Overwhelmed by Publishing? 4 Essential Steps to Transform Your Idea into a Bestseller

Feeling overwhelmed by the book publishing process? You’re not alone. Publishing a book involves a lot of moving pieces, many of which the general public never sees or knows about. It’s easy to feel lost or unsure of where to begin. It’s also easy to underestimate how much time and energy it takes when you don’t know what you don’t know. But here’s the good news: with a clear plan, the path from blank page to bestseller is entirely manageable.

In this high-level guide, I’ll walk you through the four key steps to book publishing success: writing, editing, design (production), and marketing. You’ll be treading a path that many famous (and not-so-famous) authors have trod before you.

Ready to outline your publishing journey? Let’s dive in—and don’t forget to download our free publishing checklist to help you take the next step with confidence.

Step 1: Writing – Building a Solid Foundation

Every great book starts with a strong foundation. Many new writers might think this refers to your idea or concept, but it doesn’t. In fact, to a certain extent, ideas are a dime a dozen. I guarantee that however original you think your idea is, someone else has the same idea right now. Usually, more than one someone else. That’s why you can’t copyright an idea. And why it’s so easy to find numerous books that tackle the same subject matter or tell similar stories. 

What’s different is the author’s approach—your unique perspective and voice, the way you tell your story or share your expertise, turns common ideas into successful books.

Why Outlines Are Essential for Success

So you know what you want to write about. How will you get from start to finish? A detailed outline is your roadmap, making the writing process smoother and less daunting. Knowing where your story or ideas are headed lets you stay focused and maintain momentum.

Most people start with their outline before writing, but there is no wrong time to create an outline. If an idea has grabbed you and you feel the urge to just dive into writing…do it! But at some point, your initial burst of inspiration is likely to fade, and that’s when it’s vital to assess what you’ve already written—creating an outline of what you’ve done can help you see where you need to go next without losing yourself down rabbit holes.

Many “pantsers” or “discovery writers” swear that their creativity works better without the constraints of an outline. That may be, but an outline isn’t a rigid template—it’s a guidebook that may change as you go along, but it helps you stay mainly on the path you planned for (and ensures you reach your destination). Spending more time planning out your book up front will reduce your revision time and help you avoid the significant rewrites that most discovery writers have to deal with once they’ve finished drafting.

Tips for Consistent Writing Habits

Whether you choose to work with an outline or not, the most important thing is that you finish writing your first draft so you have the great raw material to sculpt into an even greater final product through the book publishing process. 

Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, often emphasizes overcoming resistance to creativity: “The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”

In other words, don’t just wait for the muse to strike. Dedicate a set time each day for writing, whether it’s 30 minutes before work or an hour in the evening. If you can’t make time daily, try for at least a few hours every week on the same day and time. Treat this time as non-negotiable, and your manuscript will take shape faster than you might expect.

Consistency is key, and by combining discipline with your outline, you’ll set yourself up for a smoother writing process and a clearer draft.

Step 2: Editing—Turning Good into Great

Writing is just the beginning—editing is where your manuscript truly comes to life. It’s an opportunity to refine your ideas, polish your prose, and ensure your book resonates with readers.

Stephen King famously said, “To write is human, to edit is divine,” underscoring the transformative power of refining your manuscript with professional editing. Many other famous authors have similarly expressed gratitude for their editors, some claiming their books would not be successful, let alone exist, without their powerful collaboration.

Key Stages of the Editing Process

Once you’ve finished writing, you may feel the urge to scroll back to page 1 and start revising immediately. Resist that urge! For best results, you want to give yourself a fresh perspective, which means giving it some time. How much time depends on you, but I recommend waiting a week at least before you start revising.

Typically, successful authors do at least two rounds of revisions after they’ve finished drafting their book. The first one is just to clean up the obvious stuff, like scenes and subplots that don’t go anywhere or redundant sections. The second is to work your craft, looking at things like your plot and character arcs, the shaping of your scenes, the accessibility of your advice, and overall making your draft as strong as possible. Some authors will focus a lot on the line-by-line writing at this stage, and that’s fine, but I recommend you hold off line editing beyond basic cleanup until you’ve nailed the big-picture stuff; otherwise, you’re going to make double work for yourself as you continue to revise.

Think of your editing process as having three stages on repeat (feedback, revision, review) until your content is finalized, and then you’ll have one more stage to polish it all up and ready it for printing.

How to Choose the Right Professional Editor

When you’ve improved the draft as well as you feel able, it’s time to get some fresh eyes on your work. Enlist a professional developmental or substantive editor who can provide objective feedback and help elevate your draft to industry standards. Look for someone who understands your genre, has experience producing marketable books, and can guide you toward creating a cohesive and powerful manuscript.

You’re likely to go through several rounds with your editor to enhance the text at the developmental level before you move on to copyediting, which is editing to polish the draft for production. Genre or category experience matters a wee bit less for copyediting. However, it’s still ideal if you can find someone with a résumé full of books like yours, and you still want to find someone with experience working on successfully published books. At a minimum, you want your copyeditor (and proofreader, for that matter—and yes, they are different) to have experience with fiction if your book is a novel and nonfiction if your book is a business book or similar. Copyeditors look for very different things between narratives and more prescriptive books. Your high school English teacher, who is probably an awesome teacher with an admirable love of words, is not a good choice.

Remember to tackle the big stuff first and don’t get mired in line editing or copyediting until you’re satisfied with the more important aspects of your book, like making sure your plot evolves believably and your system or program is conveyed clearly to your reader. Otherwise, you may need to pause and disrupt your book publishing process later on.

Editing might feel daunting, but remember: even the greatest authors rely on their editors to uncover the brilliance in their work. Writing a bestseller is a collaborative process in many ways, from working with an editor to hiring designers and production assistants.

Step 3: Design—Creating a Visual Hook

Your book’s cover is its first impression, and as much as we’d like to think otherwise, readers do judge books by their covers. Professional design—both inside and out—is essential for attracting readers and standing out in a crowded market.

It’s important to understand that an effective cover is not just a nice-looking cover, though naturally, it should look great. Your book’s cover is, in fact, a critical piece of your marketing, designed to signal to the right readers that your book is precisely what they’re looking for, proving the power of thoughtful design in capturing attention and setting the tone for the reader’s experience. Understanding genre-specific book design trends can make or break your book’s success. 

The internet is littered with before and after stories of books that took off once their covers were professionally redone. Check out this experiment that showed an average improvement of 35% in the books’ marketability.

But it isn’t just about the cover. Your print book’s interior needs design treatment as well to ensure that your book is easy to read, that it has a font and layout that supports the tone. Times New Roman and double-spacing is great for your manuscript but not for your published book. 

Work with a designer who has experience with your genre. They’ll know what appeals to your target audience and can craft a cover that compels readers to pick up your book. Don’t forget the importance of interior design—clear layouts and readable fonts enhance the reader’s experience.

A well-designed book signals professionalism, which builds trust and makes readers more likely to invest in your work.

Besides the design itself, there are assorted administrative type tasks related to the book publishing process that you’ll need to learn about, especially if you are self-publishing. These include registering ISBNs, filing copyrights, choosing distribution platforms, setting up accounts, selecting keywords and categories, and more.

Step 4: Marketing—Building Momentum Before Launch

Maya Angelou, renowned for her poetry and memoirs, understood the value of community engagement. Long before her books gained widespread fame, she connected with audiences through poetry readings and local events, creating a loyal following that supported her career.

A common misconception is that marketing starts after the book is published. In reality, successful authors begin building their audience and networks months, sometimes years, before they launch.

The Importance of Early Platform Building

A lot of this is what we call “platform building.” Think of it this way: when your book launches, you want to have certain things already in place so you can leverage those opportunities to get noticed above the noise of the marketplace. Imagine a literal platform in the middle of a crowd. When you stand on that platform, you can be seen and heard. So it’s ideal to at least start building that platform before you need it. 

If you don’t do the work before launch, your book isn’t lost…it just means your launch will likely be quieter and you’ll have to wait longer to start seeing momentum with your sales. But let’s be clear: you will still need to do this work if you want anyone other than your immediate circle of friends and family to buy your book. Marketing is non-negotiable, and there are no true shortcuts.

Creating Buzz for a Successful Book Launch

Start by building your email list and engaging with potential readers on social media early. Collaborate with influencers, reach out to other authors in your category, attend industry events, and create buzz before your book hits the shelves if you want a bigger launch.

Remember, marketing isn’t just about selling—it’s about building relationships. Who can you turn to for endorsements? Who might be willing to have you on their podcast? Who will support you with positive reviews? Who will send an email to their list for you when your book goes on sale?

Focus on authentically connecting with your audience to foster trust and loyalty. A small but engaged audience and network can get you farther than a huge list that doesn’t really care about you.

Next Steps to Bring Your Book to Life

The journey from blank page to bestseller starts with the right tools and a clear plan. Take the next step today:

• Download our publishing checklist to stay on track and streamline your book publishing process.
• Book a free Book Strategy Call to discuss how we can help bring your vision to life.
• For a deeper dive into the entire publishing process, check out this episode of the Biz Book Podcast. You’ll find even more actionable tips and success stories to inspire your journey.

Every bestselling author once stared at a blank page, wondering how to bring their vision to life. Every publishing success started with someone learning the ropes. With determination, guidance, and a clear plan, you can transform your ideas into a book that resonates with readers and makes an impact.

Your bestseller awaits. Take the next step in your book publishing process today!