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Self Publishing: How to Publish Your Print Book or eBook Step by Step
"Self How To Publish Your Book or eBook Step by Step" is an in-depth, comprehensive, how-to book that explains every step of a proven method to successfully self publish paperback and ebooks. Author Patricia Fry said, "This workbook is an amazing publishing guide for any author who wants to do it all him or herself." In writing this book my main objective was to include everything you need to publish your book or ebook. I've included detailed instructions and concise screen shots to ensure that anyone can follow the process. Every step has been tested and proven to work on many books presently on sale at Amazon, Kindle, Smashwords, and Clickbank. Author and publishing consultant Barbara Florio Graham said, “At last, a clear an comprehensive guide through the self-publishing process, using free and/or inexpensive software.” And the how-to information in "Self How To Publish Your Book or eBook Step by Step" is based solely on my first-hand experience and includes methods for writing, editing, creating print-ready files, creating book covers, and the creation of a web site or blog to market your book. Instead of a confusing variety of ways to publish your book, it describes a specific, detailed method that works every time to help you self publish a quality book successfully. "Self How To Publish Your Book or eBook Step by Step" has received many 5 star reviews and what follows is a recent one. “There are so many "how-to" guides out there for publishing your own work, particularly since the advent of eBooks and the slow, sad decline of the print publishing industry in the world today. I work as a freelance writer that has done everything from formatting books for print, designing web pages for marketing new authors, editing and prepping eBooks for publication, and every other aspect of self-publishing you could imagine. I have always had to find my methods through searching through dozens of unreliable "experts" on various websites, but Benitez takes the best ideas and brings them together in one, easy-to-read book. He understands that it is no easy thing to publish your own work, and the invaluable advice from real authors who have struggled, failed, and eventually succeeded is reaffirming in a way that brings a bit of hope back into my career. I have relegated myself to being a freelance writer who will probably never get to the point of publishing my own work, but as this book pointed out, it is surprisingly easy if you know what pitfalls to avoid and what "must-do" things you simply cannot skip. I will be coming back to this book again and again, as it provided me with priceless wisdom on a subject that I specialize and work in every single week. I appreciate the direct, concise advice and am thrilled that I took a chance on this book!” You can check out the Look Inside feature on Amazon.com or read more about it at and remember that I welcome your questions or comments anytime at bill@positive-imaging.com.
186 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2012
About the author
A. William Benitez
29 books23 followersFrom age twelve I spent my summers and weekends working with my dad, a general contractor, building homes and buildings. I contracted my first home at age nineteen and built my own home by age twenty.
I’ve operated one-person businesses for more than 30 years. Twelve years of my life were spent working for local government managing federally-funded housing programs. I started as an inspector with a three month assignment and left as Director of Community Improvement with 78 employees twelve years later to do writing and consulting.
Writing, Publishing and Consulting
I established Rehab Notes Library, a publishing company that published a monthly newsletter (Rehab Notes) with subscribers in all 50 states, Canada and England and nine books on housing related topics. I also did consulting and public speaking on housing related topics for agencies and organizations in cities across the country.
After 1980 when most federal funding was pulled from housing activities, I took advantage of my construction and business experience and started a handyman and woodworking business.
Over Twenty-Five Years of Woodworking
For over twenty-five years, first in Tampa, Florida and then in Austin, Texas, I built hundreds of small and large cabinet and furniture projects for individuals, companies and government agencies. During these years I began writing books about my experiences.
Positive Publishing
My company, Positive Imaging, LLC at http://positive-imaging.com, does what I call positive publishing for my books and the books of other authors. To date I've published over sixty books totaling over one hundred and fifty counting all three versions, ebook, paperback, and hardcovers, and presently have several books in various levels of completion.
I've created products for self publishers including the Easy Kindle Formatting Kit at http://easykindleformattingkit.com and Easy Kindle Covers at http://easykindlecover.com. I plan to create more products based on my first-hand experience publishing books and ebooks.
Computer Experience
My computer experience dates back twenty years and began in response to poor technical support for our computer. I used home study to acquire A+ and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer Certifications. I worked for the Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX as the IT Manager and retired after 20 years in January of 2016.
During 2014 I stepped out of the business and woodworking genres to write a book on relationship. It was something I had thought about for years and had always feared doing. Relationship: Notes on Love, Mutual Respect, Boundaries, Marriage, and Divorce was difficult but fun to write and, to my surprise, received great reviews. Details available at http://notesonrelationship.com.
I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and moved to Austin, Texas where I now live with my wife Barbara Frances who wrote the novels Like I Used To Dance, Shadow's Way and Lottie's Adventure, all available at Bill's Positive Books, http://billspositivebooks.com.
I’ve operated one-person businesses for more than 30 years. Twelve years of my life were spent working for local government managing federally-funded housing programs. I started as an inspector with a three month assignment and left as Director of Community Improvement with 78 employees twelve years later to do writing and consulting.
Writing, Publishing and Consulting
I established Rehab Notes Library, a publishing company that published a monthly newsletter (Rehab Notes) with subscribers in all 50 states, Canada and England and nine books on housing related topics. I also did consulting and public speaking on housing related topics for agencies and organizations in cities across the country.
After 1980 when most federal funding was pulled from housing activities, I took advantage of my construction and business experience and started a handyman and woodworking business.
Over Twenty-Five Years of Woodworking
For over twenty-five years, first in Tampa, Florida and then in Austin, Texas, I built hundreds of small and large cabinet and furniture projects for individuals, companies and government agencies. During these years I began writing books about my experiences.
Positive Publishing
My company, Positive Imaging, LLC at http://positive-imaging.com, does what I call positive publishing for my books and the books of other authors. To date I've published over sixty books totaling over one hundred and fifty counting all three versions, ebook, paperback, and hardcovers, and presently have several books in various levels of completion.
I've created products for self publishers including the Easy Kindle Formatting Kit at http://easykindleformattingkit.com and Easy Kindle Covers at http://easykindlecover.com. I plan to create more products based on my first-hand experience publishing books and ebooks.
Computer Experience
My computer experience dates back twenty years and began in response to poor technical support for our computer. I used home study to acquire A+ and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer Certifications. I worked for the Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX as the IT Manager and retired after 20 years in January of 2016.
During 2014 I stepped out of the business and woodworking genres to write a book on relationship. It was something I had thought about for years and had always feared doing. Relationship: Notes on Love, Mutual Respect, Boundaries, Marriage, and Divorce was difficult but fun to write and, to my surprise, received great reviews. Details available at http://notesonrelationship.com.
I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and moved to Austin, Texas where I now live with my wife Barbara Frances who wrote the novels Like I Used To Dance, Shadow's Way and Lottie's Adventure, all available at Bill's Positive Books, http://billspositivebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 20, 2026
Self Publishing: How to Publish Your Print Book or eBook Step by Step is a practical, comprehensive guide that demystifies the publishing process for independent authors.
What I appreciated most is the book's emphasis on clarity. Rather than presenting countless competing approaches, William Benitez walks readers through a proven, logical process based on firsthand experience. The step-by-step structure, supported by screenshots and detailed explanations, makes what often feels like an intimidating process much more manageable.
Another strength of the book is its breadth. Beyond simply explaining how to publish a book, it addresses editing, formatting, cover creation, file preparation, distribution, and the basics of establishing an online presence to support a book's success. This holistic approach gives authors a clearer understanding of the complete publishing journey rather than isolated technical tasks.
At its heart, Self Publishing empowers writers to take ownership of their work with greater confidence. It reminds readers that successful independent publishing is not about shortcuts but about understanding the process and approaching it with preparation and consistency.
A valuable resource for aspiring authors, independent publishers, and anyone looking for a practical guide to navigating the world of self-publishing.
What I appreciated most is the book's emphasis on clarity. Rather than presenting countless competing approaches, William Benitez walks readers through a proven, logical process based on firsthand experience. The step-by-step structure, supported by screenshots and detailed explanations, makes what often feels like an intimidating process much more manageable.
Another strength of the book is its breadth. Beyond simply explaining how to publish a book, it addresses editing, formatting, cover creation, file preparation, distribution, and the basics of establishing an online presence to support a book's success. This holistic approach gives authors a clearer understanding of the complete publishing journey rather than isolated technical tasks.
At its heart, Self Publishing empowers writers to take ownership of their work with greater confidence. It reminds readers that successful independent publishing is not about shortcuts but about understanding the process and approaching it with preparation and consistency.
A valuable resource for aspiring authors, independent publishers, and anyone looking for a practical guide to navigating the world of self-publishing.
July 2, 2014
An excellent self-publishing reference guide for new authors.
As a visual learner, the way this book details each process step by step and provides screenshots not only made it a joy to read, it also helped me absorb the information.
William provides valuable information about editing your own work and free tools you can use to aid you in the process.
There is an excellent chapter covering the need to use publishing software rather than a word processor to make your book print ready. While there is a great deal about software such as PagePlus X4, I was a little disappointed that there was no mention of Calibre, a free and open source e-book editing tool that is used by many self-publishers.
Overall William's book is extremely comprehensive and covers all you need to know regarding creating and self-publishing your book.
As a visual learner, the way this book details each process step by step and provides screenshots not only made it a joy to read, it also helped me absorb the information.
William provides valuable information about editing your own work and free tools you can use to aid you in the process.
There is an excellent chapter covering the need to use publishing software rather than a word processor to make your book print ready. While there is a great deal about software such as PagePlus X4, I was a little disappointed that there was no mention of Calibre, a free and open source e-book editing tool that is used by many self-publishers.
Overall William's book is extremely comprehensive and covers all you need to know regarding creating and self-publishing your book.
December 16, 2013
First, I would like to thank the author A. William Benitez for giving me this book for an honest review. I have to say, this book is something you want to have to help you when you self publish. The author gives comprehensive guide and examples on how to self publish. There are also pictures to help you visualize. He also gives has found inexpensive to free software to help with your self publishing. I would most definitely use this book to guide me if I ever write a book.
April 16, 2016
William Benitez has written a must-have instructional book for anyone that is interested in self publishing their own book. Not only is the detail amazing, but the visual for step by step instruction will help insure a successful experience.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary copy through Good Reads First Reads.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary copy through Good Reads First Reads.
June 14, 2016
Fairly helpful and will be using for future use. Enjoyed learning how to self publish even if I'm not quite there yet. (:
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews