Self-Publishing FAQs
Simple, clear, and straightforward answers to the most frequently asked questions about self-publishing.
There are two main types of publishing
Traditional publishing: In this process, you typically write a query to find an agent; if successful, you then write a book proposal, so your agent can seek a publisher. If you find a publisher, you may be paid an advance against royalties. The publisher manages the editing and production process, distribution, and some marketing. While the publisher pays most costs upfront, it also gets the bulk of revenue from book sales; you receive a smaller portion of the sales in royalties.
There are two main types of publishing
Traditional publishing: In this process, you typically write a query to find an agent; if successful, you then write a book proposal, so your agent can seek a publisher. If you find a publisher, you may be paid an advance against royalties. The publisher manages the editing and production process, distribution, and some marketing. While the publisher pays most costs upfront, it also gets the bulk of revenue from book sales; you receive a smaller portion of the sales in royalties.
Self-publishing or independent publishing: In this process, you are in charge of everything from writing to editing to production to marketing. If you have the skills, you can do it all yourself, or you can hire people to help with any of these functions. If you choose to use WDP’s low-cost production service, we take care of the entire process, and we set your book up for print-on-demand worldwide distribution with Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP and IngramSpark. When your book sells, KDP or IngramSpark takes care of the printing and shipping. They take their book printing and service costs out of what the buyer pays, and you, the author, receives all other monies or sales revenue.
What is POD (print-on-demand) printing?
Print on demand publishing means that as one book is ordered (on Amazon, for example), one is printed. You benefit because you do not need to order a garage full of books. You can purchase 1, 10, 50, or 925 books to have inventory to sell at events and reorder as you need. That means you aren’t burdened with the upfront costs. Print-on-demand books are digitally printed and best for word-heavy books. Offset printing is best for books like picture or photo books. The quality of digital printing is very good and gets better every year. Most books on the market are printed on demand.
WDP sets up your book with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and IngramSpark.
Bowker is the official ISBN agency for the United States. Every book that is for sale in the marketplace needs an ISBN. The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors. If you are selling your printed book on your own (direct to reader sales from your website, book shows, book signings, etc.) you are not required to have an ISBN. However, if you wish to have any other type of distribution through online retailers, distributors, or other catalogs, an ISBN is required.
What is POD (print-on-demand) printing?
Print on demand publishing means that as one book is ordered (on Amazon, for example), one is printed. You benefit because you do not need to order a garage full of books. You can purchase 1, 10, 50, or 925 books to have inventory to sell at events and reorder as you need. That means you aren’t burdened with the upfront costs. Print-on-demand books are digitally printed and best for word-heavy books. Offset printing is best for books like picture or photo books. The quality of digital printing is very good and gets better every year. Most books on the market are printed on demand.
WDP sets up your book with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and IngramSpark.
- Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP, is Amazon's self-publishing platform that allows authors to sell their books to Amazon's massive audience.
- IngramSpark is a print-on-demand company owned by Ingram that allows authors to self-publish in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.
Bowker is the official ISBN agency for the United States. Every book that is for sale in the marketplace needs an ISBN. The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors. If you are selling your printed book on your own (direct to reader sales from your website, book shows, book signings, etc.) you are not required to have an ISBN. However, if you wish to have any other type of distribution through online retailers, distributors, or other catalogs, an ISBN is required.
What is the difference between traditional publishing, vanity publishing, and self-publishing?
Traditional Publishers
Traditional publishers invest their money and resources believing that books will sell. The publishing house pays for editing, design, publication, and distribution. Since these companies are trying to make money, it is difficult for unknown authors to get published through them. Books are often published two years after acceptance, and royalty payments are small and don't begin until they recoup all of their investment.
Vanity/Hybrid Publishing: Vanity or hybrid publishers differ from traditional publishers in that the author assumes all the risk and pays the publisher. While vanity presses offer services like cover design and editing, there is a major catch. Once a manuscript is published, they assign you one of their ISBN numbers, and royalties go to them, which means they distribute the amount of royalty they want you to have. The author usually gives up all rights to their book once it appears in the publisher's catalog. After you pay them to get your book edited, designed, and published, they give you a small percentage of the royalties they receive and charge you an inflated rate for author copies of your book. A word of caution. You don't know how far God will take your book. Never give up the rights to your work. For instance, if you have written a great story and some producer wants to turn it into a movie, the vanity publisher owns your work, so they get the credits and the money.
Self-Publishing: Self-publishing is aptly named because you do it yourself, but you keep ALL THE rights and royalties when your book sells. The author is responsible for purchasing the ISBN, registering the copyright, production management, and marketing. Companies like Williams DocuPrep help writers who don't have the time, energy, or knowledge to edit, design, format, and publish a book by providing professional services including cover design, editing, and print-on-demand publishing. Yes, we charge a fee for our professional service, but you are the publisher, you are in control. The selling price, the content rights, all belong to you. Once your book is in print, all the profits/royalties are yours. There is no split with us.
What's an ISBN?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit code that uniquely identifies your book. Each edition (first, second, etc.) and format (hardcover, paperback, eBook, etc.) of your book requires a separate ISBN. Some self-publishing companies require you to purchase an ISBN for your book, while others offer a free ISBN. A free ISBN can only be used on the platform that owns it. for instance, a free KDP ISBN can only be used on KDP. A free IngramSpark ISBN can only be used on IngramSpark.
A vanity publisher’s free ISBN makes them the actual publisher; they own the rights and get the money. I have been working with authors and small publishing companies for nearly two decades, providing writing, editing, and book production work. I advise my clients to purchase their own ISBN.
Each country has an approved and designated agency that issues ISBNs for publishers and self-publishers located in that country. Bowker is the official ISBN agency for the US; Nielsen is the official ISBN agency for the UK and Ireland; Thorpe-Bowker is the official ISBN agency for Australia. Please make sure you are acquiring you ISBN from their country’s approved ISBN Agency. To find the approved ISBN agency for your country click here.
Do I need a copyright?
No. According to the US Copyright Office, “Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.” But if you want to file a lawsuit against someone for copyright infringement, you’ll need to register your work. Some writers do, and some don’t bother with the process.
How much money can I make writing and self-publishing a book?
No one can guarantee that you will sell a certain number of books. Self-published authors can make up to 70% royalties on a single book sale, while traditionally published authors usually make between 5% and 18% royalties. The time and effort you put into marketing your book will determine how much money you will make as an author. You have to let people know about your book. If you don't let people know your book exists, then you should not expect to earn.
What are the most important things to know if you want to write and publish a book?
You want to know why you are writing a book and what you hope to achieve as a result of writing it. For instance, someone who wants to grow their business approaches a book differently than a writer who has a fantastic story to tell or wants to publish a memoir. You also want to know who your target audience is. What do you want them to gain from reading your book?
How can a book coach help me write my book?
If you have ever struggled with getting started, getting stuck, or knowing what to say or how to say it, a publishing coach can help. A book coach will help you uncover why you are writing a book, who you are writing it for, and help you organize the material to have the most impact. A good book coach will keep you motivated and focused on your goals for the book and set you on a path to successful publication and launch.
How long does it take to publish a book?
On average, with WDP, if your manuscript is complete, the publishing process takes between one and six months, depending on how large it is. Once we receive your manuscript, we start working on it within a couple of days to get you a first proof as soon as possible. Your book cannot be published until we complete the proofing process and you approve it for publishing.
Traditional Publishers
Traditional publishers invest their money and resources believing that books will sell. The publishing house pays for editing, design, publication, and distribution. Since these companies are trying to make money, it is difficult for unknown authors to get published through them. Books are often published two years after acceptance, and royalty payments are small and don't begin until they recoup all of their investment.
Vanity/Hybrid Publishing: Vanity or hybrid publishers differ from traditional publishers in that the author assumes all the risk and pays the publisher. While vanity presses offer services like cover design and editing, there is a major catch. Once a manuscript is published, they assign you one of their ISBN numbers, and royalties go to them, which means they distribute the amount of royalty they want you to have. The author usually gives up all rights to their book once it appears in the publisher's catalog. After you pay them to get your book edited, designed, and published, they give you a small percentage of the royalties they receive and charge you an inflated rate for author copies of your book. A word of caution. You don't know how far God will take your book. Never give up the rights to your work. For instance, if you have written a great story and some producer wants to turn it into a movie, the vanity publisher owns your work, so they get the credits and the money.
Self-Publishing: Self-publishing is aptly named because you do it yourself, but you keep ALL THE rights and royalties when your book sells. The author is responsible for purchasing the ISBN, registering the copyright, production management, and marketing. Companies like Williams DocuPrep help writers who don't have the time, energy, or knowledge to edit, design, format, and publish a book by providing professional services including cover design, editing, and print-on-demand publishing. Yes, we charge a fee for our professional service, but you are the publisher, you are in control. The selling price, the content rights, all belong to you. Once your book is in print, all the profits/royalties are yours. There is no split with us.
What's an ISBN?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit code that uniquely identifies your book. Each edition (first, second, etc.) and format (hardcover, paperback, eBook, etc.) of your book requires a separate ISBN. Some self-publishing companies require you to purchase an ISBN for your book, while others offer a free ISBN. A free ISBN can only be used on the platform that owns it. for instance, a free KDP ISBN can only be used on KDP. A free IngramSpark ISBN can only be used on IngramSpark.
A vanity publisher’s free ISBN makes them the actual publisher; they own the rights and get the money. I have been working with authors and small publishing companies for nearly two decades, providing writing, editing, and book production work. I advise my clients to purchase their own ISBN.
Each country has an approved and designated agency that issues ISBNs for publishers and self-publishers located in that country. Bowker is the official ISBN agency for the US; Nielsen is the official ISBN agency for the UK and Ireland; Thorpe-Bowker is the official ISBN agency for Australia. Please make sure you are acquiring you ISBN from their country’s approved ISBN Agency. To find the approved ISBN agency for your country click here.
Do I need a copyright?
No. According to the US Copyright Office, “Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.” But if you want to file a lawsuit against someone for copyright infringement, you’ll need to register your work. Some writers do, and some don’t bother with the process.
How much money can I make writing and self-publishing a book?
No one can guarantee that you will sell a certain number of books. Self-published authors can make up to 70% royalties on a single book sale, while traditionally published authors usually make between 5% and 18% royalties. The time and effort you put into marketing your book will determine how much money you will make as an author. You have to let people know about your book. If you don't let people know your book exists, then you should not expect to earn.
What are the most important things to know if you want to write and publish a book?
You want to know why you are writing a book and what you hope to achieve as a result of writing it. For instance, someone who wants to grow their business approaches a book differently than a writer who has a fantastic story to tell or wants to publish a memoir. You also want to know who your target audience is. What do you want them to gain from reading your book?
How can a book coach help me write my book?
If you have ever struggled with getting started, getting stuck, or knowing what to say or how to say it, a publishing coach can help. A book coach will help you uncover why you are writing a book, who you are writing it for, and help you organize the material to have the most impact. A good book coach will keep you motivated and focused on your goals for the book and set you on a path to successful publication and launch.
How long does it take to publish a book?
On average, with WDP, if your manuscript is complete, the publishing process takes between one and six months, depending on how large it is. Once we receive your manuscript, we start working on it within a couple of days to get you a first proof as soon as possible. Your book cannot be published until we complete the proofing process and you approve it for publishing.
