If you have always wanted to get a book published but have given up on the traditional publishing route, don’t despair!  It is now possible to publish a book yourself for FREE.  Don’t pay to self-publish a book!  Many places that sell self-publication services are taking advantage of hopeful young authors.  Why pay when you can self-publish for free?!

Many people now-a-days are successful self-published authors.  Some indie authors, as most like to refer to themselves, are quite successful.  Some indie authors are even able to make their entire income from their book sales.  There are many legitimate, free platforms where a person can self-publish his/her work.  Some of the most popular sites are:

Kindle: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin/186-0907743-8551031

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/

PubIt: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home

iBooks: https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wo/2.0.0.9.7.3.1

Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/

Kindle Self-Publishing

The platform that I have had the most success with is Kindle.  Kindle is the most widely used reading app.  Kindle ebooks can be viewed on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android, and Blackberry phones, as well as on Kindle devices.  Kindle has an easy-to-follow guide for formatting and uploading and ebook.

If you publish your ebook only to Kindle, you can participate in what they call the “KDP Select” program.  Amazon will promote your book more and there are other benefits as well.

When self-publishing though Kindle, you set the price for the ebook and you will receive 70%.  If you set the price below $2.99, you will get 30%.  Your book will be listed for sale on Amazon.com.

Most indie authors I know make the bulk of their money through selling Kindle ebooks.

Createspace Self-Publishing

Createspace produces print-on-demand books so you can sell paperback versions of your book as well as ebooks.  If you self-publish through Createspace, your print-version book will be for sale from their website and on Amazon.com.  You set the book’s sale price and you receive a portion of the profit.

It’s just the most awesome feeling holding a copy of your book in your hands.  I had always felt like a bit of a fraud when I told people that I was a writer, until I held a print copy of my first book.  Then I finally felt like I was a ‘real’ writer.

Cover Art

When you self-publish, you will need to obtain cover art for your book.  If you are artistically inclined, you can simply illustrate your own cover – lucky you!  Otherwise, you could make a cover yourself using public domain photos.  Or you could hire someone to design a cover for you.  One place to get cheap cover designs is http://fiverr.com/.

Write Your Story, Revise, Edit, Publish – Don’t Give Up!

If you have a desire to write, you should do it!  If you have been made to write, you will know.  Once you have written an awesome story, you need to revise and edit.  This is a step that should NOT be omitted.  It is a good idea to let at least two knowledgeable individuals read your story and offer feedback.  Then, once your work is perfected, choose the platform(s) you would like to use and go for it!

I wanted to be a writer since I was 12 years old.  Now I am a writer.  Don’t give up!  You can make your dream come true too.

When someone doesn’t make the most of their time or opportunities, and then that person feels badly about their performance, we tend to say, “It’s okay.”

“It’s understandable.  You were tired.”

“Life is monotonous.  Everyone needs to have fun once and a while.”

“You have a lot of pressure in your family/life.  You needed to unwind.”

I’ve received a lot of these types of comments and I have made them myself, but I’ve come to believe it is not helpful.  It’s true that we legitimately need to unwind, rest, and have fun, and these things are important.  And certain seasons of life can be very difficult and so more rest is required.  But overall, I think there’s way more ‘relaxing’ going on in our culture than is warranted.

Where does this excuse-giving come from?

When a person performs very well, when they work very hard and achieve a great success, I feel happy for them.  But deep down, there are other feelings too.  Often I have felt a pang of jealousy or guilt or disappointment that I wasn’t able to achieve similar results.  But the truth is that their success has no influence on what happens in my life.  My own effort primarily determines my success in the things I do.

Conversely, when a person squanders their time or opportunities or even when the person is downright lazy, well, truthfully, often I feel relieved.  We’re all in the same boat.  It’s hard for all of us.  See, I’m not the only one.

And so I tell them, “It’s okay.”

But it’s not okay.  It’s not okay when I’m lazy and it’s not okay when you are either.  We’ve been given gifts and responsibilities by God, and to waste our time would not be right.  And for me to tell you, “it’s okay”, as a cover for my own laziness, well…that would be selfish of me.

So, instead, I’ll tell you that you can do better next time.  You can do this thing called life.  Eat, get enough rest, and pray to God for strength and wisdom.  You can walk out the calling you’ve received.