how i self-published my book in malaysia
feat. my book, 'bedtime stories for adults in love'
Hi! My name is Natasha and I’m an author from Indonesia that’s living in Kuala Lumpur. In 2023, I self-published a poetry book titled, Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love in Malaysia. Here’s how I did it!
A brief background
I’ve been writing poems since 2017, and I always knew I wanted to publish a poetry book. So in 2020, I did just that.
That was when Little Thoughts was born. I compiled some of the miscellaneous poems from 2017-2019 and turned them into a book. Then, I submitted the manuscript to a local publishing house that published poetry books. When I got rejected, I discovered self-publishing through Notionpress. The platform published my book in India, but months later, I decided to unpublish the book.
Fast forward to 2021, when two of my poems got featured in Minority Blues, an anthology by Shuren Press. That was when I considered self-publishing a poetry book in Malaysia.
Why did I want to self-publish?
While traditional publishing and getting a book deal still sounds like a dream, I still prefer self-publishing because of the full creative control over the content. I was particular about what I wanted my book to look like, and which poems I wanted to feature in Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love. Self-publishing helped ensure these two.
The process of self-publishing a poetry book
Part 1: Create the manuscript
The process of self-publishing a book starts with the manuscript. Before Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love was created, I had a handful of poems that I wrote and I loved that I wanted to publish. I compiled them together and figured out the common theme, which was *coughs* romance. After that, I decided to look into my poetry archives to look for older poems that were about love and heartbreak.
Part 2: Edit and format your book (and fail at it)
Next was editing and formatting. To be honest, I didn’t think about editing my book back then, so I skipped right to formatting. I tried formatting my book on the Kindle Create app, but when that didn’t work out, I impatiently switched to InDesign and Pages. I was winging it at this point with a couple of YouTube videos and after a week of trying, I decided to give up… and look for people who could help me.
Part 3: Get professional help (optional)
In November 2022, I decided to reach out to a team of people who would help me self-publish my book. For the next 6 months or so, they helped me with editing, formatting, and the art, which included the cover design and the interior art.
Part 4: ISBN application
Once the manuscript and the cover design were ready, I applied for the book’s ISBN. This is your book’s identification code, and it helps libraries, bookstore retailers, and distributors identify your book. However, if you have an e-book, you don’t have to apply for an ISBN code.
For my ISBN application, I emailed the National Library of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia) who sent me a Google Form to fill up. Some of the things they’ll ask for are:
Personal details: Name, ID, address, phone number, email.
Book details: Publisher name, book title, edition, genre, blurb, total pages, publication date, media/format, total copies (in print), last approved ISBN.
Documents: Copyright page, your book’s front page, your book’s synopsis, your book’s
Important notes:
You have to apply for the ISBN code 3 months before your book’s official publication date.
You have to send 5 copies of your printed copies to the National Library of Malaysia ONE month after the publication date.
The process of applying for my book’s ISBN was tricky for me, and my application was rejected multiple times for different reasons (e.g. I submitted the incorrect details in the form). But when I finally submitted my application with the right details, I got my ISBN code in less than 3 days.
A few tips for authors in this stage:
Before applying, do your research on the ISBN application, and find out the requirements for the process.
As a person who’s not fluent in Malay, applying for the ISBN was difficult because of the language barrier. If you’re in the same situation as I was, ask a local friend for help. I also used a bit of Google Translate too.
If possible, try to reach out to local authors for advice on how to publish a book in Malaysia. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of articles about this, and I remember referring to this website when I was applying for my ISBN code.
Part 5: Print your author’s copies
Once you have your book’s ISBN, it’s time to get your book printed! For this part, make sure your book’s digital manuscript is ready for print, and you can start looking for printing shops. In early May, my editor helped me order my author’s copies at a local printing store in KL, and once the order had been placed, all I had to do was wait.
I received my test copies (3 books) in 2 days; it was honestly so surreal seeing it in my hands, and I was in awe that day. 1-2 weeks later, I officially picked up my first batch (44 copies) of Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love.
Part 6: Prepare for launch day
Now that my books are here, I started preparing my book for launch day. I uploaded my books to Amazon via Kindle Direct Publishing for international readers and created a Google Form to accept pre-orders in Malaysia.
Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love was released on Amazon on 26 May, but it was officially released on Kindle Unlimited and in Malaysia on 31 May.
Overall, this was my general publishing timeline:
November 2022 - March 2023: Officially working on the manuscript
April 2023: ISBN application
May 2023: Printing and book launch
FAQs
Q: How much did self-publishing Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love cost?
A: Self-publishing my book was RM3.7k for me. Since I got professional help for my poetry book, I paid around RM2.5k. Printing my first batch of books was around RM1.2k. The ISBN code was free.
Q: Do I regret self-publishing my book?
A: No, I do not regret self-publishing my Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love. Although I faced a few challenges with marketing and distributing my book for the longest time, I’m proud to say that I published a book on my own. Self-publishing has taught me a few things about publishing a book, and I’m constantly growing as an author.
Q: Is self-publishing easy?
A: On a scale of 1-10, I’d say self-publishing is a 6/10 for me. As long as you have your digital manuscript, you can set up your book on digital self-publishing platforms like Reedsy and Notionpress. I only discovered Reedsy recently, and since I can’t buy my book off Kindle, I used it to create a personal digital copy. Plus, it’s free!
Distribution-wise, I think it’s fairly easy because there are a handful of options. You can distribute your book *somewhat* internationally through Amazon, and you can do it locally through Shopee, local book retailers (e.g. MPH and Popular), and various indie bookstores in Malaysia.
On the other hand, the hardest part of self-publishing is the initial costs. It can be expensive, which is why most indie books are pricier than traditionally published books. It will also be hard due to low demand in the first year or so, but you can fix this by lowering your book’s retail price.
Besides that, constantly trying to reach a wider audience through social media can feel futile for a small author. To be honest, I find it hard to appeal to the local market with an English poetry book, and I’ve had days where I let the numbers on my posts dictate how people felt about my book.
Q: Should I self-publish my book?
A: If you want to do it, go for it! But I’d highly recommend doing more research and for a more informed decision. Self-publishing is a huge project to take on, but if you have the time, passion, and resources to make your dreams happen, then why not.
Here are some links you can check out if you’re interested!
Lilian Li’s post on Instagram (+ her How in Their Write Mind series)
Q: Where can I get a copy of Bedtime Stories for Adults in Love?
A: You can get it on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited (free btw!), and Ko-fi (e-book), which are both linked on my Instagram bio. You can also get a copy at TokoSue Malaysia, an indie bookstore in Wisma Central (near KLCC). Due to low demand, I’ve delisted my book on Shopee Malaysia and won’t be printing any more copies in Malaysia.
If you want to read my book, add it to your TBR shelf on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.
Final thoughts
Everyone’s self-publishing/writing journey is different, and I hope my self-publishing guide helps you with yours. If you’ve self-published a book, don’t let the numbers stop you from giving up. Keep writing, and I wish you the best of luck in your writing career.
If you liked this blog, let me know your thoughts on Instagram at @natashaeffendywrites <3
P.S. Stop scrolling on TikTok/Instagram and go write your book. Okay bye.
congratulations on publishing your own book! 🤍