How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide #3 (Publish your Book)

Create Passive Income from your Travel Writing

There are many publishing paths, including trade published, full service and assisted self-publishing, but this guide focuses on doing as much of the production and publishing process yourself. You may encounter specific tasks you can’t do for yourself, so I provide you with resource links to find freelancers or service providers who can help you over the hurdles.

One thing to bear in mind is self-publishing isn’t a 100-meter sprint, it’s a marathon. Slow and steady wins the race, and a gradual rollout lets you pace yourself. In this third book in my How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide series, we focus entirely on the Self-Publishing Process.

Self-Publishing in 5 Steps

I’ve broken self-publishing into a series of five manageable steps:

Step One: Define your Format Strategy
Step Two: Select your Distribution Network
Step Three: Format your Book Files
Step Four: Design your Book Cover
Step Five: Create your Book Profile

Define Your Format Strategy

Part A encompasses your ebook and paperback plan. It’s an overview of the two digital book format options (ebook and print on demand paperback) and the decisions needed to determine whether you publish both versions or just an ebook.

After this first step, the rest of the book is split into two parts:

Part B focuses on self-publishing your ebook.
Part C focuses on self-publishing your paperback.

How to Publish Your Book

The distribution network and file formatting steps are initially the most complex, but once you’ve been through the process steps for the first time, you’ll be filled with confidence the second time around.

If you want to cut to the chase and not bother learning the how or whys of each self-publishing decision, I’ll give you an accelerated plan to self-publish your book.

The most overwhelming concept for new authors is that there’s no single solution to self-publishing. It’s actually a series of decisions that take you down different paths, and this can be challenging to master. So in the ebook section you can press the proverbial easy-button to follow the simple self-publishing plan, and forego a paperback release.

If you want a deeper understanding of each self-publishing step you can follow the intermediate or advanced plan. Each ebook and paperback step takes into account the options available and the self-publishing decisions that move you onto the next step in the process.

I’ve combined assessments and implications of each decision, to equip you with the most up-to-date and relevant information to make an informed decision that’s right for you. You should make these decisions based on your skill level, time availability, and budget. I also provide a case study in each chapter to illustrate the decisions I made when publishing my travel guides.

Don't let fear stand in your way of achieving your self-publishing goals. This books is your step-by-step guide for publishing your book and becoming an author. It's your safety net. I'll ensure you don't fall down the ravine of bad decisions, or get ripped off by unscrupulous publishing partners. So if you're a travel blogger who wants to turn your blog articles into a published book to earn passive income, this book is for you. It inlcudes invaluable tips and insights specifically about publishing, formatting, pricing, and designing a travel guide. Chock full of examples, images, and links that are relevant and up to date.

C'mon. Let's get your travel guide published!