Self-Publishing 101: From Manuscript to Published Book

Course Description

A foundational course that walks authors through the full self-publishing process, from finished manuscript to live book listing. Students will learn the essentials of publishing formats, ISBNs, trim sizes, interior formatting, cover requirements, upload workflows, platform choices, and the practical decisions that help a book look professional and reach readers.

Course Goal

Help students confidently move from a completed manuscript to a professionally published book without getting lost in the technical details or making preventable publishing mistakes.

Who This Course Is For

first-time self-publishers
authors with a finished or nearly finished manuscript
writers who want to understand the publishing process before uploading their book
authors publishing ebooks, paperbacks, or both
writers who want a practical overview without jargon overload

What Students Will Learn

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

understand the basic self-publishing workflow from manuscript to published book
choose the right publishing format for their goals
understand ISBN basics and when they do or do not need one
choose appropriate trim sizes and book specs
prepare a manuscript for formatting and cover design
understand the difference between ebook and print formatting requirements
navigate major self-publishing platforms with more confidence
upload and review a book listing before publication
avoid common beginner mistakes that make books look amateur

Curriculum

10 Sections
43 Lessons
90 Days

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Module 1: Understanding the Self-Publishing Process
Module 1: Understanding the Self-Publishing Process gives students a practical overview of what self-publishing actually involves before they get into the technical details. It explains the full path from finished manuscript to live book listing, including how self-publishing differs from traditional publishing, the main stages of the process, and the most common beginner mistakes that can damage a book before it ever reaches readers. By the end of this module, students should understand the workflow clearly enough to see self-publishing as a manageable sequence of steps instead of one overwhelming task.
5
Module 2: Getting the Manuscript Ready
Module 2: Getting the Manuscript Ready focuses on the stage between finishing a draft and beginning the actual publishing setup. It helps students understand how to tell whether a manuscript is truly ready, what final checks should happen before moving forward, how to keep publishing files organized, and why ebook and print versions need to be planned for early. By the end of this module, students should be able to prepare a manuscript more professionally and avoid the disorganization, rushed decisions, and preventable mistakes that often cause trouble later in the publishing process.
5
Module 3: ISBNs, Book Formats, and Publishing Basics
Module 3: ISBNs, Book Formats, and Publishing Basics gives students a practical understanding of the core publishing decisions that shape how a book is identified, packaged, and presented in the marketplace. It explains what an ISBN is, when authors need one and when they may not, how platform-assigned identifiers compare with owning an ISBN directly, and how different publishing formats such as ebook, paperback, and hardcover serve different goals. The module also introduces the idea of imprints and publisher names so students can better understand how self-publishers can present their books professionally. By the end of this module, students should feel more confident making basic format and publishing-identity decisions without getting lost in unnecessary complexity.
5
Module 4: Choosing Trim Size and Book Specifications
Module 4: Choosing Trim Size and Book Specifications helps students understand the physical and production choices that shape how a printed book looks, feels, functions, and costs. It explains what trim size means, how common book types often use different standard sizes, how interior decisions like margins, bleed, page count, paper type, and black-and-white versus color printing affect the final product, and how to make specifications decisions based on the reader experience rather than just convenience. By the end of this module, students should be able to make smarter, more intentional choices about the physical setup of their book so it feels more professional, usable, and category-appropriate.
5
Module 5: Interior Formatting Basics
Module 5: Interior Formatting Basics introduces the core principles that make a book’s interior feel readable, professional, and trustworthy. It explains what good formatting actually does, how ebook formatting differs from print formatting, what belongs in front matter and back matter, which common formatting mistakes can make a book feel amateur, and how to decide whether to handle formatting yourself or hire help. By the end of this module, students should understand how formatting supports the reader experience and how to make practical decisions that improve the finished book without overcomplicating the process.
6
Module 6: Book Covers and Visual Presentation
Module 6: Book Covers and Visual Presentation helps students understand why covers matter so much in self-publishing and how visual presentation affects whether a book gets noticed, trusted, and taken seriously. It covers how covers influence clicks, perception, and category fit, what a professional cover needs in terms of typography, hierarchy, readability, and strong visual direction, the difference between an ebook front cover and a full print cover wrap, the basic specs authors need to understand for production, and how to think realistically about DIY covers, AI-generated concepts, and professional design help. By the end of this module, students should be able to make smarter cover decisions that support both market fit and production quality.
6
Module 7: Choosing a Publishing Platform
Module 7: Choosing a Publishing Platform helps students understand how to evaluate self-publishing platforms based on the needs of the book, the intended audience, and the author’s broader goals. It provides a practical overview of major self-publishing options such as Amazon KDP and wider distribution approaches, explains the difference between exclusive and wide publishing, shows how to match platform choice to publishing strategy, and introduces the basics of rights, royalties, and control. By the end of this module, students should be able to think more strategically about where and how to publish instead of choosing a platform by default or confusion.
5
Module 8: Upload Workflows and Book Setup
Module 8: Upload Workflows and Book Setup helps students understand the final preparation and review steps required before a book goes live on a publishing platform. It covers what information should be ready before upload, how to submit interior and cover files correctly, how to enter metadata accurately, and how to use preview tools to catch problems before approving the book. By the end of this module, students should be able to approach the upload process in a more organized, professional way and avoid the common mistakes that happen when authors rush through setup.
6
Module 9: Quality Control Before You Hit Publish
Module 9: Quality Control Before You Hit Publish focuses on the final review steps that help authors catch mistakes before their book becomes public. It covers how to use platform preview tools effectively, why print proofs matter, what to check before approving the book, and how to decide when delaying publication is the smarter move. By the end of this module, students should understand how to review their book as a finished product, not just as a file, and how to protect reader trust by fixing avoidable problems before release.
5
Module 10: Publishing the Book and What Comes Next
Module 10: Publishing the Book and What Comes Next helps students understand what happens after they click publish and how to manage the first stage of a book’s public life. It covers what happens during platform review, how to check the live product page, how published books can be updated over time, and how publication connects to launch planning, metadata refinement, and ongoing marketing. By the end of this module, students should understand that publishing is not the end of the process, but the beginning of how the book functions in the real market.
5

Instructor

Admin

2 Students

35 Courses

Featured Review

This is exactly what I needed to get started! I knew, "just have AI write the book, and then sell 10 copies a day" was BS. Thanks for keeping it real, and teaching how to do it right!

Only $9.99

Student:

29 Students

Lesson:

43 Lessons

Duration: 90 Days

Quiz:

10 Quizzes

Level: Beginner