Collect the tracks for the album. If you're releasing the album as a CD, it can be no more than 73 minutes long -- unless, of course, you decide to go the double-album route. MP3 albums have no set time limitation; however, keep in mind that the listener's attention span is finite, and a tight set of ear-catching songs has more impact than a sprawling collection of tracks.
Arrange the songs in order. If you have one killer single, put it near the beginning of the album -- ideally as one of the first three tracks. Arrange the songs to create a flow for the album. Draw inspiration from the track arrangements of albums that you like: for example, the Pixies' classic album "Doolittle" alternates its more upbeat, major-key songs with moodier, slower tracks.
Design a cover for your album. Use a drawing or photograph of your own for the cover, then use a graphics editing program to incorporate your artist name and the title of the album. A standard CD album cover is 709 by 709 pixels in size; if you're only releasing a digital version of the album, these exact dimensions are less important. Print out the cover if you're releasing a physical CD.
Master and normalize the tracks for the album. This process ensures that all of the songs on the album have the same volume levels and dynamics; without it, your album will sound disjointed and unprofessional. Professional mastering houses are fairly affordable and provide high-quality results; however, you can also use the compression and normalization effects in a digital audio workstation to create your own master.
Package the album for distribution. For a small-scale CD album release, burn the albums onto CD-Rs yourself, then assemble the jewel cases and covers. If you're releasing a digital version of the album, convert the master sound files into several different formats. For example, you could provide an MP4 version for portable audio players, a 320 kBps version for DJs to play and a FLAC version for audiophiles. Be sure to add comprehensive ID3 tags to the songs, and embed the album artwork into every song.