Authors who are self-publishing print books have essentially two options for affordable print-on-demand (POD) and distribution to Amazon and other online retailers:Amazon KDP PrintIngramSparkFor years, first with CreateSpace and now with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Amazon has enjoyed a competitive advantage because it provides a free ISBN—the mandatory unique book identification number—for selling books in print through book retailers. It is an important reason why Amazon’s market … [Read more...]
How to Use Amazon KDP Print for Advance Reading Copies-ARCs
Using Amazon KDP Print (formerly CreateSpace) POD (print-on-demand) to print an ARC, or Advance Reader Copy is easy. Note that these are also sometimes referred to as an advance review copy, galleys, or an advance reader’s edition (ARE).An ARC is nothing more than a free copy of your book that you share with potential reviewers in advance of the publication date.In this article I want to talk about timing, how to format your book, and share my experiences using Amazon KDP Print to produce … [Read more...]
Create a Self-Publishing Imprint Logo Design-Resources and 18 Examples
What is a publishing imprint?A publishing imprint is the name of your publishing company. This name is:Displayed to the public wherever you sell your book.Recorded in book industry databases used by retailers, book wholesalers, and book distributors.Listed on your book’s copyright page, and often included in your book’s sales and promotional materials.The name assigned to your ISBN(s).It can be an invented name or the name of one’s existing business, or some variation. New publishers … [Read more...]
KDP Print ISBN Options: How to Choose and Converting from CreateSpace-2018
TL;DR: KDP Print ISBN options are the same as they were with CreateSpace. If you choose the free ISBN option, be aware of its limitations. As always with ISBNs, the devil is in the details and usage depends on your goals. Details below. KDP Print ISBN options are the same as CreateSpace CreateSpace has offered 3 ISBN options since 2016 and those are:A free ISBN. The name of your publishing imprint is CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Purchase 1 ISBN for $99 in the name of … [Read more...]
How to Use IngramSpark to Personalize the First Page of Your POD Book
Should I use CreateSpace or IngramSpark? is a question I often hear. They both have their advantages and drawbacks. But IngramSpark just added a new feature that I suspect will take some time for Amazon’s CreateSpace to match (if they even care): the ability to personalize individual copies of a book. There are all sorts of reasons and opportunities to personalize books:Thank you gifts to people that helped you. Like those you thanked in the acknowledgment section, or who wrote a … [Read more...]
Case Study: Tips for Updating a First Book to Market Your Second
Anyone who has published one book knows how hard it is to build an audience. Everyone starts here. For those that persevere, a second book is a way to leverage all that hard work of audience building. It gives your fans something else to buy from you.At the same time, launching a second book always attracts new readers. Some may buy that new book. Some may decide to start with book 1. Either way, one of the best investments you can make is to ensure the two books cross-market each other. As … [Read more...]
Amazon KDP Print or CreateSpace for Paperbacks? 2018 Update
September 2018 Update: Also see my article about KDP Print ISBN Options: How to Choose and Converting from CreateSpace. Don't be fooled by the notices Amazon is mailing out regarding your CreateSpace books.The convenience of managing your Kindle eBook and paperback in a single account is undeniable. Using a single login, you can upload book files, access sales reports, create and manage AMS ads (Amazon Marketing Services) and manage book metadata using KDP Print.But is using KDP … [Read more...]
A Rapid Publishing Checklist for Authors in a Hurry to Release a Book
Rushing a book to market is not something we often recommend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Many AuthorImprints clients are eager for one reason or another to launch their book on Amazon as quickly as possible.Maybe they need a book for an event, or to meet a season or current event-driven timetable. Then there is the book-as-a-business card reason—it’s less about sales and more about promoting yourself, so sooner is better.If you find yourself in one of those camps, here are … [Read more...]
How to Manage a 99designs Book Cover Contest
I consider book cover design to be one of the most challenging steps in the process of producing a finished book:It is critical to the marketing of a book. Everyone you ask for input seems to have a different opinion. Good covers are often a big investment. (Big might be a relative term.) You might have an idea but communicating that vision is another story (for most of us). If you are self-publishing, you may be the wrong person to judge the ideal design.Take your pick, it … [Read more...]
Book Barcode Basics When Using CreateSpace or IngramSpark POD
If you are planning to use a POD printer you probably do not need to buy a barcode. I say that because most new indie or self-publishers use print-on-demand printers like CreateSpace and IngramSpark (or sister Lightening Source) and these printers provide the ISBN barcode free.The book cover you submit to these POD printers will have a blank (white) rectangle on the back—this is where their printing presses place the barcode for your specific book at the time it is printed. Said another way, … [Read more...]
