As a writer, you’re focused on the story, you’ve got a title, a book cover, an editor — but here are five important things I see self-publishing authors miss all the time.

1. Write an author bio

It doesn’t need to be fancy, but you do need one — earlier than you think. Get that bio ready for the copyediting stage or risk an awkward spelling error in your About Me! (And remember to include your author channels.)

2. Set up publisher contact info

You’re not just the author, you’re the publisher. Publisher contact details should be on your imprint page, so educators and reviewers know how to request permission to quote your work.

3. Submit legal deposit or copyright registration

In some countries, publishers (including self-published authors) are legally required to submit a copy of the book to an official archive. In Australia, you need to submit a copy to the National Library of Australia and, often, your state library.

Other countries, like the US, also have copyright registration that is a good option.

4. Seek permission for quotes and lyrics

That one perfect line from a song or movie? You probably need permission. Copyright law is strict, especially for lyrics. It also varies by country — the country you sell in, not the one you publish in.

Even quoting a public figure can imply endorsement, so tread carefully.

5. Prepare book metadata

Genre codes, keywords, page count, territorial rights — this is how people find your book. And you may need it before uploading to Amazon or IngramSpark, because ebooks use lots of this data during the file setup.

If you’ve missed any of these, that’s okay! Even if you’ve already published, you can still do these now (though some may be a little more difficult). Just be sure to remember for next time.

Wondering what other steps are involved in self-publishing? Check out 14 steps to self-publish your book.