Here are the answers that I have since found myself...

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1. Follow the content about self-publishing on YouTube and blogs
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There are now hundreds of good posts that contain information that would otherwise take a long time to find out for yourself.
The best comprehensive guide I've found is The Freedom Shortcut by the Mikkelsen twins.
@JamesAltucher has also written some good articles on the introduction to self-publishing, for example this one.