Have you done the incredible work of finishing your manuscript? Congratulations—you’ve completed a journey that most only dream of. But now you face a new, often confusing, landscape. What comes next? Should you seek an agent or self-publish? What is an ISBN? How do you budget for a cover designer and editor? How do you actually launch a book and find readers?
The 10-Week Publishing Course is the definitive, step-by-step guide to navigating the entire publication process. We created this course to demystify the industry and empower you with the knowledge and tools to get your book into the world professionally and successfully. Whether you choose the traditional or self-publishing path, this course will be your trusted guide.
Your Journey Through the Course
A great book deserves a professional package. This phase is dedicated to making the crucial early decisions that set you up for success. You will learn the pros and cons of traditional vs. self-publishing to make an informed choice. We will guide you through budgeting for professional editing and cover design, writing a compelling book blurb that sells, and handling the essential legal requirements like purchasing ISBNs and preparing your copyright page.
With your book professionally produced, we turn to the launch. You will learn to navigate publishing platforms like Amazon KDP, setting your price and distribution for a global audience. We will walk you through creating a detailed, multi-phase book launch strategy, including how to build an early-reader “street team.” You will learn to build a simple author platform, use social media effectively, and adopt the professional mindset needed to manage your author career for the long term.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is for any writer who has a finished manuscript and is ready to publish. This course is for you if:
You have a completed draft but feel completely lost about what to do next.
You are confused about the difference between traditional, self-, and hybrid publishing.
You want to self-publish but are intimidated by the technical and marketing aspects.
You want to ensure your book is produced to a professional standard, from the editing to the cover.
You need a clear, actionable plan to launch your book successfully.
What You Will Leave With
By the end of this 10-week course, you will have transformed your manuscript into a product ready for market. You will walk away with:
A clear, informed decision on your publishing path.
A professionally produced book available for sale (if self-publishing).
A comprehensive and actionable book launch plan.
An author platform and the marketing skills to find your readers.
The business acumen to confidently manage your author career.
You’ve written the book. It’s time for the world to read it.
Take a Deeper Look into Our Course
This foundational week demystifies the publishing industry. We will conduct a detailed comparison of the three main paths:
- Traditional Publishing: Working with a mainstream publisher. You receive an advance and/or royalties (typically 10-12%), but have little say in the creative process (e.g., cover design).
- Self-Publishing: You act as the publisher, retaining full creative control and earning much higher royalties (40-60%). However, you are responsible for all upfront costs. A high-quality self-published book shows you are ambitious and serious.
- Vanity Publishing: These publishers charge authors hefty fees for a print run, often with poor quality and no marketing support. We will analyse the red flags to ensure you can identify and avoid these predatory operations.
- Learning Objectives:
- To understand the business model, pros, and cons of each publishing route.
- To critically evaluate which path best aligns with your personal goals, budget, and timeline.
- To confidently identify the difference between legitimate hybrid publishing and predatory vanity presses.
A professional book requires a professional production process. This week covers the critical editing and design stages that occur after your final draft is complete. We will define:
- Copyediting: A line-by-line edit focusing on grammar, spelling, clarity, fluency, and consistency. Costs can be around £1,400 for a 50,000-word manuscript.
- Proofreading: The final quality check to catch surface errors like typos, inconsistent formatting, and correct page references in the table of contents.
- Interior Book Design (Typesetting): The process of turning your Word document into professionally formatted files (like an epub or kpf) for printing and digital distribution.
- Learning Objectives:
- To understand the distinct roles of editing, proofreading, and typesetting.
- To learn how to budget for the essential costs of book production.
- To know what files and information a professional designer or editor will need from you.
Your book cover is your most important marketing tool. This week covers the essentials of commissioning a professional design. You will learn the difference between a flat front cover for an
eBook and a full “wrap” cover (front, spine, and back) required for a paperback. We will explore the market for designers, from affordable options on platforms like Fiverr (often £9-£75) to bespoke designs from freelancers or agencies (£200-£700+).
- Learning Objectives:
- To understand the key elements of an effective, genre-specific book cover.
- To know the technical requirements for both ebook and print covers.
- To be able to write a clear and effective design brief for a cover designer.
- Exercises:
- Genre Analysis: Find the top 5 bestselling books in your specific Amazon category. Create a “mood board” with these covers and write a brief analysis of their common design elements (e.g., colour palette, typography, imagery).
- Write a Design Brief: Draft a one-page brief for your cover designer. Include your title/subtitle, author name, book genre, a short blurb, the mood you want to convey, and links to the covers you analysed.
The book blurb (or description) is what convinces a reader to buy. We will work through the workbook’s powerful three-part formula for non-fiction blurbs: 1) Clearly state the main problem your reader suffers from; 2) Show what your solution will accomplish; 3) Describe the reader’s improved future. We will also cover the critical importance of
Metadata: choosing the right keywords and Amazon categories to ensure your book is discoverable by your ideal readers.
- Learning Objectives:
- To write a persuasive and hook-driven book description.
- To understand how metadata works and how to research it effectively.
- To optimise your book’s online presence for discoverability.
This week covers the essential administrative tasks of publishing. We will discuss
ISBNs (International Standard Book Number): what they are, why you need a separate number for each format (ebook, paperback, etc.) , and where to buy them in the UK (Nielsen) and US (Bowker). It is more cost-effective to buy them in a block of 10. We will also cover how to correctly format your copyright page and the legal requirement in the UK to send one copy of every publication to the
British Library within one month of its release.
- Learning Objectives:
- To confidently purchase and assign ISBNs to their book formats.
- To understand and fulfill their legal deposit obligations.
- To create an accurate and professional copyright page.
This is a practical, hands-on guide to the world’s largest book retail platforms, focusing on Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. We will walk through the key decisions you need to make during the upload process: setting your list price, understanding different royalty structures (e.g., KDP’s 35% vs. 70% options), entering your metadata, and choosing your distribution channels (e.g., enabling “Expanded Distribution” to reach other bookstores).
- Learning Objectives:
- To understand the key differences between major self-publishing platforms.
- To be able to confidently navigate the book setup process on KDP.
- To make informed decisions about pricing and distribution for their book.
A successful launch doesn’t happen by accident; it’s a carefully planned campaign. We will build a comprehensive launch strategy based on the workbook’s timeline. Key phases include:
- 3-6 Months Pre-Launch: Define your objectives, choose your launch date, and create a social media strategy.
- 1-2 Months Pre-Launch: Officially announce your book launch and begin recruiting an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) team, also known as a “street team”.
- Launch Day: Activate your street team to spread the word and ensure you always share a direct link to buy the book in every post.
- Learning Objectives:
- To understand that a book launch is a multi-phase campaign, not a single-day event.
- To create a detailed, timed launch plan for their own book.
- To learn how to build and leverage an ARC team for early reviews and buzz.
Your author platform is your direct connection to your readers and is essential for long-term success. This week focuses on building the foundational assets of that platform. We will cover how to create a simple, professional author website with a dedicated page for your book. A key part of this is creating a
Media Pack for your site, containing your author headshot, bio, book blurb, and contact info for press or event organisers. We will also emphasise the critical importance of building your email subscriber list from day one.
- Learning Objectives:
- To understand that an author platform is a long-term business asset.
- To identify the essential components of a professional author website.
- To learn the value of email marketing and how to begin building a list.
This week is about actively using your platform. We’ll focus on creating a sustainable content plan for your social media channels. You’ll learn how to design eye-catching graphics for your book using free tools like Canva. We will workshop ideas for pre-launch content like teasers, cover reveals, and giveaways , as well as post-launch content, such as sharing reader reviews, running price promotions, and engaging with your audience to build a loyal following.
- Learning Objectives:
- To create a content strategy that builds buzz without being overly “salesy.”
- To learn how to use simple tools to create professional marketing graphics.
- To develop a plan for continued marketing after the launch period ends.
To have a sustainable career, you must treat your writing like a business. This final week focuses on the professional mindset. We will cover the basics of tracking your income and expenses, understanding your sales dashboards on platforms like KDP, and the importance of planning your next book to build a “backlist” of titles. We will also revisit the concept of accountability and ongoing professional development, discussing how joining a group like the workbook’s “accountability club” can provide the support needed to maintain momentum for your long-term career.
- Learning Objectives:
- To adopt a professional, long-term perspective on their author career.
- To understand the basic financial aspects of being a self-published author.
- To create a plan for their next project to ensure continued growth.