We often determine whether to read a book or not based on the author. If we don’t know the author, we look for the author's biography. We know it will be either in the very front, or the very back, or on the dust jacket.  

As writers, we don't have to think about those things. As self-publishing authors, the burden is on us.  

There are two things to remember with regard to publishing a book. Readers expect a book to be familiar, to look familiar, to have a layout we expect, and to have a font we can read. We expect the layout to be attractive and for page numbers to be at the top, or the bottom, but not on every page.  

The second thing to remember is that publishing is undergoing a revival. We can break the rules and sometimes are better off for it. My advice is to begin with the traditional, and then decide for yourself when, where, and if breaking the rules is appropriate.  

Whatever you decide, make a template. Then, you can fill in the words and not reinvent the layout each time you publish.

Never think of publishing one book as complete. If you have published one, you should publish another!

I have collected some information about how books are built. Some of the information I critical for creating a document that lends itself to being read. Along the way, I have specifically pointed out techniques that readily adapt to experimentation.

I also share with you how to use the medium to your advantage. This is not your grandfather’s book. You need to make it your own.

Self-publishing services often provide templates for eBooks. They may consist of nothing more than a single page with pre-defined margins. There is so much more to a book. There are 12 elements you can build into a template to give your eBooks that professional image.

There are guideposts we learned to look for in books throughout the years that we have largely forgotten. Now is the time to review the guideposts and learn to use them to improve the quality of your book.