The Spiritual Science of Love
29th Nov 2024
Self Publishing Guide
I have just completed my first book and I have had to navigate numerous challenges, whether that be what software to use or what is my Tax Identification Number (TIN). On this page I describe the process from the beginning to complete publication, and I will update as needed.
I am not affiliated with any of the software mentioned in this guide, these are the tools I utilised to create and self-publish my own book, which you can find on multiple stores. The links (URL’s) included are at my discretion.
Writing
I had never written a book before, so I felt a bit out of my depth, especially since I did not succeed academically at school. After some research on the web my concerns were neutralised, be yourself, don’t use grammar you do not understand, and do not concern yourself with big intellectual words that most of the populace does not understand. Practice is the key to good writing, not that I declare myself as a good writer but after writing and re-writing again and again, you do get better at it.
To bring my typing skills up to a good standard I used one of the many typing tutorials online, these are an excellent way to improve your keyboard skills. 5–10 mins a day can really make a difference.
There is no such thing as writer's block, only things you do not want to write about. So, get what ever is uncomfortable or ugly out of your system, keep it to yourself, and press on.
Scrivener
Once I had decided to write a book I began to take notes, this was on paper initially until I decided what software I was going to use. I chose Scrivener, but you could use any word processor app, such as Word or Pages, LibreOffice they all export to .docx format.
Scrivener link - https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
LibreOffice - https://www.libreoffice.org/
Scrivener has preconfigured templates, or you can make your own, I chose one of the templates and made some personal adjustments from there. Scrivener is well-supported with excellent documentation, and you can give it a trial for 30 days to see whether it suits your purposes. There are sections for notes, ideas, and research one can also add webpages inside Scrivener, this makes it easier to stay focused on one window. Dual pane functionality is built in so one side can be dedicated to writing and the other to an identical pane or notes or research such as a webpage.
Flowcharts
Draw.io is another useful tool that aided the sketching out of ideas, it can be used to create diagrams such as flowcharts, wireframes, UML diagrams, organizational charts, and network diagrams. It can be used for free in the browser or installed on your computer as a desktop application.
Grammar & Co
For grammar checking there are quite a few out there, Grammarly, ProWritingAid and LanguageTool. I utilised LanguageTool, which can be used for free or upgraded to premium. Another useful tool for novice writers was the Hemingway Editor which as per their website “The app highlights lengthy, complex sentences and common errors”.
LanguageTool - https://languagetool.org/
Hemingway App - https://hemingwayapp.com/
Apple is about to release in the UK the ability to proofread documents through Apple Intelligence, unfortunately I did not get to use this facility, but I am sure it will aid those in the future.
Vellum
Formatting is what Vellum does, the complete functionality is available in the trial version. Vellum is a blessing, it turns your mundane manuscript into a beautifully laid out E-Book or Print edition.
I used Scrivener which compiled my manuscript into a .docx file which then opened within Vellum. Choose your styles, headings, chapters, footnote’s and anything else you should require including adding images. Vellum includes a viewer so that one may preview how your book will appear on various platforms including Kindle, iOS, Android, Nook, Kobo and Print edition.
Vellum has excellent support and their help pages are a good resource should you require any assistance. This software which can be used as a free trial for as long as you wish, one needs a licence to export your files. https://vellum.pub/
Proofreading
I proofread my book in various different ways, since Vellum has the option to view the book on different readers or as a print version. I proofread in all of these options so that the text was formatted differently, and it was easier to see any punctuation mistakes that might have crept in.
There is more to proofreading than just grammar, and spelling mistakes, one must make sure that you do not lose your voice, that one does not repeat oneself, and maybe it can be said in a much simpler way. Take regular breaks, do not proofread when you are tired, and it should be an enjoyable experience, not a chore. You want your readers to have a smooth experience, the same as you expect when you read a book. It is worth doing a bit of research to see what others have to say on this matter.
Inkscape
A free and open source vector graphic program that is the equivalent of Adobe’s Illustrator. I used this software to create any vector image (an image that will scale without any degradation). This was used for all the images inside the book that were not acquired from external sources. There are many tutorials on YouTube, but I chose to buy a course from LogosByNick. Once I understood the capabilities of each tool, I was able to create that which I required. Most of the artwork included in my book is quite simple diagrams, so I was able to complete it myself.
Inkscape - https://inkscape.org/
LogosByNick - https://logosbynick.com/
ISBN
If you only plan on selling your e-book on Amazon, then I would not bother with an ISBN, as they will provide one for free. Selling beyond Amazon, then I recommend purchasing your own ISBN. If you are creating an E-Book and Print edition, then you will need two ISBNs along with a barcode for the Print edition. Two ISBNs will cost £186.00 and £15.00 for a barcode.
Owning your own ISBNs will create a seamless experience for you and your customers, if you do not have an ISBN your book will not be accessible to wholesalers or retailers whether that be digital or physical.
Title Editor
Nielsen is the ISBN provider for the UK, they also operate a title editor which is a free database that is available to all booksellers and retailers in over 100 countries. Once you have completed your book, make sure you include all the relevant details in the Title Editor. The interface is a bit clunky, but it is all quite self-explanatory if you take the time to familiarise yourself with the options.
I entered my details into the Title Editor about 7/10 days before publication date, on the publication date it was available to purchase at retailers in the UK, Denmark, Australia, and the USA, I did not look any further at that time.
Title Editor - https://www.nielsentitleeditor.com/titleeditor/
Scribus
The images for my book cover were created within Inkscape, which were then opened in Scribus. This desktop publishing software is used for layout, typesetting, and preparation of files for professional-quality image-setting equipment. I used Scribus for the cover only, which was actually very simple. I did not learn this software inside out, I only needed to understand a few simple tools, and I was able to create a book cover ready for E-Book or Print.
I am using the POD (print on demand) services supplied by Ingram Spark and Amazon. Both Ingram Spark and Amazon provide templates which you can download once your manuscript is finished, and you know the page count.
These templates are imported into scribus and include all the instructions within the template. I created several layers for each template that included the template itself on one layer, I then added a Background, Front, Spine, and Rear. The background covers the template mine was just white, so I created a box around the template and then filled in the colour. On the Front I added an image created in Inkscape along with two text boxes. Within Inkscape, I rotated some text for the Spine, imported it into its own image box and resized. On the rear I included the barcode which I had previously purchased, Ingram Spark creates a barcode for you, and it is included in the template. I also added a text box for the blurb on the rear, and a smaller text box for a web link and price.
Creating a book cover is not that difficult if you plan on using an image that covers the front to the rear, this can be easily achieved with a little bit of practice. If you are choosing to manipulate some images, I recommend using Gimp, another open source software similar to Photoshop.
Scribus review - https://www.techradar.com/reviews/scribus
Scribus website is quite slow, it is free to download, be patient- https://www.scribus.net/
Self-Publishing
The best course of action when self-publishing is to maximise the commission you receive, to achieve this it is best to set up accounts with each individual retailer and use the POD (Print on Demand) services of aggregators and/or Amazon.
Aggregator - Wholesaler - Retail
There are many aggregators, these companies offer POD services along with E-Book distributions, they all are slightly different. You may choose to use several aggregators at once, you are not bound to an exclusive contract with them. It is worth taking time to do some research to find out which services they offer that will suit your particular circumstance. If you leave it to one service to do it all for you, your commission rate will be reduced significantly, educate yourself so that you reap the benefits, not some other entity.
I chose Ingram Spark for wholesale and retail print distribution. Ingram Spark have a worldwide distribution network that include +39,000 wholesalers and retailers. I only use Ingram Spark for POD services and not their E-book offerings.
Owning your own ISBNs are crucial for maintaining control of your book or books. The ISBN you assign to your book will be used by all wholesalers and retailers alike. If you enter your data into the Title Editor, all retailers will have access to your book from wholesalers or aggregators.
Amazon also offers a POD service and an extended distribution service, I would advise you to stay away from Amazon’s extended distribution service and use Ingram Sparks instead. There are many articles on the internet that advise this course of action.
Retailer - E-Book
Uploading your E-Book to each of the four main platforms is not difficult, just some book information, bank account details, and pricing in various territories. I created accounts with Apple, Nook (B&N), Kobo, and Amazon Kindle. Barnes & Noble asked for the W8 tax form which they provided in digital form, which I filled out and signed, this was all set up and cleared within 10 days. All the others took about 48–72 hours to process.
You will need to provide your IBAN number which can be found at various websites on the internet, you will input the name and location of your bank plus your account number to create your IBAN number, you can also obtain the necessary Swift codes at the same time.
Tax
All the retailers will ask for a tax form to be filled (not complicated), as a UK resident I only needed to provide my TIN which in the UK is your National Insurance number if you are a sole trader.
As per HMRC
United Kingdom
For most individuals in the UK the TIN will be their National Insurance Number.
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/international-exchange-of-information/ieim402040
Business Account
Find a business account that has no charges, unless you want preferential treatment for overdrafts and loans, I would stick to a bank account that has zero charges. Many of the business accounts also integrate with accounting software to make the whole process of filing a tax return simple, Sage, Xero, and Quickbooks are some of the common offerings.
Website
Build a website, once again this is not as difficult as it sounds as there are many services that offer website solutions that you can create and maintain easily. Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly are just some of the possibilities that facilitate the creation of a website without any previous experience.
If you do build a website create some links to your books in various stores, and to make things easier you can use the free services of Booklinker or paid version Geniuslink to direct customers to their nearest online store to purchase E-books and Print editions.
If you intend to write more than one book, asking people to subscribe is a good idea, and don’t forget to include a point of contact. It is not difficult to embed social media within your own website, one can find many posts on the web that will provide the embed code that sits in your website. Your provider will have a section dedicated to achieving this.
Summary
All of this can seem overwhelming if you are just starting out, but tackling each step one at a time so that you do not become overloaded makes the process a lot easier. I began researching retailers and aggregators very early on when I was beginning to write my book. When I came to do the necessary work I already had some idea of what I needed to do, so a little bit of research here and there while you are writing is a good way to absorb that which is necessary.
A lot of the tools out there can be either used on a trial basis or for free to start you off. You can even build a website for free with Wix, it just won’t have a pretty domain name, but you can practice before you get to the day you really need it.
Enjoy the process, some of it will be challenging but that is a good thing, I hope this guide simplifies the process for you.