I love self-publishing, but there are many ways to do it badly. Whole books have been written about this topic. Here are a few tips based on my experience.
1) If your book has graphics, make sure the person you hire to edit it uses the same software you do (same version, same computer OS). I recently edited a book by a friend, and we’re still dealing with the nightmares because I didn’t know enough to insist on this. Programs crashing, index numbering lost — it’s a mess.
2) Don’t do your own cover design. As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. A cover that looks good to your untutored eye may scream “amateur” to readers who are looking for something top-notch. If you do design it yourself, spend some time on Amazon looking at the beautiful covers in your genre. Look at every detail — the font, the color scheme, the imagery. If you’re doing print-on-demand paperbacks, go to a bookstore and look at back covers.
3) Budget and prioritize. I paid for covers, but saved money by doing my own editing and interior design. But then, I’m a professional editor (retired). You might prefer to save on the cover and hire an editor and a proofreader. If you can afford it, hire out all that stuff.
4) Be very wary of hybrid, package publishers. Some of these services may be excellent, and they may save you both time and headaches, especially if you’re not tech-savvy. Other companies, while their claims may be even more attractive, are not good at all. If you’re offered a contract by a publisher, don’t sign it before you’ve taken it to a lawyer who knows publishing law. Seemingly innocent clauses can turn around and bite you! Also, check out the books the publisher currently has on their website, and email the authors to learn their experiences with the publisher. Engaging with a publisher is not the time to shut your eyes and hope for the best.
5) Success comes an inch at a time. I’m pretty sure the people who are successful with self-publishing are in it for the long haul. They look for promotional opportunities (such as writing guest blog posts). Any individual action may not count for much, but over time it will snowball. You may not be comfortable with all of the social media outlets, but you can pick a few.