Simply Self Publish: the ultimate self-pub course for indies – Jericho Writers
Jericho Writers
167-169 Great Portland street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF
UK: +44 (0)330 043 0150
US: +1 (646) 974 9060
Email: info@jerichowriters.com

Simply Self Publish: the ultimate self-pub course for indies

Fiction and non-fiction authors ready to Self-Publish

Simply Self Publish Course: 10-week Course

from £1995
The definitive course on how to self-publish your novel – perfect for writers with a polished manuscript. Premium Members save 10%.
APRIL 2025
10-weeks
Online
Download Brochure

The definitive course on self-publishing

Join expert tutor Debbie Young for a 10-week course that equips you with everything you need to self-publish your book. By the end, you’ll have a personalised self-publishing plan tailored to your needs. The next course starts on 8 April 2025, and spaces are limited. Apply by 23 March 2025 to secure your spot.

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Why choose this course?

Take control of your writing career and get the confidence and knowledge you need to successfully self-publish your work. You’ll benefit from:

Weekly tutorials

Your weekly tutorials and course content, including tasks and reading lists will be uploaded weekly so that you can work through the exercises at a time that suits you.

Feedback on your work

Each week, you’ll complete at least two tasks and receive feedback from Debbie and your course peers.

Build a community of writers

You’ll be in a small group of up to ten students where you’ll be able to take part in weekly discussions and peer feedback. You’ll make lasting friends and build a support group that will outlast the course.

Indefinite access to course content

Once enrolled, you’ll have permanent access to all content, allowing you to catch up or revisit material at your own pace.

Premium Membership

The course includes Jericho Writers’ Premium Membership, giving you access to self-publishing resources and discounts on editorial products.

Exclusive discounts

We’ve partnered with trusted self-publishing contacts to offer exclusive discounts on services like cover design, editorial support, and pre-press.

Meet your tutor, Debbie Young

At Jericho Writers, we’re a team of Big 5 published authors who’ve been exactly where you are now. We bring this experience together with expert tutors like Debbie Young to create the best courses available. For over two decades, our approach has helped authors launch their careers, sign with top literary agents and even go on to become Sunday Times Bestsellers.

“I’ve learned a lot about achieving success as an indie author – as well as the pitfalls to avoid along the way! I can’t wait to share my expertise with you, empowering you to take control of your own writing career.

Two of my books were shortlisted for the prestigious BookBrunch Selfies Award for best independently published adult fiction in the UK, and I now combine self-publishing my work with licensing selective rights to it through publishers including Boldwood Books, DP Verlag and Saga Egmont.”

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Make writing your business

During the course, you’ll complete weekly assignments that will set you on track to self-publish successfully. After 10 weeks, you’ll have all the tools you need to get going – from advice on creating a marketing plan and website to vital knowledge of how to produce eBooks and paperbacks to a professional standard. Even better, these skills will stay with you long after the course ends, supporting you to build a successful self-publishing career.

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Download course brochure

Find out everything you need to know about the course, including a full breakdown of pricing and details of how to apply, in our brochure.

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Choose your package

The Simply Self-Publish Course offers the most comprehensive approach to self-publishing. If you prefer more flexibility and less feedback, the CORE package might be a better fit. Our team is happy to help you choose the best option—book a call with us today

 

Simply Self-Publish Course: CORE

from £995

Simply Self-Publish Course: FULL

from £1995
Feedback from Tutor
End of Course ONLY
Every Week
Weekly Live Webinars
Weekly Online Tutorials
Access to Webinar Recordings
Access to Course Content Indefinitely
Access to Exclusive Discounts from our Partners
Option to Buy Mentoring & Editorial Add-Ons
Premium Membership
3 Months
1 Year

Course syllabus

Week One: What self-publishing is and how to use it 

We’ll start off looking at the different forms of publishing and what it truly takes to become a self-published author. What does self-publishing success look like and how can you achieve it? We’ll also take a look at the history of self-publishing and how it became so popular.

Week Two: How to make your manuscript ready for self-publishing 

In our second week, we’ll learn all the tools to make our manuscripts the very best they can be. We’ll cover the fundamentals of how to self-edit, the differences between beta readers and ARC readers (including when to use them), and how to write a professional blurb. Want insight on professional editing? We’ll also teach you how to choose, brief and work with editors effectively and what each kind of editing involves.

Outcome: Be confident self-editing your work, outsourcing and working with editors and writing a blurb for your own book.

Week Three: Self-publishing in different formats 

So, you know you want to self-publish, but in which format? It’s important to know about the different formats, their place in your catalogue, and the common elements across all formats. But what’s the point in self-publishing if no one can find your book? You’ll need to consider all available publishing platforms and optimise categories and keywords if you want to reach a large audience, and you’ll learn exactly how to do just that this week.

Outcome: Have a comprehensive plan for the order in which you will publish your book formats, including categories, key words, and other metadata to make your book more discoverable.

Week Four: Production practicalities: formatting and cover design 

A professionally-designed book – both cover and interior – matter just as much in self-publishing as it does with traditional publishing. We’ll explore the different production needs for eBook and print and give tips on how to choose, brief and work with a book designer.

Outcome: Have a written cover brief for your book and know how to build a strong working relationship with an appropriate designer.

Week Five: Distribution options for print and eBooks 

With a publish-ready manuscript and the ability to commission a professional book design, you’re ready to explore the many distribution options. You’ll learn the pros and cons of a “wide” (multi-platform) versus an “exclusive” (KDP) distribution strategy, and how to upload both print and ebook editions to your chosen platforms.

Outcome: You’ll be able to plan the best distribution strategy for your book(s) on launch and long-term.

Week Six: Author brand & website 

Wondering what your best marketing tool is? You don’t need to look far – it’s you! Your readers want to know all about you as an author and they will expect you to have a professional author website. You’ll learn how to define your author brand, how to project it in your website and other marketing materials, and how to build a mailing list of dedicated readers – the most valuable marketing asset of all.

Outcome: You’ll have an outline of the content required to launch your own website, a working knowledge of the best tools to help you set it up, and ideas for building your mailing list.

Week Seven: Connecting with readers & reviewers 

Learn how to attract readers and reviews, how to use positive reviews to your advantage and how to deal with less favourable feedback without losing your confidence.

Outcome: You’ll have a better understanding of reviews and reviewers, of what ratings really mean, and how to mobilise advance readers to get your book off to the best start.

Week Eight: Marketing & promotion – Part one 

With all the knowledge you need to launch a book to professional standards, you’re now ready to focus on marketing to find readers and make sales. Part 1 focuses on optimising your Amazon profile and choosing and using the best social media to reach your target readers.

Outcome: You’ll be equipped to create an effective author profile on Amazon as soon as your first book is published, and you’ll know how to use the most appropriate social media platforms to best advantage.

Week Nine: Marketing & promotion – Part two 

Complement online marketing by learning the role of traditional media and live in-person events. You’ll also gain a useful introduction to the best paid advertising options for indie authors, including Amazon, Bookbub and Facebook.

Outcome: Understand how to prioritise and implement traditional media, events and paid advertising to build on the reach of your website, Amazon profile and social media accounts.

Week Ten: Where next? Make your intellectual property work for you 

Self-publishing your first book in ebook and print is just the start of your indie author career. Learn how to make the most of your intellectual property by publishing in other formats including hardback, large print and audio, and in other languages, either by selectively licensing rights to specialists or by project-managing them yourself.

Outcome: You will know how to exploit the full potential of your books in the long term, establishing and growing your indie author career, for the duration of your copyright – usually the rest of your life and for decades beyond (depending on local law in your country of residence).

Simply Self-Publish Hall of Fame

We’re proud to celebrate our students’ successes and it’s a joy to see their novels in the hands of readers across the globe. Could you be next?

S M Davies

Simply Self-Publish

Chris Culter

Simply Self-Publish

Nitin Nanji

Simply Self-Publish

We’ve helped hundreds of writers

But don’t take our word for it! Our authors have experience with our editorial services, online courses, and Premium Membership.

Previous

A huge thank you to Debbie Young for hosting such an excellent Jericho Writers course on self-publishing. I have learnt a lot and am excited about trying out my new knowledge with one of my novels soon! I thoroughly recommend Debbie’s course to anyone thinking about making the leap to self-publishing.

Johanna Spiers

SSP Alum 2022

It was the best investment I’ve ever made. There’s nothing Debbie Young doesn’t know about self-pub.

Susan Davies

SSP Alum 2022 & author of ‘The West Rises’

THANK YOU so much for the last weeks, can’t believe it’s over! Debbie has been such a lovely, patient, and sweet teacher and has crammed us full of very useful info and advice for our writing lives. I must say I have learnt such a lot and had my pilot light relit for writing!

Cathy Atherton

SSP Alum 2022

What I found most useful about the course was that Debbie was able to identify all the things I didn’t know I didn’t know. And that has allowed me to ask a lot of very important questions, to which her replies have been invaluable and have helped me to understand all the processes I need to get my head around.

Max Haven

SSP Alum 2022 & author of ‘The Paths of Guilt’

I found it challenging, enlightening and most of all, practical. Debbie introduced me to stuff I knew about in theory but her course pushed me, and the others I am sure, to take action. She prodded us up to the starter’s gates. Now it’s open the gates and go for it.

Robert Stott

SSP Alum 2022

Next

More alum success stories

It was the best investment I’ve ever made. There’s nothing Debbie Young doesn’t know about self-pub. She shares her enthusiasm, expertise and vast experience with unfailing patience and good humour – there’s no such thing as a stupid question – and every aspect of the process is covered. It’s intense but very enjoyable, and you will learn how to self-publish to a professional standard. I finished the course feeling empowered and ready to go. Now, a year later, my historical novel The West Rises has been shortlisted for the Selfies Award for adult fiction. There’s no way this would have happened without Debbie’s course.
– Susan Davies, SSP Alumna

Tempted to give self-publishing a try?

Download the full course brochure or call us for a chat about whether Simply Self-Publish is right for you. We’re here to help, and we’re always honest. If we don’t think this course is your perfect fit, we’ll tell you. We’ll also suggest an alternative if we can.

Book a call

Frequently asked
questions

1

Do you handle all genres? What about creative non-fiction? What about children’s and Young Adult?

We warmly welcome writers in almost every genre, from very literary to commercial. Our tutors work across a diverse list of categories, including both creative non-fiction and fiction writing. We certainly also welcome writers of YA and MG. If you write for much younger children, the course may be less suitable – but feel free to ask. 

2

Do you have bursaries available?

While we don’t have a full bursary available for this course, we want to help great writers get published, and if your personal circumstances make it impossible for you to fund the full price of this course, please get in touch. We can’t make any promises, but we’ll always do what we can.

This year we have also introduced CORE – a more affordable version of the course that includes the course content, the end-of-course showcase and one agent one-to-one session, but without the intensive mentoring and some of the additional benefits you get from the full course.

3

Is this course for UK writers only?

No, we work with writers from all around the world. It’s open internationally for writers from all over the world, and all online calls will take place at Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). 

4

I have paid for the course and can’t join, can I get a refund?

If you wish to be refunded for the course, you are entitled to a refund up to 14 days before the course starts, but note that an administration fee will be charged. After this, no refund will be possible. To avoid loss, we strongly advise customers to ensure they are able to take the course on the dates advertised, and that they are comfortable undertaking this online. Should a customer wish to transfer their place to the next scheduled course, please note this is only possible if places remain, and an administration fee could still be charged. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for more details.

5

Who is the Simply Self-Publish Course suitable for?

This course is perfect for any author who is looking to take charge of their writing career and master the ins and outs of self-publishing. While it is not necessary to have a finished, polished manuscript in order to join this course, some of the writing assignments will be best suited to authors with a finished manuscript, so we do recommend this. The course is project-based and requires students to take the lead on their self-publishing journey; an eagerness to learn is ideal!

6

What is the application process?

We invite writers from all backgrounds to apply to this course, whatever their educational backgrounds or prior achievements. We do, however, ask that all applicants are genuinely committed to a career as a self-published author.  

If you feel this best describes you, please apply now. 

We aim to respond to all applications in 3 weeks. All work will be forwarded to the course tutor who will make the final decision on entry, according to which writers they feel show commitment to the course and would benefit the most from the course components.

If you have any questions about the application process, you can email us on courses@jerichowriters.com, or book a call to speak with us.

7

I have a full-time job / family commitments. Can I do this course in my spare time?

Yes. We purposely designed this course to fit in around your other commitments. Bear in mind that we will be asking you to do many project-based tasks that will lead you to publication, as well as engage with teaching material and feedback. If you think you can manage that, we’ll be happy to accommodate you – and of course we’ll be as flexible as we can be. 

8

Do I need to be available at set times every week?

For the most part, you’ll be able to work to a schedule that suits you. There will be weekly calls included in Simply Self-Publish FULL only. All calls will be recorded, so if you can’t make the live session, you’ll be able to watch the replay. There will be no weekly calls included in Simply Self-Publish CORE.

9

What support will be available to me?

If you join the CORE version of the course, you will receive peer-to-peer feedback on weekly assignments, plus tutor feedback on your end-of-course assignment only. CORE students will also receive a 1-hour one-to-one Zoom call with Debbie Young following the course.

If you join the FULL version of the course, you will receive tutor feedback on weekly assignments and will be able to ask questions during weekly live group webinars.

All Simply Self-Publish students (CORE and FULL) may reach out to the Jericho Writers team at any time for additional support.

10

What feedback can I expect to receive during the course? 

If you join the CORE version of the course, your end-of-course assignment will be uploaded to the online learning platform and you will receive written feedback from Debbie Young. Only you will be able to access the feedback for your end-of-course assignment. After receiving your end-of-course assignment feedback, you may then book a 1-hour one-on-one Zoom call with Debbie to discuss the feedback and any questions you may have.

If you join the FULL version of the course, your weekly assignments will be uploaded to the online learning platform and you will receive weekly written feedback from Debbie Young. Only you will be able to access the feedback for your weekly assignments.

All Simply Self-Publish students (CORE and FULL) may also share their weekly assignments in the course forum for peer-to-peer feedback.

11

How much time will I need to spend on the course every week?

In total, we estimate you’ll need to spend a minimum of 3-4 hours a week on the course. This includes one hour spent on the weekly group webinars (FULL) or watching video replays (CORE), plus one hour spent studying the tutorial content. The remaining time should be used to complete your weekly assignment. Of course, the more time you put into the course, the more you’ll get out of it!

12

What will I get from the course?

After completing the course, you will have a cohesive self-publishing business plan to set yourself up for success, including: 

  • Preparing your manuscript for publication.
  • Knowing which format of self-publishing is right for you.
  • Briefing a designer for an eye-catching book cover.
  • Knowing which different distribution options are available.
  • Building your author brand and connecting with readers.
  • Learning the art of author marketing for Amazon, social media and ads.
  • Exploring options beyond online publishing.
13

What are the technical requirements for the course?

The Simply Self-Publish Course is held on our state-of-the-art online learning platform. To access the course, you will need a computer or laptop. You can access the learning platform on a phone or tablet but the platform is not optimised for these devices so you may not be able to access the full content. You will also need a reliable internet connection. You’ll have access to the teaching and platform forum indefinitely, so your course friendships will long outlast the duration of the course.

If you join the CORE version of this course, you will be able to access all written tutorials and pre-recorded video tutorials via our learning platform. This content will be released on a weekly basis. There will be no additional technical requirements as the CORE version of the course does not include live calls.

If you join the FULL version of the course, there will be weekly calls held on Zoom. To access Zoom you will need a device with a working camera/webcam and microphone to participate in the group discussion and activities. You will also need a strong, reliable internet connection. A reliable internet connection means there are no frequent interruptions or dropouts during the course. You should be able to stream videos, participate in live sessions, and submit assignments without the connection cutting out. We recommend a minimum of 3-5 Mbps for a positive experience.  Please find the Zoom system requirements here: https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0060748  

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