From Raw to "Rawr": Storytelling Basics to Turn Rough Drafts into Riveting Reads
Stories are magic. Not the fluffy, Hallmark-card variety where everything is bright and lovely, but the kind that drags you under, twists your gut, and leaves you staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. wondering what the hell just happened. The kind that makes you feel—that hijacks your brain and makes you forget you exist outside the world unfolding on the page.
And yet, most writers screw this up.
They think storytelling is about words. Or about describing things beautifully. Or about dumping out a thousand little ideas and hoping one of them sticks. But the real secret—the thing nobody tells you—is that story isn’t about words at all. It’s about change.
I once bailed on a novel halfway through—couldn’t bring myself to finish. It had plot twists galore, action sequences crammed into every other chapter, and yet... I felt absolutely nothing. The characters never grew, never faced a true reckoning. Every dazzling moment was just a flashy event glued onto a storyline going nowhere.
Contrast that with a quieter book I read right after: minimal fireworks, but the protagonist changed so profoundly by the end that I actually grieved for her. That story left me breathless and blinking into the day’s light, convinced I’d just lived a whole extra life in its pages.
What the Hell Is a Story, Anyway?
A story is a character who wants something and can’t have it. They fight for it. They struggle. They fail. They get back up. And somewhere along the way, something breaks—either in them, or in the world around them—and by the end, they’re not the same person they were at the beginning.
That’s it.
Someone is pulled forward, reshaped by what happens, unable to remain who they were when it all began.
Want an example?
How about Breaking Bad. Walter White doesn’t just make meth because he’s a bored chemistry teacher looking for some excitement. He makes meth because he’s dying, and he wants to leave his family a financial safety net. But the moment he takes that first step, the story isn’t about money anymore—it’s about power. He doesn’t just change; he mutates. The man who started as a meek high school teacher becomes an unrecognizable monster.
The best stories follow this pattern:
- A character
- Who wants something
- But can’t have it (at least, not easily)
- So they struggle
- And in the process, they change
That's the story. Everything else—the pretty words, the worldbuilding, the poetic descriptions—is just window dressing.
Why “Stuff Happening” Isn’t Really a Story
A lot of us cut our teeth on the assumption that if we throw enough events at the page—a betrayal, a surprising death, a flashy climax—then we’re guaranteed excitement. We think: “Let’s just make sure something big happens in each chapter!”
Boom, you’ve got a rebellious overthrow, a forbidden romance, an unexpected meteor strike. And that’s… entertaining, up to a point. But it doesn’t necessarily make your reader care. In fact, if the protagonist never changes, or if there’s zero emotional resonance behind these events, your audience might feel like they’re playing whack-a-mole with empty plot points.
A story is fundamentally about change.
Not just external change (an empire collapsing, a bomb going off), but internal change. Personal shifts, psychological growth, moral quandaries. Think about the last time something truly changed you. It wasn’t just the outward event (like losing a job or moving to a new city)—it was what that event did to your sense of self.
Did it shatter your confidence? Did it force you to confront a limitation you didn’t realize you had? Did it spark a revelation about your relationships or your future? That’s the real story, the intangible current running beneath the surface that truly compels us.
Story = External movement + internal momentum
- Breaking Bad isn’t just about Walter White making meth. It’s about a man who starts as someone we sympathize with and ends as someone unrecognizable, proving that power corrupts absolutely.
- The Great Gatsby isn’t just about Gatsby trying to get Daisy back. It’s about his impossible belief that time can be undone, and how that belief ultimately destroys him.
- Pride and Prejudice isn’t just about Lizzie and Darcy falling in love. It’s about them being forced to confront their own blind spots, to see each other clearly for the first time.
A story isn’t just what happens to a character.
It’s about what happens inside them as a result.
A story is friction, consequence, and personal evolution. It’s the change that happens—inside a character, in the shape of their choices, and, maybe, inside you as you read.
If your protagonist ends the journey the same way they began, you might have delivered some entertaining fireworks... but no emotional aftershock.
Below is a roadmap for building the kind of narrative that sticks—one that resonates with readers long after they’ve closed the book. Let’s call it the essential trifecta of storytelling: Conflict, Stakes, and Transformation. Keep those three pillars alive, and you’ll have a story that matters.
The Three Forces That Drive a Story
Strip everything down, and every unforgettable story is built on three things:
- Conflict – Something stands in the way of what the protagonist wants.
- Stakes – A reason we care whether they succeed or fail.
- Transformation – A shift that makes the story feel inevitable.
Without conflict, a story has no momentum. Without stakes, it has no weight. Without transformation, it has no meaning.
Plot arcs, pacing, emotional payoffs—it’s all wiring the human brain for addiction. So let’s break that down.
1. Conflict: The Necessary Friction
Conflict is not just action. It’s not fights or betrayals or explosions. It’s resistance. A force standing in the way of the protagonist’s desire; something that won’t let them get what they want without a cost.
- In Pride and Prejudice, the conflict isn’t a battle—it’s Elizabeth and Darcy’s own egos, their inability to see each other clearly.
- In The Hunger Games, Katniss isn’t just fighting to survive—she’s resisting a system that treats human lives as disposable.
- In Hamlet, the conflict isn’t just about avenging his father. It’s about Hamlet’s inability to act, his spiraling self-doubt.
Conflict forces choices. And choices create motion. That’s what keeps a story from feeling like it’s standing still.
A real story is built on desire and denial.
A character wants something and can’t have it. That friction, that struggle between yearning and obstacle, is where the energy comes from. They try, they fail, they try again. And the harder they fight, the more the journey strips them down, forcing them to confront something they’d rather avoid.
For further insights into structuring your narrative effectively, check out Plotting Your Novel: Three-Act, Four-Act, and Every Other Structure That Works (and Why You Need One).
2. Stakes: Why It Has to Matter
Conflict alone isn’t enough. You can pit your hero against the mightiest foe in the galaxy, but if failing to defeat them costs the hero nothing, why would we care? Stakes give weight to each choice. They’re the reason the protagonist can’t just shrug and walk away.
- Personal Stakes: If the hero fails, they lose their family’s trust, their life savings, or their sense of self-worth. The Great Gatsby is loaded with personal stakes—Gatsby’s entire identity and dream hinge on winning back Daisy. When it all crumbles, so does he.
- Public Stakes: If Katniss fails, her sister could be killed, District 12 might face retaliation, or Panem continues its brutal reign. The cost is massive, affecting countless lives.
- Psychological/Emotional Stakes: Hamlet’s entire sense of reality rests on avenging his father, yet he’s paralysed by introspection. His failure leads to existential collapse.
Stakes answer the question: why should anyone care? If your character can fail and still go about life sipping tea without consequence, that undercuts tension. The best stakes aren’t always global doomsday scenarios; they’re often deeply personal, something that puts a character’s heart or identity on the line.
The real question is: What happens if they fail?
If the answer is “not much,” then the story has no weight. But if failure costs them something—if it threatens who they are, or what they believe in—then the stakes will be real.
The more a character can’t walk away, the stronger the stakes.
In a thriller, the stakes might be survival.
In a romance, the stakes might be love.
In a literary novel, the stakes might be identity—figuring out who you are, or what you stand for.
Hot Tip: Just give them something they treasure above all else, one thing they couldn't bear to part with that's essential to their being; and then force them to give that up willingly through terror, manipulation and dastardly scheming.
3. Transformation: The Reason We Care
Transformation is the heartbeat of storytelling—the reason we endure heartbreak, tragedy, or comedic mishaps to reach the final page. By the end, we want to see if the protagonist is the same person who started this journey (hint: ideally, they’re not).
Think of it like this: If I started reading about a jaded detective who hates humanity and finishes the book exactly as jaded and hateful, you’ve wasted a lot of my time. Show me something internal that cracks or heals or evolves.
A story isn’t just about whether the hero “wins”—it’s about how the hero changes. Do they conquer a deep-seated fear? Betray their moral code? Walk away from a dream they once considered vital? This evolution (or devolution) is the story’s real payoff.
- In La La Land, each protagonist chases an artistic dream, but the real question is how that pursuit alters their relationships and ambitions.
- In Little Fires Everywhere, characters collide over parenting, race, and privilege, emerging with new scars and clarity about who they truly are.
- In The Umbrella Academy, flawed family members reunite under bizarre circumstances, each forced to confront childhood traumas that shape who they’ve become.
We read to witness these metamorphoses. If the protagonist finishes the story unchanged—still carrying the exact same outlook, flaws, or illusions—then why did we spend this time with them? The best stories reflect us back at ourselves, making us wonder if we’d grow or crumble in a similar crisis.
For further insights into crafting evolving characters, visit The Ultimate Character Name Generators to spark more creative ideas!
Let the Journey Scar You (In a Good Way)
When characters face conflict, stakes, and transformation, they get banged up along the way. Let that happen. Too often, writers want to protect their characters from irreversible damage or heartbreak, worried it’ll alienate readers. But those scars—physical or emotional—are exactly what make a story feel real and weighty. A character who survives a betrayal but remains unchanged is ignoring the fundamental nature of trauma. Let them carry the wound forward, adapt to it, or even become hardened by it.
For more on building characters that evolve, revisit our guide on Characters That Feel Real: The Art of Crafting Memorable Protagonists.
“But I Write Happy Romances!”
Even in a lighthearted romance, your protagonist can be confronted by an inner fear—say, fear of vulnerability after a bad breakup. They can get hurt, learn lessons, and find a healthier perspective, all while still delivering a sweet, uplifting finale. Conflict, stakes, and transformation don’t require tragedy; they just demand genuine emotional weight. We cheer for characters who earn their happy ending by confronting real challenges, not for those who breeze through life unaffected.
Why Some Stories Linger
Some books settle into your bones. You turn the last page and just sit there—a little stunned, maybe a little haunted. They linger, reshaping the way you see the world, embedding themselves into your thoughts so deeply that years later, a single line or image can pull you back into them.
And then there are books you forget the moment you set them down.
The difference isn’t just writing skill—some of the most gorgeously written books are also some of the most forgettable. And it’s not just plot—a perfectly structured story can still feel hollow, like a well-oiled machine running without a soul.
The books that haunt us aren’t just entertaining.
They tap into something deeper:
- Love vs. Loss (Romeo and Juliet, The Fault in Our Stars)
- Power vs. Corruption (1984, Game of Thrones)
- Freedom vs. Oppression (The Handmaid’s Tale, The Matrix)
- Identity vs. Expectation (Mulan, The Catcher in the Rye)
Ever wonder why people still read classics? By modern standards, these might seem archaic in style or setting, but they keep hooking new generations because they address fundamental human tensions:
- Frankenstein probes the consequences of unbridled ambition and the quest for creation without responsibility.
- The Great Gatsby dissects the American Dream and our fraught relationship with the past.
- Pride and Prejudice skewers class prejudice and the complications of love.
These themes refuse to die because, let’s face it, we’re still dealing with them. If anything, technology and social media have only magnified them—today, Dr. Frankenstein would probably be messing with AI or genetic engineering, and Gatsby might be chasing clout on Instagram.
The specifics shift, but the emotional core remains the same. The best stories force us to feel something—to question something we thought we understood.
Where to Start If You’re Stuck
If you’re knee-deep in a blank page, about to toss your laptop out the window because nothing feels right, here’s a simpler approach: begin with your protagonist’s core desire and fear. Plot emerges from the tension between those two things—what your character wants versus what they’re terrified will happen if they try (or if they fail).
- Who Is Your Protagonist?
Not just their name and physical traits. Who are they at the core? Are they the kind of person who demands justice at all costs, or someone who runs from confrontation? Are they an eternal optimist haunted by childhood guilt? Give them a worldview, a fear, a secret longing. - What Do They Want?
The easy answer might be “to save the kingdom” or “to get the girl,” but dig deeper. Are they seeking validation, redemption, a second chance, revenge, meaning in a meaningless world? Think about the external goal (“retrieve the ancient sword”) and the internal desire (“prove I’m worthy of love”). - Why Can't They Have it?
What's stopping them: an external threat, an internal flaw, or both? Maybe they’re up against a dragon and their own self-doubt. That’s your conflict—whether it’s a monster, a rival, or a personal demon. - What’s at Stake if They Fail?
Will they lose their family’s respect, doom their village, destroy their self-worth? Does it cost them their sense of self? Their true love? Their freedom? The bigger or more personal the stakes, the more the journey matters. - How Will They Change?
Identify a key trait or belief that morphs under pressure. What have they learned; and what will it cost? Even if you’re not 100% sure about the exact ending, have an inkling of how this journey will reshape them. Think of it like leaving footprints in wet cement—once you take a few steps, the path becomes clearer.
If you have these five elements sorted, you have a beating heart for your story. The rest—dialogue, worldbuilding, pacing—becomes the skin and clothes dressing that heart. That’s your foundation. It doesn’t need to be fancy.
Transform your rough draft into a story that resonates—try Sudowrite now!
Practical Ways to Strengthen Your Story’s Core
Just in case you've already got your rough draft finished and are stuck in the revision process, here are some more advanced writing tips that can take you further.
You’ve got the three pillars—Conflict, Stakes, and Transformation—and you’re ready to make them sing. Here are a few exercises enhance and deepen your story.
- Write a “Worst-Case Scenario” Scene
Draft a moment where your protagonist truly faces the possibility of failure. How do they react? Do they lash out, withdraw, blame others, or find hidden courage? - Detail the Emotional Cost
List the top three things your character stands to lose if they fail. Then push them further. If they lose that, what else collapses? This layering of stakes builds tension. - Track Their Shifts
In a separate document, map your protagonist’s emotional journey from Chapter 1 to the end. Note the specific turning points that reshape them. If you can’t identify any turning points, that might signal a flat arc. - Subvert Expectations
Sometimes, letting your character make a seemingly illogical choice—because of fear or flaw—heightens conflict and reveals deeper truths. We often act against our own best interests in real life, so reflect that complexity. - Ask “Why?” Five Times
For every major plot point, ask why it matters. Then ask why that matters. Keep going until you dig down to a raw emotional root. That root is where the story’s real energy lies.
Remember, it’s not about writing skill alone. You can have the most elegant prose, but without these elements, your work might remain forgettable. And it’s not just about blow-your-mind plotting; you can have a kaleidoscopic tapestry of events and still produce a flat, uninspiring read if nobody’s emotionally invested. When it comes down to it, the essence of storytelling is why any of it matters. And that’s determined by the beating hearts at the center of your narrative.
But Don’t Overcomplicate It
One thing to avoid: thinking you need a giant, earth-shaking event or a labyrinthine plot to craft a meaningful story. Look at quieter tales: a novel about a single mother reconciling with her estranged dad can be just as gut-wrenching if the conflicts and stakes are personal and the transformation is real.
Sometimes, the simplest arcs are the most powerful. A lonely retiree who finds a reason to hope again, a jaded bartender who learns to open up, a tired office worker who breaks the cycle and starts a new life. As long as conflict, stakes, and transformation are there, the scale can be intimate but still pack a major emotional punch.
Sometimes, It’s About Wrestling the Blank Page Anyway
Let’s be honest: even knowing all this doesn’t magically fix procrastination or writer’s block. You might still find yourself staring at a blinking cursor at 2 AM, paralyzed by the fear that your story won’t measure up.
(Spoiler: that fear never fully goes away.)
But the solution is maddeningly simple: start writing anyway. Draft an imperfect first chapter, let the flaws breathe on the page, and trust you’ll refine the rough edges in revision.
This is how great stories emerge: not by waiting for the perfect moment of inspiration, but by slogging through moments of doubt until you discover a spark that ignites everything. Even a half-baked scene can reveal a hidden facet of your protagonist’s psyche or an unexpected direction for the plot.
So, as you craft your tale—be it a sprawling epic, a cozy mystery, or a slice-of-life romance—don’t just chronicle events. Reflect on how those events alter your character’s worldview, wrench open wounds, or force them to confront truths they never wanted to see.
Storytelling is movement: it's about change, about soul, about making us feel like something meaningful has transpired. A shift from one reality to another. A character caught between who they are and who they might become.
That’s what readers come for. That’s what keeps them up at night.
And that’s what will make them remember you.
If you keep that at the forefront—if you let your characters get scarred, let your stakes run hot, and ensure the path from page one to The End leaves everyone a little different than when they started—then you’re on the right track.
Now go forth and write something that matters. Make it raw, make it messy, make it personal. Give us conflict that forces real decisions, stakes that burn, and a transformation that leaves the protagonist (and maybe the reader) rattled enough to question everything. And when you nail it, trust me, your words will stick in someone’s memory long after they close the book. Maybe even forever.
Congratulations, you've written a novel! It's a huge accomplishment and you should be very proud of yourself.
If this is your first book, you're probably wondering, “What comes next?”
Here's where you have two choices. You can put the book aside, and pat yourself on the back for your achievements. Or, you can publish it and put it out there for the world to see. If you go for the latter, there's the question of traditional vs hybrid vs self-publishing methods.
If you don't want to spend weeks, months, or even years querying, self-publishing is your best bet.
Most indie authors, including myself, self-publish today, and for good reason. It allows you to get your book to market (and in the hands of readers, yay!) quickly and efficiently. You just need to learn the steps.
Give Sudowrite a try to streamline your process!
It might seem overwhelming at first, but I promise you: you got this!
Get Feedback
Once your book is written, it's time for the nerve-wracking, nail-biting feedback stage.
It can seem daunting to turn your story over to someone else, especially if it's your first. But, feedback is critical to improving your story. After all, you know you like it, but there are important questions to be answered.
Does it fit the genre?
Will it make sense to your readers?
Does it have all the elements you need for a successful romance novel?
So where do you get feedback? Believe it or not, it's not necessarily from your friends or family members. Sure, they'll often support your endeavors, but if they don't read romance novels on a regular basis, they aren't your target audience and they can't give you the insight you need. That's why you need alpha and beta readers.
But wait …what are those, you ask? Let's dive right into it.
Alpha Readers
Alpha readers are those who read your book before it goes to editing. You might be asking, but why have someone look at it in its rough stages? This is exactly when you want eyes on it, before you spend money on editing.
Alpha readers are an incredible asset and their role is to provide feedback on the story as a whole—the bigger picture, so to speak. They should point out any major issues in character development, plot holes, or the story structure.
Beta Readers
Beta readers come after you've made revisions based on your alpha readers' suggestions. They will look at the bigger picture of the story, which will be less involved than what an alpha would do.
Beta readers tend to be actual readers, where alpha readers are often (but not always) writers themselves.
Need help polishing your draft? Check out Sudowrite’s feedback features!
Put it Through its Editing Paces
You're going to hear this a lot, but it's so true: do not skip the editing stage. It's tedious, it's heartbreaking at times, especially when you have editors trying to kill off your darlings, but it's 100% necessary.
The last thing you want is reviews rolling in talking about typos, grammatical errors such as tense changes, and poor writing structure when it could all be avoided by a good editor.
Finding a Good Editor
Good editors are worth the money you pay them. They can be pricy, and many follow the Editorial Freelancers Association's set rates, though you can often find ones just starting out who offer a discount.
During your search, though, you want to find someone who specializes in romance. This is important, because they need to understand your genre and the tropes involved. That's the only way they can edit your story while still keeping important structure and elements involved.
Most editors will offer to do a small sample. You want this. Not only does it give the editor an idea of what they're working with, it also gives you an idea of their editing style. That way, both of you can decide if you're a good fit.
You might not be. That's okay! Keep looking. You’ll eventually find someone whose style resonates with your voice.
One other thing to look for, particularly during the sample edit stage, is how the editor approaches your work. They should never attempt to change your voice. That's uniquely you and what will set you apart from other authors.
Enhance your editing process with Sudowrite’s revision suggestions!
Be warned, though, many editors keep their schedules booked up, so it could take a bit to squeeze you in, so reach out and get your name on the schedule as early as possible.
ARC Readers
Once it's gone through editing and before your book goes live on whatever platform you decide to publish on (more on that in a few), you want to develop an ARC team.
ARC stands for advanced reader copy. Authors send them out to their team, which is made up of readers who specialize in your genre. They're familiar with the tropes and the story structure, and avidly devour books.
The point of your ARC team is to leave reviews on the day your book goes live and help boost your standing on the platform you publish. When you first start out, your team will likely be very small, unless you've developed a following, which is very possible if you put your marketing magic to work.
Use Sudowrite to create captivating ARC announcements and updates!
But what if I don't have any?
I've got some news for you. There are many readers out there who would jump at the chance to be an ARC reader, to read stories before they're officially released. You just have to know where to find them!
There are many groups on social media, or if you have your own following already, you can reach out to them.
To track your ARC readers, I suggest creating a form (Airtable and Google Forms are both good for this) and have them apply to be on your team. Ask for basic information, such as where to send the ARC copy if they're approved. Make sure you provide a synopsis of the story and any trigger warnings, if necessary. Don't send your readers in blind!
Equally important is to create short, but simple rules to follow, such as:
- Defining a timeframe for posting a review
- Guidelines for if they choose to not finish or post less than a 4-star review
I suggest you be very particular about who you distribute ARCs to. You want them to be familiar with your genre and what to expect out of it. For example, if you write dark romance, you don't want an ARC reader who only reads clean romance. They will be in for a shock, and so will you when that review comes through.
Choose Your Platform
Now comes the hard part. Where do you publish?
To answer that question, you have to first determine your target audience and your structure. Will you publish it by chapter on serial sites or AO3, or will you put the entire novel out at once?
Each platform has its pros and cons, it's up to you to determine which best serves your needs. Do you just want to put your work out there for others, or do you want to monetize it? The answer to this question will determine which platform you publish on.
Serial Sites
Serialized stories do well on sites like Wattpad, Radish Fiction, AO3, and Patreon. Patreon and Wattpad have monetization options. Radish Fiction is a mobile app where approved authors earn royalties, which can be significant if you gain a large following. AO3 is purely for entertainment, largely consisting of fan fiction, and cannot be monetized.
Amazon/Kindle
Then we come to Kindle Direct Publishing, KDP, which is the most popular route indie authors take. You format and upload your book, and readers can either purchase your eBook, paperback, or hardcover, or read your eBook with their Kindle Unlimited (KU) subscription. You will earn royalties based on the book price for purchases and pages read (KENP) for the KDP Select program, which is where you enroll your book in KU.
Note of importance: If you enroll in KDP Select, you cannot sell your eBook on any other sites for at least 90 days, per the program's terms.
Let Sudowrite help you prepare your manuscript for any platform!
IngramSpark
Ingram Spark is another publishing company where indie authors can upload their work. If you want your books to end up in stores, this is one of the places to be. Bookstores and retailers can order direct.
Draft2digital
Draft2digital is a self-publishing platform that makes it easy to distribute wide and reach more readers. It also distributes eBooks to several platforms (as long as you're not in KDP Select).
Properly Format Your Manuscript
Now, it's time to learn new software!
Before you can upload your manuscript, you need to first properly format it. Each platform has its own specifications and if not done correctly, it can result in delays.
The platform could reject your book until it's fixed, or sometimes it gets published as-is and makes for a poor reader experience. Neither of these is fun and many authors have gone through one or both.
Consider it a learning curve, just like everything else in the self-publishing industry!
That begs the question, though, how do we format our books? With the proper software.
Popular options like Vellum, Scrivener, and Atticus are available for a nominal fee. You can also use the free tools available through KDP, Draft2digital, or IngramSpark to save money if you're not ready to invest in software just yet.
Discover how Sudowrite can simplify your formatting process!
Our article, The Cost of Words: Write will offer some insights on driving efficiency while formatting with Sudowrite.
Craft a Compelling Blurb
It's time to use your words again!
You've written a compelling story, now you need an amazing blurb to go along with it. Like your story, it needs a captivating hook that grabs the reader's attention right away. If they get sucked into the description, they are more likely to want to read your book, especially since they are going in blind, knowing nothing about it.
Let's take a look at an example:
Seven years ago, Jennifer left Strong Valley, hoping never to return.
From this, we get the gist that Jennifer left the town, but is it really intriguing? It might spark a bit of curiosity, but it's not grabbing most readers.
It's not AI writing. It's writing with AI.
Now, let's try this:
Driven out by angry townspeople, Jennifer fled Strong Valley seven years ago, determined to never look back.
Now, we know there's a story behind her leaving. What is it? We don't know, but it had to be bad if the townspeople drove her away. That line makes us want to read more and that's how you should strive to catch your readers. But, don't pull a bait and switch. Make sure the blurb is accurate to the story.
Give a very brief introduction to your characters, their individual and shared conflict, but don't give away the farm! I've seen authors give away the entire plot in the story in their blurb, and it kind of takes away the interest of wanting to read. After all, why dive into 300 or more pages when you already know what's going to happen?
Use Sudowrite to craft blurbs that hook your readers instantly!
How long should your blurb be? As long as you need to get the point across and draw reader interest. A few short, well-crafted sentences is all you need.
Now, if you are just getting started, don't forget to read our blog The Power of Premise: How to Start with a Strong Story Idea.
Get a Cover Made
First impressions count!
Some readers will pass your book up just because they don't like the cover. And while you can't please everyone, you should make sure your cover hits specific notes. It should have:
- An eye-catching design
- A design that represents your genre
When it comes to cover design, you have two options. You can outsource it, which is what many do. Or, if you have design skills, you can create your own. If it's a design you know you can pull off, go for it.
Make sure your title and author name are prominent, but they shouldn't overshadow the design. This is a delicate balance to keep.
If you plan to offer your book as a paperback and hardcover, you'll need to create or have them created, as well. The publishing platforms can help you figure out what dimensions they need to be, which is often contingent on page count, so you'll need to have the book completed first.
Paperback and hardcover covers will have your blurb on the back, along with a space for your ISBN and barcode.
Publish It
Once you've got it written, edited, formatted, and have a cover ready to go, it's time to publish!
You'll need to enter all of your book's information, such as its title, description (your blurb), categories, and keywords.
Then, it's time to set the date. You can publish your book immediately or set up a future date to encourage pre-orders.
If you're a first-time author, publishing immediately might be your best option. Otherwise, setting up for pre-orders can help boost your standing on release day, but you need to make sure you have the files uploaded in time. Each of the platforms lists their guidelines for setting a pre-order.
Market the Book
In the weeks and days leading up to your book's release, you want a strong focus on marketing. If this is your first, you might not go as ambitious as you would if it were your second or third, unless you've built up a following.
Social media is a must if you plan to market. It's also a great way to show off your books and engage with your readers.
It's also worth learning how to promote using Amazon ads (if applicable) and running campaigns on the various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, to name a few.
If you have an email list built up, you can send teasers through newsletters. Make sure you include a link to your book!
Final Thoughts
Despite the intricacies, self-publishing isn't really that hard, it just takes a little bit of know-how! Once you learn the steps, your future books will be even easier to publish.
If you want help putting your novel together or coming up with compelling blurbs, keywords, or marketing strategies, check out the various tools in Sudowrite. From brainstorming to publishing, there's a feature for every author.
Get to your final draft, faster
Our Write feature can generate your next 100-500 words in your style, helping you finish drafts in record time. Choose from multiple options. Edit as you like.
Polish without losing your voice
Using Rewrite, you can refine your prose and still be your unique self, by choosing from multiple AI-suggested revisions designed to capture your voice.
Paint descriptions with more pop
Describe helps you make sure readers feel like they’re really there, proposing new ideas for enriching scenes — whenever some are needed.
Build out scenes with ease
With Expand, you can smoothly and quickly build out scenes, slow pacing, and add immersive detail, all without breaking your flow.
Effortlessly outline your story
Story Bible gets you from idea to outline in a flash, helping you structure plot, character arcs, and themes — step-by-step.
Revise faster with instant feedback
Sudowrite’s Feedback tool delivers AI-powered suggestions for improvement on demand, as often as you need, and without complaint. Make room, beta readers.
Banish writers block – forever!
Creative prompts from Brainstorm keep you flowing, and the tool learns more about how you think, the more you use it. Bye bye, blinking cursor.
And if you need some creative inspiration for unique character names along the way, check out The Ultimate Character Name Generators.