20 Essential Writing Tips for Self-Publishing Success
CONTENTS
Must-Haves and Must-Do’s
1. Read, a lot.
2. Cultivate a writer’s mind-set.
3. Improve your writing skills.
4. Take notes.
5. Give yourself a conducive space for writing.
6. Have the right writing tools.
Prewriting
11. Determine how long your book will be.
12. Set a (tentative) deadline.
13. Factor in time you will need for research (if any).
14. Set a consistent writing schedule.
The Writing Stage
17. Add and/or edit documentation (if any).
18. Edit your manuscript. (Or have it edited.)
19. Work on the final touches.
20. Find the right publishing company.
~
Do you want to be a self-published author? Self-publishing offers a different set of advantages from traditional publishing, the biggest one being author autonomy. But that independence has to lead to self-publishing success, so you need to put in the hours: Write your best work following the best self-publishing writing tips among the din of author advice on the internet, and then find the right publishing company to get your book out to your target audience.
In this article, we will give you the best author advice we can to help you tick one of the most important boxes in your self-publishing to-do list: Write a great self-published book.
Here are 25 self-publishing writing tips to set you on your way to success:
Must-Haves and Must-Do’s
1. Read, a lot.
Regarding the link between reading and writing, the King of Horror, Stephen King, minces no words: “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
Let’s unpack that and look at the benefits of reading for writers:
Inspiration. All sorts of light bulbs can go off in your head with every book, article, or poem you read.
Broader horizons. Reading expands your mind. As a result, you develop a better understanding for people from all walks of life — their motivations, their limitations, and their actions. This helps you to write in a well-considered manner that resonates with your audience, regardless of whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.
Comprehensive vocabulary. You need a vast-enough vocabulary, paired with a keen sense of language, to effectively communicate your message and ideas. Indeed, knowing a lot of words is just half of the equation. You must know what words to use when.
Professional and personal growth. In general, reading invites introspection and helps you gain valuable insight into things. That translates into growth — both professional and personal (i.e., intellectual, emotional, and/or spiritual).
Pro tip: Prioritize reading authors who are writing within your genre and learn from them. Take note of what’s working and what could be done better — and do it better.
2. Cultivate a writer’s mind-set.
A writer’s mind-set is characterized by the following characteristics:
Awareness of the world. Whether that world is your office, your apartment building, your city, or the big, wide world out there, you must be aware of the people in it and how their interactions, or lack thereof, creates situations and relationships affect everything.
Thirst for learning. Be interested in and develop an appreciation for multiple fields. There’s plenty to sink your teeth into — from architecture to fashion design, from music to history, from psychology to the culinary arts. Knowledge in two or more things outside of your book’s subject matter can add layers and dimension to your writing.
Mental fortitude. Because writing is solitary work for the most part, you need to stay positive and steel yourself against anxiety, frustration, and the onset of imposter syndrome (the crippling belief that you are not good enough), especially when the writing is not going well. Surround yourself with things that inspire and challenge you to keep your mind and spirit engaged.
Flexible thinking. A good writer is able to see things from different angles and can be comfortable with the fact that two opposing views both have pros and cons, with neither necessarily better than the other. They are also able to reconsider their stance on a subject when new information comes to light.
Self-motivation. While you may have friends and family who will spur you on, you won’t really have a supervisor who will, well, breathe down your neck, insisting on progress and staying on schedule. This why you need to be highly self-motivated to get over the finish line.
3. Improve your writing skills.
Your writing skills involves way more than just your grammar skills. You need to hone these particular skills:
Narrative skills. These include being able to write vivid and accurate descriptions in worldbuilding, character sketches, and tracking action; having a good ear for dialogue; and a great sense of rhythm and pace.
Rhetorical skills. Rhetorical skills enable you to logically present arguments that convince people to accept them. They involve effective use of language, research, and the ability to edit yourself.
Organizational skills. You need to be able to organize your thoughts so you can write effectively. Readers enjoy a well-organized book.
4. Take notes.
Sometimes not having ideas simply means you haven’t taken enough notes, or you haven’t been paying enough attention. (Remember, awareness is a key component of a writer’s mind-set.) So wherever you are, be sure to pay attention to everything around you and take notes.
Journaling is a great way to document your impressions, thoughts, and experiences. Your journal entries will be raw material just waiting to find their place in your book/s.
5. Give yourself a conducive space for writing.
Our environment affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally, so make sure you have a writing space that helps maximize your creativity and productivity.
Here the elements that create a great workspace for writers:
Quiet and seclusion. If you’re not living alone, then you need to claim a quiet spot in your home, preferably a room with a door. This setup is especially helpful if you have you kids who regularly have their friends over, or if your partner/spouse also does work from home that involve being on the phone or on video calls/conferences.
Ample light. The amount of light in your workspace can affect your productivity. Ample natural light and quality lighting can help you focus, as well as spare you from visibility problems, eye strain, and the emotional and psychological effects of a badly lit room.
Zero clutter. (Or not?) Although the general consensus seems to be that a clutter-free workspace is essential for quality work and productivity, you may be among those who can say it’s not the case with you. And you would be in good company. In fact, Albert Einstein once said, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”
If you actually thrive in a messy workspace, then never mind that decluttering item on your to-do list. Just draw the line at having uneaten food and dirty plates and glasses lying around. If you’re firmly in the Zero Clutter camp, you can easily keep your workspace clutter free with filing cabinets or floor-to-ceiling shelving that allows you to stack properly labeled boxes of office supplies and research materials.
The right-size work desk or worktable. If you’re working with a fair amount of source material, a tiny IG-ready desk setup might not cut it. Instead, you could make your life easier with a big table where you can organize piles of thick documents, books, and other reference material within arm’s reach.
Space for prominent visual display. A book is a longer writing job than an article, and it would help if you’re able to see the big picture at a glance from time to time. This is why having a strategically placed corkboard or whiteboard can help keep you on track. These visual and kinaesthetic tools will engage you both physically and mentally. You can write daily reminders, graphs, draw mind maps, or put up pictures that will inspire you and readily transport you into the world you’re creating. (Don’t forget to stock up on push pins or string.)
A comfortable chair. Physical comfort enhances focus, so find the most comfortable chair you can afford. (Trust us, your back, your bum, and your brain will thank you.) You can also complement your chair with an equally comfortable couch. A few minutes of on the couch, whether to nap or to think, can work wonders for your focus and problem-solving tasks.
6. Have the right writing tools.
Working with the right word processor translate into minimum- to zero-fuss document management. If your publishing company requires a different program for manuscript submission, you can always convert your files. Microsoft Word and Google Docs are currently the most widely used, with completely free alternatives that include the following:
- Apple Pages
- Libre Office
- Zoho Writer
- Calmly Writer
- Focus Writer
- WPS Office
Apps like Grammarly and PerfectIt can also help you clean up your manuscript yourself, even if your manuscript will undergo professional copyediting or line editing.
Prewriting
The prewriting stage is where you plan the writing process — that is, identify your purpose and audience, choose your topic, and create an outline.
Don’t miss these steps at the prewriting stage:
7. Know why you’re writing.
Every writer needs a clear purpose for writing their book. Once you know why you’re writing your book, you can then determine who you are writing for. Once you have answered the why and the who, you can then determine exactly what to say and how to communicate your message or tell your story effectively.
Here are the most common reasons why writers write:
Self-expression. All writers’ efforts are driven by the need to express oneself. They write to express their ideas, feelings, and beliefs.
Storytelling. Whether it’s a novel or a memoir, writers aim to tell a story that either inspire, rally, or challenge their readers by opening their eyes and engaging them mentally, emotionally, spiritually — or all three at once.
Information and action. Writers who are driven by activism strongly motivated by the need to educate their readers and stir them into proactive action.
Education. Some writers write chiefly to educate their readers — that is, to help them learn a new skill, start a new job, or do better at their job.
Entertainment. According to a 2020 survey by CivicScience close to half (44%) of American adult readers read for fun. Writers writing primarily to entertain definitely have an audience. The only left to do is to write a book that truly entertains.
8. Identify your audience.
At the moment when you determine your subject matter and why you want to write about it, you likely already have a general idea of who will be reading your book. But you could benefit from approaching this task more scientifically. The Writing Clear Science teaching program identifies three types of audiences.
Target audience. This is your intended audience — the readers that you need to reach.
Secondary audience. These people may not share the educational background or discipline/field as your target audience, but they will still want/need to read your book.
Tertiary audience. The impact that your book will have on this group will vary. They may directly or indirectly benefit from your work without having read it firsthand. Rather, they will likely know about your book through either your primary or secondary audience.
9. Map out your book.
After you have determined your purpose in writing your book and identified your readers, you can proceed to mapping out your entire text. We think the most efficient and rewarding way to do this is with mind maps.
A mind map is a visual organization method designed to help you pick out topics/facts that are most relevant to your project.
Mind mapping enables you to think better, thinking better enables you to write better.
10. Outline your book.
Start broad: Your book could be divided into parts and then into chapters. Or you can organize it simply by chapters. After the chapters (titled or untitled, you can fill in the sections (titled or untitled), if needed. With a clear outline, you can establish a smooth flow to your writing. And if you feel like experimenting (e.g., try nonlinear narration), you can do so without getting disoriented.
11. Determine how long your book will be
It will be estimates at this stage, but try to be as close to accurate as you can.
These industry preferences should help you work out your estimates:
- Nonfiction books: 20,000–60,000 words (40–120 pages single spaced) That’s not to say you can’t go up to as long as 100,000 words or longer, but you would need to have extensive relevant material and preferably a riveting subject matter.
- Debut adult or young adult novels: No more than 100,000 words (200 pages) — preferably within 70,000–90,000 words.
Once you’re a published author, however, you can have more leeway.
- Memoirs: 60,000–100,000 words (120–200 pages)
Readers may not find memoirs shorter than 60,000 words as compelling.
- Science fiction and fantasy books: As long as 110,000 words (220 pages).
These books are usually longer because they involve substantial and detailed worldbuilding.
12. Set a (tentative) deadline.
A deadline could motivate you to keep writing, even when you don’t particularly feel creative or focused. However, if deadlines tend to have the opposite effect on you, then don’t sweat it too much. Just focus on writing, and enjoy the process.
You can try experimenting: Figure out how and when you can be most productive and creative as you go along. Your best approach to deadlines when writing a book is to be realistic about them.
13. Factor in time you will need for research (if any).
Most writing projects involve research. If you’re writing to educate or mobilize your readers to take part in a movement or support a cause, your research may involve interviews of resource persons or conversations with individuals who can fill in the gaps. That’s in addition to reading related literature and watching (and rewatching) several hours’ worth of relevant videos. These require time and effective time management.
14. Set a consistent writing schedule.
Try to establish a writing schedule for five to six days each week, at three or more hours each day. Or maybe you prefer to write for long periods so you can have two or more free days in a week. Find whatever works best for you.
It’s all right to miss a day or two here and there. In fact, give yourself time for rest and relaxation, as well as exercise. A walk or a short drive can help clear your head and can help prevent writer’s block. You’ll be surprised where and when inspiration can strike.
Also, double down on journaling to. It will prime your brain for all the creative and/or technical work that lies ahead.
The Writing Stage
This is the time to knuckle down to the task of writing a book, from scratch. It’s your show.
15. Write your first draft.
When writing your first draft, the last thing you want to be is self-conscious. Write with no filter to make sure that every possible moment of brilliance makes it onto the page. Mind you, the first drafts of even the most celebrated authors are not necessarily great, so write like no one’s reading (because no one is, yet).
16. Revise your draft.
Before you start working on revisions, make sure you have left your first draft untouched for at least six weeks. You can start breaking out the filters at this stage and get critical of what you have written.
You can solicit constructive criticism from people you trust. That’s because you can easily get absorbed in the process and could miss a handful of significant details. Feedback from people who can be objective about your writing will help you fine-tune your work.
17. Add and/or edit documentation (if any).
If your book includes documentation (i.e., footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, or reference list), it’s best to wait until you’re done writing the body text before tackling your documentation. This is so you can focus completely. Afterward you can add and proofread your citations and bibliography or reference list.
Keep these tips in mind:
Follow one style guide. If you’re not partial to any particular style guide, use The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), since the Chicago style works well for text on the humanities and sciences. Your other option is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: 7th Edition. Ideally, you should follow the same style guide in both your main text and your documentation.
Provide all the necessary elements in your citations. The editing services of your publishing company will likely not include an exhaustive edit of your documentation that includes adding in missing details. This is because you are the best person to provide these details since you were the one who used the references cited in your book. So be sure that there are no missing elements in your citations.
Tip: Your word processing software has a documentation style option feature that will format your citations. You can also use a citation generator (e.g. Scribbr, Citation Machine).
18. Edit your manuscript. (Or have it edited.)
At this editing stage, you should be done with your revisions, so this could either be a copyediting or a proofreading job. Or you can wait until your manuscript has been professionally edited before you make the final corrections/modifications.
19. Work on the final touches.
The final touches will mostly involve the following:
Preparation or final check of any supplementary materials. Supplementary materials can include photographs, illustrations, and documents for reproduction or encoding as part of appendices.
Any ideas and specific instructions you want to share with your publishing services team. A successful collaboration with the team working on your book will rely on communication, so communicate clearly to avoid costly errors and delays.
20. Find the right publishing company.
Getting published with the right company is crucial. Do your homework to ensure you choose the right publishing company. You’ll want to work with people who are consistently on the same page with you and are equally invested in your work. You’ll want people that you can collaborate with — from editing to layout/design to marketing and sales.
Are you ready to embark on the kind of adventure that’s unique to writing and self-publishing books?
