How to Plan to Self-Publish your Poetry Book
You’ve been dreaming of publishing your own collection of poetry for a while now.
You love to write and can’t wait for the day when you can hold your own book in your hands.
You’ve seen other people do it. You know it is possible. But you can’t seem to break through the confusion and commit to making it happen.
Sound familiar?
If you’ve been toying with the idea of self-publishing your poetry but are not making any progress, it’s because you haven’t made a plan.
Planning is the crucial first step to get you from dreaming about your book to holding it in your hands.
Easier said than done – I know. Poets tend to be creative and spontaneous people who are driven by their emotions.
But your plan doesn’t have to be rigid and boring. You can create a flexible timeline that makes you excited to sit down and work on your book.
So, how do you go about making a plan?
1. Start by creating a blank timeline.
You can download my blank template, along with a sample template at the end of this blog.
First step = done.
2. Write a list of everything that needs to get done in order for you to self-publish.
This can be the most intimidating step because either:
You haven’t done much research into self-publishing and the process looks intimidating, or
You’ve done a lot of research into self-publishing and the process looks even more intimidating.
Don’t worry. This can all be figured out later. For now, just jot everything down on one page.
Here is a list of ideas to consider:
Decide on the theme of your book
Find the story you want to share
Write the first draft
Choose the order of your poems
Write the second draft
Format your poems
Title your poems
Determine your target audience
Send draft to beta-readers
Self-edit your poems
Choose the title for your collection
Start marketing on social media
Write front and back matter
Create your budget
Choose your self-publishing platform
Hire a professional editor
Revise manuscript based on editor’s notes
Create the concept for your cover
Choose your book size and cover type
Get your own ISBN
Hire a cover designer
Format your book’s interior
Hire an artist for interior artwork
Check your book meets the uploading requirements
Upload your book to your self-publishing platform
Research keywords for your book
Write metadata for your book
Set the price of your book
Set publication date
Get a proof copy of your book
Make any necessary revisions
Create e-book version
Send out advanced reader copies
List your book on GoodReads
Create advertising content
Contact other authors to collaborate with
Contact bookstores to get your book stocked
Order copies to sell in bookstores/ on your website
Host a giveaway
LAUNCH BOOK!
3. On your timeline, block out when you are going to do each step.
You don’t need to figure out HOW to do each step at the beginning. You just need to pick a time for WHEN you are going to figure each step out.
For example, you might have no idea how to upload your book to a self-publishing platform.
That’s where you might block in a week to research how to upload your book properly, then block in another week to get your book uploaded.
Be realistic here. It’s better to start from the beginning and block out how long each step will take, rather than planning around a desired publication date. If you take the latter route, you might be tempted to cram in as much as possible within a certain timeframe, thus reducing the quality of your book.
If you have no clue how long each step will take, you can download the sample timeline at the end of this page as a guide.
4. Be flexible.
Leave plenty of time between each step in case it takes longer to complete than anticipated or life gets unexpectedly busy.
It is also a good idea to leave some blocks in your timeline completely blank. This gives you room to catch up on any steps you haven’t been able to complete.
You want to set yourself up to succeed.
5. Take it one step at a time.
Don’t let the scale of the project overwhelm you. Just start with the first step and don’t worry about the next one until it is completed.
If there are particular steps that feel overwhelming, pause your timeline and break down that step into bite-sized tasks.
For example, you can split writing your first draft into:
Two weeks spent hunting through old poems to pick ones for your book.
Six weeks spent writing new poems that support your theme/story.
Three weeks spent finishing abandoned poems you want to include in your book.
It’s okay to revise your plan if necessary. The most important thing is that you create your timeline to begin with. It’s going to help you feel motivated to move forward and clear on how you will get a finished book in your hands.
Let’s get you started. Download my free timeline templates for self-publishing your poetry book. This download includes a blank timeline for you to fill in and a sample timeline to guide you.
Hi, I’m Rachel!
I’m a poet and poetry editor based in Sydney, Australia.
I help poets write with purpose and create books that they are proud of.
I’m usually found with a coffee in one hand and a pen in the other.
I’m obsessed with stories and love equipping poets to share their own.
