Self-publishing, step-by-step

A practical guide to the possibilities and pitfalls of bringing your book to life, from first draft to finished product

Daisy Jones, Lucinda Hooley and Tanya Meeson

Wednesdays from 18:00–20:00
Dates: 3 April–24 April

Online platform: MS Teams

Course fee: R1 600; Staff and students R800

Booking is through Webtickets: SELF-PUBLISHING, STEP BY STEP (webtickets.co.za)

This course is designed to help authors navigate the complex and empowering world of self-publishing.

Did you know that every year about 1.7 million people publish their own books? Compare that to the number of books published each year through traditional publishers, which is only between 500 000 and a million. (Source: WordsRated.com)

Want to join the 1.7 million who are making their own dreams come true? Why not? Self-publishing has never been easier or cheaper. 

But how do you make your book stand out from the crowd? 

As self-published authors ourselves, we’ll show you everything we’ve learned about how to produce the best book you can and reach as wide an audience as possible. Want to know about how to get a great cover or what the editing process is? We got you. Want to know how much you should invest and where you should put your money? We can help. Want to know how to maximise your community networks, marketing, PR, and distribution? We’ve done all the hard work so that you don’t have to. You’re not alone.

In fact, even as a new author with a publishing contract, we’re certain you’ll find valuable information that will help you understand the book publishing – and selling – landscape. 

Let’s get your book out into the world.

Self-publishing, step by step will be presented as a series of four two-hour seminars by Tanya Meeson, Daisy Jones, and Lucinda Hooley, that will cover the following:

Week 1: Visioning your book
We explore the landscape of self-publishing and show you how to pitch your book – by understanding your genre and target audience – so that you know how to package it.

Week 2: Making your book
We discuss how you can produce quality copy that rivals traditional publishing models by unpacking the editorial process – from friendly readers to copy editors and proofreaders – and helping you understand the aesthetic (and legal!) considerations of producing a cover and inside pages that look like those of any other on the bestseller shelf. 

Week 3: Meeting your reader

From loading your ebook to Amazon and getting your hard copy to the printers and book stores, we talk all about taking your book into the real world and getting it into your readers’ hands. With guest speaker Dave Henderson from MyEBook. 

Week 4: Making a splash

We’ll introduce you to the basic aspects of marketing your book, from launches and maximising social media to Amazon and using your networks, reviews, and community engagement. 

Places are limited to 20 participants.

For further information, please email ems@uct.ac.za, or phone 021 650 2634 (office) or Medeé at 083 707 6420.