Finding a Publisher

• Selecting a self-publisher is the most important part of getting your book published, aside from writing it, of course. Most self-publishers allow you to use their simple software for laying out and formatting your book. From there, it's a question of how many copies of the book you want to print or if you want to sell the book online. Online publishing can be free or nearly so. Printing copies of the book costs you, but the idea is often to resell the books for a profit. Otherwise, you can usually publish your book in an "on-demand" format, wherein the books are printed only when someone requests a copy and pays for it themselves. By doing this you won't have to dish out any money up front.
  
  Here are three popular self-publishing sites. Check them out, explore the options and become a published author. Using a self-publisher is a much simpler option than laying out and designing a book all on your own, not to mention marketing and promoting it. It will also save you a lot of time. And time is money, right?
  
  

Lulu

• Lulu is a well-known and respected publisher that offers extensive publishing and retailing options. For those of you looking for step-by-step guidance and plenty of tailoring options, Lulu is a good choice. Lulu's website is www.lulu.com.
  
  

AuthorHouse

• AuthorHouse is less about cheap and easy self-publishing and more about providing quality products and customer service. If you need services such as editing or design or are interested in various "publishing packages" that include a certain number of books and/or certain services, then AuthorHouse might be your match. Look for AuthorHouse at www.authorhouse.com.
  
  

Cafe Press

• Cafe Press is another site where you can design and lay out your book for free and then decide to print copies or sell copies online. Cafe Press also provides significant sales and marketing assistance, such as helping you set up a web page or blog to help promote your book. Check out Cafe Press at www.cafepress.com.