How to self-publish a book: a complete step-by-step guide
The whole path from finished manuscript to a book on sale — editing, design, file preparation, ISBN, distribution and launch — with what each step costs and how long it takes.
To self-publish a book you take it through seven stages: finish and edit the manuscript, decide your formats, get the cover and interior designed, prepare print-ready and ePUB files, sort the ISBN and copyright page, choose a distributor like Amazon KDP or IngramSpark, and launch. Most indie titles reach sale in two to four months and a few hundred to a few thousand euros, depending on how much you do yourself.
This guide is the map. Each step links to a deeper article when you need the detail.
Is self-publishing right for you?
Self-publishing means you keep creative control and the rights, you move faster, and you earn a far higher royalty per copy — but you carry the cost and the project management. Traditional publishing trades that control and the upfront cost for an advance, gatekeeping and a slower path. We lay the two side by side in self-publishing vs traditional publishing.
Step 1 — Finish and edit the manuscript
A book is made in the edit. Get the structure right first, then the line-level prose, then a final proofread. This is the step most worth investing in: readers forgive a lot, but not a book that reads as unfinished. If you are weighing a human editor against AI tools, read should you hire a book editor or use AI — and see what professional editing actually covers.
Step 2 — Decide your format(s)
Will you publish an eBook, a print book, or both? Most authors launch both, built from one source so they stay consistent. The trade-offs are in eBook vs print; for print, decide hardcover vs paperback; for digital, know the difference between reflowable and fixed-layout ePUB. Picture books and cookbooks behave differently from novels.
Step 3 — Get the design right
The cover sells the book and the interior keeps the reader. Budget realistically — see how much a book cover costs — and write a back-cover blurb that actually converts, using the formula in how to write a back-cover blurb that sells. We draw every cover by hand, never with AI.
Step 4 — Prepare the production files
This is where most first-time books get rejected by the printer or store. You need a press-ready PDF built to spec and a validated ePUB. Start with choosing a trim size, then follow how to format a book for KDP and IngramSpark for print, and how to make an ePUB for Kindle for digital. If you would rather hand this off, that is exactly what our print preparation and ePUB services do — files built to pass the first time.
Step 5 — ISBN, copyright and metadata
Decide whether you need your own ISBN (and how many) in ISBN, ISSN and ISMN explained, and understand what protects your work in how to copyright your book. Clean metadata — title, author, categories, keywords — is what makes the book findable once it is live.
Step 6 — Choose a distributor and upload
Amazon KDP gives you the biggest retailer; IngramSpark reaches bookshops and libraries. Many authors use both. Compare them in KDP vs IngramSpark, and know exactly what you will earn per sale in Amazon KDP royalties explained before you set your price.
Step 7 — Launch and keep selling
Publishing day is the start, not the finish. A modest, steady marketing habit beats a single launch spike. Our free no-budget book marketing playbook walks through what works for indie authors without an ad budget.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
It depends almost entirely on how much you do yourself versus commission. A rough shape:
| Path | Typical cost | Typical time to on-sale |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly DIY (you edit, design, format) | Low — ISBN and proofs only | Longer; bounded by your own time |
| Mixed (pro edit + cover, you handle the rest) | Mid-range | Around 2–3 months |
| Fully produced (edit, cover, print + eBook files) | Higher, but fixed and predictable | Around 4–8 weeks once the manuscript is final |
For the real breakdown see how much it costs to self-publish a book and how long it takes. And if you are still drafting, how long should a book be sets sensible word-count targets by genre.
Do it yourself, or get help?
You can absolutely do all of this alone — this guide and the articles it links are enough to get you there. But if you would rather your book were made by an established publishing house, with a fixed quote up front and files that pass every check, that is exactly what we do. See our packages or just send your manuscript for a plan, a price and a timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really self-publish a book for free?+
Almost — but rarely well. Uploading to Amazon KDP costs nothing, and KDP can assign a free ISBN. The real costs are editing and a cover; skipping both is the most common reason a self-published book underperforms. Budget for at least a professional cover and a proofread.
Do I need a publisher to self-publish?+
No. That is the point of self-publishing: you act as the publisher. You can hire individual professionals (editor, designer) or a production house to handle the technical work, but the rights, the decisions and the royalties stay with you.
What is the first thing I should do?+
Finish the manuscript, then get it edited before anything else. Design and formatting are wasted effort on text that still needs structural work. A manuscript critique early on tells you which level of editing the book actually needs.
Should I publish the eBook or the print book first?+
For most authors, launch both together from one source so the editions stay consistent and you capture every reader. If you must choose, lead with the format your genre's readers prefer — fiction skews eBook, illustrated and gift books skew print.