15 Things every Indie author needs to do…

Of course, there are far more than 15 steps to making all this work and each indie author will need to make their own path to publication. There is a huge amount of professional help available and often the whole process is easier when you have someone project managing the production process so it takes the pressure of the writer. So here is the skeleton around which you can hang your own project.

1. Think of an idea – (it’s all right not all of these are that obvious)
2. Think of who will love to read it. – No book will appeal to everyone. Be specific
3. Think what genre and age group you are writing for – and do a bit of research
4. What does the reader want from your reading experience? Joy, fear, escapism etc
5. Plan and Write the book
6. Plan and budget the production of the book/ebook. (If you are producing a print “dead tree” version get help with the print buying)
7. Get the manuscript professionally assessed, edited, proof read (and indexed if necessary)
8. Get the book cover designed professionally so it looks like a book that will compete with the mainstream
9. Plan and budget the marketing for your book
10. Ensure you have thought through your distribution
11. Look at online and offline activity
12. Make connections who will help, this is networking and PR
13. Arrange a launch and promote it
14. Don’t be afraid of stunts – (legal ones)
15. The book is the iceberg above the water – promoting is the big bit under the water

Enjoy the process

Here at The Big Ideas Library and The Big Ideas Collective we can help you with all of these
except from 1 and 5 – and they are the bits you do best