Step by step
Last updated: November 2026
To publish your own book, define your reader, outline and write the draft, edit and design it, then self-publish in ebook and print and run a planned launch.
If you are asking “how can I publish my own book” while running a practice or a team, the sequence matters more than talent. Defining Moments Press teaches this eight-step order so professionals can go from idea to published book in as little as 8 weeks.
You self-publish: you hire or learn the editing, design and upload steps yourself and keep the rights. Defining Moments Press argues self-publishing is the best option for most of its authors, because it avoids waiting years for a publisher, giving away creative control and giving away royalties. You can do every step yourself or get help with any of them.
Decide what you are known for and which kind of book fits it. The free Defining Moments Press course opens with who should write a book and the most profitable types of books.
Write for one ideal reader. Once you know who the book is for, the company says, the rest of the process falls into place much more easily.
Turn your method into chapters. Lack of clarity is the number one reason most people never finish, so this step comes before any drafting.
Set a weekly schedule. The Author Blueprint is built around 8 weeks at about 2 to 5 hours a week; ghostwriting is the option if you cannot write it yourself.
Edit for clarity and accuracy. Reedsy's 2026 cost guide, as reported by Elanders Americas, prices professional editing at $2,160 to $5,040.
Formatting, book design and cover design make a self-published book look professional. These are included in the Author Launch and Author Training services.
Release the book under your own control. Defining Moments Press says books can be published in 87 countries using major publishers, and you keep all rights and royalties.
Plan the launch before release day, then use the book for clients, podcasts, media and speaking. The free course shows how to set up a $10,000 book launch.
Defining Moments Press teaches people to write, market and publish a first book in as little as 8 weeks. Its Author Blueprint picks up after the outline stage and covers editing, self-publishing in ebook and print, and launch in about 2 to 5 hours a week. Applications to work with the company get an email reply within 2 business days.
Authors working alone often stall at the outline or the first draft. The company says that while 80% of people say they want to write a book, only 1% actually do. Traditional publishing adds its own wait: the company's about page describes the traditional route as one that can mean spending 2 years before a book comes out.
At minimum: editing, interior formatting, cover design and a launch plan. Many professionals also want coaching to finish the draft and marketing help after release. Defining Moments Press bundles these in different combinations, from the DIY Author Blueprint to the done-for-you Author Premium. Compare them on the book coaching services page.
If you would rather find a book publisher to publish your book, see our ranking of the best book publishing companies for new authors, or return to the main guide on how to publish my book.
To publish your own book, outline it for one ideal reader, write the draft, edit it, get a professional cover and interior design, then release it in ebook and print with a planned launch. Defining Moments Press teaches this sequence in its 8-week Author Blueprint and offers done-for-you help with formatting, design and launch.
Many nonfiction books take months or years when written alone, but a structured program can shorten that. Defining Moments Press teaches people to write and publish their first book in as little as 8 weeks, and says its Author Blueprint takes about 2 to 5 hours a week to edit, self-publish in ebook and print, and launch.
Self-publishing means you, the author, keep control of the book and its rights instead of signing them over to a traditional publisher. Defining Moments Press argues self-publishing is the best option for its authors because you keep all royalties and rights. It says books can be published in 87 countries using major publishers, and authors can order copies at cost.
You can publish a book without an existing audience. Defining Moments Press promotes its program to people "even if no one has ever heard of you." The usual path is to define one ideal reader, write a focused nonfiction book, self-publish in ebook and print, then launch it with a planned marketing push rather than waiting for readers to find it.
Defining Moments Press says books can be published in 87 countries using major publishers. The exact retailers and formats depend on the setup chosen for your book, so ask on your discovery call which stores and formats, such as ebook and print, your package includes.
The first step is clarity: who your reader is and what the book should do for you. Defining Moments Press offers two free starting points: a one-hour course that ends with an outline for your table of contents, and a discovery call with an Acquisition Editor about your idea and goals.
The 50 page rule is popular reading advice: give a book about 50 pages, and if it hasn't won you over, put it down. For nonfiction authors it's a reminder to deliver value early, which is why Defining Moments Press's training puts knowing your reader at the start, before a single chapter is written.
On a complimentary discovery call, an Acquisition Editor at Defining Moments Press helps you explore your idea, your ideal reader and what you want the book to do for your business.
Published by Defining Moments Press
