5 SELF-PUBLISHING MISTAKES TO AVOID 🚨 common mistakes people make self-publishing a book

[@NataliaLeigh]

📚 Want to learn more about self-publishing? Check out my playlist below! 📚 kzbin.info/aero/PLUQYq7Qzlq20F6iUUcJdA0vKXomOggz4n

[@danieldelatorre9564]

@Natalia Leigh What would you record mend for line spacing if half a line is still either too much or not enough?

[@kingsleyuwaoma5301]

Love you

[@singram]

Will do. I'm thrilled I found your videos. I plan on buying, reading, reviewing your novels. I understand how important it is to do this for others in this field.

[@QuizmasterLaw]

4:30 that's double spaced. Likely you formatted it that way since galley proofs are indeed double spaced SO THE EDITORS CAN EDIT IN BETWEEN THE LINES Most books should be single spaced. Large print can get away with 1.5 spacing. Because yours is an artistic work instead of something scientific you have a lot more liberty in your layout. Single spacing is the norm mostly so the book will be smaller, lighter to carry around, and also to keep production costs down. I would actually recommend right justified IF you are going to properly kern, hyphenate, and keep an eye out for widows and orphans. This is purely aesthetic. Older readers especially will expect right justified. Younger readers will find ragged right acceptable, even preferable. I personally always use ragged right, because all that painstaking kerning gets ruined with minor editing and the aesthetics in my writing are much less important, I write non-fiction. But I do think fiction authors, especially targeting older markets, should right justify AND do their proper layout work. It's one more chance to catch typos!

[@asifmuniruniverse7732]

Is that strange for you or new ?

[@AlanLastufka]

Great tips, but the most important statement, I think, was what you said at the end, regardless of your publishing path, it is a real book, you are a real author, and you should respect yourself and the material just as you would any other author/book.

[@NataliaLeigh]

Yes! That's exactly how I feel Alan. If we're constantly holding ourselves back and believing that we're not good enough, then the formatting/editing/etc. really doesn't matter as much. It has to start with us 🙂

[@DavidDecero]

Totally agree with this. Self doubt and imposter syndrome are two mighty hurdles to overcome.

[@TheWriteNowMom]

Great advice, especially the last one. I think most (if not all) of us suffer from whether or not we’re “real” authors at some point or another, whether we choose to self-publish or traditionally publish. But, it’s especially difficult to take yourself seriously as a writer when there’s no one there saying “this is good. People need to read this.” But if we don’t believe in ourselves and take our careers as writers seriously, then no one else will either.

[@mblaustone]

Thank you, Natalia. You’re words are so encouraging. I’m working on my first novel, and the self doubt is a BEAST! I started writing it last May, and just recently starting telling people outside my family about it. With each person I tell, it becomes more real to me. Yet the self doubt...ugh! I hate it

[@adamlair]

i’m still outlining my first proper novel and this was so insightful. not only the tips you gave but also the motivational messages at the end too! thank you so much, natalia!

[@NataliaLeigh]

You are so welcome Adam! That last "mistake" is probably the most important, because it held me back for years, and I know other people struggle with it as well. It's so important to believe in ourselves! 🙂

[@neuroticnovelist]

I’ve been following you since nearly the beginning of your channel and you’ve remained the most authentic person here on authortube! Thank you for continuing to be transparent with us all and giving us stellar advice!

[@anawolfgrrl]

This is SO helpful, thank you! I've been pursuing traditional publishing lately for my first novel and even though I expected to receive rejection letters, it still hurts to receive them anyway. I've been considering self-publishing for some time, just cause I'm really uncertain about whether my novel would succeed in the traditional YA genre

[@NataliaLeigh]

Books and B.S. I’m glad you found it helpful! And yeah, rejections can definitely be painful. It’s sad but true that some genres just don’t sell as well in the traditional market 😔

[@EvieReddingWrites]

This was so useful...especially the look into formatting the book. SotD is so pretty on the inside (and the cover too, of course 💖) The last point was uplifting. Thanks for sharing!

[@missdameenor]

Oh my gosh, you are a treasure! Thank you for this information. I definitely need both a copy editor and proofreader!

[@NataliaLeigh]

You're so kind Aly - I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the video! I hope to help others by sharing all the mistakes I made, lol!

[@joannaholden943]

I am so grateful for you and other Authortubers who shared this message of professionalism and believing in yourself as a real author. It has made ALL the difference for me. Just looking at where I am now compared to four and a half years ago when I had my first self publishing flop - so much of it is willingness to seek out the knowledge and to embrace self confidence! Thanks for your honesty. It's so encouraging!

[@davidmunro8491]

An honest presentation with wise advice and if adhered to, self-publishing will succeed. It's hard work but rewarding. If successful, keep branding in mind. It will provide a connection with readers. Enjoyed the video, Natalie.

[@sarahmatthews5878]

This is so helpful. The last part really hit home for me. I'm always doubting myself. Thanks for sharing.

[@liz4god84]

This was so encouraging for me! My proof copy of my book came out today, and I wanted to cry. Although my family likes it, I feel though I could have done better. You are reminding me that it's my first book, and everyone makes mistakes! Thank you!

[@RebeccahRodriguez]

I absolutely love this! Even though I've already published a book, I'm going to be doing a lot of different things for my next book (self-formatting 😬 ), and I'm super nervous!!

[@NataliaLeigh]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! And your book is gorgeous 🥰 Super excited for your next book to come out!

[@DeeBlaregold]

Girl, you have done well. Thank you for the encouragement. Especially the part about believing in yourself. Great advice. This video I will rewatch at the time my book debuts🤣

[@bloodknightgaming9906]

The last part of this video really hit home to me.

[@person9311]

I actually like the old cover of high born??!! 😆

[@NataliaLeigh]

Eek! lol I enjoy the artwork, but I'm not a fan of it other than that xD Thanks for the kind words though!

[@dariakey5318]

Agree! The art on the cover is gorgeous!

[@NataliaLeigh]

Daria Key I love it! And I got character art of some other characters that turned out beautifully as well 😍

[@dariakey5318]

Adore your self-publishing guides! I'm looking for a printing agency in my town that can print a few books for me and it's great to hear what may go wrong, how to avoid it and what steps I should or shouldn't take before I print my arcs. (It's not really self publishing, though. It's 0rint on demand just for me. But I want my book look the best way possible!)

[@Artraive]

Thanks for another great video! 😊 I love hearing about things like this, it make you feel so much more human, and that you really care about your followers. To show your misstakes instead of just saying you made one is a huge difference. That's the reason I follow you and a few other authortubers. It's very kind and brave to show your followers so we don't make the same misstakes. It's so easy to mess up with writing and publishing so i'm grateful to now know how to avoid these misstakes at least ♡ Have a great weekend, Natalia!

[@NataliaLeigh]

This comment really made me smile 💙 I think it's important to be honest about my journey and the (many) mistakes I've made along the way. Not to mention the many more that I'm sure wait in the future, lol! Have a great weekend!

[@Artraive]

@@NataliaLeigh I'm glad it did and I agree with you. Being honest about mistakes you means you have learned from them and that's an awesome thing! And sharing them with others is just so thoughtful to try to spare us the same experience. To me that shows you have really overcome them 😊. Once my fantasy series is done I hope I can hire you as my copy editor one day ♡

[@ryanmedina5090]

Great video. Thank you for sharing your trials and tribulations with us all. It's so amazing when people can share their mistakes for the benefit of others.

[@NataliaLeigh]

Hey Ryan, hope you're well! And I've made so many mistakes, I think it's good to look at them as a learning opportunity and a way to teach others. :)

[@PaperTigerProductions]

100% agree: a self-published author who takes their self-publishing endeavours seriously IS a REAL author...and MORE. Because let's face it, when you decide to self-publish, you're taking on the role of the publisher as well - which means you're doing everything yourself (or making all of the decisions about who to hire and what to outsource). That's a lot of risk and responsibility to take on...but it's definitely worth it for the level of control and the potential rewards you get!

[@michalehess2178]

My book was published by a small press and there were some many mistakes. Misspelled words. Lines going into the very edge of the pages. Horrible illustrations. Now, i am self-publish my books. Got an excellent illustrator, learn how to format the pages. Will be hiring editors and a formatter.

[@audreydeleon7]

I actually like the cover for "Highborn" lol. I didn't think it wasn't professional.

[@bluefire4378]

I thought I was the only one.

[@BethanyVotaw]

I've got a few small pieces published in magazines, but I am working on my first full-length novel (that I am actually letting the world see at some point) but I am planning on getting a proof copy for my dad's birthday so that'll be great practice haha! This was so helpful!

[@NataliaLeigh]

Bethany Votaw Proof copies can be lifesavers! They really allow you to experiment with formatting before finally clicking “Publish”

[@BethanyVotaw]

I am no perfectionist, so I need rough drafts for everything!

[@M.C.ThomasReviews]

I’m self-publishing my first novel next year and this video was exactly what I needed to see. Your last point is particularly great, as imposter syndrome is a real thing. Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Subscribed!

[@311soad]

Thanks, I published on a skeleton budget. I made the mistake of self-publishing through a rather expensive vanity publisher. The publisher promised to edit etc. I thought the editors would pick up what I missed...I was wrong. I am proud that I completed the book and published it. I wish I would have discovered your videos earlier.

[@BabyCatBanana]

Love this video. Love you! Question though, where the *HECK* did you get that kitty mug. I need it in my life.

[@markcampbell6248]

Thanks. You give great advice about proper formating. I particularly like your encouragement about self publishing.

[@BCBrownBooks]

Yes. #1! I see it all of the time in my writing consulting. So many writers think they will go the route of self-pub turned trad-pubbed phenom, and it just isn't the case nearly most of the time. Glad to see you tackle that as your first point in this video.

[@victoriareneefulp2023]

This was really helpful! I've recently started a savings account for cover art, editing etc. I'm still learning formatting bc I know NOTHING about it.

[@NataliaLeigh]

I'm glad you found the video helpful 💙 I'll be posting a formatting video soon that I hope will help out!

[@latishaaustin3740]

This is excellent. I know I had the editing errors which I’m working through correcting now, but I spent a lot of time of my formatting. Could probably still use some work but I felt a bit better about that. Lol. This video has given me some fine points to keep in mind as I continue my self-publishing journey. Thanks for the content! 😁

[@mrsiz218]

Thank you so much for the boost of confidence at the end! I, too, believe in LoA! Big time! You really resonate with me. So glad I found your channel!! Much love!❤️❤️

[@NataliaLeigh]

Hi Angelia! I'm glad to have you here 💙 So glad my content resonates with you!

[@SmashTVCanada]

Mistake 5 earned you a sub. :) Legit almost got me to tear up. Been working very hard on my own first novel, and its been stressful. Not the writing part, that part i loved. But dealing with the anxiety or fear of putting myself out in the world has been the biggest challenge. The manuscript is done and being revised currently, but the the next steps make it real. Words will never be able to express how nervous I am to share my first book.

[@CeciliaNorthWriter]

I completly agree with everything you say. I like how you use your own mistakes to teach. I really want to make my own cover, because I paint and have done so for years. I am very aware that I need to put a lot of research and effort into it though.

[@danfrancis7789]

Thanks for the tips! Biggest one being the whole "real author" thing. I feel like this is by far the hardest thing to wrap my head around. Love your content!

[@andrearoberts2663]

I love watching these types of videos

[@NataliaLeigh]

I'm glad you enjoyed it Andrea!

[@ilkaschulze644]

I really enjoyed that video. It is true what you're saying, I'm really struggling with not feeling like a fake. I would have been making a lot of these mistakes for my first self-publishing book, if I hadn't watched your video! Thanks for that!

[@SAVYWRITESBOOKS]

awesome tips!! i definitely need to work more on my formatting skills.

[@ذِئابرِوائيَّة]

I loved this video so much 😭❤️ especially the kind words you said at the end of it! You’re humble unlike other booktubers!! Keep going with these videos, you will be my line editor soon!

[@djwarrior1421]

Breath of fresh air, listening to you. I don't even read the genre of fantasy but the cover of Song of the Dryad makes me want to read page one.

[@margaritastrode4752]

Very inspiring and useful video! Thank You very much for sharing with us Your experience and encouraging us to do our very best ❤

[@Tiffers963Hz]

Thankyou for your inspiring words. Your love shines through. 🙏🏽

[@schlumbl84]

Absulutely agree! The marketing is the one thats intimidating to me, I must say. I dont use social media but I KNOW that social media is the way to go. I dont use Facebook or Instagram, but know that I HAVE to use it to sell books. And I am willing to overcome my reluctance towards social media to build a presence there and market the hell outta it, as you put it. 😂 I DO believe in myself and already call myself a writer even though I havent published anything YET. Greets my dear collegues! We got this! Lets kick some ass with our art and vision! 😁

[@salmaraz84]

Thank you so much for your honesty and for putting yourself out there like this.

[@DMRoper1]

I love your attitude to your failures. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[@DeusExMachina50]

Why would any author want to traditionally publish their book nowadays? With self publishing you retain control of your work and there’s a greater potential for profitably.

[@ኣነንንስኹምን]

You made my day. I will take my script seriously.

[@vamps_rock]

I have no idea why this popped up in my feed as I'm not a writer, but I am glad it did because as a voracious reader of primarily ebooks I do support many self-published authors and have done for years. I'm also quite outspoken against many a literary snob that I come across voicing their opinions against this method of publishing. Personally, I can accept a lot of 'issues' with these books, but the one thing that really grates me is the clear lack of editing in some. Not all, in fact nowhere near all, but the ones that it does affect mostly are BAD. It does seem to pop up time and time again for some of the authors that I still support because I love their stories and characters, but it really affects my enjoyment of them. Spelling/typos _(do some of them not even use spellcheck?)_ and grammar errors that appear on virtually every page is totally unacceptable but is simply not the same as ones that occur a handful of times over the entire text (which happens in many non SP books and is easily overlooked). Inconsistencies are incredibly annoying too, as are books that seem like they are actually two stories lumped together... badly! Yes, I've come across that a few times. Not only do some of these books lack any professional editing, but some also seem to lack any form of self editing too. As a reader it is soo frustrating to spend time on a book with a good premise that is just not fit for purpose (even if it's free like many you see on kindle for example... because it should still be readable!), but also because in the general literary sphere, it proves to all the snobs out there that they are right about SP being low quality and smears every book by every author out with the same brush. YET, so many SP authors are winning in the quality stakes and just get overlooked and lumped in with the 'chav'. Especially in romance, already much-maligned, where INCREDIBLE things are being done by many a supremely talented SP author, and in particular, things that would never see the light of day through any traditional publisher and not even with some of the smaller indie presses. It does themselves and their peers no favors. Anyway, rant over, thanks for 'listening'. :)

[@detoxlady6777]

LOL! Their eyes were suddenly gray!

[@pamelagunn234]

Hi natalia is editing your main service? Do you offer a full package? Any recommendations for someone on a tight budget?

[@chlomariexo870]

I am currently working on a draft of a book and I also have a proof copy of a first draft of another story I wrote

[@antoniodossantos5960]

Positive Thinking...Positive Energy 👍🌎👍

[@VitronEspada]

Oh my gawd, this is amazing to hear! I'm broke and don't have three to six thousand dollars, or more, to edit my novel. I've just finished the rough draft, and plan to go through it a few times before I have it edited. Perhaps we can work together because I'm loving most everything I'm hearing from you, and have already learned some tips. Absolutely glad I subscribed, going to be watching as many of your videos as I can for sure!

[@danamfiction]

Thank you for these wonderful tips and for your honesty. Can't wait to self-publish and use these tips ☺

[@monicaparks723]

Thanks for sharing! Your stories of self-publishing are inspiring and honest. Thanks for being so transparent. As you said, we all make mistakes and we are all learning, glad you shared your story. Keep up the good work!

[@skindiver4605]

Thanks I just finished my first book of fiction and this helps..... A great deal!

[@JasonGreenslopes]

Excellent video! Thank you for creating and sharing!

[@matthewakian2]

Great informative vid. We appreciate your honesty.

[@sojournern]

Natalia, very encouraging and inspiring. Thanks!

[@charlie.cummings]

I'm still on my zero/first draft since November 2019 (writing my zero draft by hand, as taking a notebook to work is easier than typing on my mobile), but I hope to get my book out eventually. 🙈 I started plotting "Faulkner" in about February 2017. Faulkner is my working title/surname of MC. I have the real title of my novel in my head, but that might change. I also have the pen name I want to write under, as there is apparently an author called "Charles Cummings", my real name is only one letter different - so feels too similar as a result. I want to self publish, rather than traditionally publish because I know I'm too much of a "control freak", and would want final say on cover design, title etc. I bought Song of the Dryad a while back, and hope to read it soon. ❤

[@lindsaymorrison7519]

I actually really like your original cover design of High Born! It`s so unique! But yeah, Song of the Dryad`s cover is obviously the best.

[@annenewgarden30]

Hi, Natalia, thanks for your video! I wish you'd explained a bit about why you say it's nearly impossible to publish a book traditionally once you've self-published it. I've freelanced in the publishing industry in NYC for a long time, and I've asked that question of a guy who has headed up a number of very well respected major publishing houses. And he said the opposite...that there was no reason one could not do that. Is your reasoning to do with agents, perhaps, rather than publishers/editors? Really curious to know.

[@marceloguedes698]

I had the same doubt after watching the video. Maybe has something to do with the terms of the contract with Amazon?

[@drd_theSPORTSdoc]

Love it.. Believe in yourself..., if you write, you're a writer...*

[@annpippin6388]

I ve written a mystery novel already finishing during the shutdown by hand and being typed now. I was just going to see if printed to be able to see it in book form ,but some close, mystery novels readers want to read it when printed. Self publishing videos are so discouraging so reading your tips are not discouraging .Thanks. Still I believe right now that I LL probably just have. My novel printed plus whatever I can add to it. So I and my friends can read Still. I m reading your tips ,anyway.

[@mischarowe]

This is all really great. Makes me want to pick up your book. Def going on my TBR. :)

[@heatherkirchhoffwritesya]

I loved this video!

[@NataliaLeigh]

Thanks Heather! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thereelaccountant9246]

Great tips! at 3:55 I cracked up when you opened that book! I can't imagine how cringe my first one is going to be in a couple months lol

[@RobWill5864]

As a reader I’ve never even thought about the formating of a book. That’s the last thing I notice, especially if the book is good. But the grammatical errors can definitely ruin the best book.

[@tomaria100]

Thank you, Natalia! Excellent content.

[@robertcooper1952]

Thanks for the excellent video, Natalia. I recently completed the third edition of my book: "The Conscience of An Agnostic" (listed on Amazon). I used bookbaby for the first two editions. How can I learn more about your professional editing service?

[@yelloworangered]

Great info! How did you learn to format? What style guide do you recommend for a professionally good look in a book?

[@bellac6311]

Quick question: what’s the name of the cover designer/artist you used for SOTD?

[@NataliaLeigh]

Bella Crafts I used Eight Little Pages ❤️

[@bellac6311]

@@NataliaLeigh Thank you ❤

[@truthwillsetyoufree2024]

Thanks for being transparent and showing your first books formatting challenges. Do you think it would be better for me to hire a formatter on Fiverr or should I do one of these services that use AI formatting? Honestly I just reviewed about 50 different formats on Fiverr and I was not impressed...

[@intheloopforinjurednurses4918]

Thank you 😊

[@pro100]

Good stuff. Thanks

[@adot9259]

Song of the Dryad has an absolutely beautiful cover. Mysterious and earthy

[@yuriygurovich4637]

Thank you for your tutorials, Natalia, very helpful. You compare self publishing with traditional (professional) book publishing several times, considering them on the equal footing, and prefer self publishing for your books for a number of valid reasons. Objectively, however, what are the major differences between the two types of publishing, so that an author could assess and pick the right one for him/her. Thank you much.

[@singram]

So glad I found your channel. If love to ask some specific questions. Is this the best channel to do so? I'm preparing four collections of short stories for publication. I wrote all the stories on a chromebook, but now that I'm preparing to create a PDF for KDP (ebook and paperback) I now think I probably need a real laptop. I love the chromebook but the word processors on the GOOGLE store feel rather limited. Any advice I'd greatly appreciate. Thanks

[@QuizmasterLaw]

No page numbers? lol The cover was bad too but i'm glad to see Highborn has a great cover these days!

[@quixotiq]

Great video! Thanks!

[@renepoggenpoel1711]

Do you have a video on how to explain to the cover artist how you want the cover to look?

[@heavenbounddaughter1125]

Bless your heart. Thank you.

[@corkandi]

Hi, great presentation thanks. Would my book need to be in manuscript form before I send it for copy editing? Do you copy edit children's books?

[@MWinklerBooks]

Thank you so much for making this video! I researched how to format a novel (since I couldn't afford to pay for it, having spent all my money on editors and cover designer, etc.) but somehow missed the part about not indenting after scene breaks and keeping line spacing the same for between paragraphs as within. I'm going to go fix it now and order my 3rd proof, hopefully my last. Thanks again, your videos are always fun. And yes, Pistol Daisy is beautiful!!

[@laurelelizabethhasara6209]

I love your spirit and energy!

[@andrewarias1673]

Thank you Natalia Leigh. This was a super insightful video. I am an amateur writer and am looking into self-publishing. I am curious about one thing - the first thing you said is if you want to do traditional publishing then don't do self-publishing. Maybe I am just ignorant about this, but why is that? Is there a specific reason why if you self-publish on Amazon, for example, that a traditional publisher will not want to publish your book?

[@crazysister1792]

My question is an EFA question, as newcomer for the site and wanting to take a course, what is your suggestion for a first class to take through them? I'd like to gain some additional knowledge to help me with my own writing and to maybe someday start building my reputation to edit others

[@kirkleyelizabeth]

How did you get the cover and book design that you wanted? What was that process like?

[@rmp_48]

Who designed your cover for Song of the Dryad? It is SO beautiful!!

[@susanbuckminster282]

Thank you!

[@raulroyfloresmytongueonyou6223]

WoW! to avoid common mistake's @ should of light the lights; an other mistake 💘!

[@Delenter]

I love this, thank you.

[@yoomisplace7267]

Question: Can I send you over my first chapter and pay to have you edit that chapter? I want to see how the process works more than anything.

[@keanureeves1451]

We need a formatting like a pro tutorial video :1

[@Artraive]

I second this 😊

[@NataliaLeigh]

Coming very soon! :D

[@Artraive]

@@NataliaLeigh awesome! Thank you ❤

[@arindamkalita2430]

Quick question: should I have to put dedication, acknowledge, preface, table of contents on the right side (odd page) of my non fiction paperback book?

[@stevezappa1642]

I'm finishing up my 30K word memoir right now. I'm going to start shopping around for a copy editor, a book formatter, and a book cover designer soon. Let me know if you're interested in having some more business coming your way. I'll probably hire a proofreader too.

[@xChikyx]

but having indentation after the chapter header is not wrong, right? I like indentation after breaks, it looks nice...

[@NataliaLeigh]

Technically it’s unnecessary, because indentation is meant to help your eyes track the page, and that’s not needed after a chapter heading. But if that’s the style you like, then you can definitely format your book that way! Just make sure it’s consistent 😊

[@xChikyx]

@@NataliaLeigh i know it's unnecesary, but i mean, it's not wrong, or is it? idk 😩

[@antoniodossantos5960]

Thanks Natalia. Thanks

[@heartlandauthor]

One error I had in my first book involved...and this is going to sound bizarre...the chapter titles being indented. I used Calibre to format my book, as it was an ebook-only book.

[@joelarmour]

Why did it work for 50 shades of grey?

[@christins.1481]

She had a agent is why it worked. Publishing companies have different tiers. The higher a tier goes the more the company offers. Some places will offer you an agent to help advertise for 5k or so.