How to Self-Publish a Book: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Published Oct 14, 2026

20 min read

Quick answer: what is self publishing? Self publishing means you publish your book yourself instead of selling it to a traditional publisher. You keep your rights, control the cover, price and release date, and earn the retailer royalties directly. To self-publish a book: finish and edit your manuscript, design the cover and interior, get an ISBN, upload to retailers such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, then market it. Most authors take about 3 to 6 months from final draft to launch.

If you’ve been searching for how to self publish a book, you probably want three honest answers: what are the steps, what will it cost, and can I really do this without a publisher?

You can. Thousands of authors do it every year. This guide walks through the full self publishing process in plain language, with realistic costs, timelines, and the mistakes that sink first-time books.

We’re Book Publishings, a self-publishing services company. We’ll show you how to do every step yourself, and we’ll tell you honestly when hiring help is worth it and when it isn’t.

Key takeaways

Self publishing = you are the publisher. You keep copyright and creative control, and you pay for production.
The process has 12 steps, from a revised manuscript to post-launch tracking. Skip editing or cover design and sales suffer first.
Budget about $2,000 to $6,000 for a professional-quality book. You can publish for near $0, but expect trade-offs.
Timeline: about 3 to 6 months from final draft. Professionals book up, so plan ahead.
You own your copyright automatically. Registration (about $45 to $65) strengthens your legal position.
Avoid “publishers” that take your rights and your money. Never hand over ownership of your ISBN, accounts or files.

Want a plan for your own manuscript? Get a free quote and publishing roadmap → or call +1 (888) 223-2911.

What Is Self Publishing?

Self publishing is the process of producing and releasing your own book without a traditional publishing house. You fund the production, keep the rights, and earn royalties directly from retailers.

In traditional publishing, a publisher buys the right to publish your book and pays for production. In self publishing, you are the publisher of record. You decide who edits and designs the book, where it sells, and what it costs.

That freedom comes with responsibility. You manage the quality, the schedule, the budget and the marketing, or you hire people to do it for you. For a deeper definition, read What Is Self-Publishing? and, if you’re still deciding, Is Self-Publishing Worth It?

How Does Self Publishing Work?

Self publishing works like this: you prepare a finished, edited book (print and ebook files), upload it to retail and print-on-demand platforms, set your price, and the platforms pay you a royalty each time a copy sells.

Here is the money and file flow in four lines:

You create the manuscript, cover and interior files (or hire professionals).
Platforms such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark host your files and print copies only when ordered (print-on-demand).
Retailers sell the book to readers online and, with the right setup, through bookstores and libraries.
You receive a royalty on each sale, and keep the rights.

Because print-on-demand has no minimum order, you don’t need to buy a pallet of books up front. Full walkthrough: How Does Self-Publishing Work?

A cautionary tale. Author Joanna Penn once paid “a considerable amount of money” to print two thousand books and sold around one hundred. She has since moved to print-on-demand, which she says avoids upfront printing costs, warehousing and leftover stock. The lesson: for most first-time authors, start with print-on-demand.

The 12-Step Self Publishing Process at a Glance

#	Step	Typical time	Typical cost (US)
1	Finish and revise your manuscript	1-6 months	$0 (beta readers)
2	Choose your publishing path	1-2 weeks	$0
3	Professional editing	4-12 weeks	About 1,000-5,000 by length and level
4	Cover design	3-4 weeks	200-2,500
5	Interior formatting	1-5 weeks	$0 (software) to $750
6	ISBN and copyright	1-2 days	0-295 + 45-65 optional registration
7	Metadata, description, categories	About 1 week	$0
8	Pricing	1-2 days	$0
9	Choose printing and distribution	1-2 weeks	$0 upfront with print-on-demand
10	Upload, order a proof, approve	1-7 days	Proof copy cost
11	Launch and marketing	Start 2-3 months before launch	$0 to several thousand
12	Track, improve, repeat	Ongoing	Varies

Ranges combine published 2026 figures from Reedsy and Books.by, Greenleaf Book Group, and Bowker pricing; your quote will depend on your manuscript.

Prefer a done-with-you route? Request a free itemized quote. We review your manuscript and map the steps, timeline and cost before you commit.

Steps 1-12 in Detail

Step 1: Finish and revise your manuscript

Your manuscript should be complete, revised at least once, and read by people who aren’t your close friends or family.

Let the draft rest for two weeks, revise, then give it to 3-5 beta readers in your target audience. Fix what they flag before you pay an editor. New to this stage? See How to Self-Publish Your First Book and our book writing and ghostwriting services if you have the idea but not the draft.

Step 2: Choose your publishing path

Self publishing, traditional publishing and hybrid publishing differ mainly in who pays, who controls, and who keeps the rights. See the comparison table below, or read Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing vs Hybrid Publishing.

Self-publishing does not require a publisher. If that’s your plan, read How to Self-Publish a Book Without a Publisher.

Step 3: Get professional editing

Editing is the most important investment in self publishing, because typos and structural problems are the fastest way to earn bad reviews.

Edit type	What it fixes	When
Developmental	Structure, plot, pacing, argument	After your first big revision
Line edit	Flow, voice, clarity	After developmental
Copy edit	Grammar, consistency, style	Before formatting
Proofread	Final typos	After the interior is laid out

For a 60,000-word book, Reedsy puts editing at roughly 1,000-2,000; for 80,000 words across several levels, Reedsy’s quote data shows 2,160-5,050. Our editing and proofreading team keeps your voice intact.

Step 4: Design your cover

Your cover is your sales page. It must signal your genre at thumbnail size.

Study the top 20 books in your category, then hire a designer who knows your genre. Premade covers often run 200-400; custom covers about 500-2,500. Print books need a full wrap (front, spine, back) sized to your page count and paper. Don’t print a price on the cover if you’ll sell in several countries. See book cover design and book illustration.

Step 5: Format the interior

Formatting turns a document into a book: trim size, margins, fonts, chapter openers, page numbers and a clean EPUB. You need two files: a print-ready PDF and an ebook file. Choose your trim size once and keep it for related books. Our book formatting team delivers both to retailer specifications.

Step 6: Get your ISBN and understand copyright

An ISBN is the 13-digit identifier retailers and libraries use to track one edition of your book. Each format (paperback, hardcover, ebook, audiobook) needs its own.

Bowker (US): $125 for one, $295 for ten.
Free platform ISBN: KDP offers one for print, but the platform is listed as publisher and it can limit where you sell.
Ebooks: often not required if you sell on a single platform that uses its own identifier.

Details: What Is an ISBN? and Can You Self-Publish Without an ISBN?. Copyright is covered below.

Step 7: Write your metadata and description

Metadata (title, subtitle, keywords, categories, description) is how retailers decide whether to show your book.

Treat your description as a sales page, not a synopsis: a short hook line, what the reader gets or what is at stake, then a reason to buy.
Pick specific categories over broad ones.
Use keywords your readers actually type.

Step 8: Price your book

Compare similar books in your genre. Price book one of a series lower to attract readers. For print, make sure the price covers printing cost plus your profit; many authors aim for at least 2-3 per copy.

Step 9: Choose printing and distribution

Platform	Best for	Notes
Amazon KDP	Ebooks and print on Amazon	Free to publish
IngramSpark	Bookstores and libraries	Wholesale discounts of about 40-55% expected; returns can cost you
Apple Books, Kobo, B&N Press, Google Play	Ebook reach beyond Amazon	Publish direct or via an aggregator
Your own store	Higher margins, customer data	You handle or automate fulfillment

Exclusive vs wide: KDP Select makes your ebook Amazon-exclusive in exchange for perks like Kindle Unlimited. Going “wide” means selling everywhere. Neither wins universally; it depends on your genre and audience.

Authors who want every channel set up correctly the first time can use our self-publishing and global book publishing services, plus audiobook publishing.

2026 platform note: Retailers such as KDP ask you to disclose AI-generated content when you publish. Check each platform’s current content rules before you upload.

Step 10: Upload, order a proof, publish

Upload your files, fix any automated errors (margins and spine width are common), order a physical proof, then approve. Pre-orders a few weeks ahead can build early sales and reviews. Print-on-demand lets you update files later, but a clean launch protects your early reviews.

Step 11: Launch and market

Start marketing 2-3 months before launch, not after. Build an email list, send advance copies to a small review team, polish your retailer page, pick social platforms where your readers already are, and concentrate promotions in launch week. Our book marketing, Amazon book marketing and book launch marketing services support this stage, and an author website lets you own your audience.

Step 12: Track, improve and plan the next book

Check sales, reviews and ad data monthly, then refine your cover, description, keywords and price. One author argues that books tend to sell best when they have at least two of three traits: a popular genre, a series or brand, and an author platform. Plan your second book while the first is live.

Stuck on any step? Talk to a publishing specialist. It’s free, and we’ll tell you when you don’t need us.

How Much Does Self Publishing Cost?

Professional-quality self publishing typically costs about $2,000 to $6,000, depending on length, genre and services. Reedsy’s published ranges are 2,800-5,300 and, from its freelancer-quote analysis, 2,940-5,660.

Cost item	Budget	Standard	Premium
Editing	200-800 (copy edit only)	1,000-3,000	3,000-5,000+
Cover	200-400 (premade)	500-1,200	1,200-2,500+
Interior formatting	DIY software	250-750	Complex layouts, higher
ISBN	Free platform ISBN	$125 (single)	$295 (ten)
Print setup	$0 (POD)	$0 + proof copies	Print run: varies
Marketing	0-500	500-2,000	$2,000+

What moves the price most: length, editing level, illustration, and marketing ambition. Line-by-line breakdown: How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book? And if you’re pricing a service provider, see How Much Does a Self-Publishing Company Cost?

See your exact price before you commit. Get your free, itemized quote →

Can You Self-Publish a Book for Free?

Yes. Publishing on KDP is free, and print-on-demand has no upfront printing cost. But “free” usually means you do the editing, cover and formatting yourself.

What stays free: uploading, a platform ISBN, print-on-demand. What costs time or money: quality editing, a genre-correct cover, a proof copy, marketing. If you’re on a tight budget, spend your first dollars on editing and the cover, because those two decide whether readers trust the book. Details: Can You Self-Publish a Book for Free?

How Long Does Self Publishing Take?

Most self-publishing projects take about 3 to 6 months from final draft to launch, and a polished manuscript can move faster. Greenleaf Book Group puts the range at “a week to six months,” depending on how close to final the book is.

Stage	Typical duration
Copyediting	3-4 weeks
Cover design	About 4 weeks
Interior layout and corrections	About 5 weeks
Proofreading	1-2 weeks
Upload and ebook conversion	1-4 weeks

Stages overlap, so your total is usually less than the sum. Editors and designers often book months ahead, and one Reedsy professional advises planning at least four months of lead time. More: How Long Does Self-Publishing Take?

How Do Self-Published Authors Make Money?

Self-published authors earn royalties on each sale, and many add income from other formats, direct sales, speaking and related services.

Ebooks: Amazon KDP offers a 35% or a 70% royalty option. The 70% option is calculated on the list price minus applicable VAT and delivery costs (KDP lists average delivery at about $0.06 per unit), and applies only in eligible territories and price ranges. KDP’s qualifying price band has changed over time and sources disagree, so check KDP’s current pricing page before you set your price.
Print: royalties are your list price minus printing cost and the retailer’s cut. Reedsy puts KDP Print at roughly 50-60% of list minus printing, and IngramSpark at roughly 45-70%.
Other ebook stores: Apple Books and Google Play commonly pay 70%; Kobo’s 70% applies at higher price points.
Beyond book sales: audiobooks, direct sales from your website, workshops, speaking, consulting and series income.

Reality check: one author estimates that more than 2 million self-published books appear each year against about 30,000 from mainstream publishers, so discoverability is the real challenge. Books with a series, a clear genre and an audience platform tend to earn more. Read How Do Self-Published Authors Make Money?

Do Self-Published Authors Keep Copyright?

Yes. You own the copyright to your book from the moment you create it, and self publishing does not transfer it to anyone.

Registration is optional but useful. The US Copyright Office’s online fee is $45 for a single author, same claimant, one work, not for hire, and $65 for the Standard Application. Registration strengthens your remedies if someone infringes.
An ISBN is not copyright. It only identifies an edition.
Permissions matter. Song lyrics, long quotes and images you didn’t create usually need clearance.
Read every service contract. Make sure it says you keep your rights.

More: Do Self-Published Authors Keep Copyright?

Self-Publishing vs Traditional vs Hybrid Publishing

	Self-publishing	Traditional	Hybrid
Upfront cost to you	You pay	None (publisher pays)	You pay all or part
Rights	You keep them	Usually licensed to the publisher	Varies by contract
Creative control	Full	Shared; publisher has final say	Shared
Time to market	Weeks to months	Often 1-2 years after signing	Months
Royalty potential	Highest per copy	Lower per copy (advance first)	Varies widely
Bookstore reach	Possible with effort	Strongest	Varies
Needs an agent?	No	Usually yes	No

Quick guide: choose self publishing for speed, control and ownership; traditional for shelf presence and no upfront cost; hybrid only after verifying the company’s contract and track record. Deeper reads: Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing, Self-Publishing vs Hybrid Publishing, and our sibling pillar, How to Publish a Book.

Should You Hire a Self-Publishing Company?

Hire one if your time or technical skill is the bottleneck. Do it yourself if you have time, a small budget, and enjoy learning the tools.

Choose DIY if…	Hire a self-publishing company if…
You have time to learn formatting, metadata and retailer dashboards	You want a professional result without managing 5 to 8 freelancers
Your budget is tight	You’d rather pay one clear quote than several uncertain ones
You’re comfortable vetting freelancers	You want editing, design, formatting and distribution to match
You enjoy marketing	You want help with launch and marketing, too

What a self-publishing company does: editing, formatting, cover design, ISBN and metadata setup, print and ebook preparation, distribution, and marketing support. See What Does a Self-Publishing Company Do?, What Services Does a Self-Publishing Company Provide? and Should You Hire a Self-Publishing Company?

At Book Publishings you work with a dedicated publishing specialist, editing and design sit under one roof, and you keep your rights. Our site reports a 4.8/5 rating from 200+ authors. Check our reviews and request a quote.

“Book Publishings did wonders for my book; they made it look fabulous, right from editing to formatting section they were on point.” Jessica Reynolds-Walker, author (review shown on bookpublishings.com)

How to Choose a Self-Publishing Company (and Avoid Scams)

A trustworthy self-publishing company gives you an itemized written quote, lets you keep your rights, and puts your name on your accounts and ISBNs.

Red flags

❌ Large upfront fees and a claim on your rights.
❌ Guaranteed bestseller status, reviews or sales.
❌ The ISBN is registered to them with no transfer option. (In the US, Bowker is the only ISBN agency, so a company “giving” you an ISBN is listing itself as publisher.)
❌ Vague contracts: no royalty formula, no termination or rights-reversion clause.
❌ Pressure tactics (“offer expires today”).

Your vetting checklist

Ask for a written, itemized quote.
Confirm in writing that you keep your rights.
Confirm you own your retailer accounts and ISBNs.
Read independent reviews (Trustpilot, BBB).
Ask for finished books in your genre.
Ask who actually does the work and where.

Full guide: How to Choose a Self-Publishing Company. Also see our about page.

Common Self-Publishing Mistakes

Rushing. A first draft is not a finished book.
Skipping professional editing. The top cause of bad reviews.
A DIY cover that misses the genre.
Self-publishing as a “test” for a traditional deal. Early self-published sales can make a book harder to sell to a traditional publisher.
Ignoring permissions for lyrics, quotes and images.
No marketing plan. Books don’t sell themselves.
Hiring late. Good editors and designers book months ahead.
Printing a big run first. Start with print-on-demand.
Signing a vague service contract.

Detailed fixes: Common Self-Publishing Mistakes to Avoid

Self-Publishing Checklist

Manuscript revised and beta-read
Publishing path chosen
Developmental, copy edit and proofread done
Cover (front, spine, back) and interior finished
ISBNs purchased for each format
Permissions cleared; copyright registered (optional)
Title, subtitle, description, keywords, categories final
Price set; print profit checked
Proof copy ordered and approved
Email list, review team and launch plan ready
Retail pages live; tracking set up

Get the printable version: Self-Publishing Checklist for First-Time Authors

FAQ: Self Publishing a Book

What is the first step to self-publish a book?

Finish and revise your manuscript, then get feedback from beta readers. Once it's ready, choose your publishing path and book your editor and cover designer early.

How much does it cost to self-publish a book?

Professional-quality self publishing typically costs about $2,000 to $6,000, covering editing, cover design, formatting and an ISBN. A near-free version is possible if you do the work yourself.

How long does self publishing take?

Most projects take about 3 to 6 months from final draft to launch. A polished manuscript can take weeks, and professional lead times can add months.

Can I self-publish a book without a publisher?

Yes. You can publish directly through Amazon KDP, IngramSpark and other platforms without a traditional publisher, and you keep your rights and control the price.

Do I need an ISBN to self-publish?

You need one for print books and any edition you want sold widely. Ebooks on a single platform may not require one. In the US, a Bowker ISBN costs $125, or $295 for ten.

Do self-published authors keep copyright?

Yes. Copyright belongs to you automatically. Registering with the US Copyright Office costs $45 for a single author or $65 for the Standard Application.

How do self-published authors make money?

They earn royalties on ebook, print and audiobook sales, and many add direct sales, speaking and related income. KDP offers 35% and 70% ebook options at eligible prices.

Is self-publishing worth it?

It's worth it if you want control, speed and higher per-copy earnings, and you'll invest in editing, a good cover and marketing. If you want bookstore shelf presence and no upfront cost, traditional publishing may suit you better.

Should I hire a self-publishing company?

Hire one if time or technical skill is your bottleneck and you can get an itemized quote that lets you keep your rights. If you have time and enjoy learning the tools, DIY can work.

What is the difference between self-publishing and hybrid publishing?

In self-publishing you control and fund production and keep your rights. In hybrid publishing you share costs with a publisher and the contract defines rights and royalties, so read it carefully.

Ready to Self-Publish Your Book?

Self publishing gives you control, ownership and the freedom to publish on your schedule. You don’t have to figure out every step alone. Book Publishings gives you a dedicated publishing specialist, editing and design under one roof, and a clear plan from manuscript to launch, while you keep your rights.

Get Your Free Quote → | Call +1 (888) 223-2911 | Email info@bookpublishings.com

Explore our self-publishing services, book publishing services and book marketing.

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