Ready to Self-Publish? 7 Great Sites to Make Your Novel Reality!
If you’re like me and want to seize control of your book’s destiny (as best as possible), then self-publishing is the way to go. It does involve extra work and expense, but in the end, you keep the profits. Thanks to the internet, it’s much easier for authors to go independent. I recently shared my insights on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, but there are so many other businesses you can turn to for support.
Why Self-Publish?
Aside from the financial benefits, you may want to consider publishing on your own to maintain creative control. While it is more expensive up front, self-publishing requires fewer concessions than you’d find with a publishing house.
So, while you have to pay for an editor, create your cover design, do all the marketing, and other ancillary details, you have the final say over how your novel creatively presents itself to the world.
What’s more, you’re not sitting around sifting through rejection letter after rejection letter, waiting to get your story onto shelves, digital or otherwise. Instead, once your manuscript is written and refined, and you finalize all the details with a self-publishing company, you can get your novel live instantly.
All of these were attractive qualities for me, though if you still want to try the traditional route, I’ve thoughts about that as well.
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Selecting a Self-Publisher
These days, most self-publishing companies offer much of the same support. But there are defining factors that will set them apart, which is why you’ll want to do your research. Things like pricing, distribution reach, quality of printing, and customer service will likely be determining factors when you get down to it.
So take your time, do the research, and hopefully, you’ll find the best fit for your storytelling needs. While the list I’m providing here isn’t exhaustive, I hope it gives a basic idea of where you can start.
A standout publisher online, Lulu offers creators a great deal of flexibility and return on their investment. You get 80% of every sale after printing costs and have access to global retailers like Barnes & Noble. To get your novel ready for retail, they provide access to vetted services for editing, promoting, and other needs for any genre or publication style. Their packages can be pricey, but the extras are welcome.
Their claim to fame is more quality illustrated printing, like magazines and photo journals, but they offer services for paperback and ebooks and have a great eye for detail. They also offer competitive pricing options for bulk orders (though not as good as KDP) and don’t take any distribution fees for their decent access to retail prospects. They also provide access to professionals for everything from design and original artwork to editing and publicity, helping you get your novel its best chance at success.
You may have heard of that other e-reader that isn’t a Kindle, and it’s probably the Kobo. Kobo is a fantastic avenue for ebook publishing, with straightforward options and setup like KDP. Plus, they have a big cut of the Canadian market and the in-born e-reader audience! Once you get the ball rolling with your published work, they have a robust set of analytics to help you track performance and make better decisions for the business side of your novel’s journey.
Another publisher that offers a bevy of options to create your ideal novel launch, iUniverse prioritizes quality. That said, you’re going to pay for it. They have a higher price tag than some of the other options in this list but with the features to match, like one-on-one support and peer connections, global distribution, access to possible rewards to boost credibility, and access to in-house designers and editors.
Another specialist in ebooks, Smashwords gets your book onto the shelves of a great collection of digital distributors, guaranteeing you a 60% return on your listing price (or 80% in their proprietary storefront!) They also offer access to audiobook production, a great way to get your book to people, as so many consume stories this way.
Another perk is access to literary agents if you want to take your writing career in that direction. While their list of services could be more appealing than some, the price is suitable for many indie authors.
With a name nearly as old as printed books, Ingram is a great name to associate your novel with if you want to benefit from its clout and reach. They also give you control over what cut of the royalties you want, which can help you market to certain retailers if boosting your credibility is more important than earning. But they charge a setup fee, so if you’re looking for a budget option, this isn’t it.
Moreover, many complain that navigating their publishing options and setup is clunky, so you’ll need patience to overcome the learning curve. However, if you can, IngramSpark is one of the few options on the list that can compete with the reach of Amazon.
Last but not least is my publisher of choice. BookBaby is easy to work with and offers a great list of services like cover design, access to editing services (which I used for a second pass after my initial editor worked on my manuscript), marketing support, and audiobook recording, too.
They sit higher on the pricing bracket, but even as a young author, I found the bang worth the buck and was so happy dealing with them. They have an incredibly user-friendly interface and offer reliable customer service. You also get access to a big list of distributors (like Ingram’s!) to help you generate sales globally. I highly recommend them if you’re willing to invest a bit more in the process.
When deciding to self-publish, I didn’t want for options, as you can see. Again, this is a small taste, but you can find a publishing service to suit your price and needs with enough perseverance.
The most significant thing you’ll want to consider is distribution if nothing else, when deciding where to put your money. Because if people aren’t reading your book, then what’s the point?
If you find the self-publishing process overwhelming, I offer a great course (if I do say so myself) that you can check out to help you avoid some of the pitfalls I found. You’re also welcome to reach out to me at jsims@jairesims.com or connect with me on social media.
About Jaire Sims
Award-Winning YA Author, Course Creator, Blogger, and Self-Publishing Consultant. At twenty-one and as a junior in college, Jaire was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Fast forward one year, Jaire proved that he had overcome all of the challenges he had faced up until this point by graduating from Monmouth College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies.
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