Thanks to computers, self-publishing has become much easier. Gone are the days of laboriously sweating over a gigantic print press, or begging a publisher to agree to give your work a chance.
These days everything an author needs to bring their work to fruition is in one tiny plastic box with a video screen. We have software to create cover designs, programs that place words into proper formatting, and websites that will deliver content around the world. There are sites to build a fan base, forums to answer questions, and communities to find freelancers. It’s true. Life is better for the self-publisher than it ever has been before, but while it is easy to become inundated with the number of services you can subscribe to, there are some true gems that will make you feel like a rock star.
1) Adobe InDesign. With or without intimate Adobe product knowledge, InDesign is a self-publishers dream. An easy-to-use interface, years of product refinement, and a flair for beauty are among the many qualities of this program that consistently place it at the top of the heap. InDesign is, at heart, page layout software, allowing you to fully prepare the look of your book from cover to cover. Moreover, it allows for easy integration with compatible computer programs, and has the capacity to add interactivity to your eBook such as video.
2) www.bookdocs.com: This site is exactly what it sounds like. Book doctors, or independent editors, are there to clean up your work before presentation. Many sites offer these services, but you want to make sure they know what they’re doing – and these docs do. They will scour your content and offer reliable, trustworthy advice that can help your book get the finishing polish it needs to hit the market. It can be costly, but if you’re going to get your book proofread (and you should), it is nice to get it done by a professional. So if your self publishing path doesn’t include a service provider, such as iUniverse or Trafford Publishing, which offer editing services in their packages, be sure to find a quality editor on your own.
3) www.BookCoverPro.Com: This software also speaks for itself. Download a program onto your computer, and begin designing your own book cover. It doesn’t matter whether your book is a traditional paperback or an eBook, this program will help you develop a style to present your work in an intelligent way. You can choose to use one of their templates, which if you aren’t the most artistic person in the world might be the best option. No matter which way you go, everything is included for the exterior of your book. They even provide an ISBN generator!
Obviously these aren’t the only services available for you to use. As with anything else, explore the grandeur of the World Wide Web until you find what is perfect for you. There’s more than enough!