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is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date.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,
Nigel says
Hi Phillip,
I have only recently started publishing – just one book and one “booklet” so far. I have been using Amazon for both print and Kindle. If you start an Author’s page with them, the books you publish through them are shown, both print and digital. Also, when people find your book on Amazon, both editions are listed.
Personally, I feel it might catch someone who is interested but doesn’t want print as well as one who wants print, not digital. Also, Kindle apps are available across several platforms.
Whatever you decide, I hope it goes well for you.
Regards,
Nigel
Phillip Davis says
Thanks, Nigel. Best of luck to you too!
Rosemary Gegare says
Could someone tell me what DIY means?
Thank you.
Rosemary
Hans Maerker says
Hi Rosemary,
DIY stands for Do It Yourself, and is not only used for self-publishing. It’s a generic term for anything that you do yourself instead of buying a related service or product.
Hans
Jeff Bach says
So I did a search on this entry and did not come up with my word. That word = Xinxii and it is another publishing route that I find quite intriguing. For those of us in the US, Xinxii is a route into many ebook stores “found” on the Euro continent. German, French, Spanish and more. Some of their agreements may require that your ebook have an ISBN. I have emailed Xinxii a couple different and have quickly received responses even though there is a six or seven hour difference, so I have to give a shout out to Matthias and Patricia for answering my questions so fast! I’m sure many of you on the Euro slab of granite already know about it, but for me here in the US it gives me a shot a being a “global” author!
Slainte
Jeff
Jeff Bach says
To be clear, my ebook is in English only at this point. My goal is to reach the English reading population overseas. Would love to offer translated works, but so far my topic is a very narrow specialty (Making Bent Shaft Laminated Canoe Paddles) and I’m not seeing a large enough demographic to justify the expense of translation. Hopefully, English readers in the EU are interested though!
Hans Maerker says
Jeff, you’re absolutely right about XinXii. It’s a pretty good chance for those who want to break in the European market with their books and not just depend on Amazon or Kobo. Amazon is great but XinXii is a good addition if people are not exclusively dealing with Amazon.
Back in Germany, those authors who don’t speak enough English, use XinXii.de where everything is in German only. Just like Amazon with their sites offered in German or English. The majority of Germans like to read books in their own language.
I created an account with XinXii to get familiar with their procedures for the German market. BTW, according to several different sources, the German book market is the third largest right now. Agreed, your book is very specific because it’s non-fiction, but fictions has a large opportunity there.
It all started in my case, when I saw a grammar error on their English website, let them know about it and they corrected it within hours. Got me some nice ‘thank you’ email in German and the offer to be welcomed on their site at any time. It sometimes pays off to be bilingual. 🙂
Marcia Holah says
Thanks for your email today about which tools you use as a writer. Great stuff!!! Brilliant and helpful suggestions. I am just about to purchase Scrivener and I am ploughing my way through all your links for more great ideas.
Your site is a font of wonderful hints and tips for us newbies.
I’m addicted. Keep up the good work!!!
Sherry Marshall says
Hi,
A couple of basic but important questions. How do I find a good E book maketing person to help market my E. book on Amazon and Smashwords etc. How do I find a good editor for my next book which is romance fiction?
Thanks so much. Your information is so useful.
Joanna Penn says
Hi Sherry – here’s some editors – http://www.thecreativepenn.com/editors/
and in terms of marketing, I only share about doing it yourself here. http://www.thecreativepenn.com/marketing/
All the best 🙂
Evan says
Hello!
I am the author of Um, Like…OM: A Girl Goddesses Guide to Yoga (Little, Brown & Co. 2005). The rights were recently reverted back to me, and since I still get requests for printed copies from yoga studios nationally and internationally, I’d like to do a re-print of the book (with some edits and updates). Print-on-demand seems like a great option, but I also do not have any of the files for the work (just hard copies). I’d like to keep the cover and inside artwork all the same. What is my best course of action to print more copies? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!
Best,
Evan 🙂
Joanna Penn says
HI Evan, this is the site for converting hard copies into files:
http://boundbookscanning.com/
You’ll need to check whether you have the rights to the cover and interior artwork. It may be that the text rights reverted to you, but those may remain with the publisher. Recommend you check before trying to use them yourself.
Mark Cundy says
I have been drawing up a plan for publishing my thriller – which I am now revisiting after reading up on the excellent info on this site!!
One query I had is about setting up as a sole trader/ltd company and all the tax stuff – especially as I still have a full-time job.
Do I need to do this? Or can I just as a private individual start publishing e-books? I appreciate the odds on huge successes are slim, but am a stickler for ‘doings thing s properly’
Thanks
Joanna Penn says
Hi Mark,
You can just start publishing as yourself, and when you make some money, just declare that income on your tax return.
If you want to make this your business, and intend to write a lot of books, and grow the income substantially, then yes, definitely look at how you want to do this in terms of structures. But it’s not a necessity.
My own personal approach is to prepare for success, so I have a Limited Company, but I do this for my fulltime income and am in the minority 🙂 all the best, Joanna
Jim Driver says
Great post, Joanna, thanks. Can I ask are you a student of Geoff Shaw?
Margarita says
Hi Joanna! Thanks for the great information about how to publish my book. I had a question about finding an editor. I would like to hire someone to help me or is there a better way? I’m more of a one on one person and I need feedback to see if I’m headed in the right direction during my writing process. Please let me know.
Thank you!
Margarita
lidy says
What formatting program app should you use if you have a google chromebook, as a different option from the scrivener software which isn’t supported on the chromebook?
ronald jerome says
There is another book scanning business that can digitize your files as well at http://www.custombookscanning.com that I’ve used in the past with great results.
Sheryl Beaumont says
Hi, can you suggest the best Word to ePub conversion software or website? Thanks
Peter Allerton says
Creative Penn you are the BEST! I’ve visited this website for all kinds of info and it’s never let me down. Many thanks, I’ve already linked you into my new blog.
One note on cover design, I found a great illustrator and a wonderful cover designer on Fiverr – it took a lot of shopping around but it was well worth it!
P.S. I wonder what the Creative Penn’s stance is on Kindle Select demanding exclusivity..?
Joanna Penn says
I’m generally not a fan of exclusivity – but if you are a new author, or have a new series, it’s probably worth it for 90 days to get things moving.
Joanna Penn says
and thanks 🙂 I’m glad you find the site useful!
Peter Allerton says
Just had some trouble posing so hope this isn’t a duplicate! Anyway, thanks Creative Penn for all your wonderful (free) advice! – I’ve linked you into my new blog as a thank you hehe.
Also, I’d like to recommend shopping around on Fiverr for an illustrator and a cover designer (don’t ask someone to do both for the same price – it’s never as good) – it took some shopping around but was WELL worth it!
I’d like to ask C.Penn what she thinks about Smashwords asking Kindle to drop the exclusivity clause on their ‘Select’ programme.
Shauna Raiger says
There is a self-publishing site called lulu.com. I was wondering if anyone on this site had heard of it and what their opinions on it was. I am a new author looking to publish my own books, and I am not quite sure how to go about it.
Joanna Penn says
Hi Shauna,
Lulu is not on the recommended list of the Alliance of Independent Authors – I recommend you check out this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CC0NYCM/
Inês says
Hi. I’m Portuguese and I’ve just written a book the problem is I wrote it in english. So what should I do? Translate it?
Heidi Mae says
Are you able to self publish through Amazon, Nook, iBooks, and Kobo all at once if you’re a new author? You keep your rights to the book when you self publish, correct?
Joanna Penn says
Yes, absolutely. If you haven’t licensed your rights to a publisher, you can do what you like.
Jack says
Thanks, Joanna. That blows up one of my fears/assumptions. I was under the impression that if I published on CreateSpace that I transfer all rights to Amazon for that work (and all characters in it).
Or is there something special you have to tick to assure that does not happen?
Anyway, it takes a load off the decision if I can simply pursue multiple routes.
Time to keep sorting through your treasure trove. 😉
Joanna Penn says
No, you’ll be fine – you keep the rights – they just publish the book 🙂