What’s the dream you’ve always wanted to accomplish—the seemingly impossible, reach for the stars dream? Ever since I was old enough to form letters on a page, I’ve aspired to write a book. Unfortunately, getting a book deal with a traditional publisher is hard to come by unless you have tens of thousands of followers. Since I don’t have a platform anywhere near that size, I decided to learn the process of self-publishing—something any military spouse can do from anywhere in the world!
In February 2021, I released a self-published book inspired by my trials as a military spouse. My book, Stop Being a ________ Wife: 40 Challenges to Unveil the Wife You Were Created to Be, debuted as Amazon’s number one new release in the Christian Marriage category.
I firmly believe military spouses are prepared with messages the world needs to hear, and we can get our stories out there via self-publishing. Maybe it’s a message of hope, patriotism, hospitality, or an endless list of how-tos: how to live with grief, how to forgive, or how to create friendships. Or, maybe you’d like to write a collection of poems, a novel, or a children’s book.
Writing a book seems daunting; however, with this step-by-step list, you can confidently execute the entire process from brainstorm to bestseller.
- Brainstorm.
- Make an outline.
- Choose your writing program (Google Docs, Scrivener, Microsoft Word, etc.).
- Make a writing schedule and deadline for completion.
- Write the book!
- Hire an editor (or ask a qualified friend).
- Complete the book’s front and back cover design.
You can do this with a program like Canva or by hiring a professional. - Decide which company will publish your book (Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, etc.).
- Choose where to sell your book (Amazon, Target, local books stores, etc.).
- Request endorsements.
- Create a marketing plan.
- Invite people to join your launch team (20-100 people).
- Start a social media group for your launch team.
- Upload the print and ebook versions of your book to the publishing site.
- Order a proof of the book for final edits.
- File for copyrights.
- Make a webpage.
- Send advanced reader copies to your launch team (physical or digital).
- Engage with your launch team for four to six weeks prior to the book’s release.
- Launch your book and celebrate!
- Ask the launch team members to submit reviews on launch day
and order a copy of the book. - Market your book.