OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
The rise and rise of self-publishing has meant an influx of writers into the market, and many established authors with back-lists are also joining the fun.
There is a LOT of information out there on how to publish your book, but I still get emails every day asking me how to do it.
[Please note: this post is updated over time so the information is current]
I also get emails from people who have paid $20,000+, have been utterly ripped off and are devastated with the results. This happened to me once, although with a lesser financial impact, and I am passionate about making sure authors don't fall into these traps.
With big name publishers like Penguin/Random House and Simon & Schuster signing up with Author Solutions to further exploit this kind of vanity publishing, you guys need to know there is a better and cheaper way.
I have a whole page on Publishing options here, but I thought a round-up post was called for. There are options below for publishing ebooks and print books, with DIY options and easy, paid services, so there's something for everyone.
Before you publish
Yes, you need a great book, and I believe you need to go through an editing process, and also get a professional cover design.
If you have existing contracts for your books, and /or have been published in the past, check you have the rights before you publish. If you're a new author, you have the rights and you can do what you like. You can publish in any or all of the following ways. There are no rules and you can sell globally! [woohoo!]
How to publish an ebook – the DIY option
(1) Format your book in Scrivener to create a .mobi (for Kindle), ePub for Kobo and Smashwords (very soon) or Word, PDF or loads of other formats.
Scrivener is only $45 and the compile function is just one part of the amazing writing software, which many authors (including me) swear by. I also recommend (and use) the brilliant Learn Scrivener Fast video training program which includes formatting videos.
(2) Publish on the ebook stores
For the best royalty rates, you want to go direct to the retailers if you can and the process is easy. There's plenty of help on each of these sites.
Publish on Kindle at KDP.Amazon.com
Publish on Kobo at Kobo Writing Life. You can also watch/listen to this interview from Mark Lefebvre, Kobo's Director of Self-Publishing here.
Publish on Barnes & Noble NookPress (which opened up to UK and some European countries in March 2014)
Publish on iBooks through iTunes Connect
You can also publish to all these stores and more through Smashwords (free with % royalty per book sales) or BookBaby (costs upfront but 100% royalty paid to author, or paid option with % royalty) or Draft2Digital (free with % royalty). Here's a useful post on Bookbaby vs Smashwords so you can evaluate the services.
How to publish an ebook – the paid services option
I know that some people don't want to mess around with ebook files. I used to feel like that too, but seriously, if you're publishing a lot, then try Scrivener. It will save you loads of money.
But if you definitely want help, there are lots of services that can do this, so you should shop around, check reviews and testimonials and ask other authors what they think.
Here are some options:
- Createspace conversion to Kindle file (for Amazon only)
- Bookbaby formatting
- Smashwords list of formatters
- Ebook Launch formatting
- Ebook Architects – for more complicated books
- Bibliocrunch author concierge services – or post a job to get someone to help you
How to publish a print book
Most independent authors make more profit from ebooks, so you should only consider print if you really want it for personal reasons, or if you have a live platform to sell it (e.g. speakers). Then you should consider print-on-demand as the best option as you don't have to pay upfront printing/storage or shipping costs.
If you're going to produce a print book, then also consider interior book design. You can get a Book Construction Blueprint and reasonably priced Word templates to DIY for Print on Demand services through Book Design Templates.
Only do a print run if you have the distribution sorted out – too many authors lose money this way (I certainly did!)
If you want a DIY option, and the best financial deal, then LightningSource is probably the best bet. However, you need print ready files for your cover and interior and you have to know what you're doing.
If you want an easier DIY option, with wizards and extra help, then go with CreateSpace.com, Amazon's own self-publishing company. They also have an option to make the ebook as well. If you have your own print-ready files, it is free to publish. Here's a comparison post between Createspace and LightningSource.
If you want to do print properly, soak up everything you can from TheBookDesigner.com – one of the very best blogs for self-publishers.
In terms of premium services, there are more companies offering these every day, some of them at astronomical prices, so please be very careful.
Check out Amazon's Createspace Premium prices here. Then compare what they offer to anything else you check out, since you know if you go with Createspace that you will be able to sell on Amazon.
If you like the look of a company, then check Preditors and Editors publishing guide for red flags, because a professional online site may still mean a rip-off.
Please note that Author Solutions, which is the service Random/Penguin & Simon & Schuster have chosen is marked: Not recommended. A company that owns or operates vanity imprints AuthorHouse, DellArte, iUniverse, Trafford Publishing, West Bow, and Xlibris. Here's an article about their dishonest marketing tactics on Writer Beware,
What happens next?
Obviously once the book is available at all online book retailers, it won't fly off the shelves without some help.
Read this post for starters: Help! My book isn't selling. 10 questions to answer honestly if you aren't making enough sales.
Then check out this page for more marketing ideas.
Recommended Books
If you want to read a book on the topic, then I recommend the following:
Choosing a self-publishing service – Edited by Orna Ross from the Alliance of Independent Authors
Let's get digital: How to self-publish and why you should – David Gaughran
Self Printed: The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing – Catherine Ryan Howard
APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur – Guy Kawasaki
Scrivener for Dummies – Gwen Hernandez
Writing a novel with Scrivener – David Hewson
Want to join a community of active self-publishers who help each other out with information and advice? Check out the Alliance of Independent Authors. (I'm an active member and advisor). There's also a great blog: How to successfully self-publish
Do you have any questions about publishing your book?
Please do leave questions or comments below. This is a community of LOTS of authors, new and experienced, so together we can likely answer everything! I'd also love people to recommend any services they have actually used and thought were good. (No posts from companies though – only authors!)
Top image: Big Stock Photo Ebook reader and books, Bigstock Help button,
Michael N. Marcus says
I’ve just written and published an e-book for authors who want to form their own publishing companies. I did that in 2008 to publish one book, and have since published about 30.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AVDWAA4/
Teresa Beasley says
Hello,
I have been looking for writing software that has a structure and editing element but also has a formatting element that will help me typeset for print and ebook. I do have a professional editor and graphic designer, however I would like to be able to pre-edit before sending my manuscript to the professional.
I have been debating on buying the writing software “WriteWay Pro.” Do you recommend this software?
Joanna Penn says
Hi Teresa, I recommend Scrivener, which is life-changing for writing and for publishing/formatting – here’s some more info http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/11/22/writing-scrivener-gwen-hernandez/
Marla Rose Brady says
Thank you for putting this up. It makes me realize how easily I could do this all myself. Thank you!! I do think I will be purchasing that Scrivener program. I have a work of short stories that I want to archive from 2012 and I think that would be the best way to start to get used to doing my own self-publishing. My question is, after you get self-published, how do you do press releases? How do you get other writers to review your book?
Thank you for this!!!
Marla
Joanna Penn says
Hi Marla, check out this page for info on press releases and reviewing http://www.thecreativepenn.com/marketing/
You’ll love Scrivener
Keith Allen says
Has anyone tried publishing direct to the ibookstore?
Joanna Penn says
People in the US can publish direct to iBookstore, and yes, people do 🙂
Y.K. Greene says
Thanks for this, there’s always one more person who is new to this and comes across this blog first before any others. I’m sure these tips will be helpful for them.
Garry Rodgers says
Here’s an excellent, just-released book – ‘The Self Publishing Toolkit’ by Daphne Dangerlove.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Self-Publishing-Toolkit-ebook/dp/B008VIFWW4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358272733&sr=1-1&keywords=self+publishing+toolkit
It’s the most comprehensive source of information I’ve come across and has two PDF downloads; a Resource Guide and a Workbook. It’s primarily for Kindle and CreateSpace, but the info still applies to other forms of self-publishing. Super stuff!
Karoline Kingley says
PLEASE talk about how to obtain an agent! Of all the writers/publishers blogs I follow, NONE of them have given advice in this regard! asateenwriter.blogspot.com
Joanna Penn says
Hi Karoline, I’ve written an article on agents here: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/09/13/how-i-got-a-literary-agent/
If you use the search box on most blogs, you will find lots of articles on this. You can also check out this page for more: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/publishing/
Amber Dane says
You always have the most helpful posts,love your blog. I must tell you I was thrilled to see the Scrivener link for dummies, because I am simply not getting it. 🙂 They do have some helpful tutorials on their site. Thanks again for all the other helpful links too.
Lorna Faith says
I haven’t tried using Scrivener yet…I’m going to look into it:) Sounds like that would make it easier to publish a book onto Amazon, Kobo, etc. Also thank for all the great links to other blogs and sites Joanna…what a big help!
CJ Langley says
Excellent post…so glad Aliventures tweeted about it! Solid usable information for new self-publishers like myself!
Emma says
Hi Joanna
Thanks for taking the time to write this blog, it’s absolutely fantastic! It’s so informative
Emma 🙂
Ed says
Thanks Joanna….great stuff…..
Werner says
Hi Joanna,
This is a great post. It’s also timely as I’m just starting a new endeavor – a project – using everything I learned from indie-authors, like yourself, to write and publish my own ebooks.
Thank you,
Werner
Daphnée Kwong Waye says
Thank you for posting this. It never hurts to have lessons be told again and again. Helps a lot!
Shane Roe says
I really like this article. Thank you! Also, what I’d really like to see is how to e-publish your own picture book. Actually I have a short story in verse that I’d like to publish in picture book form, with some stanzas on a page, then a picture to go with it, etc. Any tips on that specific niche you can give would help a lot.
Joanna Penn says
Hi Shane, the word from children’s indie book authors is generally that Apple iBooksAuthor is the way to go, as it is the easiest software to create the image heavy books, enhanced ebooks and apps. I’ll be trying to get someone on to talk about this later in the year.
Shane Roe says
Thanks, Joanna!
Guy Allen says
Do you have any comments on Booktango.
They published two ebooks for me and distributed to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and a couple of others. It was done at no cost to me. They even put together the covers. The downside: I’ve sold only 4 books. Any suggestions.
Joanna Penn says
Hi Guy, as above, I suggest going to the distributors directly as much as possible as it means you can tweak things more easily e.g. price, cover art, description, keywords – all these tweaks can make a difference to sales (more here: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/10/12/help-my-book-isnt-selling/ )
I haven’t used Booktango but everyone should look at the business model of the site they use and whether they would be best going direct.
Karen Fisher-Alaniz says
Joanna, I have a question. Do any of these self publishing services not allow you to put your work up elsewhere? Sorry if it’s a stupid question. Also, is there any order that you would go through these and would you have them publish on all formats simultaneously? Oh and one more – if someone (like me) is a complete novice, is there one that you’d recommend we start with? Thanks so much! ~Karen
Joanna Penn says
Hi Karen,
If you go with KDP Select, which is an opt-in part of Amazon KDP, then you can’t publish your book anywhere else. I have several articles on this – check out this page for more on that: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/publishing/
But everywhere else, or Amazon without KDP Select, means you can publish anywhere and everywhere – that is your right, if you own all the rights.
In terms of an order, if you’re publishing everywhere, the actual publishing bit doesn’t take very long – so you can do them all in an hour or two once you have the files ready and your descriptions, keywords etc sorted. But starting with Amazon KDP is the best right now as they have the biggest share of the market.
Colin says
Hi,
I am a complete beginner in this field. I have loads of ideas, some beginning chapters, poems and notes but really haven’t a clue about where to start in putting together a book. Any advice I feel would be helpful to just get that first book completed. All comments welcome, thank you. Colin
Joanna Penn says
Hi Colin, this post is meant to be the help you need! also check out this page: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/resources/ which includes more help on the editing side and actually putting a book together as well as publishing.