by Gale Leach

This article follows one that appeared in WITS in January 2025: https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/01/charting-your-course-how-should-you-publish/

At a writing conference in 2008, the question asked most was whether self-publishing would be viewed as a legitimate path for authors, or if it would always be labeled vanity press. Nearly twenty years later, more and more authors, new and established, embrace self-publishing because of the advantages it offers. This article will describe what many consider the best methods for making your work available to others, how these methods differ, and why you would choose one over another.

Romance, fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, and non-fiction (mainly self-help) work well with self-publishing. Traditional publishing is better for literary fiction, children's books, and academic works because it offers established credibility.

Traditional or Indie

To succeed in traditional publishing, you must be able to meet deadlines, write quickly, and have more books ready. If you want the publisher's help and expertise, you'll have to let them handle editing, design, and marketing. Your best book could be rejected in a market that prioritizes sales over quality. (This is one reason I self-published.)

With independent (indie) self-publishing, you act as publisher, manager, and business owner. First you hire the people or services to edit, design, publish, and distribute your book. You decide which distributors or retailers to use. Then you retain complete control over artistic and business decisions; you keep all profits and rights. You pay nothing until the books sell. When that happens, the retailer takes a cut, and, if you use a distributor, they take a cut as well.

The In Between

Intermediary solutions exist: assisted publishers handle some or all of the publication tasks (editing, design, formatting, distribution). You retain all rights and receive all or the bulk of the majority of the royalties, but you pay an upfront fee for services rendered. If you don’t wish to navigate the sometimes murky online waters, these services are a viable option. While I don’t believe most people with straightforward projects need them, it’s a personal choice.

Most self-published authors today choose between independent publishing and assisted publishing, depending on their expertise with the tasks involved and how much they can or want to afford for professional help. My recommendation is to give indie publishing a try. If there are steps you can’t complete, then consider asking for help from freelancers or signing on with an assisted publisher. Just be sure they are vetted—check Writer Beware and look for individual publisher names + "scam" or "review" in Google searches. Be sure to retain your rights and understand the services you're paying for.

Note: You may hear of hybrid publishing, which is a cross between independent and traditional publishing. The publisher invests in your book and helps you get it to market, while you also supply funds along with your manuscript. Rights can vary, as can payment. Be sure you know what you’re getting into if you choose this path.

Key Steps in Independent Self-Publishing

An indie author can access the same retail distribution as a traditional publisher, for both print editions and ebooks, using online services such as Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark.

8 Key Steps

1. Writing and revision

Complete the manuscript, then revise it yourself and again with the help of a critique group or other reviewers.

2. Cover design

I placed cover design second because it’s critically important, and you can begin creating your cover long before your manuscript is done. Your cover is the first thing readers see, and it must drive them to look at the description or open the book. Make sure you know the look of other books in your genre. Your cover shouldn’t mimic them, but it will sell better when it reflects the current depiction of your genre.

People may see your cover in black and white, grayscale, color, high-resolution, low-resolution, as a thumbnail, or full size. It needs to be readable at all sizes and look good on low-quality or mobile devices. I highly recommend that you hire a professional to create your ebook or print book cover. One designer recommended often is Damonza.

3. Editing

Includes line editing, copyediting, and/or proofreading. Have your final draft edited by a professional—not your Aunt Maggie, who was an English teacher, or your husband or wife.

4. Design

Get professional interior formatting (typesetting) for both print and ebook if you can afford it. Alternatively, online services have improved and work well; don't be discouraged if you use one.

5. Conversion

Prepare the manuscript file for different formats, such as EPUB for ebooks and a high-resolution PDF for print.

6. Distribution/uploading

This means choosing distribution channels (generally print-on-demand [POD] for print books and/or aggregators/distributors for ebooks) and then uploading the final files, setting the price, and writing the book description.

7. Book description

Don’t skip over the importance of this short piece of text that will be used on Amazon and elsewhere and may be printed on the back of your book. Starting on this early—even before you begin your manuscript—will clarify what your book is about and will help your book sell with a great description.

8. Marketing and promotion

You are responsible for all marketing, which can include social media, paid advertising (like Amazon Ads), email newsletters, blog tours, and arranging promotional deals.

I can’t do justice to the topic of marketing here—my hope is to tackle it in a future post. Still, be aware of certain important things that often go unsaid or unread:

Important Considerations

• Self-publishing and traditional publishing both produce similar monetary outcomes. Some authors rise to become bestselling authors. Sadly, few can support themselves with either method.
• When authors write books, they don’t consider what must happen when they finish. Previously, publishers assisted with marketing and promotion, but that day is long gone (except for bestselling authors). Today, authors must handle these things on their own, whether self-published or with a publishing group.
• This reality can be tough for authors. They struggle to gain an audience, deal with unforeseen obstacles, and face financial constraints. Authors who self-publish typically need several books and years of effort in writing, editing, marketing, and promotion to make good money.
• Be sure you are dedicated to the continual creation and promotion of your work before embarking on the publishing path, as this is a cycle that repeats as you broaden your reach.
• Note to children’s authors: you don’t market to children but to their parents or persons procuring books for schools or libraries.
  
  

Self-Publishing Platforms

Dozens of self-publishing platforms are available to DIY authors. The most popular platforms can be categorized as one of two kinds:

• Retailers (Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo Writing Life), where the author publishes directly to that platform which sells books to consumers.
• Distributors (Draft2Digital, IngramSpark) that send books and/or ebooks to retailers and libraries.

Additionally, there are print-on-demand (POD) services that allow you (or other distributors) to print as few as one copy to as many as are needed without created excess inventory. IngramSpark, Lulu, Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, Draft2Digital, Kobo, Apple Books, and Smashwords have this feature and more. The landscape can be pretty confusing.

Below is a list comparing the features of the top publishing platforms.

The top self-publishing platforms generally include Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for its massive reach, IngramSpark for print distribution and wide access, Apple Books and Google Play Books for mobile device ecosystems, and aggregators/distributors like Draft2Digital (which merged with Smashwords) for distribution to multiple retailers. Other services are Barnes & Noble Press for its specific market, Kobo Writing Life for international reach, and service providers like BookBaby.

Top Platforms and Their Strengths

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

IngramSpark

Apple Books

Google Play Books

Draft2Digital (D2D)

Other Important Platforms

• Barnes & Noble Press publishes eBooks and print books directly to the Barnes & Noble marketplace.
• Kobo Writing Life: Kobo is a dominant ebook player in several international markets, including Canada, parts of Europe, and Asia. Offers up to a 70% royalty rate on ebooks. Provides a channel for audiobook distribution.
• BookBaby: A powerful aggregator and service provider offering editing, publishing, marketing, and distribution services.
• Lulu: A platform for creating and selling many types of print products.

I have more to share, but I’ve run out of space. Stay tuned for how to create ebook files, how to self-publish a print book, maximizing your sales, and more in the third installment of “Charting Your Course.”

Which publishing route have you or do you plan to take? What platforms have you used?

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About Gale

Writing The Art of Pickleball in 2005 launched Gale Leach’s career as an award-winning author. From 2011 to 2020, she also created her own company, Two Cats Press, which published the works of six Arizona authors, including seven of her own fantasy adventure novels for children and teens. Currently, she’s at work on a fantasy series that involves technology and magic, multiple worlds, and creatures you only thought were mythological.

Gale and her husband reside in Arizona, accompanied by a rescue dog, two rescue kittens, and a bearded dragon. Her interests outside of writing include singing, playing music, genealogy, reading, crafting, and many types of puzzles and games.

You can connect with Gale on social media or her website.

Top Image was made by Gale using ChatGPT.