Self-Publishing Checklist

Book Concept:

In 2-3 sentences, what is your book about?
Who is your target audience?
What specific problem does your book solve for readers?
Why do these readers need this information right now?
If someone asked, “Why should I read this instead of just Googling/asking AI about the topic?” what would you say?
How is your approach different from what’s already published? What unique perspective, experience, or method do you bring?
How far along are you with your book? For example: just an idea, outline of topics/main points, some chapters written, early draft, completed manuscript, etc.
What expertise or experience makes you a trustworthy expert on this topic?

What do you want this book to accomplish for you? For example: thought leadership, speaking or training opportunities, consulting clients, passive income, sharing a methodology or perspective, etc.
How do you plan to market or advertise the book?
How will you measure the success of the book?
Which aspects of book creation or completion do you need help with?
Deadline or timeline for completion.
Target length of book/audiobook.
Formats you plan to offer, such as paperback, hardcover, PDF, Kindle, ePUB, audiobook, etc.
Will this be part of a current or future book series?

Outline level 1: key points, lessons, exercises. Core model, approach, and techniques.
Outline level 2: sub-points for the above.
Outline level 3: additional details, stories, evidence, and ideas.
Examples, images, screenshots, etc.
Check in: Is the outlined content likely to solve the audiences’ problems?
If so, start filling in content based on the outline.
Write the full first draft.

Finish rewrites.
Make sure your book has a dedication, about you, and acknowledgments to editors and others you want to thank.
Read the book out loud. Consider what can be improved, reordered, etc.
Have humans edit and/or beta-read the book. Note that you will need different types of editors and feedback, such as:
- Developmental Editing (aka Content/Substantive Editing): Big picture stuff, like the structure, organization, flow, arguments, and techniques. This is normally someone knowledgeable in your book’s topic so they know if you are talking crap! Beta-readers often fall into this group.
- Line Editing: Sentence-level improvements for clarity, word choice, tone, and readability.
- Copyediting: Grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency, and style guide compliance.
- Proofreading: Final pass after layout/formatting to catch typos, formatting errors, widow/orphan lines, etc.
Try to get early reviews from beta-readers, especially anybody famous or well-respected. These can be included on your website, Amazon, etc.
Final formatting (size, fonts, layout, widow/orphan, etc.).

Create the cover. We recommend a human artist and not AI.
Author bio.
Amazon author page (create or update).
Short and long descriptions of the book.
Selected content for Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature.
Categories and keywords.
Record and edit the audiobook (optional). You can skip the audiobook or hire a voice actor.
Create digital versions: Kindle, PDF, and ePUB.
Upload to Amazon (but don’t publish yet).
Order a test print of all print versions.
If the book needs fixes, fix, upload, and buy another test print to check again.
If also publishing through Ingram Spark, upload the book, purchase test prints, and QA.
Allow the Kindle to be pre-ordered.
Purchase and/or assign ISBNs in Bowker.
When the Kindle exclusivity has expired, or you are not utilizing that feature, upload your digital book to other platforms such as Google Books.

Website or web page for the book.
E-commerce pages on your site for digital versions, signed copies, and other items for sale.
Book-related merch. Are you selling or giving away stickers, pens, shirts, etc.?
Reach out to influencers to offer a free copy.
Try to get booked on podcasts and livestreams.
Plan your online and/or in-person book launch events.
Schedule social posts counting down to the book’s publication, and then announcing it.
Consider online ads: Amazon, Google, LinkedIn (if work-related content), etc.
Order some books for you to have handy to give away, bring to events, sell as signed copes, etc. You can order from Amazon or Ingram Spark, whichever is cheaper or easier.

Register your copyright on the book’s content.
Apply for trademarks on any terms or images you wish to protect.
Add or check your book’s Goodreads page.
Add published book to LinkedIn profile.
Enable your Ingram Spark books for distribution, hoping they don’t cannibalize Amazon sales. Perhaps delay this a few weeks.

We need to learn more about your project, how far along you are, which services you need, and any deadlines you might have,

Then we’ll provide a detailed proposal with timing and pricing.