Recently I enjoyed a delightful conversation with a debut novelist that reminded me of the steps required to succeed in publishing.

If you’re new to the process, take a deep breath. Believe me, many writers publish a first book without a clear understanding of the tasks undertaken to reach visibility. I was among them. A traditional deal didn’t materialize, my critique partners suggested I publish Treasure Meindependently, and I was off to the races.

If you’ve done your homework (and I hope you...