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.

 

Bios

Tanya Meeson is an author and screenwriter. She’s worked as a journalist and columnist for 17 years. Her books The Dot Spot – Adventures in Love and Sex and Character Insights for a Regenerative Future (co-authored with Paul Steenkamp) were both traditionally published, but when she wrote her first novel The Fulcrum she decided to go the self-publishing route. Through the magic of Amazon e-book and print-on-demand, The Fulcrum has sold internationally and enjoyed three print runs locally. Her next novel The Akashic Records of the Last People as Written by Neko will also be self-published and available in 2024.

Daisy Jones is an award-winning cookbook author. She’s also been a senior news reporter, a magazine editor, and an influential restaurant reviewer. When she and Lucinda Hooley decided to publish their novel, Love You Madly, they went the self-publishing route and since then the novel has been reviewed by John Maytham on Cape Talk/702, and featured in Business Day, Fair Lady and News24. Love You Madly has been the subject of several book events. Daisy is currently working on a series of online romance novels.

Lucinda Hooley is a creative director and content editor, working mostly in the field of corporate marketing, internal communications, and employee engagement. Her first book, Love You Madly, was co-authored with Daisy Jones and published in 2021. The novel has been reprinted five times and has appeared on the programmes of numerous book festivals, including the Franschhoek Literary Festival (twice). Lucinda holds a BA English and Drama majors and a Performer’s Diploma in Speech and Drama. In her previous life, Lucinda was an award-winning actress for stage and screen. She is currently growing the seeds of ideas for new creative writing work.

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.