# What are the best steps for self publishing?



## theoddone (Oct 3, 2014)

After lots of researching and self exploration, I decided I want to self publish my first novel. That's that...

However, I want to make sure I do it right; so, what are the proper steps to take? At the moment, in my mind, it seems all I would need to do is copyright my novel and, then, I can self publish freely, wherever I want, without fears of losing my work... Would you say this is accurate? Please correct me if I am wrong.


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## Seedy M. (Oct 3, 2014)

Not correct. What method will you use to copyright the work? You could mail a copy to yourself for a semi-safe method. If you do that, be sure the envelope is sealed securely - and do not break that seal unless and until you need the proof for any reason. Hope you never need it.
I would recommend that you go to smashwords dot com, join (free) and download their style guide. It's fairly complete. You can also publish through them and get a copyright license and even a free ISBN, which makes the copyright very solid. For printed work, go to lulu dot com and do the same thing. It doesn't cost anything to publish through either one and you get a lot of experience that will help you later.


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## Terry D (Oct 3, 2014)

Self mailing to ensure copyright is a myth (commonly called, the the poor-man's copyright) and is useless in a copyright case. It is easy to fake--just send an empty, unsealed envelope to yourself then, when it arrives with a postmark on it, put in your ms and seal it. 

You work is copyrighted as soon as you write it. It does not need to be registered.


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## Seedy M. (Oct 3, 2014)

Let me understand this argument.
If you send a sealed copy to yourself and don't break the seal. when the stamping process has a date and time, and don't open it until or unless it is needed, it's BS and doesn't mean anything, but simply writing it on an undated piece of paper  is evidence of copyright?
Uh-huh. Right! Yeah.
In Guerndon vs. Martin and in Fredericks vs. Goodson quite the opposite was proven and are precedents. The point is that the seal must not be broken before the evidence is produced in a courtroom. I'm sure your envelope with a date you wrote on it would be refused. An idiot could see that. It's not what I said.


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## Terry D (Oct 3, 2014)

Seedy M. said:


> Let me understand this argument.
> If you send a sealed copy to yourself and don't break the seal. when the stamping process has a date and time, and don't open it until or unless it is needed, it's BS and doesn't mean anything, but simply writing it on an undated piece of paper  is evidence of copyright?
> Uh-huh. Right! Yeah.
> In Guerndon vs. Martin and in Fredericks vs. Goodson quite the opposite was proven and are precedents. The point is that the seal must not be broken before the evidence is produced in a courtroom. I'm sure your envelope with a date you wrote on it would be refused. An idiot could see that. It's not what I said.



That is not what I said at all. All you have to do is send yourself an empty, unsealed envelope. That envelope will arrive with the postmark applied. Then you would insert any document you wish and seal it, thereby having a sealed postmarked package. Worthless. Ten minutes researching 'poorman's copyright will show the fallicy of this novice technique.

http://www.snopes.com/legal/postmark.asp


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## Seedy M. (Oct 4, 2014)

You would have to send your envelope with the weight in it to account for the postage. If the envelope is unsealed with contents notation of such is printed on the envelope.Sending an unsealed empty envelope would also result in a notation printed on the envelope. It would, in fact, be returned to sender. There are court cases where the process has won. I don't remember ever seeing where someone produced an envelope with a MS inside that had a cancelled single page stamp on it. I don't think any lawyer worth ten seconds consideration would take a case where such was the defense. It's simply outside logic.
If any such thing has been presented in a courtroom I'm sure someone would point it out and the case would fail on a probable fraud basis. Any evidence that blatantly false would cause a judge to demand investigation.


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## Rogo Writer (Oct 13, 2014)

Anything in recordable form (written/ electronic etc ) is automatically copyrighted once it's in it's recordable form.
Having the work registered with reputable instituions/bodies maks the copyright much more binding if it's ever challenged.

Sending work in a dated envelope to oneself is outdated.


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## hvysmker (Oct 13, 2014)

_I'd say that posting the story or a  good part of it here on a member's only forum would  be sufficient proof, unless you have superuser privileges here.  If cautious, don't post the entire thing, only enough to identify it later.  Being new here, I haven't checked, but the stories are probably archived.  To be safer, join several such sites. That way, if one goes out of business, you'd still have proof of the date.

On one poetry and writing site, I was in charge of investigating plagiarism.  All I ever found was two actual cases.  Neither had been for profit, only for illegal recognition.  Most were a case of multiple writers with both wanting the credit. They'd join to write a poem or story, then split up with animosity later, both wanting credit.  I don't know about this site, but I've seen several internet romances with tragic consequences. When they break up, one charges plagiarism.

Charlie
_


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## Tyler Danann (Oct 29, 2014)

theoddone said:


> After lots of researching and self exploration, I decided I want to self publish my first novel. That's that...
> 
> However, I want to make sure I do it right; so, what are the proper steps to take? At the moment, in my mind, it seems all I would need to do is copyright my novel and, then, I can self publish freely, wherever I want, without fears of losing my work... Would you say this is accurate? Please correct me if I am wrong.



Copyright conundrums aside the best thing to do is make sure your work is edited, proof-read and checked MANY times.
I cannot overstress this enough. Writing a full-size book is a challenge, editing one is the real test though!

[video=youtube;S_2zipUOcog]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_2zipUOcog[/video] 

Even the pros don't always get the editing right first time around so the 'amateur' writer really has his work cut out doing this.  Get help from others in proof-reading, that way, when the Amazon reviews come in, you don't end up being one-starred for bad grammar and typos etc etc.


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## Greimour (Oct 29, 2014)

Have to second what Tyler said. I almost never come across a book without at least one spelling mistake. Some have more. And that's just the traditionally published ones!

Then when take into account Grammar and Punctuation, I sometimes wonder who the hell proofed some of these monstrosities. 


When it comes to Self Published, the expected standard has already been dropped. To me this is a bad sign. If you are going to self publish, try to match the standard of Traditionally Published books as a minimum standard. 

Wishing luck with your success,


~Kev.


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## Tyler Danann (Oct 30, 2014)

I know, some great self-published works are let down in the editing room. What's more is they seem oblivious to the reviewers screaming it's needing reviewment!


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## qwertyportne (Nov 18, 2014)

Copyrighting is only the first step to self publishing, and, as this thread demonstrates, not a very simple or straight-forward one. For the other steps, as one of the posters mentioned, read the Smashwords Style Guide cover to cover. Then read the Kindle Guide to Publishing. Then purchase one of the many books and e-books on how self publish, digitally or in print. I have one at Amazon on how to publish an e-book and of course think it's one of the best. Unlike most, mine is a detailed, step-by-step guide to creating your cover, formatting your text, previewing your manuscript and so forth. PM me if you're interested and good luck with your project.


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## Freeditorial (Jan 6, 2015)

Your work is automatically protected by US copyright laws. But keep in mind, there is no "international" copyright protection law.

If you are sending to someone who does not need to touch/edit your book, but only read it, send it in protected PDF format. For them to steal your work they would have to retype the whole book. In the unlikely event that this reaches a court, you will probably not find it hard to prove that your work is the original, hence the dates etc. If you need to have that person edit your work, do plenty of research on them and make sure they are trustworthy. 

But to save yourself from this hassle, you can simply register your work with the US copyright office. 


You don't need to publish your entire book to promote it. You can use bits and pieces until you build enough audience base using social media/blogging etc. Once you become recognized as the writer of this work (and enticed your readers), you can make it available on different self-publishing platforms. 

Best of luck!


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## Prescottfry (Jan 7, 2015)

This is probably the best advice you could get. Grest Job seedy 





Seedy M. said:


> Not correct. What method will you use to copyright the work? You could mail a copy to yourself for a semi-safe method. If you do that, be sure the envelope is sealed securely - and do not break that seal unless and until you need the proof for any reason. Hope you never need it.
> I would recommend that you go to smashwords dot com, join (free) and download their style guide. It's fairly complete. You can also publish through them and get a copyright license and even a free ISBN, which makes the copyright very solid. For printed work, go to lulu dot com and do the same thing. It doesn't cost anything to publish through either one and you get a lot of experience that will help you later.


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## Terry D (Jan 8, 2015)

Prescottfry said:


> This is probably the best advice you could get. Grest Job seedy



The information in that post about self-mailing a copy of your MS to protect copyright is incorrect, but researching the style-guides available for your chosen POD service--be it Lulu, Smashwords, Createspace, or others is good advice. The first four steps needed to give yourself the best chance at self-publishing success are:

1. Write a good book (easier said then done).
2. Edit the hell of said book.
3. Proof the hell out of said book.
4. Repeat Steps 2 & 3 as needed.


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## Sam (Jan 8, 2015)

You do not need to copyright a book to self-publish it. Copying and pasting what you'll find on the first page, i.e. "no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means . . .", is enough to cover your back when self-publishing. I've done it with four separate self-published novels and have never had any problems with it. Besides, no one is going to steal your work. 

It is not necessary to hire an editor or a proof-reader. I edited and self-published a book called _Dereliction of Duty _five years ago. Two years after that, it was picked up by a publishing house. The editor could not believe how clean it was. He did not find a single spelling mistake. The only editing he did was to change a few ambiguous sentences and ask me to remove what he felt was an unnecessary paragraph or two. 

If you have a decent grasp of SPaG, you will not need an editor.


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## Pluralized (Jan 8, 2015)

Sam said:


> You do not need to copyright a book to self-publish it. Copying and pasting what you'll find on the first page, i.e. "no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means . . .", is enough to cover your back when self-publishing. I've done it with four separate self-published novels and have never had any problems with it. Besides, no one is going to steal your work.
> 
> It is not necessary to hire an editor or a proof-reader. I edited and self-published a book called _Dereliction of Duty _five years ago. Two years after that, it was picked up by a publishing house. The editor could not believe how clean it was. He did not find a single spelling mistake. The only editing he did was to change a few ambiguous sentences and ask me to remove what he felt was an unnecessary paragraph or two.
> 
> If you have a decent grasp of SPaG, you will not need an editor.



Obviously, the 'best steps' for self-publishing are going to be rather vague and imprecise, based on the nature of not having the gauntlet of an 'actual' publisher making the final decision on what is 'good enough.'

But, the more I learn about what editors actually do, the more I am inclined to disagree with the statement that you don't need an editor. Good editors understand how the mechanics of prose affect the overall work, and not just SPaG. But I'm just a beginner.


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## Galen (Jan 8, 2015)

theoddone said:


> After lots of researching and self exploration, I decided I want to self publish my first novel. That's that...
> 
> However, I want to make sure I do it right; so, what are the proper steps to take? At the moment, in my mind, it seems all I would need to do is copyright my novel and, then, I can self publish freely, wherever I want, without fears of losing my work... Would you say this is accurate? Please correct me if I am wrong.



Hello Theoddone:

You can get a good education in self-publishing on Smashwords.

Preliminary: set up a an author blog or website.
Know your audience.
Know your genre.

1. write the best story you can
2. have others beta-read it, to get feedback
3. make revisions as needed.
4. get your work edited (there are many levels of edits)
5. make revisions as necessary.
6. get or make a good book cover.
7. choose your method for self-publishing
8. publish
9. market/promote your work

Note, you can register your work with the Library of Congress.


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## Sam (Jan 8, 2015)

Pluralized said:


> Obviously, the 'best steps' for self-publishing are going to be rather vague and imprecise, based on the nature of not having the gauntlet of an 'actual' publisher making the final decision on what is 'good enough.'
> 
> But, the more I learn about what editors actually do, the more I am inclined to disagree with the statement that you don't need an editor. Good editors understand how the mechanics of prose affect the overall work, and not just SPaG. But I'm just a beginner.



SPaG is only one facet of editing, yes, but good writers can also understand the mechanics of prose as well as an editor. How do you think an editor came by that ability? By reading and editing a lot. I've been a slusher, deputy editor, and editor-in-chief of no less than four e-zines. I've been editing my own work for nearly twenty years. It is possible. Is it easy? No, but nothing worth doing ever is. With dedication and commitment, however, there is no reason why someone cannot become proficient at editing their own work. 

One of my closest friends, a former member here and writer of over thirty years, has made a career from writing and he (and no one else) edits all his own work.


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## Pluralized (Jan 8, 2015)

Sam said:


> SPaG is only one facet of editing, yes, but good writers can also understand the mechanics of prose as well as an editor. How do you think an editor came by that ability? By reading and editing a lot. I've been a slusher, deputy editor, and editor-in-chief of no less than four e-zines. I've been editing my own work for nearly twenty years. It is possible. Is it easy? No, but nothing worth doing ever is. With dedication and commitment, however, there is no reason why someone cannot become proficient at editing their own work.
> 
> One of my closest friends, a former member here and writer of over thirty years, has made a career from writing and he (and no one else) edits all his own work.



I certainly wouldn't be brash enough to dispute the statement that good writers are proficient at self-editing, and I'm sure that with time comes better and better draft quality, and therefore better end product. I was reading some acknowledgments yesterday in a Cormac McCarthy book, and he thanks his editor of twenty years. I got to thinking about the prose, which is marvelous and unusual, and what exactly his editor _does_. 

Sorry to take an off-topic detour, and thanks for engaging me on that issue. It's fascinating to me, personally, to consider how top-level writers still can hand their work off to someone and let them edit it. I suppose the big newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses employ editors for a reason, and there's little denying that, therefore, self-publishers _can be_ at a disadvantage.


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## Plasticweld (Jan 8, 2015)

Sam said:


> SPaG is only one facet of editing, yes, but good writers can also understand the mechanics of prose as well as an editor. How do you think an editor came by that ability? By reading and editing a lot. I've been a slusher, deputy editor, and editor-in-chief of no less than four e-zines. I've been editing my own work for nearly twenty years. It is possible. Is it easy? No, but nothing worth doing ever is. With dedication and commitment, however, there is no reason why someone cannot become proficient at editing their own work.
> 
> One of my closest friends, a former member here and writer of over thirty years, has made a career from writing and he (and no one else) edits all his own work.



Sam this is almost discouraging. Given your back round, your extensive involvement and years of putting your skills as a writer to task, and at so many differently levels; makes the prospect of being an effective self-editor seem out of grasp. 

I understand Robs reaction, it is similar to mine


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