Do you have a secret wish to see your name on the cover of a book? But then, you dismiss it. “What me?” you think. “How can I publish a book? or "What do I know about publishing houses? Or how to get a book published” or some other variation of nagging self-doubt.
It was not long ago that I decided to take the bull by the horns and self-publish a book. I have always enjoyed cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. My friends would keep saying put it all together. Why don't you publish a cookbook? We also want to know how to cook this and that. (Honestly, I think they're happier that I cook for them and they just eat). In my heart of hearts, it was something I had thought of often. I was talking to a friend and she suggested that I look at self-publishing the book.
What do you mean self publish a book? Didn't I need an agent to get me through the door of a traditional publishing house? How could I publish my own book? So many questions were jumping around in my head.
First I needed to know what exactly was self-publishing
Self-publishing is the act of independently publishing your book on a platform like Amazon without need for a traditional publishing house. You are the publisher of your book. You take all the measures to launch your craft in the market, and take upon all the things required to do so.
So how was I going to do this? Actually I found it was quite easy and not as intimidating as I thought it would be. I was told kids today were self-publishing books too! Hmm, now that really got me thinking. I knew I had to hire professionals to edit and design the book: This was an investment that was non-negotiable if I wanted my book to be a success and didn't want to take the traditional route and wait for months for someone to pick up my book and give me a call.
If you have a manuscript ready, you can either go for a free mode of self-publishing or you pay to the publishers and they will set up everything for you – from book cover design to online/offline distribution. That means it becomes a three-step hassle-free process for you. Find a person who will publish it for you, give them the manuscript and details, and voila, you are now a published author. Isn't that simple.
Depending on the `package' chosen an author may have a manuscript edited professionally, design a book cover, sell books online or over offline distribution networks, and for extra money, even organize a book launch and media coverage. So they have all the angles covered. I got in touch with Notion Press as they came highly recommended by friends who had gone down the self-publishing route. Their vision of providing a global publishing platform to writers like me and helping us convert our stories and ideas into books that people can hold, read and connect to, totally resonated.
The team at Notion Press helped me understand what it was that I actually wanted to do with the book. They had so many options – Guided Publishing, Xpress Publishing and different marketing tools that would make my book available to customers on their website, Amazon and Flipkart. Now that sounded like something I wanted for sure.
Their team of dedicated book experts helped me create a publishing plan by identifying the target audience, competition, positioning and pricing strategy for my book. What really closed it for me was knowing that I would have 100% rights to my book and Notion Press would take care of all the distribution and promotion.
Some things that they told me and which make so much sense and you should remember when you decide to self-publish are
- Know what your audience wants
- Make sure your book is error-free in terms of content
- Price it right
- Promote it well
I'm well on my way to getting my book in the stands thanks to them. Now that you know you have a way to make your dream of having your name on a book and it's in your own hands, go forth and take the plunge.
If you want to see what my book is all about, you can get your hands on a copy of my book The 50 Indian Meal Plans here.
Sulata Mitra
Mansi Zaveri
