After several years of teaching a TEFL teacher might decide to be an EFL author.
One very easy way to become an EFL author is by self-publishing your book on the internet as an e-book. Self-publishing is a good way to get your EFL book published, particularly as an unknown author.
Furthermore, you can continue working as an TEFL teacher while simultaneously working as an EFL author.
There are numerous e-book sites to choose from, so take your time — don’t rush to publish your book on the first site you find.
Here’s how it works: every time someone downloads your book from the e-book site, you get paid a percentage of the royalties; the e-book site keeps the rest, e.g. with ‘Kindle Direct Publishing’, you retain 70% of the royalties. If you use one of these sites, you can usually expect to get some or even all of the following free services:
(1) copy-editing and proof-reading
(2) the design of the layout of the book
(3) the design of the book cover
(4) the author’s own web page
(5) the actual publishing of the book
(6) the collection and payment of book royalties
(7) advice for marketing the book, and
(8) a free printed copy of your book.
You should also bear the following points in mind:
- Make sure the EFL book is well written and correctly targeted at the particular CEFR level you are writing for.
- Make sure the EFL book has an eye-catching cover.
- If you don’t market your EFL book, it will not be easily found – which means that you won’t sell many copies. Take advantage of any good marketing advice that the site may provide you with – even if you have to pay a little bit extra.
- Avoid any e-book sites that don’t allow you to set the price of your EFL book.
Here are a few e-book sites that might be worth considering:
Becoming an EFL e-book author could be the first step to getting hired by a well-known publishing house. If you are successful, you can really make a name for yourself as an EFL author.