Since my first book Are We Brave Enough? was published by Instant Apostle in 2019, the question I get asked more than almost any other is some version of “how do you actually write and publish a book?” It’s a fair question. The publishing world is more accessible than it has ever been, and at the same time more confusing. Traditional, self-publishing, hybrid, KDP, Lulu, every path has its own logic, its own costs, and its own pitfalls. So if you’ve ever thought about writing a book of your own (a memoir, a guide, a story, a manifesto, a piece of professional knowledge worth sharing), this is what I’ve learned along the way.
The honest news is that writing a book is much harder than people expect, and much more achievable than they assume. Most aspiring authors get stuck for the same reasons. They overthink the start. They never finish the first draft. Or they freeze when faced with the publishing decisions afterwards.
The good news is that none of those obstacles are actually as big as they look. They just need to be approached deliberately.
Three questions worth asking before you write a word
Before getting into the mechanics, three questions are worth wrestling with honestly.
- Do you have a unique story, perspective, or knowledge worth sharing? Most people do, even the ones who don’t think they do. The trick is being honest about where your perspective actually adds something.
- Is your message compelling enough to engage readers? This is harder to be objective about. Talk to people who’ll be honest with you. Friends and family are usually too kind. Trusted colleagues, mentors, or editors will tell you if the idea has legs.
- Does your concept have a market? Even if you have no commercial ambitions, knowing who would actually want to read this and why is foundational. A book without a clear audience tends to find itself with very few readers indeed.
If you can answer those three with reasonable confidence, you’re ready to start.
A three-stage writing process
The writing itself, in my experience, breaks down into three stages.
Stage 1: Define purpose and audience. Your book needs a clear purpose and a clear target reader. Before writing, get clear on what specific problem your book is solving, who exactly you’re writing for, what transformation a reader will experience by the end, and what unique perspective you bring to the topic that others don’t. This early thinking shapes everything that follows.
Stage 2: Build a comprehensive outline. A good outline is the scaffolding the rest of the book hangs from. Break your main topic into major sections. List the key points within each chapter. Identify the stories, interviews, case studies, and personal experiences you want to include. Note the practical examples, exercises, or applications that bring the ideas to life. Sketch out the logical flow from chapter to chapter so the book reads as one continuous journey rather than a collection of essays.
The outline isn’t fixed. It will evolve as you write. But starting without one is like trying to build a house without a plan.
Stage 3: Write the first draft. This is where most people fall apart. The trick is to write freely, without self-editing, and accept that the first draft will be bad. That’s its job. Use the outline as a guide but allow for organic development. Insert placeholder notes for things you’ll need to research later. Keep a separate document for ideas that don’t quite fit but might be useful elsewhere. Aim relentlessly for completion rather than perfection.
A finished bad draft is infinitely more useful than an unfinished good one.
The publishing options
Once your manuscript is ready, the next question is how to publish it. Three main routes are available, and each has its trade-offs.
Traditional publishing. Established publishing houses handle production, distribution, and most of the marketing. Royalties are typically 5–15% on print and around 25% on e-books, but they bear the financial risk and provide professional editing, cover design, and access to bookshops and media. The downside is that the process is slow (eighteen months to two years from acceptance to publication) and acceptance rates are very low. Most traditional publishers want a literary agent representing the work, and getting one is its own challenge.
I was fortunate that my first book was picked up this way. A member of the Instant Apostle management team spotted the manuscript while it was still in draft form and invited me to submit formally. The whole process from invitation to publication took about two years. There were no upfront costs. The publisher handled the support, design, and marketing. My only financial commitment was to buy 150 copies at print cost after publication. I also chose to hire a professional editor for two days to help refine the manuscript, which was easily worth the investment.
Self-publishing. This path has transformed in the last decade. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is the largest platform, offering both e-book and print options. Lulu is another good choice, particularly for paperback and hardback printing. The advantages are speed (you can be in market within weeks), full creative control, and significantly higher royalty rates (35–70% on KDP, depending on pricing). The trade-off is that you’re responsible for everything: editing, cover design, marketing, distribution. The quality of self-published books varies enormously, and the responsibility for getting it right sits squarely with you.
Hybrid publishing. A middle ground. Hybrid publishers offer professional services similar to traditional publishers but require authors to invest financially in the production process. The model can work well, but the quality varies hugely. Some hybrid publishers are excellent. Others are essentially vanity presses dressed up in better language. If you go this route, research the partner thoroughly. Look for transparent contracts, real distribution channels, and a track record of successful publications.
My current self-publishing process
For my own subsequent books, I’ve used a streamlined process that combines Lulu and Amazon KDP. It’s not the only way to do it, but it works reliably and produces professional-quality books at sensible cost. The seven-stage process looks like this:
- Set up the book on Lulu and allocate the free ISBN they provide.
- Format the inside text using a pre-existing Word template I keep for all my books. The size I use is US Trade 6 x 9 inches (152 x 229 mm).
- Create the front and back cover images using Canva, sized to fit the same dimensions. Canva is also great for generating 3D cover mock-ups for promotional use.
- Upload the inside text to Lulu, then format the cover using their cover design tool combined with your Canva artwork.
- Proof the complete book design. I use Standard Black & White, 60gsm White Uncoated, Paperback Perfect Bound. Then I order a physical proof copy.
- Read the printed copy carefully. I usually order a few extras and pass them out to trusted friends for feedback. Make any final changes and upload the revised files.
- Order a final proof copy, then download the print-ready assets from Lulu and upload them to Amazon KDP for wider distribution.
Done well, this approach lets you produce a professional, well-distributed book at very low upfront cost, while retaining all rights and full creative control.
Building your publishing strategy
Whichever route you choose, a clear strategy at the start saves enormous frustration later. The four factors worth thinking through are timeline (how patient are you willing to be), financial investment (what can you afford to spend on editing, design, and marketing), distribution goals (how widely do you want the book to be available), and long-term rights (how important is it to retain ownership of the work). The right answer differs for every author. The wrong answer is to start writing without thinking through any of these.
Do also evaluate your marketing capacity honestly. Even traditional publishers expect significant author involvement in promotion. Self-published authors are entirely responsible for it. The book that nobody reads, however well-written, won’t change anybody’s life.
The bigger picture
Writing a book is a journey, not a race. The aim isn’t to produce something perfect. It’s to produce something genuinely useful for your readers, and to actually finish it. Perfectionism is the enemy. Completion is the goal.
The world genuinely needs more people willing to share their unique perspective, hard-won knowledge, and honest stories. If you’ve been carrying a book idea around for months or years, you’re not alone, and the question isn’t whether you have something worth saying. It’s whether you’ll do the work of actually saying it.
Every published author started exactly where you are now. An idea, and the courage to begin.
So if you’ve been carrying a book idea around for a while, what is the smallest first step you could take this week — even something as simple as drafting the outline of one chapter — to start turning it from a someday wish into a real piece of work?