Self Publishing is a harbour for budding writers, a place that accepts them for who they are and gives them the autonomy to publish the kind of work that they want to do. Since the author has the freedom to do what they want to, there are many areas where they make errors that affect the performance of the book. In this article, we will discuss the 5 common mistakes that writers make while self-publishing their work.
Skipping to Edit the Manuscript
Finishing a manuscript is joyous and almost relieving but what most writers forget about is the most essential part that comes after finishing one’s manuscript- editing it. The manuscript is only the first draft of many drafts that come one after many rounds of polishing your work through editing it. Skipping to edit the manuscript is equivalent to serving food with no spices in it, it is depriving your book of the perfection it can reach and hence, skipping to edit your manuscript is a grave mistake.
Self-Editing
Editing a book is a very skilled job, it is something that can make or break the performance of your book. Editors are highly skilled trained professionals who edit the book to make it as close to perfect as it can be. Writers tend to believe that editing is not something to spend their time and money in hence, they do it themselves and that is where they go wrong. A task as essential as editing should not be done lousily, it has to be done religiously by someone who is equipped with the skill set required to edit a book.
Lack of Reviews
Writers usually take reviews from friends and family a space where we only receive highly biased reviews. Going to people who you know will not give you constructive criticism is a common mistake made by writers. Taking reviews on your book from professionals is very essential, it gives the writer insights about areas that can be worked upon to make the book better. Constructive criticism is what the writers should be open to. Reviews help the writer look at their work from the perspective of a third person. This helps the writers polish their work aiding the process of editing and sharpening their work of art. Organizations like Authors Gully help in organizing peer review spaces where writers can get access to reviews on their work which help them to get an idea of what works and what does not.
Social Media Marketing Trap
Many self-publishing houses charge an extra amount from the writers for social media marketing, which includes many different packages for different services. But the catch here is that these self-publishing houses fail to give your book the exposure that it requires to do well as they cater to the same needs of thousands of writers. In the name of marketing, Self-Publishers increase package value. Comparing the packages, we see that the difference lies only in marketing. There are marketing steps like putting the copy of the book in Book Stores, but increasing the package value in the name of social media marketing is something that does not work for authors. The authors themselves should focus on social media marketing when self-publishing and save valuable money.
Hence, solely depending on the self-publishing house for marketing service is by far the most commonly made mistake by writers.
Choosing the Wrong Publisher
There are numerous self-publishing houses in the market, who provide numerous packages which include various services for your book and it is only human to get overwhelmed by so many options and fail to choose the right publisher for yourself. While choosing a publisher, what writers need to do is ask questions to themselves, in terms of what they want from the Self-Publishing House- what services they want, what package they are comfortable with, does the publisher have good editors, what are the reviews of authors who have published with the publishing house, only when these questions have answers do the writers make correct a correct choice. Choosing the right publisher and making the right decision can be tough but organisations like Authors Gully help writers make that right decision by helping them choose the perfect publisher for their books. This makes the self-publishing journey of the writers relishing and memorable.
Mistakes are what we learn from, but there are some mistakes we wish had not made, we wish to have known the right turns to take and the right steps to follow, and that is why Authors Gully helps writers by handholding them through the publishing process because we understand the importance of your dream to come true.