Step One — Raise Some Money

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen writers say that they can’t afford editing, and they can’t afford artwork, and they can’t afford proofreading, and so on.

Let me explain something when it comes to publishing. If you can’t afford any of those things, then you can’t afford to publish.

Before you attempt to publish something, raise some money. I work a day job so I can afford all the things I need in order to publish my best work. And so do a lot of other writers.

It is certainly possible to publish at a very low cost while doing everything yourself, but it is very difficult and you are setting yourself up for failure. At a bare minimum you need someone else to edit your work. And good editors are not free. And, unless you are really good at it, you will need someone to do a cover. And good artists aren’t free.

If you skimp on editing and artwork, it will show. And you never get a second chance to make a first impression.