Self-publishing - the first things I learnt.

Two weeks ago I published my first book – Offered and Accepted: A Recruiter’s Guide to Sales. I’m still feeling nervously excited. After all, when you write a book that’s aimed at your profession, you’re putting yourself out there to be judged. Fortunately, I’ve done my homework and am confident that the book is a good one. I wouldn’t be admitting I wrote it otherwise!

I wrote the book for two reasons. Firstly, I believe there’s a genuine gap in the market for a sales book aimed at recruiters and secondly, I’d always wanted to. For those of you that have great ideas for books of your own, here are a few things I’ve learnt along the way.


It takes a lot longer than you think.
My first draft took me just short of eight weeks to write, but the final draft took another five months. Revisions and editing aren’t just about spellchecking; they’re about ensuring the language is tight, content is logically organised, and the tone of the book is enjoyable to read. This book is 20,000 words shorter than the first draft... safe to say, there’s no waffle left!

It pays to ask the audience.
When it comes to marketing your book, don’t assume you know what’s best: speak to those in your target market. I chose my final cover design, omitted and added subjects, and settled on a selling price after approaching those who would potentially buy the book. In my opinion, if the book doesn’t appeal to or satisfy my target audience, for a price they’re willing to pay, there’s no point in publishing it.

Looks matter and not just on the cover.
Have you ever watched people buying books? Or thought about how you do yourself? When I’m busy at work and looking for a useful reference book, I look at the cover, read the back to check out the author’s credentials and then I open it up. If the content looks heavy and academic, I put it back down. I work in a demanding, busy industry. I don’t have time to read laborious texts: I need easily digestible, relevant information. Think about your audience and what they want from the book.

Make it easy for talented people to be generous with their time and knowledge.
After my first final draft was finished, I wanted to ensure that it was as relevant for contract as it was for permanent recruiters, and that it was as useful for accounting as it was for IT, sales, business support etc. Rather than send a copy of the manuscript to people to review (that’s a lot of someone’s time), I invited a group of the most successful and respected recruiters I knew to gather round a table, enjoy some free food and drink and talk shop. I made sure none of the people invited directly competed with anyone else there and had a clear agenda to follow. This meant everyone could speak freely without giving away sensitive competitive information, and gave the discussion some direction. This group helped me immensely.


I also contacted several people who had written and published successful books and, after purchasing a copy, approached them to ask for advice on everything from website designers to distribution processes. Perhaps they would have been as forthcoming with advice had I not bought a copy of their books, but people are busy – I wanted them to give up their time for my benefit, and thought it was the least I could do for them. These people were also immensely helpful.

You don’t have to have a big publisher behind you to produce a great book.
I approached the major publishers last year and they all responded with ‘the book looks great, it’s just not right for us’. That didn’t put me off; it made me improve the content and set about publishing it myself. If you believe there’s a genuine audience for your book (above and beyond your friends and family!) and are prepared to back yourself, do it. I concluded in my own case that if I didn’t think I was capable of selling the book myself, I shouldn’t be writing a sales book in the first place.

There is a lot of helpful information available.
It’s easy to find out ‘how’ from those who have written or published books before. As well as published and online material, there are countless courses available for aspiring writers and publishers. Check out your local writers centres, universities and colleges.

It pays to hire a professional proof-reader but don’t expect an error-free finished product.
If your book is an extension of your professional reputation, it needs to be finished to a high standard. No matter how good your own proofreading is (and I can’t read anything now without spotting mistakes) that means getting a pair of professional eyes to look over your manuscript.


I paid a few thousand dollars for a top proof-reading company to edit my manuscript and they did a great job. However, there are still a couple of errors in the finished product. Every author I spoke to told me there would be. Fortunately, they aren’t very noticeable!

Don’t be afraid to change designers / printers etc. if you’re not happy with their work.
It may mean you kiss goodbye to money for work they’ve already done but it’s your name and reputation at stake. Despite following all the advice I could find about choosing designers, my first book cover was completely inappropriate. I chose to write off the few hundred dollars in design fees and start from scratch elsewhere. I’ve never regretted it.

Size is important.
Think about how people will use your book. I expect my readers will read it on the bus or train, or lounging on the sofa. After they’re read it, they’ll keep it on their desks as a reference. It needed to be well produced (so it doesn’t fall apart when looked at repeatedly) but compact enough to carry around. A hard-backed, A4 tome just wouldn’t be fit for purpose.

So that’s the creation done; now it’s time to focus on promoting the book. Let me know your thoughts and if you’ve any additional advice you’d give to aspiring authors, particularly those writing for a professional audience.