author saying publish my book

Publish My Book

Publish My Book: The Fun, Slightly Chaotic, Totally Doable Journey from “I Have an Idea” to “It’s On Amazon!”

So you’ve been shouting to the universe: “I want to publish my book!”—but now that it’s almost time to do the thing, you’re spiraling. What comes first? Where do you publish it? And wait… what does 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 mean in a book?

Deep breath, friend. You’re in the right place.

Whether you’re here because you wrote a masterpiece in your Notes app, or you’ve been secretly Googling “how to get my book published” at 2 a.m., this guide will walk you through the real-deal steps to publish your own book—without losing your sanity (or your triple-shot latte habit).

✍️ How to Write a Self-Help Book 

Most of my book coaching clients come to me with a powerful story, life-changing expertise… and absolutely no idea where to start.

Here’s the good news: You don’t need a PhD in literature or a publishing deal to write something that changes lives.

You just need:

  • A compelling message
  • A proven structure
  • Some honest feedback
  • A little help from someone who’s been there (👋 hi, that’s me)

💡 Want a shortcut? Grab my FREE Self-Help Book Template to get a plug-and-play outline used by bestselling authors. You’ll save hours—and a lot of unnecessary rewrites.

💥 Read next: How to Write a Self-Help Book

🛠️ Book Publishing Services That’ll Make You Feel Like a Pro

Publishing a book is not just hitting "upload" on Amazon.

You’ve got:

  • Editing to manage
  • Formatting to finesse
  • Metadata to research
  • Covers to design
  • Launches to plan

That’s where book publishing services come in. Whether you want a full VIP experience or a little help getting unstuck, I’ve got you covered.

✨ Check out:

💰 How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?

Answer: It depends. (But I’ll give you some real numbers.)

DIY (with templates and tools): $0–$300
Professional editing + formatting + design: $1,500–$6,000+
Hybrid or full-service publishing: $5,000–$20,000+

You don’t have to spend thousands, but investing in key areas (like editing and cover design) can be the difference between “meh” and “Take my money!” reader reactions.

🆓 Can I Publish My Own Book for Free?

YES—if you’re scrappy and DIY-inclined.

You can absolutely publish your book without paying upfront fees, if you’re comfortable with a DIY approach. Here’s how:

Here’s how:

Just remember: Free isn’t the same as easy. What you save in money, you’ll spend in time.

(But if you’re on a budget and determined, I’ll be your cheerleader the whole way. Pom-poms included.) 📣 Goooooooo you!

💡 Pro Tip: Going the free route requires more time and elbow grease, but it’s totally doable—especially for new authors trying to minimize costs.

📚 How Many Books Do You Have to Sell to Make $100,000?

This depends on your price point and royalty rate. But here’s a basic example:

  • Book price: $9.99
  • Royalty: ~70% (on Amazon KDP for ebooks)
  • Royalty per sale: ~$6.99

To make $100,000: You’d need to sell ~14,300 books

BUT—and here’s the exciting part—you don’t have to rely on book sales alone.

Smart authors also:

  • Build courses or coaching programs around their book
  • Offer speaking engagements
  • Create companion workbooks or planners
  • Sell to libraries and bookstores

Let your book be the launchpad, not the end game. 💥

📏 What Does 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Mean in a Book?

This one’s fun. It’s the printer’s countdown.

This little line is full of secrets. It’s part of what’s called the printer’s key or number line, and it tells you which printing and edition you’re looking at.

You’ll often see this line in the copyright page of traditionally published books. It’s a printing code, and as the numbers drop off, it shows which printing of the book you’re looking at.

📘 Here’s how it works:

You’ll usually find something like this on the copyright page:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

That means you’re holding a first printing of the book.

When a second printing is run (because the first batch sold out), the number 1 is removed:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

That’s a second printing of the first edition.

Each time the publisher does a new print run, they remove the lowest number in the line. So:

  • 10 9 8 7 6 = sixth printing
  • 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 = third printing

Sometimes you’ll also see something like this:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 21 22 23 24

In that case:

  • The first sequence is the printing number (like above)
  • The second sequence indicates the year of publication (in this case, it could be 2021–2024)

🧠 Edition ≠ Printing

A new edition usually means major revisions, updates, or added content—think 2nd Edition Revised. If the content hasn’t changed much, it’s just a new printing of the same edition.

Publishers typically denote a new edition with text:
➡ Second Edition, 2025
The printer’s key will then reset with a fresh line:
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 — for the first printing of the second edition.

🛫 How to Get Your Book Published

There are three main ways:

  1. Traditional Publishing – Submit your manuscript or proposal to agents or publishers. Slow, selective, but offers prestige and distribution.
  2. Self-Publishing – Publish your book independently using platforms like Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or Barnes & Noble Press.
  3. Hybrid Publishing – Work with a publishing company that provides editing, design, and distribution—for a fee.

Not sure what’s right for you? Read this guide on publishing options, or ask me directly!

🙋 How to Get My Book Published (When I’m Totally Overwhelmed)

Start here:

  1. 💡 Use my free templates
  2. 📺 Watch this step-by-step video on uploading your book to Amazon

You don’t have to figure out every step alone. Whether you’re stuck on chapter one or trying to make it to six figures, there’s help—and hope.

💬 Final Thoughts: Publish My Book

If you’re saying “I want to publish my book,” you’re already halfway there.

Now it’s time to:

  • Make a plan
  • Get the right support
  • Trust your voice
  • And hit PUBLISH

🎉 Because the world needs your story. And you? You’re 100% ready to tell it.

Back to blog
author
Lisa Daily
Book Coach & Bestselling Author
author http://author.coach

Lisa Daily is a USA Today bestselling author and one of the top book coaches for nonfiction and self-help authors. She's an award-winning, traditionally & indie published author of 15+ self-help and romance books, and a book coach for everyone from brand new aspiring authors to 6- and 7-figure authors like Renee Rose, Theodora Taylor, Maggie Marr, Ines Johnson, Kel Carpenter, Lee Savino, and Heather Hildenbrand. 💙 Best. Job. Ever. 🎉 She's the author of several writing books including How to Write a Self-Help Book in 14 Days and What 7-Figure Authors Do Differently. I've been called the "go-to book coach for 6- and 7-figure authors." Lisa Daily is the founder of the Bestseller Academy: Write a Self-Help Book in 30 Days Course and host a popular writing and publishing advice YouTube channel, Bestselling Author Writing Coach.