Whether you have a fantastic idea for a book or you’ve already created a rough draft, if you’re interested in publishing a book that you want to share with the world, you’re going to have to figure out how to self-publish your book. Writing a story is one thing, but turning that story into a manuscript that is ready for publication is quite another. While sure, you could go the traditional route and find a publishing house to work with, doing so can be super difficult and downright frustrating; plus, you’ll likely have to hand over the creative rights, you run the risk of having your story seriously altered, and you could end up losing out on a big chunk of money.
For the above-mentioned reasons and more, many authors are opting to forego the conventional route and are self-publishing instead. With self-publishing, you remain in control of your writing and you can keep a lot more of the profits – and those are just some of the benefits of self-publishing. If this sounds appealing to you, you’re probably wondering how to go about publishing your writing yourself. Fortunately, there are a lot of tools out there that really simplify the process.
In addition to providing you with a space to write your story, Reedsy provides you with tools that you can use to transform your writing so that it meets standards that have been established by the publishing industry. If you’re interested in learning how to use this writing app to self-publish your story and share it with the world, keep on reading.
Create an Account, Log-In, and Create Your Book
To get started, type head over to the Reedsy website and create an account. Simply click on the “sign up” tab on the home screen, follow the prompts (remember to create a username and a secure password that you can remember).
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to access various professionals (editors, proofreaders, designers, etc.) and courses, but for the purposes of self-publishing, we’re going to focus on Reedsy’s Book Editor. To access it, while you’re logged into your account, check out the tabs on the left-hand side of the screen.
Along the top, you should see a tab that says “My Books”. Click on that tab, head to the “Create a New Book” section, and follow the prompts. It’s pretty self-explanatory.
Write and Adapt Your Story
Once you’re on the “Create a New Book” page, start writing. You’ll be able to change the font, adjust the alignment, and more. This handy software even indents the paragraphs for you, too. Pretty much all of the tools that are offered on free word processing apps are available; however, the primary difference is that Reedy is designed for authors who plan on publishing their work.
Export Your Writing
Once your manuscript is ready to go, you’ll be able to convert it into any format you’d like, for free. Make sure you select the correct file type – PDF, ePub, or Mobi. You’ll be able to further format the manuscript, too. Choose one of the typeset templates – Classic, Reedsy, or Romance. Explore to see what other adjustments you can make and make any changes you’d like.
Get Ready to Publish
Once you’re happy with the way your manuscript looks, you are ready to self-publish. There are several self-publishing options available on Reedsy, including online printing, online-only printing, and print-on-demand. If you aren’t sure which option to use, do some research to determine which self-publishing option will best suit your needs. Once you’ve decided which option to use, follow the prompts and voila! – your book will be published!