Dec 1, 20237 min read

Which self-publishing ebook option is best for debut authors?

Self-publishing has been on the rise for some time, especially as the traditional publishing industry consolidates and barriers to entry become more formidable. Even established authors are looking elsewhere to avoid signing away the rights to their work.

Self-publishing hopefuls find themselves in a digital sea of publishing retailers, book aggregators, and freelance creatives offering various get-your-book-ready services.

We'll dig deeper into each of these areas in the coming weeks, but today's feature is about self-publishing retailers for ebooks. What are the major retailers for debut authors to consider? Which are most likely to make your ebook a success? Let's get into it.

What is a Self-Publishing Retailer?

A self-publishing retailer is any platform that allows an author to self-publish an ebook and sell it directly to their specific customers. Most self-published authors rely on ebooks sold in digital stores, so many upload their work to multiple retailers simultaneously.

For example, Amazon is a self-publishing retailer. An author can use Amazon services to self-publish their book and upload it to Amazon. The book is then available for customers to purchase in the Amazon store - but only in the Amazon store.

What is a Book Aggregator?

A book aggregator is a specialist service that simultaneously distributes your self-published ebook to multiple retailers. This is a popular option for authors willing to pay a bit more for the convenience of not uploading to each retailer individually.

This article focuses on ebook retailers, but we cover book aggregators here.

Self-Publishing Book Retailers For Debut Authors

Retailers for self-published authors offer ebook and print-on-demand options.

Self-Publishing Retailers For Ebooks

New authors have many self-publishing retailers to consider when deciding where to publish their ebooks. These retailers allow authors to self-publish and make their work available to customers of their specific store.

These four stand out as the best ebook retailers for debut authors:

Amazon KDP
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble Press
Kobo Writing Life by Rakuten Kobo

The bottom line: All four platforms allow authors to upload their ebooks for free in exchange for 30% of their sales on most ebooks. Amazon KDP has the widest market reach. None require exclusivity, meaning you can publish on all four platforms simultaneously without penalty.

Keep reading for more information about each platform and links to their publishing services.

Amazon KDP for New Authors

Amazon KDP allows authors to upload their ebooks for free in exchange for a portion of their profits. Amazon sells more ebooks than any other retailer and releases over 1.4 million self-published books annually (Check out these stats).

You can choose from two royalty options on KDP:

Option 1: Amazon takes 30% of profits from ebooks. To be eligible, you must price your ebook between $2.99 and $9.99.
Option 2: The company takes 65% of your ebook sales.

If you sell under the first option, Amazon subtracts the delivery cost from your royalties. The company recommends considering the 65%-to-Amazon option if your ebook has many high-res images that could increase your delivery fee.

Amazon also reserves the right to "price match" your ebook, which can also impact the amount you make in royalties.

You can read more about the two royalty options and how they are impacted by various situations on Amazon's comparison page.

Amazon also offers print-on-demand services for readers to purchase physical copies of a book, with up to 60% of sales going to the author. Check out more information about paperback and hardcover royalties before selecting this option.

Amazon KDP vs. KDP Select

KDP Select is similar to Amazon KDP (discussed above) but provides authors with more opportunities in exchange for exclusive rights to sell their ebooks.

KDP Select authors get access to special promotions that help market their ebooks and placement in the Kindle Unlimited library, an all-you-can-read library for subscribers. In exchange, the author agrees not to publish the ebook on any other platforms.

A Quick Overview of Amazon's Publishing Services

Before we move on, it's worth taking a moment to break down Amazon's publishing services to avoid confusion as you explore your options:

Amazon KDP is the general ebook retailer service.
KDP Select is the ebook retailer service that gives authors access to promotions and placement in the Kindle Unlimited library in exchange for exclusivity of the work.
Kindle Vella is a relatively new option that allows authors to publish a series, one episode at a time. Readers pay per episode, vote for their favorites, and earn royalties differently than Amazon's other self-publishing options.
Amazon Publishing is Amazon's traditional publishing division (not for self-publishing).

Apple Books for New Authors

Apple Books is another excellent option for new authors who self-publish ebooks. Authors can upload their ebooks into the Apple Books library for free, taking home 70% of their sales for most ebooks.

Unlike KDP, Apple Books does not charge a delivery fee. 70% is actually 70%.

As a self-publishing retailer, uploading to Apple Books will only place your book in the Apple store. You are free to simultaneously publish it elsewhere, but you will need to do so yourself.

Apple customers are notoriously brand loyal. In fact, many report only buying ebooks from the Apple Books store as they primarily use Apple devices. This makes it worth the extra uploading effort for most self-published authors.

Barnes & Noble Press for New Authors

Barnes & Noble Press allows authors to upload their ebooks for free, taking 30% of ebook sales priced above $2.99. It's known for being easy to use and rolling out new services for self-published authors, such as the ability to run marketing campaigns.

Barnes & Noble Press does not require exclusivity for authors. You can publish on other platforms as you publish here.

Barnes & Noble also offers authors a print-on-demand option for readers to purchase physical copies of their books. Barnes & Noble takes 45% of these sales, plus the cost of printing. If you sell over 1,000 copies in a year, you can apply to get your books on the shelves of Barnes & Noble stores.

Kobo Writing Life through Rakuten Kobo for New Authors

Kobo Writing Life is a self-publishing platform that allows ebook uploads for free in exchange for 30% of ebooks priced over $2.99 and 55% for ebooks priced less than that. It also provides promotional opportunities for authors without requiring exclusivity.

This Canadian company (owned by a large Japanese e-commerce company) might not sound familiar to American ears, but it holds a significant portion of the international ebook market. It is an excellent option for authors who want to make their books available to readers worldwide.

Self-Publishing Services for Print Books

Most self-published authors publish in ebook form on digital platforms. If you want a print copy for the brick-and-mortar market, you'll want to consider alternatives to those covered above.

These platforms offer print distribution services to multiple retailers. You can use them in conjunction with ebook retailers, or on their own, depending on the platform.

Services for Self-Published Print Books:

KDP Print (Amazon)
Barnes & Noble Press
IngramSpark
Blurb
BookBaby

We'll do a feature on these services in the next few weeks, so don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter if you're interested in learning more about them.

How to Choose a Self-Publishing Service for New Authors

Now that you know your ebook publishing options, which should you choose? The answer really depends on what you're looking for from the platform.

Ask yourself these questions to determine your priorities:

How important is market share to me?
How much work do I want to do regarding uploading and marketing?
Am I willing to give up my ability to publish on multiple platforms?
Do I want a print-on-demand option?

Here's my two cents:

Publish simultaneously on all four platforms if you are willing to do the extra work of uploading and marketing your books. You'll need to format your ebook for each platform, set up separate promotional campaigns where available, and market your book extensively through outside channels, such as social media. You'll likely be successful if you do it all (and do it well).
Choose KDP Select for the most market reach with the least amount of uploading and marketing work. You'll sacrifice your ability to publish elsewhere, but Amazon has the widest ebook market, anyway. You'll also be able to focus your efforts on Amazon's available promotional tools and get immediate access to the KU library. If you choose this platform, it's still in your best interest to market through outside channels, such as social media.
Choose KDP or Barnes & Noble Press (or both) if you want print options available for purchase. Both of these will offer print-on-demand services that allow your readers to order hard copies of your books.
Generally, I've concluded from this research that it doesn't make sense for most self-published authors to publish ebooks only on Barnes & Noble, Apple, or Kobo. If you're going to publish your ebook on only one, you might as well choose KDP Select for its benefits.

An Ethical Note

Some authors and readers are unhappy with Amazon's business model, especially as it relates to indie authors. In fact, there was another call just this month to cancel Kindle Unlimited subscriptions in protest of the company's policies.

However, it's also worth noting that many indie authors took to their own social media pages to call for an end to the boycott, pointing out that such action hurts the authors relying on KU income much more than Amazon as a company.

I'm not here to plant a flag, so I'd just encourage you to research every company and decide for yourself who you want to publish with. Your priorities are your own, and you should make the best decision for you.

Suggestions for Further Reading

Interested in more info? Check out the links to my research for this article:

Did you enjoy this article? Read more mini-features for readers and writers.

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