Check your work. This is an extremely important step. Pay to have a grammar expert look over your text and correct errors. It's worth the cost to change mistakes before you distribute, rather than getting notes on your work from your customers.
Choose on online self-publishing website that has a community board where you can ask questions from other writers. A web-based writing community that promotes self-publishing is a great support system for new and upcoming writers. Ask questions on community forums and make sure the self-publishing process is the right one for you.
Format your manuscript to the specifications listed on the website of the company you choose. Most online self-publishing sites prefer the final file to be in PDF format. Some online companies offer templates and programs you can download to bring your file to size and specifications. A popular format now is an ebook. Many online self-publishing sites provide ebook formatting for digital readers. Taking the time to format your book for Kindle and other digital readers will eliminate the distribution of a physical copy and save costs for you, your customers and your publisher. Many readers still prefer hard copy over ebooks, so it's wise to format your book for both types.
Upload your final file. The online formatting will produce a digital version of your book that you can proof from your computer. You will also be able to either design your cover through the online publishing site, or upload a cover that you've designed yourself. After making any and all changes you can from your desktop, order one copy to be sent to your house, and check for any mistakes, cut off words, wrong colors, blank pages. Read your book from cover to cover and make any necessary adjustments. When the proof meets your approval, you are ready to distribute.
You can handle distribution of hard copies one of two ways: You can publish with a company that prints and distributes your book at a set price. Or you can print in bulk, ordering the copies for yourself and handle your own distribution. The first way tends to be more expensive, because the company you publish through will print either one book at a time, which is expensive, or you have to pay for a large sum at once and they will distribute for you, which also comes at a cost. If you order in bulk and handle your own distribution, you will have to hold and ship every order of your book. Decide which way works best for you.
Set a price for your book. Research prices of books similar to yours and try to stay close to competitors' costs. If you are handling your own distribution, consider the cost and time it will take to fill and ship orders and add this either in the shipping total or the retail price of the book.
Create a blog or website to promote your book. Display photos of yourself and the cover of your book. Write a clear description of the work your are selling. Is it for adults? Teens? Children? Do you have a personal story you would like to share about your process as a writer? The more approachable you are as a person, the more support you will draw from your audience.
Start a Paypal account or a merchant account so that people who want to buy your book can do so over the Internet. Paypal has a "buy now" button you can copy and paste into the code of a blog or website. If your self-publishing company is handling your distribution through its own site or through Amazon, then you should provide a link from your website to the site where your book is displayed for purchase.
Join online writing communities. They are the best source of feedback and support. Share your book with the communities you join. Don't expect everyone to be a fan but keep sharing links to your site and your work, and eventually you will build a following.
Keep at it. Self-publishing a book may not be hard in itself, but creating a fan base and making money at selling your books is not easy. Be prepared for a slow start and learn from the experience. Your next self-published work will be better.