Self-publishing books on KDP are one of the avenues for earning regular income and, at the same time, reaching out to a large audience. However, after writing a book, one of the challenges authors face is knowing how long it takes to publish a book and reach out to their readers. Due to inconsistent answers, most authors lose hope and quit book publishing.
In this article, we look into how much time it takes to publish a book.
What Is Self-Publishing?
Self-publishing is the process of publishing a creative work that can be in the form of books or audio without the help of a publishing house or company. Self-publishing books are mostly used by authors. However, there are other things you can self-publish, like music, visual arts, etc.
Today, self-publishing has helped reduce the amount authors spend to publish books online. Unlike in the past, when authors pay the publishing house to publish their books, today, the author can do that single-handedly.
Where to Self-Publish Books Online
You might ask yourself, “Where can I self-publish my book online? There are many platforms where you can publish your books online and reach thousands of readers.
Amazon KDP is one of the best places to self-publish books online and make money from your book sales.
Let’s look into these platforms in detail.
Amazon KDP: It is one of the popular platforms where you can publish your book online. It is one of the world’s largest bookstores and hosts half of the digital book market. As an indie author or publisher, KDP is one of the best places to kick-start your publishing journey. The platform has every tool you need to publish a book. There is a predesigned template and book cover that allows you to upload your book, format it and design a cover for it.
Barnes & Noble Press: It is one of the main competitors of KDP. The bookstore reaches millions of readers worldwide. If you wish to sell your print books, you can check the platform.
Ingram Spark: The publishing platform specializes in print-on-demand (POD). The POD is a printing technology that prints a book only when an order is placed. If you are interested in distributing your print books, you can look at the platform.
There are still other platforms, like LULU, KOBO, publish drive, etc., that you can use. You can publish your book on any of those platforms.
Read also, Self-Publishing a Book: 18 Powerful Steps to Becoming a Best Seller Author
How Long Does It Take To Publish a Book?
After uploading it, it takes an average of 72 hours for a book to go live on Amazon KDP. If you wish to publish your book with a traditional publisher, it takes 2 to 6 months for your book to hit the bookshelves.
However, if the book is yet to be written, it takes 2 to 5 months to write and publish a book online. In some cases, it might take a long or short time.
The book publishing process is as follows;
Writing & Editing: The first thing you must do is to write and edit your book. The writing process takes time. It is advisable to create a timeline for writing your book. Editing a book can take 3 to 6 weeks, depending on who you hire to edit your book.
So, writing and editing a book can take 2 to 5 months. Sometimes, it might take months or years, based on the writer’s choice.
Formatting and Designing Book Cover: The formatting of a book takes two weeks, but if it is a book with many illustrations, it can take more than that. An average book cover can be designed within a week.
Writing Book Blurb: It takes a maximum of 7 days to write a captivating book blurb if you wish to hire someone. However, you can decide to write it yourself.
Final Review: The final review of your book can take 7 days by a specialist. In some cases, it might take more.
Uploading of Book: It takes around an hour to upload a book in KDP. The book will go live within 72 hours.
All the above processes can be done within a month. The major takeaway is that the time it takes to write and publish a book online is based on the author’s decision.
Read also, Complete Guide on How to Write 5000 words book in 24 Hours
Common Questions
How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book?
The cost of publishing a book depends on the avenue you wish to use. It costs nothing to self-publish a book on Amazon KDP. However, if you are using a traditional publisher, you might have to pay certain fees based on the publishing company’s fees.
Also, if you want to self-publish your book, you may have to pay an editor, or book cover designer, based on your budget.
How Long Does It Take To Publish a Book on Amazon KDP?
If you have written a book, it takes 72 hours for your book to go live and be available to millions of readers on Amazon. However, in some cases, it might take longer. But if there are issues, KDP customer service will notify you via email within 4 days of uploading your book.
Sometimes, it might take longer, but always check your email if your book is still in draft mode after 5 days of uploading the book.
How Long Does It Take for a Book to Go Live?
For KDP, it is 72 hours, but for other platforms like Barnes & Noble, it can take longer time. Lulu takes a few days for a book to go live.
How Long Does It Take To Edit a Book?
It takes 4 weeks to edit a book. You can hire a book editor on Fiverr, Upwork, or PeoplePerHour. However, if the book is large, it might take months.
How Long Does It Take to Design a Book Cover?
A professional and unique book cover can be designed within 7 days by a graphics designer. However, you can use platforms like Canva to design a cover within a short time.
How Long Does It Take To Sell a Book on KDP?
Once your book is live, it will start selling immediately. But in most cases, it might take days for sales to appear on your sales dashboard.
Why Does It Take So Long to Publish a Book?
Quality books take time to be published online. Many factors can prolong the duration of book publishing. One of them is the availability of the publishing company you are using or the availability of the editor you forwarded your book to edit. Sometimes, the tools you are using to write might also prolong the time it takes to publish a book.
How Long Does It Take To Publish a Book With a Publisher?
Most publishing companies include the timeline for publishing a book in their T & C. It might take more time for popular publishing companies based on the number of projects they are handling at that time. But it takes an average of 2 to 6 months to publish a book with a publishing company.
How Long Does It Take To Publish a Children’s Book?
It takes 2 to 4 months to publish a children’s book. The majority of children’s books have illustrations. In essence, the graphics designer does the majority of the work. If you are able to get a professional designer, your children’s book will be live within weeks.
How Quickly Can a Book Be Published?
A book can be written and published within 24 hours. However, the quality of the book should be your top priority.
How Long Does It Take To Write and Publish a Book?
It is based on your choice. For most people, a month is OK to write and publish a book, while for others, a year is OK.
What to Do When Your Book Is Rejected?
When your book is rejected, go outside and have fun. Take some days off and have fun. Then come back stronger, review why your book got rejected, and try again.
Conclusion
Self-publishing a book is relatively easy. It is a simple process that requires attention and carefulness. However, your top priority shouldn’t be how long it will take to publish a book but the quality of the book you want to publish.
Take your time and answer these questions, “What do readers stand to learn from my book? If someone offers the book to me, will I buy it? Does my book worth publishing? The answer to these questions will help you in your book publishing journey.
I hope the article was helpful to you.
