In the yesteryear self publishing was a critical task, but got no respect. Today the scenario has changed significantly with many self published books becoming famous as bestsellers. Authors are also realizing the  benefits of self publishing their books. By self publishing their books the authors become masters of all they survey, they have authority in all the aspects of their books. While the experienced self publishers find the task very simple, for the novices it is quite a challenge. They are unaware of the dos and don’t s of the industry and stand a chance of losing money. In this respect there are certain guidelines that the novice self publishers have to adhere by. Lets have a look at some of them:

• Education: Self publishing is a type of business, so approach self publishing in the similar vein. There are informative books and e-books on self publishing. There are also seminars organized where you can learn the tricks of the trade alongside many other professionals. Such knowledge can prove beneficial in the long run while ignorance can lead to loss of thousands of dollars.
• Competition: It is very important to study the competition. Do not write on something that has already been written about exhaustively. Be sure that the topic you are dealing with has not been written by any other in the present times. To get an idea about this visit to the local library or bookstore is not enough. You should search online and find out the latest releases and the forthcoming ones. Try to make the book funnier, richer in content, shorter and easier to use then your competitors.
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• Read Minds: You have to anticipate what others want to read. If you want to write upon personal likes and dislikes, then there are high chances that your books will not sell. One of the cruel facts is that nobody in the present times cares about your life history or what you feel about a certain subject. Personal journals should be saved for friends and family and not catered to the general public.
• Marketing: Even before you visit a printing service provider you should have a marketing plan ready. Identify the target audience and know how you can reach out to them. Get ideas such as how to create a catalog to reach out to the people? Which associations will be the best places to preach about your book? Which magazines or newsletters can you advertise in? Should you sell the book to the companies or should you gift it to entice more readers? Think of the best ways to reach out to the target readers.
• Editing: The proofreading and editing should be done by a professional. It is great to have a third party opinion about how your book fares. Professional editing makes sure that there isn’t a single blotch in the book.
• Title: Think of an attractive title for the book. Remember a good title can lead to the success of a book while an uninspiring title can lead to the death of a book. Short titles are the best choices, but do not sacrifice clarity. If you are looking to self publish a non-fiction book be sure to include a sub-title just to make the subject of the book evident.

These are some of the top tips that will help you immensely while self publishing a book. You can also consult with a leading printing agency such as PrintPapa who have years of experience in publishing different types of short run books. They also specialize in the printing of various promotional materials such as booklets, brochures, presentation folders, rack cards, business cards, etc.