Why Self-Publishing Now?
Self-publishing has exploded over the last few years—and in 2025, it's more accessible than ever. Authors no longer need a literary agent or a big publisher to get their work into readers' hands. With the rise of tools and resources that guide you through every step of the process, writing and publishing a book has gone from a distant dream to an achievable goal.
People all over the world are turning their stories into real income streams—creating ebooks, audiobooks, softcovers, and even hardcovers. One book can become multiple products, reaching readers however they prefer to consume stories. And the best part?
There will always be readers. No matter how much the world changes, the love for books remains strong—and the market is wide open for new voices.
Leveling Up: Why Learning Matters
Self-publishing isn’t just about hitting “publish” and crossing your fingers. It’s about learning as you go—and getting better every time. Every book you write teaches you something new. You figure out what works, what doesn’t, and how to do it all a little faster next time.
The first book shows you how it all works.
The second book feels a little easier.
By the third, you’ll feel like you actually know what you’re doing.
The best part? There are so many free and easy tools now that help you at every step. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start—and each thing you learn makes you stronger.
Writing Resources for First-Time Authors
When you're just starting out, it can feel overwhelming. But good news: there are tons of tools that make writing, publishing, and even promoting your book way easier. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best ones:
If you feel lost trying to organize your story, Novel Crafter is your best friend. It helps you build outlines, create scenes, and keep track of your characters. You can also see summaries of your chapters to stay on track while you’re writing. It’s great for keeping your story neat and making sure nothing important gets forgotten.
Getting reviews for your book can be tough, but Pubby makes it easier. It’s a platform where authors swap honest reviews. You earn points by reviewing other people’s books, then use those points to get reviews on your own. Reviews are super important because they help new readers trust your book.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
ChatGPT (or other GPT Writing Tools)
Outlining a book? Stuck on a chapter? Need ideas for your next plot twist? AI tools like ChatGPT can help brainstorm ideas, create outlines, suggest titles, or even help you polish your writing. It's like having a writing buddy who’s always ready to help when you’re stuck.
Think of AutoCrit like a personal editor. It checks your story for things like slow pacing, repeated words, and even if your dialogue sounds natural. You’ll catch problems you might miss on your own and end up with a much stronger book.
Your cover is the first thing people see. Cover Rater lets you upload a cover and get real feedback before you publish. It tells you how appealing your cover is and gives tips on how to make it even better. That way, your book has the best chance of catching someone's eye.
Photo by Leah Newhouse on Pexels.com
If you need help with something—like book covers, formatting, or even editing—you can hire freelancers on Fiverr for a low price. You don’t have to break the bank to get professional help on your book.
Want to design your own book cover? Canva makes it easy even if you’ve never designed anything before. It has free templates, fonts, and images. You can create covers, promotional posts, and even cool graphics for social media.
BookBub is a big deal in the book world. You can create a free author page there and link all your books to it. Readers can "follow" you, and when you publish a new book or put one on sale, BookBub can notify your followers. It’s a great way to start building a fanbase!
When you publish your book on different stores like Amazon, Apple Books, and Kobo, it’s annoying to send people different links for each store. Books2Read gives you one FREE universal link that connects to all of them. So when someone clicks, it automatically sends them to the store that works for them. Super easy—and it makes you look professional.
This is another editing tool that helps clean up your writing. It checks grammar, spelling, and also looks for deeper issues like pacing, clarity, and repeated words. It’s like having a second pair of eyes on your book before you show it to the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr3elfY7uzU
Spoken is a platform where you can upload your manuscript and turn it into an audiobook—for free while it’s in beta! This gives you another way to reach readers (or listeners) without spending a ton of money. Plus, you can get early feedback from people who listen.
If you’re stuck or just want some extra help, YouTube is packed with free videos that can guide you through every part of the self-publishing journey. You’ll find step-by-step tutorials on writing, editing, designing covers, formatting your book for Amazon or IngramSpark, and even promoting your book after it's live. There are also tons of writing coaches sharing tips to make your story even better.
Where (and How) to Publish Your Book
Once your book is ready, it’s time to put it out into the world! Luckily, there are a bunch of great publishing platforms that make it easy to get started. Here’s a simple overview of the best options for 2025:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSe3mTdZdSI
Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is still the go-to choice for most new authors. It lets you publish ebooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers directly to Amazon’s massive audience. It’s free to upload your book, but Amazon does take a percentage of each sale (anywhere from 30% to 65%). KDP gives you the option to enroll in Kindle Unlimited, but that means you have to be exclusive to Amazon for 90 days. Overall, it’s a fast way to get your book seen by millions of readers, but it’s also competitive—you'll need a plan for getting noticed.
Kobo Writing Life is a smart pick if you want a bigger audience outside the United States. Kobo is extremely popular in Canada, Europe, and other international markets. Like Draft2Digital, it’s free to upload, and you keep 70% of your royalties if your book is priced right. There’s no exclusivity requirement, so you can sell wherever you want. The only downside is that Kobo isn’t quite as strong in the U.S., so you’ll need a little extra marketing effort.
Google Play Booksgives you access to a huge mobile audience around the world. Publishing there is free, but Google does take about 30% of each sale. Some authors love Google Play’s reach, but setting up your account and pricing your book can be tricky. Google sometimes automatically discounts your book, which can create pricing problems on other platforms if you’re not careful. Still, it’s a great way to reach readers who use Android devices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgDUANJsg3E&t=36s
Draft2Digital (D2D) is perfect if you want your book available in lots of stores without doing all the heavy lifting yourself. With one upload, Draft2Digital sends your book to places like Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and library apps. It’s free to publish, but they take 10% of your royalties when you make a sale. One thing to know is that if you want to be in Kindle Unlimited, you still have to go directly through Amazon. Draft2Digital is a strong choice for writers who want wide distribution without the hassle.
IngramSpark is the professional option if you want your book available in physical bookstores and libraries. IngramSpark is well-respected, and their distribution network is massive. You can publish hardcovers, paperbacks, and ebooks. It’s not the easiest path for beginners, but if you’re serious about print distribution, IngramSpark gives you access that most self-publishers can't get anywhere else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfosawSWaKo
Lulu is a great option if you want to create something a little different—like a journal, planner, or photo book. Lulu makes print-on-demand easy, and you can sell your books through their store or distribute them widely. It’s free to upload, but Lulu’s royalty payouts are a little smaller compared to other sites. It’s a great choice if you want to create a niche product rather than a traditional novel.
PublishDrive offers one of the widest distribution networks, sending your book to hundreds of stores around the world. Unlike Draft2Digital, Amazon KDP, and Kobo, PublishDrive doesn’t take a percentage of your sales. Instead, you pay a monthly subscription fee (starting around $16.99/month). If you have multiple books or you're planning to publish a lot of content, PublishDrive can save you money over time. But if you’re just starting out with one book, the monthly cost might not make sense yet.
Turning Your Book into an Audiobook
Audiobooks are exploding in popularity, and turning your book into an audio version is easier than ever in 2025. In fact, it's one of the best ways to reach new readers (or listeners) without writing anything new.
Amazon ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) is where most authors start. It’s Amazon’s platform for creating and publishing audiobooks on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. You can either pay a narrator upfront or offer them a share of your royalties (called a “royalty split”). ACX gives you a huge audience, but it also locks you into exclusivity unless you accept a lower royalty rate.
Findaway Voices is a popular alternative because it offers way more flexibility. Findaway distributes your audiobook everywhere—Spotify, Apple Books, Google Play, Chirp, libraries, and more. Plus, Findaway lets you keep full control over your audiobook without exclusivity contracts. You can upload your own audio, hire a narrator, or even use AI narration if you prefer a faster, cheaper option.
Spotify Audiobooks is working hard to expand its catalog, and they’ve made it even easier by partnering with Findaway Voices. You can upload your audiobook to Spotify through Findaway or submit a short-form story directly to Spotify’s in-house publishing program if you meet their guidelines. Spotify is one of the most exciting places to be right now because they are investing heavily into audiobooks.
Apple Books has a direct platform for audiobooks too, and they offer a very cool new feature—digital narration. Instead of paying a human narrator, you can choose a high-quality AI voice to narrate your story. It’s free to use if you publish through them, making it a great low-cost way to create a polished audiobook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ-V59u5KdA&t=11s
Google Play Audiobooks also lets you create and publish your audiobook directly to their store. Like Apple, Google now offers digital narration services. It’s an affordable option, and your audiobook reaches a global audience through Android devices.
11 Labs is another amazing tool if you want to create your own AI-narrated audiobook. You can upload your text, choose a voice, and generate very natural-sounding audio. It's perfect for indie authors on a budget. Plus, if you use Findaway Voices, they now accept 11 Labs audio for publishing to major stores like Spotify, Apple, and Google!
A few tips to keep in mind:
- Paying a narrator upfront can cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on length and quality.
- Royalty-splitting can save you money upfront, but you’ll share profits with your narrator forever.
- AI narration is faster and cheaper, but it might not sound as emotional or warm as a real voice (although it’s getting better all the time).
Whether you record it yourself, hire a professional, or use AI tools, having an audiobook version of your story is a smart move. More and more people are choosing to listen instead of read, and you don’t want to miss out on that growing audience!
Promoting Your Book and Getting Reviews (Without Spending a Fortune)
Publishing your book is a huge accomplishment—but getting people to actually find your book is the real challenge. Promotion matters. And getting good reviews is one of the biggest ways to boost your success.
Why Reviews Are So Important:
When readers see a book with lots of positive reviews, it builds instant trust. Reviews are social proof that your book is worth their time and money. Platforms like Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Play all use reviews to help decide which books to recommend to other readers. Simply put, the more reviews you have, the more chances your book has to be discovered.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O38dsBkbh_s
Where You Can Get Free Reviews:
- BookSprout: A site where you can offer your book to a community of readers who leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and other major stores. They have a free plan (with a limit on how many readers you can reach) and low-cost paid plans if you want to expand later.
- Pubby: A great platform for swapping reviews in an ethical way. You earn points by reviewing other people's books, then use those points to get reviews for yours. It’s free to join (you just need a Kindle Unlimited account or plan to buy low-cost books). They also have a selection of free books to choose from that you can read and review to earn points.
Promoting Your Book on Social Media:
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TikTok and BookTok:
TikTok has exploded for authors—especially #BookTok. One simple and powerful idea: make a quick TikTok video showing your book cover and use a short snippet of audio from your audiobook (or a dramatic quote if you don't have audio yet). Add trending music in the background, a few emotional words about your story, and some hashtags like #BookTok, #IndieAuthor, #NewRelease. -
Instagram:
Instagram is great for showing off beautiful book covers, snippets from your story, and quick reels showing the “vibe” of your book. Readers LOVE aesthetic posts—mood boards, character quotes, and even short videos flipping through pages. -
Pinterest:
Don’t overlook Pinterest! You can create simple pins linking directly to your book’s sales page. Book mood boards, aesthetic images, and even just a nice picture of your cover with a strong title can grab attention. Pinterest is searchable like Google, and your pin can live for months (or years) bringing traffic to your book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URGRGBLLmGA
Other Quick Tips for Reviews and Promotion:
- Always add a polite request for reviews at the end of your ebook or audiobook ("If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. It means the world to indie authors!")
- Share any early reviews you get! You can turn a great quote from a reviewer into a post for social media.
- Ask friends or family who read your book to leave an honest review (but remind them to disclose the relationship if required on platforms like Amazon).
- Don't spam your book constantly—mix promotion with real posts about your writing journey, behind-the-scenes moments, or relatable reader content.
The truth is:
You don't need to spend thousands on ads or professional marketing when you’re starting out. A handful of great reviews and consistent little promotions can go a long way.
Why Self-Publishing Is the Ultimate Side Hustle
At the end of the day, self-publishing isn’t just about making money (even though you can definitely do that too). It’s about building something that’s yours. A story, a guide, a world, or a message you created—something that didn’t exist before you sat down and decided to make it real.
Every book you finish is proof that you didn’t just dream about it—you did it.
You have something permanent with your name on it. Something you can share, sell, gift, or simply be proud of forever.
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com
And here's the best part:
Self-publishing teaches you real skills.
- Writing better.
- Marketing yourself.
- Designing covers.
- Learning how to reach people with your words.
- Building discipline to finish what you start.
No matter what happens next, every book you create makes you stronger, smarter, and more capable.
There will always be readers.
No matter how the world changes, people will always want stories to fall into, ideas to learn from, and new adventures to explore. The market is there—you just have to reach it.
And even if you start small (because everyone does), each book you write is another step closer to becoming the author you dream of being.