Finish your manuscript. Once you submit your manuscript for publishing, it is placed into the public's domain. Errors aren't received well. Make sure you have a polished, error-free manuscript to publish. Edit for spelling errors, wrong sentence construction or grammatical mistakes.
Format your manuscript. Choose which size you'll want your book to be--standard hardcover sizes range from coffee-table picture book size to a small, standard 5-by-8-inch version. Find the format options on your word processor and select the trim size of the book that you want.
Research self-publishing services that print hardcover books. These services request that you upload your formatted book to their site as a PDF. When uploaded, you can design the cover either by creating it yourself or working with the site's design team to create the cover. Pick your retail price, as most self-publishing sites allow you to decide the selling price, which determines your royalty rate. When you upload your book and create your cover, you may order a proof copy. View your proof copy, which you may have to pay up-front, and make sure it is error-free. If it is ready, let the site know to proceed. If it has errors, correct them and re-upload the manuscript to the site to be proofed once more before publication. Visit the website Self-Pub.net for more information on how to format and self-publish a book.
Consider publishing your book traditionally rather than through self-publishing services. Many traditional publishers typically release a hardcover and a softcover of a book when published. Visit your local library and purchase the book "2010 Writer's Market" by Robert Lee Brewer. Look through the book to find editors and publishing houses that are seeking manuscripts. Read their guidelines carefully, as many require a hard copy of the manuscript to be sent to their offices. Some may prefer email. Visit the website for Poets & Writers Magazine to look through its press database. You may find presses that accept submissions online.