



Where will your book be made available for sale? Will your work be listed on some of the most well-known online bookstores, or just within the self-publishing company's internal bookstore? What does the self-publishing company offer you as an author? How much work will you need to do with your manuscript before you submit it for publishing? Are these services included with any fees paid, or will you pay a la carte for each one you need? What will you expect to pay upfront, and what will your royalties be? While some self-publishing services are "free", almost all of them take a percentage of your profit when you sell copies of your book. Here are several handy criteria to bear in mind, to help you make your decision: Graphic artists, but most of the process of self-publishing takes out the guesswork and hassle - which saves you time and money every step of the way.Īs you evaluate the many self-publishing companies available today, you'll quickly see that they vary widely in terms of services offered, costs, and reach for prospective readers of your work.

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You can still access any add-on service you may want, like professional editing or book covers designed by There's no need for a warehouse stocked with your books when Print-on-Demand publishing has made it easy and economical for copies to be made whenever needed. The good news is that technology has made it possible to get your work published with very few of the costs formerly associated with the process. To see thousands of copies on the shelves at your local bookstores and beyond, you'll find many services that will give you everything from full-color packages to marketing and beyond. On the other hand, if the sky's the limit and it's your dream How much are you able - and willing - to spend to publish your work? If you're starting out on a shoestring, you may want to give more attention to the self-publishing companies that will format, publish and list your book at absolutely no cost you'll just pay out of the royalties on whatever you actually sell. Why go through the time and effort to format and publish your book through KDP if you can invest the same resources and have it distributed much more broadly?Īt the end of the day, self-publishing with KDP is affordable, but your book will be seen much more broadly when you use one of the services that distributes it to a wide variety of channels.Ī related question is your budget. Other self-publishing services make it possible to distribute your book not only on Amazon but many others, such as Google, Apple, and OverDrive. The biggest limitation with using Kindle Direct Publishing is that your work only appears on the Amazon-based platform. There's a calculator on the KDP site that can help you estimate your royalties and printing costs, but the example provided says that on a 333-page paperback that lists for $15, you can expect to earn a total of $4.15. You get a fixed rate of 60%, minus any printing costs. Paperback royalties are calculated differently. These include list price requirements, sellingįor at least 20% below the printed book price, and so on. Before you think "Of course I'd choose to get 70% of my royalties!" be aware that your book has to meet certain requirements to be eligible for the higher-paying option. With respect to eBooks, you have to choose between two royalty options: 35% or 70%. While KDP lets you get your book published for free, you certainly will pay your fair share in royalties. You'll find a link to that tool in the KDP's Frequently Asked Questions section. You need those tools, you can take a look at KDP's list of recommended companies that specialize in those areas.Īlso, if your book contains a lot of images, you may need to use the Kindle Create tool to tackle the formatting. You won't be able to access any professional editing or formatting services, however if There's even a comprehensive suite of resources called KDP University that can assist you through each stage of the self-publishing process. You can get step-by-step directions through KDP Jumpstart, or take advantage of the self-guided resources also available. You may like the tools available to walk you through the process. So, is KDP the best way for you to self-publish your novel, memoir, or biography? Kindle is probably the world's best-known platform for eBooks, and everyone knows that Amazon started out as an online bookseller.
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