Articles and downloads

I’ve been working in self-publishing for small businesses for almost 20 years, and I’ve learnt that there are common mistakes first-time authors and self-publishers make time and time again. Let’s look at the seven most common small business self-publishing mistakes so that you can avoid them. Self-publishing mistake number 1: Thinking a book is like […]

Just finished writing your book? Congrats! Now it’s time to begin a strategic approach to leverage your thought leadership in the media...

Fitting a square peg into a round hole? This is how it feels sometimes when discussing book design with authors. The one critical error I find most self publishing authors, and some of the bigger publishing houses make, is that they find it difficult establishing where their book fits in. And in my opinion, it […]

Welcome to your complete guide to self-publishing on Amazon! In the world of self-publishing, one of the most widely used platforms is Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Whether you are a seasoned author or a first-timer, understanding how to self-publish on Amazon is an important step toward your publishing success. Setting up your Amazon KDP […]

For many self-published authors, particularly those in the realm of business writing, determining how to price a book is challenging. It’s about striking the balance between ensuring the book’s perceived worth aligns with its price, all while ensuring it measures up in a competitive market. Whatever type of book you’re looking to publish, we’ll help […]

Self-publishing is a universe with many facets, including the often overlooked but important element of the advanced reader copy, or ARC. If you’re unfamiliar with this term, don’t fret, many new authors find themselves in the same boat. Advanced reader copies are essentially pre-publication versions of your book. They’re like a ‘sneak peek’ into your […]

At Publish Central, we are the go-to team when it comes to self-publishing. With almost 20 years of experience in the self-publishing space, it’s safe to say we know what goes into creating a successful self-published book. This article discusses three common qualities successful self-publishing authors have and gives 10 examples of successful self-published books. […]

As keen members of the self-publishing space, we know that being well-read can help businesses succeed. That’s why we’ve put together a list of our top 5 must-read business books.  At their core, the books we’ve chosen are all about business, because business is our business after all! We believe that good business books can […]

If you’re writing your first book and wondering how to copyright it, you’re in the right place – and we have some good news.  You don’t need to register for copyright in Australia! That’s right, the moment an idea or creative concept is penned to paper it is automatically copyrighted in Australia, thanks to the […]

Have you always dreamed of being an author, but have no idea how to write a book with no experience? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Writing a book can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before, but with the right mindset and some practical guidance, you can turn your dream […]

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of self-publishing and why it might be the right choice for you. Self-publishing has become an increasingly popular option for writers looking to get their work out into the world. While the traditional publishing process can be long and sometimes difficult to navigate, self-publishing allows writers to have […]

In this article we take a deep dive into book publishing for business, and why 2023 should be the year you publish your book. I’m not really a believer in ‘New Year’s resolutions’, but I do think that setting goals for my business for the year ahead is just good business practice. For some this […]

Should you learn how to self-publish a book? Are you a budding author who wants to learn how to self-publish a book? If so, you’re in the right place. In this article, we discuss some of the basics of self-publishing and how it can benefit you. We’ll also provide some tips on how to get […]

If you’ve made the very wise decision to self-publish a book, you will of course want to know how much you’ll need to invest. So, what is the cost of self-publishing a book? Let’s have a look. The cost to self-publish a book The following are some indicative costs to self-publish a 40,000-word book. Services […]

The book is mightier than the sword. My father was a writer, so I grew up treating books with the reverence they deserve. I see books as just about the most valuable things on the planet, and the written word as the greatest human invention ever. Without books and writing, we wouldn’t have any of […]

I’m often asked, “How long does it take to write and self-publish a book?”. As a guide, six months is a reasonable timeframe from the start of the writing process to having printed books in your hands. Or, if you want to be ambitious, you could aim for five or even four months. It’s very […]

5 tips for a successful book launch Authors often tie themselves in knots trying to decide how to launch their book. I’m here to solve this for you in one easy article. Read on!  Publish Central exists to help authors share their words with readers. We work to the highest design, editing and production standards, […]

Self-publishing a book for your small business is a big commitment, in both time and money, but the benefits can be huge: more customers, publicity for your business, more credibility within your industry, a point of difference from your competitors – the list goes on and on.  Publish Central exists to help small business book […]

In this article we go through a list of 9 common writing myths and debunk them – once and for all. Have you been thinking about writing a book for your small business, but… something… keeps getting in the way? Maybe when the kids finish school. Maybe when business slows down a little. Maybe when […]

How Writing and Publishing a Book Changed My Life and My Business If you’re wondering why you should write a book, look no further. Writing and self-publishing a book as a business tool is a growing trend. Being a published author will help you build your profile, promote your business and make you stand out […]

I’ve been around books and publishing my whole life, so I’ve seen people do some rather crazy things with their books. To help you understand what not to do in your self-publishing journey, here’s a little story about Bob and all the self-publishing mistakes he made. Bob of course isn’t real, but I have seen […]

Wondering how to self publish a book? Have you written a book and you’re not sure what to do next? Are you wondering how to self publish your finished book? Not moody enough to call yourself a writer? Don’t worry; none of these things will stop you. These days you don’t have to wait for […]

Many business owners want to write a book but they don’t have the time or skill to do so. It takes upwards of 100 hours to write a good business book so it’s no surprise most choose not to. But if you’re committed to writing a book, hiring a ghostwriter is a great way to […]

For the last three years, we at Publish Central along with Andrew Griffiths Enterprises have run the Australian Business Book Awards. Each year the awards have grown, and this year we had a record number of entries (133), a record number of judges (46) and donated a record amount to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation ($20,000). […]

If you’ve ever wondered how books are published, especially if you’re thinking of writing and publishing a book for your small business, here’s a (slightly fictionalised but mostly accurate) glimpse behind the scenes at Publish Central.  9.00 am Monday: Archie and Lik (the dog and cat) arrive late for the scheduling meeting. Again. But we […]

Today, self-publishing is more accessible than ever. There are many companies and online courses that will help you and show you how to self-publish. Some of these are great and provide a wealth of information, others not so much. In this article I’m going to let you know who you should have on your team […]

So, here it is! The final article in my series to get you writing. The first two were about how to find your idea and how to develop your content. Now: my top tips for knuckling down and actually writing. Getting down to business Turn off the internet! This is the first essential step. Do […]

Michael has been interviewed on various podcasts over the years offering advice and knowledge about self-publishing and running a small business. Here’s a few of his favourites:  Conversation with Jaemin FrazerHave you ever dreamt of writing a book, but been held back by doubt, fear and insecurity? That is the topic of this podcast. Michael […]

The minimum length for a book is usually considered to be about 30,000 words. Sounds a bit daunting, right? Not if you have a plan in place before you start. In my previous article, I showed you how to find the right idea for your book for your Small Business. In this instalment, we’re going […]

When I meet people and tell them what I do for a living, a not uncommon response is, ‘I’m going to write a book one day.’  ‘Sure,’ I reply, ‘I’ll read your book while I’m flying solo around the world in the aeroplane I built out of icy-pole sticks.’ The dream of writing a book […]

Can anyone write and publish an entrepreneurial book to build their profile and promote their business? The answer is obviously yes. Below are five tips and myths on what makes a successful entrepreneurial author. First the five tips for becoming a good entrepreneurial author:  Success is not about book sales. It’s about building your profile […]

You don’t need to spend big bucks to find out how to become an Amazon bestseller. When you write and publish an ebook for your small business, you can use that ebook to run an ‘Amazon bestseller campaign’, in an effort to get that coveted ‘Amazon bestseller’ logo added to your book cover. If you […]

This is a question I am asked often: how do I get a foreword or testimonials for my book from people I respect or admire in my industry? There are a number of different ways you can approach this. The first step is usually a polite email or phone call to the person you are […]

You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page. Jodi Picoult, bestselling author When you think about writing your book, what goes through your mind? I should write that book, but… it’s too hard? I can’t write well enough? I don’t know where to start? I’m not moody enough to call […]

Not that long ago it was very easy to recognise a self-published book. The design was poor, you didn’t have to look too hard to find errors or other unprofessional touches such as no ISBN or barcode, and numerous other clues. But often the biggest giveaway was obvious before you even opened the book: the […]

Once your book is complete, it’s time to get it out into the world. There are two main types of distribution for your print version: bricks-and-mortar bookshops and print on demand. If you have a publisher then they should handle bookshop distribution for you; if you are a self-publisher you will have to do this […]

18 June 2020: Congrats to Lalita Lowe! Just reached 50,000 words. She survived the ‘kill me now’ stage. First draft almost done…

We work with many first-time self-publishers here at PC, and sometimes during the cover design process I sense the author getting a little frustrated when the cover design seems to become more involved than they expected. They underestimate the level of development required to get a finished cover. Here’s how authors sometimes expect the process […]

Most people have a book idea in them. Some of those people write their book and a few will go on and publish the book. How many of them do you think know the why, the reason they wrote their book? For novelists, the why may mostly be to entertain readers and share their story. […]

Your IngramSpark account setup is complete – now what? The first step in moving forward is uploading a book into your account...

As a book-writing coach who has helped over 600 people to write their first book, I’ve seen many new and aspiring authors hit a brick wall ...

Knowing where you fit in the publishing spectrum will help you successfully navigate the process, so let’s consider the different publishing models available to authors. The industry has changed rapidly in recent years and the lines between the different publishing models are now sometimes a little (or a lot) blurred. Still, you can publish a […]

I am a published author. But it wasn’t all plain sailing, let me tell you. I wrote drafts of two whole books before I wrote my draft of...

I often find myself working with new authors who are somewhat conflicted over the book they want to write...

We chatted to Brad Beer, author of You Can Run Pain Free!, who has not only seen great book sales, but has also seen his business POGO...

I asked people to post their self-publishing questions on Facebook, and here are the answers! (Several questions were similar so I’ve combined...

It’s important to understand at least the basics of copyright, because using someone else’s material when you don’t have the right to can...

Many first-time self-publishers have the same queries, so here I answers some small business self-publishing questions I hear quite often...

Writing and publishing a book for your business is a fantastic way to build your profile and promote your business...

When you’re at your next conference, networking event or seminar, while everybody else is handing out business cards, how would you like to be...

Publishing a book for your small business can bring all sorts of marketing, promotional and business opportunities, some expected and some not...

The publishing industry (just like TV, music, accommodation and many others) has changed rapidly in recent years, and the growth in self-publishing has seen it advance to the point where it’s impossible to distinguish a well-produced self-published book from one produced by a major publishing house such as Penguin. Self-publishing used to have kind of […]