Self-publishing means you handle the production and distribution yourself instead of going through a traditional publisher

When you self-publish, you own the process. You decide when the book comes out, what it costs, what the cover looks like, and where it sells. A traditional publisher handles those decisions for you—and takes a cut of the money—but also pays for editing, design, and marketing upfront. Self-publishing puts the cost and the work on you, but you keep the revenue.

The basic path is the same for almost every self-published book: finish your manuscript, format it for print or digital, upload it to a distribution platform, and set your price. The platforms handle printing copies on demand (so you do not have to buy inventory) and selling them online. You pay a small fee per book printed or a percentage of each sale.

Most self-published books go to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, or both. Kindle reaches readers on Kindle devices and apps. IngramSpark reaches bookstores, libraries, and other retailers. Some authors use both to maximize where their book can be found.

Key Takeaways

  • Self-publishing requires you to pay for editing, cover design, and formatting upfront, but you keep all revenue from sales instead of sharing it with a publisher.
  • Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is free to use and reaches the largest audience of digital readers, but limits where else you can sell your ebook.
  • IngramSpark costs money to set up but lets your book appear in bookstores and libraries through standard distribution channels.
  • You need a finished, edited manuscript, a professional cover image, and formatted interior files before you can upload to any platform.
  • Print-on-demand printing means no upfront inventory cost—the platform prints each copy when someone orders it and sends you the profit.

What you need before you upload

Your manuscript must be finished and edited. Self-publishing does not mean skipping editing—it means you pay for it yourself instead of the publisher doing it. You can hire a freelance editor through Reedsy, Upwork, or local writing groups. Editing costs range widely depending on the book length and editor experience, but budget for at least several hundred dollars.

You need a cover image. This is not optional—readers judge books by covers, and a poor one will tank sales. You can hire a designer on Fiverr, 99designs, or Reedsy, or use a template tool like Canva if your budget is tight. The cover must be the right dimensions for your platform: Kindle has different specs than print books, and IngramSpark has different specs than Kindle.

Your interior text must be formatted correctly. This means the fonts, spacing, margins, and page breaks have to match what the platform expects. Word documents often do not format correctly when uploaded—you may need to convert to a different file type or hire someone to do the formatting. Many platforms provide templates or formatting guides to help.

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing for ebooks and print

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is free to use and reaches the most readers. You can publish an ebook, a paperback, or both. The ebook version goes to Kindle devices and the Kindle app on phones and tablets. The paperback version is printed on demand when someone orders it.

For ebooks, you upload a Word document or other file format, set your price (usually between $2.99 and $9.99), and choose whether to enroll in Kindle Unlimited. Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service—readers pay a monthly fee and can read unlimited books. If you enroll, your book can only be sold on Amazon, not elsewhere. If you do not enroll, you can sell the same ebook on other platforms like Apple Books or Smashwords.

For paperbacks on KDP, you upload the interior file and cover file separately, set your price, and KDP calculates how much it costs to print. You keep whatever is left after printing costs. A 300-page paperback might cost $4 to $5 to print, so if you price it at $14.99, you keep around $9. KDP handles the printing and shipping when orders come in.

IngramSpark for reaching bookstores and libraries

IngramSpark is owned by Ingram, the largest book distributor in North America. If you publish through IngramSpark, your book can be ordered by independent bookstores, chain bookstores, libraries, and online retailers beyond Amazon. This matters if you want your book in physical stores or if you want to reach readers who do not use Amazon.

IngramSpark charges a setup fee (currently around $49 for a single title) and takes a larger cut of each sale than KDP does. You upload your interior and cover files, set your wholesale price (what retailers pay), and IngramSpark calculates your royalty. A book priced at $14.99 retail might have a wholesale price of $7.50, and after printing costs you might keep $2 to $3 per copy.

The tradeoff is reach versus profit per book. IngramSpark gets your book into more places, but you make less money on each sale. Many authors use both: KDP for ebooks and direct sales, IngramSpark for print distribution to stores and libraries.

Pricing and royalties

Your price is up to you, but it has to make sense for your book's length and category. A 200-page novel typically sells for $12.99 to $16.99 in paperback. A 50-page guide might be $4.99 to $7.99. Look at similar books in your genre to see what readers expect to pay.

On KDP, you set the retail price and keep a percentage. For ebooks, you keep 35% or 70% depending on the price point and whether you use Kindle Unlimited. For paperbacks, you keep whatever is left after printing costs. On IngramSpark, you set a wholesale price and keep what remains after the distributor's cut and printing costs.

Do not price too low hoping to sell more copies—readers often assume cheap books are low quality. Do not price too high if you are unknown—you need sales to build reviews and visibility. Most first-time self-published authors price conservatively and raise prices later if the book gains traction.

Marketing and getting readers to find your book

Publishing the book is the straightforward part. Getting people to buy it is the hard part. You have to tell people it exists. This might mean a website or blog, social media posts, email to friends and family, or paid ads on Amazon or Facebook. Many self-published authors spend more time and money on marketing than on publishing.

Amazon has tools to help: you can run ads through Amazon Advertising, offer the book free for a few days to build reviews, or enroll in Kindle Unlimited's promotional program. Getting reviews matters because Amazon's algorithm shows books with more reviews to more readers. Ask readers to leave reviews, but do not pay for fake ones—Amazon removes them and can ban your account.

Building an email list of readers is one of the most reliable ways to sell future books. If you have 100 people who will buy your next book on day one, that signals to Amazon that your book is popular, and the algorithm promotes it to more people. Many self-published authors treat their first book as a way to build that list.

Common mistakes to avoid

Skipping professional editing is the most common mistake. A self-published book with typos and awkward sentences will get bad reviews and low sales, even if the story is good. Budget for editing—it is the single best investment you can make.

Using a poor cover is the second mistake. Readers see the thumbnail on Amazon or in a bookstore and decide in seconds whether to click. A homemade cover or a cheap template often signals low quality. Spend money on a professional cover or use a high-quality template service like Reedsy or 99designs.

Pricing too low or too high without research wastes sales. Look at what similar books cost and price accordingly. Pricing a 400-page novel at $2.99 suggests it is not worth reading. Pricing a 100-page guide at $24.99 prices out casual readers.

Expecting sales without marketing is unrealistic. Self-published books do not get shelf space or publisher promotion. You have to tell people it exists. Even a small marketing effort—telling your email list, posting on social media, asking for reviews—makes a difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use Amazon, or can I publish elsewhere?

You can publish on other platforms like Apple Books, Google Play, or Smashwords. However, Amazon has the largest market share for ebooks and print-on-demand books. Most self-published authors start with Amazon because that is where most readers are. You can publish on multiple platforms at once, but if you enroll in Kindle Unlimited, your ebook must be exclusive to Amazon.

How much does it cost to self-publish?

Costs vary widely. A minimal budget might be $500 to $1,000 if you use template tools and hire a freelancer for editing. A professional budget is $2,000 to $5,000 for quality editing, cover design, and formatting. You do not have to pay to upload to KDP, but IngramSpark charges a setup fee. Print-on-demand means no upfront inventory cost—you only pay when someone buys the book.

Will bookstores carry my self-published book?

Independent bookstores sometimes will if you approach them directly and offer a wholesale discount. Chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble rarely stock self-published books unless you have significant sales history. Publishing through IngramSpark makes it possible for bookstores to order your book through their normal distributor channels, but they still have to choose to stock it. Libraries sometimes accept self-published books, especially if you are a local author.

How long does it take to publish?

Once your files are ready, uploading to KDP takes a few hours and your book can go live within 24 to 48 hours. IngramSpark takes longer—usually 2 to 4 weeks for your book to appear in the distribution system. The real timeline is how long editing, cover design, and formatting take, which can be weeks or months depending on your manuscript length and how quickly you hire people.

Can I change my book after I publish it?

Yes. You can update the files on KDP or IngramSpark anytime. Changes usually go live within 24 to 48 hours. You can fix typos, update the cover, or change the price. However, if your book is already in print through IngramSpark, physical copies with the old version may still exist in the distribution system for a while.