{"id":38510,"date":"2019-11-21T09:10:43","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T14:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=38510"},"modified":"2022-02-23T11:06:19","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T16:06:19","slug":"how-to-self-publish-a-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=38510","title":{"rendered":"How to Self-Publish a Book: A Guide for Aspiring Authors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All my life, I dreamed of being a writer. But when I was a kid, I didn\u2019t think it was a dream I\u2019d ever realize. In my mind, making it as a writer was like winning the lottery \u2014 a goal with such out of reach odds that I might as well set my sights on something more realistic.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, I pursued my degree in psychology and set out to change the world that way.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But when I was 26 years old, I had a health crisis that robbed me of my fertility and left me bankrupted by medical debt. I felt lost and alone, completely broken down by the events that had destroyed the life I\u2019d always wanted. So I started doing the only thing I knew how to do to help me through the pain of all that.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What started as a blog in 2009 eventually became a memoir in 2013. I self-published the day before my 30<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> birthday, and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Single-Infertile-Female-Adventures-Infertility\/dp\/1483911330\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Single Infertile Female<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> became a success by all self-publishing measures &#8212; and it helped me launch a full-time writing career.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, none of it came easy. Self-publishing a book is a deeply involved endeavor. At least, if you want to do it right. Anyone can string some words together and hit publish. But doing so won\u2019t earn you money or accolades.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to be willing to take the process seriously to find that kind of success.<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n[twl_reusable_block post_id=41455]\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to self-publish a book<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today I work as a<\/span>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.leahcampbellwrites.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">writer and developmental editor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, guiding as many as 20 clients a year through the self-publishing process.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ve created a list I give to all my clients so that they know up front what this process will require of them:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build your social media presence<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prepare your draft<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design your book cover<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polish your draft<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select a platform for self-publishing a book<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Format<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish copyright<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obtain an ISBN<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Publish<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Market<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write another book<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s talk about what each of these items means to a hopeful author wondering how to self-publish a book.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Build your social media presence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The truth is, you could write the greatest novel known to man. But without the use of social media, you\u2019ll never be able to get it into anyone\u2019s hands.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>As a self-published author, marketing and building an <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/author-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">author platform<\/a> is your responsibility.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You won\u2019t have a team behind you taking on this task, so you need to be prepared to do that work yourself &#8212; which means starting now with your social media presence. You don\u2019t have to be on every platform, but you do need to start connecting and building a public network as soon into your publishing journey as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These people will be your potential readers, and cheering section, one day. Part of marketing a book comes down to first being able to market yourself. And that usually starts online.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Prepare your draft<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may think your first draft is flawless, but I promise you\u2026it\u2019s not.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Self-publishing often gets a bad rap because some authors don\u2019t take the time to truly polish their work.<\/strong> But in the traditional publishing world, a book might go through as many as 10 rounds of revisions before making it to print.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold yourself to a similar standard.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/when-to-hire-a-book-editor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">hiring a developmental editor<\/a> to help you work through some of the big picture issues with your book. Then utilize <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/ultimate-guide-to-beta-readers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">beta readers<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/find-a-critique-partner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">critique partner<\/a>s to help you pinpoint any other problems you may have missed. Revise, bring in another set of eyes, and revise again.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will never regret taking one more stab at making your manuscript better, but you may very well regret leaping to publish too soon.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Design your book cover<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve got some expert-level graphic design skills, fantastic! Get to <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/your-self-published-book-needs-a-cover-heres-how-to-create-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">designing your cover<\/a>. But most authors lack those skills and will need to hire a professional to create something that will tell the story of their book in image form.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Because remember: Plenty of people<i> do<\/i> judge a book by its cover.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t know where to find a good cover designer, start by asking for recommendations in various <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/facebook-groups-for-writers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">online writer\u2019s groups<\/a>. You can also look inside the cover of indie books that have designs you like \u2014 most will credit the cover designer in those first few pages that contain other publishing information.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Polish your draft (again)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019re confident your revisions are complete, it\u2019s time to send your book off for line editing and proofreading.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please know that no matter how skilled you are at spelling and grammar, you will still need a professional editor to catch your errors. <strong>Because everyone makes errors within their own work, even editors themselves.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The human eye is amazing at glossing over mistakes when you know what you meant to say \u2014 so don\u2019t trust yourself to catch those mistakes when the time comes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Select a route to self-publishing a book<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a lot of different options for self-publishing a book, all of which provide different benefits and drawbacks to consider.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I personally published through <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/amazon-self-publishing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Amazon self-publishing<\/a> with CreateSpace years ago, because it made selling through Amazon simple. <strong>CreateSpace has since merged with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), if that\u2019s a route you want to consider. Apple\u2019s iBooks can also be great for e-book only printing, and Barnes &amp; Noble Press and Kobo are other options as well.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you try to decide which option is right for you, ask yourself these questions:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you achieve your goals through this platform? (Do you care about <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Print books vs. ebooks? Because some platforms <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are e-book only. If you want the option of having a physical book, you\u2019ll need to look for print-on-demand services as well).<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What percentage of each sale will the company take?<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What protections do they offer to their authors?<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where will your book be available for sale?<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does the platform provide an ISBN?<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. Format<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you finally feel like your book is ready and you\u2019ve selected a platform to publish through, you\u2019ll still need to format your book to that platform\u2019s specifications.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most offer in-depth guidelines, but e-book formatting, especially, can sometimes be tricky. I formatted my own print on demand documents, but hired someone to format my e-book, mostly because I didn\u2019t trust myself to set up the coding for things like clickable titles correctly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can find a good e-book formatter in the same way you found your cover designer: by asking groups of self-published authors for their recommendations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7. Establish copyright<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I remember all too well staring at my screen and wondering, \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do I copyright my book?\u201d But the truth is, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whether or not to copyright your book is a personal choice.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under U.S. copyright law, written works are protected as soon as you create them. <strong>But if you want to register your copyright (and there are various reasons to consider taking this step, to include the fact that it may make your case easier to prove if you do have to go to court), you can do so by visiting copyright.gov and selecting \u201cLiterary Works.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cost for officially copyrighting a book is $85.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8. Obtain an ISBN<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to get an ISBN number for a self-published book is a question that can be answered a few different ways.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some self-publishing platforms, like KDP, will automatically provide you with a free ISBN as part of publishing with them. Otherwise, you\u2019ll have to purchase your ISBN, either through<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bowker.com\/products\/ISBN-US.html\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bowker<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or your local ISBN agency.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9. Publish your book<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point, you are ready to publish your book! Congratulations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you follow the guidelines of your chosen platform so that publishing goes smoothly and your book is available for purchase as soon as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10. Market your book<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But your work isn\u2019t done! In fact, some might argue that now is when the real work begins. Because writing a book is only half the battle \u2014 marketing it is your next task.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve built up a decent social network presence, you can start by marketing there. But you\u2019ll also want to consider other options for getting the word about your book out there. Perhaps you could talk to a <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/barnes-and-noble-book-signing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">local indie bookshop about hosting a reading and signing<\/a>. Or maybe you want to print up promotional materials to hand out to people on the street. You may even want to consider a giveaway with a copies of your book as the prizes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are countless ideas for <a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/ultimate-book-marketing-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">book marketing<\/a> that you could potentially utilize, but you need to be willing to commit to this part of the process if you want your book to reach as many eyes as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>11. Write another book<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the best ways to find success as a self-published author is to keep writing. The more books you have to your name, the higher your sales will be \u2014 as fans of one book will flock to the others. This is how you build a name for yourself in the indie publishing world, and how you grow and expand as an author. So keep writing!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Self-publishing a book: How much does it cost?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people may see self-publishing as the easier route, but all of the tasks and expenses a publisher would typically take on, you are responsible for covering yourself through self-publishing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of getting an advance, you\u2019ll be paying for various services and working hard to ensure your end product is flawless.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So it\u2019s only natural to wonder how much self-publishing will cost you. In fact, some of the most common questions I get from potential clients are, \u201cHow<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> much does it cost to self-publish a book on Amazon?\u201d and \u201cIs it free to publish a book on Amazon?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer is complicated. <strong>Because, while, yes, self-publishing to Amazon is free through KDP, preparing your book for that moment is not.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All those editors, designers and formatters we discussed above? They cost money. And a lot of the time, it\u2019s money you won\u2019t see back.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s harsh, but true. A large percentage of self-published books will never make back the money that was invested into them.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is why marketing is so important, and why it has to be a part of your self-publishing plan.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But as far as that initial cost investment, I always tell my developmental editing clients it will ultimately come down to how much work they are willing to do themselves, and how much quality they\u2019re willing to pay for in terms of services.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can save yourself some money by formatting your own book, for instance. But good editors and cover designers don\u2019t come cheap.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>On average, self-publishing a quality book will run you anywhere from $1,000 to $3500, depending on the rates charged by the contractors you hire to help you prepare your book for publication.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> And you do get what you pay for. So don\u2019t pay $75 for editing and expect to receive back an error-free end product.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to choose between traditional publishing and self-publishing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re pursuing the path of self-publishing, it\u2019s inevitable that you\u2019ll ask yourself at some point, \u201cIs it better to self-publish or get a publisher?\u201d or \u201cWill self-publishing hurt your chances of signing a traditional publishing deal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer to both questions is\u2026it depends.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I published my first book, I never even considered traditional publishing. It was a memoir written by a woman in her 20s about a chronic health condition impacting the female reproductive organs. In other words: very niche.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I knew finding representation for it would be near impossible, and because the book itself was part of my healing process, I just wanted to get it out into the world.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-publishing was absolutely the right choice for that book, and at that point in my life.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But today I\u2019m shopping a fiction novel I\u2019ve been working on for two years to agents. It has commercial appeal and is a concept I\u2019m really proud of. Plus, I see traditional publishing as the next step in my career.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So for this book, and at this point in my life\u2026traditional publishing is the dream.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every book is different. If you\u2019re trying to decide whether traditional publishing or self-publishing is right for you, you need to do some soul searching and really get honest with yourself about your book (is it something an agent is going to feel confident in selling?), your goals (what do you hope to gain out of this publishing process), and your future aspirations as a writer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-publishing has proven to be a very viable career path for some. And traditional publishing is right for others. There is no single best answer here.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As far as whether self-publishing today will hurt your chances of traditional publishing tomorrow, the answer is yes \u2014 for this book. But not for future endeavors.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you self-publish a book, it\u2019s usually off the table for agents and publishers to consider. Unless it\u2019s a massive success (selling tens of thousands of copies), most won\u2019t even give it a second look.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But having self-published a book won\u2019t hurt you at all when trying to sell a different book to agents and publishing companies in the future. In fact, if your self-published book did well (sales in the thousands) it could actually help you, because those numbers prove your ability to be part of the marketing process.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Should you choose a small press?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While researching your options, you may have come across authors mentioning having published through small presses.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>This is a version of traditional publishing that doesn\u2019t typically require an agent, as small presses tend to like working directly with authors.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Small presses are also often more open to taking niche books and working with an author\u2019s unique vision.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You would pitch your book to a small press in much the same way you would to an agent, with a query letter, synopsis and the first few pages of your manuscript (or whatever their submission guidelines request). If they\u2019re interested, they\u2019ll ask for more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But there are two important things to keep in mind when publishing with small presses:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The first is that they often only print a few books a year, which means you could be put on a waitlist that is several years out before your book will be published. They also tend to have small marketing departments, which means you need to be prepared to market your own book as aggressively as you would have with self-publishing.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The other thing to be aware of is the fact that there are a lot of vanity presses masquerading as small presses.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat\u2019s a vanity press?\u201d you may ask? Well, these are publication companies that will offer to publish your book \u2014 for a fee. They will usually charge you thousands (more than you ever would have paid for self-publishing) all for the vanity of being able to say you have a publisher.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Avoid them at all costs.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Not only will they charge you more for the services you could have gotten cheaper with contractors you found yourself, they will also take a far greater percentage of your royalties than you would have had to give up through self-publishing. And you\u2019ll lose some of the rights you would have maintained through self-publishing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On top of all that, the marketing services they offer are nothing more than blasting your book to their wide network of authors, who all paid the same thing you did and are simply hoping to see their own books advertised.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is not how to self-publish a book, it\u2019s how to get ripped-off in the process of self-publishing a book.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, there are plenty of small presses that aren\u2019t vanities, and many of them are lovely to work with. But do your research if you decide to pursue this route, and don\u2019t go with any press that is asking you for exorbitant amounts of money to help you with self-publishing a book.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Have you ever self-published a book? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Photo via GuadiLab \/&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/photos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/photos&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1574431482881000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHI9EZDzUPf3JBwz1w94KQZ7zhO2Q\">Shutterstock<\/a>&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Writing a book takes a lot of time, effort and vulnerability. Take publishing into your own hands with our comprehensive guide to self-publishing a book. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":390,"featured_media":38514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-self-publishing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/390"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38510\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}