How to Self-Publish in 2021 – Easy Ways to Create a Book

Technically speaking, to be a published author, all you need is a published book. A bound and printed copy that you can hold in your hands.

Ok, we admit we’re playing with words here... we understand that traditional publishing is a complex business with plenty of gatekeepers such as agents, editors, and publishing houses. Whether fiction or non-fiction, it involves struggling against millions of other writers clamouring for a book deal.

But not everyone who wants to create a book is looking to get into the professional side of publishing. You might be happy to go it alone as an indie author, or you might be wanting to create something personal as a gift to yourself or a loved one. If that sounds like you, here are some routes you can take to create a book.

1. Self-publish via Amazon.

Amazon holds a 47% share of the online book sales market. If you’re looking to reach an audience, it makes sense to go where the book-buyers are already congregating. But beware, it’s extremely competitive. If you’re looking to make a side-income out of your book, you’ll need to look into additional marketing it to help cut through the competition and get your book noticed.

You have three publishing choices: Publish to Kindle (ebooks), Publish to Print, and Publish to Audio through ACX. You can also create an author profile using Amazon Author Central, which can act as a marketing tool and help build your profile.

Ideal for: indie authors who want to monetize their work.

Pro: it’s easy to use, you can publish within 24-48 hours on kindle and royalties are paid monthly. Amazon also proactively promotes products based on customer behaviour, so you may get lucky if yours gets picked up by the algorithms.

Con: depending on how you choose to publish, you may have to give exclusivity to Amazon for a certain amount of time. While the upload process is easy, you will need to format the layout and design a book cover to make your book stand out. If design isn’t your forte, you will want to consider paying someone to do this for you.

2. Publish using an e-commerce tool.

Platforms like Gumroad allow you to upload and publish your work in. But it’s not free. Although it can be used by writers and creators across the globe, Gumroad is US-based. Fees are $10 per month, plus 3.5% royalty fees on sales, plus 30 cents per sale.

Ideal for: indie authors with a niche audience. Those who want to sell away from Amazon.

Pro: simple to use interface. Provides a unique platform that attracts dedicated readers and paying customers to discover your book.

Con: you have to pay to list your work and there isn’t a publish to print option, so you are limited to e-books. You will need to take full responsibility of marketing your book.

3. Find a Printer.

If your preference is to obtain printed copies of a book and you want to have more control over quality, you can source a printer. You will decide everything from design and formatting, how many books to print, where to store your stock and how you will sell the books. When you receive an order, you will also pack and post your books giving you full end-to-end control.  

Ideal for: those who have a large budget and want control over all aspects of their book.

Pro: you have much more creative control on the final format and can have plenty of fun choosing your paper type, colour, and weight, too.

Con: at the most expensive option, it carries a greater risk of buying stock up front and storing it. This option is undoubtedly the most amount of work, too, which could be a pro or con depending on how much you want to take on.

4. Use a personalised book printing service.

Let’s circle back to our introduction and consider hobbyist writers or those looking to create a one-off gift. With templates ready to go, by far the quickest and easiest way to create a book that looks beautiful is a personalised book printing service. From poetry collections to family recipes to life stories, the user-friendly technology enables you to turn your words into a book that will be cherished for years to come.

Ideal for: Personal creations that carry sentimental value.

Pro: you don’t need to buy or understand DIY book designing software - the premade templates are ready for you to place your content straight away. High-quality printing with fast dispatch. For gift-giving, you will touch someone’s heart with an incredibly thoughtful yet affordable gift.

Con: not connected to selling platforms so if you were hoping to sell your book, you will need to promote it separately.

A Personalised Book Printing Service – What does it involve? 

Massive leaps forward in digital printing technology now mean that creating a book using a personalised book printer doesn’t mean compromising on quality. At Memory Books, we offer just that. Our professionally designed templates enable you to produce a super polished, professional-looking, and personal book. 

You simply: 

1. Select the design
2. Choose a layout
3. Drag and drop images
4. Add your words

Don’t just take our word for it. When Michelle wanted to create something special for her husband, she was impressed with how easy the platform was to use:
“I made a book for my husband’s 40th and it turned out so well. The tools to design the book was easy to use and really flexible. I used lots of old, scanned photos and they came out really clear.”  -MICHELLE

Or when Lin’s family received difficult news about her father’s health, she embarked on a family project to show how loved he was:
‘I couldn’t find many platforms that allowed copy as well as pictures, but Memory Books was great. My dad said it was ‘the best present I have ever had, lovely to hear all those things before I die.” For me, I am just delighted.’  -LIN

So the next time you’re looking create a one-off special gift, Memory Books aims to provide a one-stop shop for your self-publishing needs. You don’t need to source printing houses, many of which usually deal with much larger runs, or go through the many steps involved in self-publishing online. Simply use our template library, choose your project layout and start creating.

Whether it’s a biography, travel memoir, recipe book or collection of poems, once you have your printed book in your hands, you’ll be able to cherish it for years to come… 

(…and we’ll leave it to you whether to add ‘published author’ to your LinkedIn profile!)

To learn more about the quick, easy, and enjoyable process of publishing with us, visit us here.