A dream come true moment for any writer is when they see their name on the spine of a book. The rush of euphoria felt in the veins when you realize that you are now a published writer is unparalleled. There are two different ways an author can have their work published.
The traditional and tough way is to approach a reputable publishing house with your final manuscript. This is a very time-consuming process of trial and error, finding a publisher who is willing to do it. Even though it is an exhausting process (J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter was rejected 12 times), the rewards are often sweet.
Another way is to Self-publish your work on sites like Amazon Kindle, Notion Press, iBooks, Google Books, etc. This is a straightforward process where you format your book, create your own book cover, upload them and link your bank account for royalties. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is by far the most author-friendly platform for self-publishing and has the widest range of potential reader base.
Just a few months ago, I had a finished 150-page manuscript in hand. It describes the events of the Battle of Alesia. About how unthinkable tactics saved Julius Caesar and his roman legionnaires from impossible situations. This was my very first venture into writing a full-sized book and was just a small experiment to test the waters into the depths of literature. I felt contacting publishing houses and waiting for their reply was not worth the effort. So, I chose to go with self-publishing.
Some people assume that self-publishing is a sign of failure. There is nothing wrong with publishing your work, yourself. Especially when you would like the world to read your beautiful piece. I created a KDP account, entered all required details, and uploaded the formatted manuscript and cover design. Two days later, Amazon sent me an email saying there were no issues with my work and that it is live on Amazon!! Kindle version is available in 13 countries and paperback edition in 8.
That was my journey. From researching to writing to editing and publishing my first book, all in a matter of 9 months. So, if you ever wanted to write a book, or have a manuscript ready but are confused about how to publish it, now you know the process. Pick a method that is most suitable to you and publish away!!
All the best, and never stop writing!
