Self-publishing
Know the independent route, even if it is not your first choice.
Self-publishing can offer speed, control, and direct access to readers. Traditional publishing can offer editorial teams, established distribution, rights infrastructure, sales relationships, and institutional reach. The right path depends on the book and the author’s goals.
Core self-publishing platforms & services
Amazon KDP
Publish Kindle ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks/hardcovers for sale through Amazon.
🌐IngramSpark
Print-on-demand and distribution tools connected to Ingram’s global book-distribution network.
📲Draft2Digital
Wide ebook and print distribution tools, formatting, metadata, and author services.
🔢Bowker ISBN
U.S. authors who want to own their ISBNs can obtain them from the official U.S. ISBN agency.
©️U.S. Copyright Office
Official registration and copyright guidance for U.S. creators.
🧭Jane Friedman
Independent, hybrid, and traditional publishing analysis with strong business context.
Before choosing a service
Watch the difference between self-publishing and vanity publishing.
Paying professionals for editing, design, printing, or distribution can be legitimate. The danger is a company that presents itself as a selective publisher while making its real money from selling expensive services to authors — especially with pressure, unrealistic sales promises, or claims of special access to major publishers.
If your goal is a major trade publisher
It can make sense to pursue the agent-and-publisher route first, then make an informed decision later if the project does not find the right home. The manuscript is an asset; choose the path deliberately rather than from impatience.