You’ve done it! The sweat and tears have paid off, you’ve prepared your book for distribution and you finally have a book ready for market. So what are your options for distributing a self-published book?
Selling copies through your business or via your website is an option, but what about all of the potential buyers who have never heard of your business?
To reach these new markets and potential clients, you’ll need far wider distribution.
Where do you start?
There are loads of different distribution options available and it can be a bit overwhelming trying to work out is best for you. In this post we’ll look at a few different options to alleviate some of that overwhelm.
Distributing a self-published book: IngramSpark
IngramSpark is a publishing platform that offers integrated print and digital distribution services. Your book must be finished and formatted before you submit it and then IngramSpark will take care of printing, shipping and distribution.
Print versions of your book are fulfilled through a print-on-demand service and shipped directly to the buyer. Printing and shipping costs will depend on your book type, the volume ordered and shipping locations and you can order as few or as many as you like.
These guys have a huge distribution network, offering access to over 40,000 booksellers, online retailers and libraries around the world for your print book. They also connect your eBook to every major eBook retailer (including Amazon Kindle, Book Depository, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Chapters-Indigo, Barnes and Noble's Nook, and about 70 emerging retailers).
You get paid when your book is sold through their distribution network. You’ll earn between 45-70% of the list price less the printing costs for any hard copies and 40% of the list price for eBooks.
Distributing a self-published book: Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital (D2D) provides free tools and software to help create your book if it isn’t print ready just yet. They'll also distribute eBook and paperback books to major retailers online through a combination of direct relationships and partnership with IngramSpark (see above).
Blurb Direct Sell gives you a personal storefront (and shelf space in blurb’s online bookstore) that you can include in your blog, website, or Facebook page. You get 100% of the profits from these sales (after printing costs).
Distributing a self-published book: Kindle Direct Publishing (previously CreateSpace)
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon's direct publishing platform, so this option is all about getting print books distributed via all of the Amazon online stores and eBooks distributed for Kindle.
Your print book will be available as a print-on-demand product via most Amazon marketplaces and your eBook will be available through all of them. You set the list price and will get the profit after subtracting printing costs and Amazon’s share, which varies by marketplace.
Distributing a self-published book: Grammar Factory Publishing
This is a little cheeky, but our final distribution option is us! At Grammar Factory, we offer a range of publishing services that include the option to have your book (print and eBook) distributed through all off the above channels, giving you access to the widest possible self-publishing reach. This includes major book retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters-Indigo, Booktopia, the Book Depository, Waterstones, Apple, Kobo and many, many more.
You’ll also get 50 copies of your book (with the option to easily order more), which you can sell from your website, hand out to potential clients, give to attendees at speaking engagements, or any other strategy that supports your business objectives.
There you have it
While there are other self-publishing and distribution options out there, these four will give you a good idea of your options and what to expect once your book is ready to go to market.
Want to learn more? Check out our post about preparing your book for distribution.
