is going to be the most effective choice for publishing your book?
- E-Publishing: Is It Right For Your Book? E-publishing is huge! And promises of big sales and easy money are everywhere. But putting your book on the Web won’t guarantee instant success. Know what you’re getting into before you get there… Or don’t get there.
- What To Expect: Is There More Money In Self-Publishing Or Traditional Publishing? It’s a simple question: Who makes bigger bucks? We give you straight answers.
- Proofreading Services. Before you send your book to a self-publishing company, be sure you’ve addressed any embarrassing mistakes!
How To Write A Query Letter And Find A Literary Agent For Your Self-Published Book
- After Self-Publishing: How To Find An Agent And A Publisher For Your Self-Published Book. Many writers decide to get an agent AFTER they’ve self-published. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about the process. Be sure you have a clear idea of how to impress agents with your self-published book!
- How To Write A Query Letter For A Self-Published Book. Unlike most unpublished manuscripts, self-published books have backstories. Some are wonderful and exciting, some are lackluster and dull. Here’s how to pen your query letter so your self-published book shines.
- Self-Publishing: When (Not) To Include Your Self-Published Book In Your Cover Or Query Letter Bio. Sometimes, it’s not the best idea to mention your self-published book publication credits in your query. Sometimes, it’s a great idea. Here’s how to decide.
- When Your Literary Agent Is Also Your Publisher. Some literary agencies are starting to offer their clients self-publishing services for manuscripts that did not sell or books that went out of print. But is this practice a conflict of interest or a natural progression of an agent’s role?
- What Is Considered Previously Published Writing? Find out how self-published books fit into the “previously published” gray area that can be so very problematic to writers seeking additional means of publication.
Learn More About Query Letter Writing
There’s a lot of overlap between how you write a query for an unpublished manuscript and how you write a query for a self-published book or novel. To learn more, visit our Tool Kit For Query Letter Writing.
Who Does Writer’s Relief Recommend For Self-Publishing?
Many writers have asked us which self-publishing company we endorse, partly because there are so many self-publishing companies out there that are unethical, unresponsive, and shady. Some self-publishing companies will promise you the moon—and they’ll give it to you all right: as a cardboard cutout. We had so many writers come to us with complaints about bad self-publishers that it breaks our hearts.
Although every writer will have to do research to discover which self-publishing company is best for their work, budget, and expectations, we at Writer’s Relief can confidently recommend Dog Ear Publishing.
Dog Ear is not a bargain-basement self-publishing company. Nor are they the most expensive. But we feel they offer the best value. Their upfront costs are higher than some publishers’, but their print costs (where writers make a profit) are lower than most, if not all, self-publishing companies. Their staff strikes us as ethical and honest.
If you’re self-publishing, check out Dog Ear Publishing.
Writer’s Relief referrals who contract with Dog Ear receive EXCLUSIVE freebie offers from both companies, including:
- Bonus copies of your book from Dog Ear
- Writer’s Relief e-book: 50 Quick & Dirty Book Promo Strategies!
- Writer’s Relief Classifieds advertising space for your book
- And more!
More Self-Publishing Articles
Publicity for Self-Published Authors
Online Marketing And Promotion Strategies For Writers
Self-Publishing Industry Overview
Closing Notes
This page has been a labor of love to help authors who hope to self-publish. We hope you’ve found it helpful in your quest to self-publish your novel, poetry or story collection, or nonfiction book!
If you liked this page, please do let us know. And let your friends know too. We enjoy knowing that our efforts support the literary community—and it’s encouraging to know that what we’ve done is helpful.
Please take a moment to like, share, email, tweet, or stumble this page!
And if you’d like to repost any of our articles, you can! Just email info@wrelief.com for details. We wish you all the best in self-publishing your book!
