If you’re a self-published author in Australia, it doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on some of the biggest book markets in the world!
Self-publishing in Australia is increasingly popular among authors and writers. Thanks to the affordability of self-publishing services, Australian authors and writers have never been in a better position. Self-publishing allows you to retain full control of your book or manuscript. However, self-publishing means that you’re also responsible for every aspect of your book. This includes writing, editing, print and ebook formatting, cover design, publishing, and marketing.
Companies such as IngramSpark Publishing and Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) have expanded global book markets and made self-publishing in Australia more accessible than ever.
If you haven’t decided on the best self-publishing platform, check out The Best Self-Publishing Platforms to Publish Your Book! We cover the pros and cons of Australia’s most popular self-publishing platforms. If you have been searching for the best self-publishing services in Australia, don’t hesitate to contact us at Author Services Australia.
How do you self-publish? If there is one thing that any self-published author should do, it’s to plan out the entire process from start to finish. Self-publishing in Australia can be highly rewarding, but it’s also very intimidating when you first start. It’s essential to research self-publishing and carefully plan the process before jumping in.
Start by Researching Your Book Market
If you haven’t started writing your book yet, start by doing some research. If your dream is self-publishing in Australia, then start planning for it. Even if you’re still at the writing stage of self-publishing, planning is essential.
Start by looking at similar books that are already available. If there are already many books like yours in that category, consider how yours will be different. What will a reader gain from reading your book, and how will you market it?
Check out 11 Popular Book Genres Explained! for some great information and tips about the different book genres.
There aren’t many books like yours? Great! But why isn’t it there? Have you discovered a niche market, or is there simply no demand for the topic? Even the best-prepared and well-written books can sit on shelves gathering dust if no one wants to read them, regardless of whether they’re self-published or traditionally published books.
If you think you have identified a market for your book and you understand the market, then you’re ready to move on to the next stage of the self-publishing process. Writing the book! However, if you’re struggling with the writing part, we also offer professional ghostwriting services for most genres.
Polish Your Manuscript
If you have written your manuscript, it’s time to move on to the next stage of the process: editing and proofing.
Having someone evaluate or edit your manuscript is vital! We can’t stress this enough. No author should edit their own manuscript or cut corners when it comes to editing and proofreading. There are several editing steps to choose from, and we discuss them in more detail on our professional editing services page.
The main types of editing, in order, are developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading. For new Australian authors, a manuscript evaluation or manuscript appraisal, along with beta reading, can be beneficial before you start editing. If you have strong self-editing skills, you’ll be better positioned to implement feedback from a manuscript evaluation and potentially skip heavier developmental editing.
Some authors prefer to have beta readers or trusted friends and family review their manuscripts before moving to the editing stage. This stage is entirely up to you. There are various editorial services, and each has its own cost.
We wrote a great article about beta readers and alpha readers: What Are Beta Readers? The Complete Guide to Alpha and Beta Readers for Authors!
Self-publish, Hybrid Publishing, or Traditional Publishing?
Now is when you’ll need to make some serious decisions.
If you choose to self-publish, you’re responsible for organizing and financing every aspect of your book.
If you have the time and ability, you can complete several parts of this process yourself. It’s not easy to self-publish, but it can be extremely rewarding and means you retain the rights to your book, including any royalties it generates. You also retain full control over your work.
The next option many people consider is a hybrid or vanity publisher.
Hybrid and Vanity Publishers
These companies take care of everything for you, but this service comes at a price, and you pay it. Not only do you have to pay an upfront payment (anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000) per book, but you also lose the rights to your book for a certain period and a percentage of your royalties.
Don’t get me wrong, some hybrid or vanity publishers are great.
They’ll go above and beyond to see their authors succeed, but others will simply publish the book, and that’s it. It’s very important that you consider all your options and do a lot of research before handing over any money to a hybrid or vanity publisher. Read the fine print in your contract carefully.
Check out Vanity Publishing: What Are You Really Paying For and What Is It Ultimately Costing You? It’s a great article on vanity and hybrid publishers that clearly explains what they are and the role they play in self-publishing.
The final option is a traditional publisher. You need to follow their submittal guidelines and submit your manuscript. If they’re interested, they’ll get back to you with an offer. With limited space, it can be a long and difficult road to find a traditional publisher, but not impossible. Many self-published authors in Australia secure traditional publishing deals after releasing their books.
Check out Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing for Australian Authors: The Complete Guide to Amazon KDP! To learn everything there is to know about self-publishing on Amazon KDP.
If You Choose the Self-Publishing Route, What Comes Next?
If you are planning on self-publishing, you’ll need to focus on the following:
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- Planning and Budgets
- Distribution
- Production and Printing
- Marketing and Promotion
- International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs)
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Planning and Budget
Start by planning out what you’re going to spend on each stage of the process. This will depend a lot on what sort of book you’re planning on writing.
Children’s books require illustrations but are much shorter. It’ll cost more for illustrations, but editing and proofreading will be cheaper. Longer fiction books don’t require illustrations, but they will cost a lot more for editing and formatting.
Non-fiction books require extensive editing, images/graphics, and cost more to format because they have more complex layouts and designs.
There are a lot of things you can do yourself, but it’s important to consider that your book is an investment. If you invest in it and do the hard work, it’ll reward you with good reviews and royalties. Services such as professional book cover design, formatting and layout, and proofreading and editing are investments in a premium finished product.
Distribution of Your Books | Self-Publishing In Australia
Where are you planning on selling your book? Will it be Print-on-Demand (POD) via platforms such as Amazon KDP or IngramSpark, or through bookstores? Are you going to sell eBooks as well as print books? POD handles shipping and printing. They’ll deduct their costs first; anything remaining is your royalty. You can choose to price higher or lower.
We wrote a great article on print-on-demand. Check out What Is Print On Demand for Authors?
The other option is to take your finished file to a printer, do print runs of your book, and manage your distribution yourself. The more books you order, the lower the overall price per book. However, you need to consider the pros and cons of this choice. You’re responsible for quality control, shipping to distribution points, and holding any excess stock of books until they sell.
Production and Printing
There are several different stages in the production area, which include:
- Editing and Proofreading – It’s one of the biggest areas that self-published authors fail to recognize. Professional editing will deliver a polished, perfected end product that readers will appreciate. Remember, you get what you pay for with editing.
- Cover Design – The old saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by the cover,’ may be true, but a lot of people will pick up a book or click on a book entirely based on the cover. There are a variety of professional cover design companies available, with prices ranging from $100 to $1,000 per cover.
- Formatting/Layout/Typesetting – Formatting your interior files is a very important part of self-publishing. Professional formatting is an easy way to set your book apart from other authors. Your printer may prefer a specific file format, and many online distributors have their own preferences.
- Marketing and Promotion – This is another area where costs can increase, depending on your objectives. You can take your completed book to a marketing agency and let them handle everything, or you can do it yourself. Alternatively, you can create social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Medium, Threads, Goodreads, and more. You can also build your websites and sell your books directly to clients.
International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs)
Every book or publisher (including you if you’re self-published) must obtain an ISBN and lodge their books with the National Library of Australia and, in Victoria, the State Library of Victoria. Once you register a title to an ISBN, it can’t be changed.
If you want to learn more about ISBNs, check out this article: “Do I Need an ISBN in Australia?“
Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Australia – Conclusion
If self-publishing is the path you want to pursue, but you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us directly. Our experienced team has successfully helped hundreds of authors self-publish their books on Amazon KDP and other self-publishing platforms.
At Author Services Australia, self-publishing in Australia is our specialty! We offer a variety of self-publishing services.
Our friendly and professional team at Author Services Australia is happy to help! Need help with self-publishing, such as ghostwriting, editing, formatting, cover design, or uploading? Our experienced team is here to help. If you have any questions about the self-publishing process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
At Author Services Australia, we support Australian and New Zealand self-published authors and writers with a full range of affordable self-publishing services, including ghostwriting, copyediting, developmental editing, proofreading, ebook and paperback formatting, book cover design, children’s book illustrations, graphic design services, Amazon KDP Keyword and Category Research, animated book cover reveal videos, beta reading, and social media and marketing.
If you’re currently considering self-publishing, and you’re not sure which is the best self-publishing platform for you, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark Publishing, or others, check out The Best Self-Publishing Platforms to Publish Your Book! We cover the pros and cons of Australia’s most popular self-publishing platforms.
