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Biggest DIY indie publishing mistakes.

Biggest DIY indie publishing mistakes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: THE BOOKS USED IN CASE STUDIES HERE ARE NOT GREEN HILL PRODUCTS

clock - estimated reading time  Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

The Hall of Shame

Image of bad self-published books

The secret Green Hill Publishing Hall of Shame collection of very bad books

Many self publishers or indie authors have genuine talent. But as a self-publishing company that’s mission is to help indie authors publish in a professional manner, we regularly get some grotesque examples of things that have gone terribly wrong. Some of these books have been produced by UK, North American or Australian fee for service companies  (similar  to Green Hill Publishing but often charging outrageous fees to their unsuspecting victims). Others have been wholly put together by the author themselves.

Ironically many of these authors come to us with a request for us to help market the book with the objective of generating sales revenue. Our advice is fairly standard:

    • the book will not sell to potential readers or not be considered by retailers
    • the cover design is poor (often terrible)
    • the typesetting is amateurish
    • the print is sub-standard or faulty and/or the price of print is far too high

Often the result of this feedback is that the authors are offended, sometimes angry. We are never able to help market these books because they are not appealing to readers and retailers can smell a poor book a mile off. To be able to market a book a lot of “ducks need to be in a row” – several elements need to be just right. Some of these elements are visible. like print quality, book cover design and typography. Others are invisible like the strength of the book concept/story, the quality of writing/editing, metadata and online findability.

Our studio/office has a special secret section called the Hall of Shame – a collection of the worst possible books that authors have asked us to market.

In a few instances where the authors ask us to fix their books,  unfortunately the scenario has been along these lines:

‘That’s is a a very good costing. But the US company I used charged two and a half times as much and I simply don’t have a lot of money left. Can you do it for free?’

 

Contents

1. Print botches
2. Gutter loss
3. Bizarre page structure
4. Wrong or draft manuscript used to layout book
5. An unprofessional self-publishing company

1. Print botches 

Botched print job

Oops… the printer has accidentally inserted some blank pages throughout the book and the poor author has tried to tear them out.

There are a few scenarios when it comes to self-publishers doing poorly in the area of getting their books printed. Book printing is a specialised craft and many printers simply don’t have the equipment to print in quality at a good price. Often self-publishers will walk into a printer that they have noticed passing on their morning commute. If the printer doesn’t have the equipment they might secretly pass it to another company. Or they might do it themself. They might do it themselves and it might be poor.

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2. Gutter loss

Book with gutter loss

Book with gutter loss.

We’ve seen this so many times and it makes the book look silly. Not only that, its impossible to read. Gutter loss is where the interior typesetting does not allow enough space in the inside margins. When the book is bound some of the text is obscured. More about gutter loss: Printmybookaustralia.com.au

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3. Bizarre page structure

Strange page set up with two blank facing pages

Weird blank pages and odd setup.

We’ve seen books with very unusual structure – the order of the various sections – often reinvented by the author themselves. The problem with this approach is that the reader can be easily confused. Book publishing has benefited from the structure of books being codified or defined over centuries. Everything has its place and this standardisation helps readers navigate through a book with familiar ease. One author presented their book with the Author Biography at the front of the book reasoning that ‘people won’t be that interested in the book but they should be interested in me.’

We recommend any author with ‘new innovative’ page ideas should first have a look at the New Hart’s Rules – The Oxford Style Guide. For over a hundred years, Hart’s Rules has been the authority on formatting of publications, but we see authors doing their very first book somehow knowing better. The result is invariably a weird and unprofessional book.

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4. Wrong or draft manuscript used

Book that has used the wrong manuscript.

Publisher gave wrong manuscript to the printer

We’ve got many examples of botched books that have been designed and printed using the wrong manuscript or artwork. Usually the affected author is indignant that the book contained the old manuscript (which is normally littered with errors). We ask ‘how did the book producer get the old manuscript?’ and the answer invariably is ‘I sent it to them’. What normally happens is a disorganised author will send numerous versions of the manuscript with the same file name. Should a print error come as a surprise? In this instance the publisher blamed the printer… “our printer has made a terrible mistake”.

In the instance at left the author sent numerous different PDF files (all supposedly ‘finished art’ exported from Word) to the printer and the printer should have used the 5th one sent not the 6th one. In total the printer was sent over 50 emails over a 7 month period. The author remarked to us “I sent so many emails, and they still got it wrong”. Obviously the author took no responsibility for the chaos they had created. And it seems they didn’t even examine the proof copy provided before the big print run. The result – an embarrassing book filled with several hundred terrible spelling and grammatical mistakes.

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5. An unprofessional self-publishing company

A self-publishing company’s own book where they ignore their own poorly written advice.

Aspiring authors who decide they need help often seek a fee for service self-publishing company. The problem is the internet is littered with scammers, mediocrity, underpowered start-ups, small scale 1-2 person companies who don’t have specialists, graphic designers posing as publishers and aggressive marketers who are based in North America and use designers in Bangladesh and call centres in the Philipines.

Here is a book put out by a somewhat genuine Australian start-up who quite obviously have little expertise. Their own book on how to self-publish is one of the most poorly written and designed books we’ve ever seen. An author who was a victim of the company, gave this to us incredulous that they promised so much and delivered so little.  The language is poor and mistakes overt – but the very ‘green’  inexperienced author fell for it not being able to see the shortcomings.

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SUBMIT YOUR BOOK DETAILS
CALL US 1300 810 131

Featured Blog Posts:

Featured Blog Posts

Interested in publishing your book but unsure where to start or what is even involved? Tell us about your project and we will post you a copy of our:

 

The Little Book of
Big Publishing Tips.

 

In just a quick 8,000 words, this little book will equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully publish your book.

The Little Book of Big Publishing tips goes into the essentials of self-publishing a book, outlining the business and financial side of publishing, legal issues, design, editing, sales and marketing. There's even a section on how to identify a vanity-publishing scam.

submit your project details

Green Hill at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025

Green Hill at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025

clock - estimated reading time  Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Just one of the many exhibition halls at Frankfurt Book Messe

Hall 1 – just one of a giant campus of exhibition halls of 400,000 metres of floorspace

Green Hill is again at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany or ‘Frankfurt Busch Messe’.

I’m here scouting the industry – it’s always rewarding adding to Green Hill’s expertise and capability. As always indie publishing  or self-publishing isn’t a feature of the Fair. Instead most of the world’s traditional publishers are here: over 4.000 companies/exhibitors from 92 countries  – yes, that’s not a typo. Over the five days there will be almost 250,000 visitors – yes again that’s not a typo. Of the 250,000 there are about 125,000 industry professionals (like me).

What is Green Hill doing here?

We are  constantly adding to our expertise and the Messe is a great way of doing that. Our print broking  division (Fox Merit) has had discussions with many book printers exhibiting here (mainly from China, Korea and Hong Kong) as we endeavour to provide the world’s best print options at value. An important part of the industry is book production technologies. Green Hill already has good capability in this area and it sets us apart from solo graphic designers trying to master book production at a competitive cost to indie authors.

The Messe has returned to its former strength after the Covid pandemic. Everyone is back. All the new tools and technologies are here along with all the traditional publishing giants of the publishing industry. Of course the big feature of the Messe is the trading of foreign language publishing rights. It’s a feeding frenzy – a market place where publishing rights are bought and sold with gusto.

DAVID WALTERS  ~ Business Development Manager

 

rankfurt Buch Messe

Denis Schleck – Author rock star

Presentation

rankfurt Buch Messe presentation

Centre Stage panel discussion

Denis Schleck

Book ‘rock-star’ Denis Schleck draws overflow audiences

Frankfurt Buch Messe

Kiepenheur & Witsch exhibition and busy rights trading area

Frankfurt Buch Messe new author

Penguin New Author

Hall 1 at Frankfurt Buch Messe

Brazil - just one of almost 100 country exhibits

Brazil – just one of almost 100 country exhibits

Frankfurt Buch Messe featured book design Gold Medal winner

German Book Design of the Year 2025 – Gold Medal

SUBMIT YOUR BOOK DETAILS
CALL US 1300 810 131

Featured Blog Posts:

Featured Blog Posts

Interested in publishing your book but unsure where to start or what is even involved? Tell us about your project and we will post you a copy of our:

 

The Little Book of
Big Publishing Tips.

 

In just a quick 8,000 words, this little book will equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully publish your book.

The Little Book of Big Publishing tips goes into the essentials of self-publishing a book, outlining the business and financial side of publishing, legal issues, design, editing, sales and marketing. There's even a section on how to identify a vanity-publishing scam.

submit your project details

How long does it take to publish a book?

How long does it take to publish a book?

clock - estimated reading time  Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

You’ve poured your heart into your manuscript and now dream of seeing it on the shelves, but how long does it even take to publish a book? The process is very different for self-publishing and traditional publishing routes, too, making the answer even more complex.

Contents

1. The difference in timeline between traditional and self-publishing
2. Preparing your content
3. Outside factors that can influence your publishing timeline
4. The work never stops when you’re a published author
5. Publishing through green hill

1. The difference in timeline between traditional and self-publishing

 

When you publish a book, the path you choose can greatly impact your timeline. On average, traditional book publishing takes much longer than self-publishing. From finding a literary agent to securing a publishing deal and going through the publisher’s editorial, design, and print process, it can take 12–18 months before your book reaches the shelves.

Self-publishing, however, offers more control and speeds up the process. If you go DIY, you set your own deadlines and manage your own schedule. With assisted self-publishing, it can take a little longer, but is still fast-tracked compared to traditional publishing. With dedication, you can publish your book within 6–8 weeks after finalising your manuscript.

Whether you choose traditional publishing or self-publishing, understanding these timelines will help you plan better and achieve your book publishing goals.

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2. Preparing your content

 

2.1 From first draft to finished manuscript

Completing your first draft is a huge milestone, but it’s only the start of the journey. Turning a rough draft into a polished manuscript takes a lot of time and effort. On average, this process could take a writer several months to over a year of going through multiple rounds of self-editing, seeking feedback from beta readers, and then making even more necessary revisions.

 

2.2 Polishing your work with editing

Once you have your manuscript ready, it’s time for professional editing. Many authors often overlook this crucial step, fearing the process or thinking that self-editing is enough. Editors, however, do more than correct typos; they improve structure, flow, and consistency and are often an author’s first reader.

A thorough book edit can take a few weeks to a few months, depending on the length and complexity of your manuscript. Investing in professional editing ensures your book is polished and ready for publishing or presenting to a literary agent.

 

2.3 Your book artwork: Book cover and typesetting

People often say not to judge a book by its cover, but the truth? Everyone does. Your book cover design gives readers their first impression, so it has to be eye-catching and tell your readers what they need to know about your book. An attractive and accurate book cover grabs attention and drives sales. Additionally, professional typesetting makes your text look polished and improves the readability and overall experience of your book.

It’s not unusual to invest up to a month or more in a great cover design and proper typesetting, as it’s crucial for making your book stand out and look professionally done. Use these book publishing tips to ensure your book looks its best and attracts readers.

 

2.4 Getting your book distributed

After all of the work and time to get your manuscript and artwork ready, it’s now time to sell your book! But how do you get it into readers’ hands? Using popular distribution channels like Amazon and other online book retailers will help speed up the distribution process, making it possible to have global distribution with a matter of days.

Distributing through physical bookshops and libraries takes longer as you generally have to pitch your book to the stores and libraries yourself. With this in mind, setting up these channels can take several weeks, so plan ahead.

 

2.5 Marketing your book to its audience

Marketing is crucial for the success of any book. Start creating buzz well before the release date and continue long after. Utilise social media campaigns, book tours, and other promotional strategies to increase your book’s visibility and gather sales. Effective book marketing requires time and effort, and the marketing work never really stops, but it can significantly boost your book’s success.

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3. Outside factors that can influence your publishing timeline

 

3.1 Busy times of year

Seasonal trends, especially during the end-of-year holidays and back-to-school season, can influence publishing timelines. Like any service company, editors, publishers, and printers take time off during this time of year, so expect longer turnaround times.

 

3.2 Bulk printing

When printing a large number of copies, always factor in extra time for printing and shipping. Printers often require longer lead times for larger print orders, especially during busy seasons, so they can ensure quality. To keep a smooth printing process, communicate effectively with your printing service to get accurate timelines, but don’t bug them too often and distract them from their work. Efficient bulk printing, timely communication, and understanding print lead times are key to successful large-order printing.

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4. The work never stops when you’re a published author

 

Marketing requires ongoing commitment, not just a one-time effort. It demands consistent engagement, adapting to market trends, and deeply understanding your target audience. Effective marketing involves regularly analysing, innovating strategies, and focusing on building long-term relationships with your readership. By staying current with trends and maintaining regular interaction, you can create a successful marketing plan that drives growth and customer loyalty.

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5. The publishing timeline with Green Hill

 

Thinking of publishing with Green Hill? Great decision. At Green Hill, we pride ourselves on our efficiency in book publishing. Our streamlined book publishing process ensures a smooth journey from manuscript to published book. In just 6–8 weeks from receiving your final content, we turn your publishing dreams into reality. This efficient turnaround allows you to focus on your next creative project while we handle the details.

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SUBMIT YOUR BOOK DETAILS
CALL US 1300 810 131

Featured Blog Posts:

Featured Blog Posts

Interested in publishing your book but unsure where to start or what is even involved? Tell us about your project and we will post you a copy of our:

 

The Little Book of
Big Publishing Tips.

 

In just a quick 8,000 words, this little book will equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully publish your book.

The Little Book of Big Publishing tips goes into the essentials of self-publishing a book, outlining the business and financial side of publishing, legal issues, design, editing, sales and marketing. There's even a section on how to identify a vanity-publishing scam.

submit your project details