Step 4. Submit to Publisher/Printer

Possible Timeframe: 1 – 2 days

You’re almost there! Your book has been edited, your interior is designed, your cover is done—and what you should have to show for it all at this point are two printer-ready files to submit to your publisher/printer. (One PDF for the interior, another for the cover.) You will also have all of the other information you’ve collected over this period, such as your ISBN, LCCN, book price, book description (blurb), publishing imprint, and author bio. Your publisher will require all of this information, but they will probably also be asking you for account information so they can set up your payments. They may have you sign a contract, choose your distribution package, and/or create a storefront for your work. Some publishers may ask you if you want to submit an ebook. It is a very good idea to have an ebook in addition to your print version. The popularity of ebooks has exploded (then receded a bit), and since many readers still appreciate print, it’s best to reach both markets simultaneously.

The Amazon Kindle is currently one of the most popular eReaders—but it is also the one file type (.mobi) whose distribution is not supported by many publishers as part of their ebook offerings. The good news is that it is easy to get your book onto the Kindle and onto Amazon via their Digital Text Platform. (We’d be happy to help!)

Now moving on to the final stage of the publishing process, before marketing.