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Books have become a staple of modern life. Writing a book is not as easy as people might think it is! It is a very daunting task. And it is especially overwhelming for the new writers. As a new writer, you need to put in a lot of effort, a lot of ambition, and a lot of discipline. More people than ever before are becoming authors these days. Even for bestselling authors, sitting down to write the first page can be the most difficult part of the writing process. Writing a book is an attainable goal if you take it one step at a time. You've spent all the time getting done with your manuscript. What comes next is the period of aching to get it published. This is when you're on the verge of becoming an author. You've got the resources, the intent, and even the book cover. What alternatives do you have from that point on in getting your book published? If you're still confused about what route to take, go through the pros and cons of the finest options available.
MEANS OF PUBLISHING
Regarding publishing your manuscript, there are two major alternatives to opt for: Either you go with self-publishing, or you can go with the "traditional" publishing. The only difference is the approach toward publishing and its dimensions. Traditional publishing has perks regarding packaging, printing, and distribution of books. Still, with the self-publishing approach, authors feel more in control of the marketing tactics, the book's content, and the printing and publishing process.
THE ASPIRING JOURNEY
The journey of becoming an author and having a promising career from being an aspiring writer has become easier with the advent of technologies and the emergence of the digital era. The idea behind this adverse conception of book publishing is to give the author a ground by introducing him to a wider customer base and giving back the royalties to the author. That's how it works. The traditional way of publishing is lacking in these particular departments. Each company proffers a different option and methodology when publishing the book, and it's totally up to the author who to opt for. Each company has its pros and cons. Authors were previously considered responsible for the printing process and the marketing course. Self-publishing companies have made this easier by lifting the weight of factors other than writing from the author's shoulders. You can't rely only on one platform because there are other competitors with their USPs. It is important to look out for all the available prospects, ultimately expanding your portfolio. Depending upon the niche of the book and considering the targeted audience, it's up to you to choose the suitable option.
AMAZON KINDLE DIRECT PUBLISHING (KDP)
Royalties: Up to 70%
Cost: Free
What comes to mind when you hear "the best retailer globally"? Amazon right? It is the case indeed. Through the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Amazon allows millions of authors worldwide to publish their books online. Amazon is the platform with the strongest customer base. When it comes to providing support for the metadata as well as the content in multiple languages, Amazon has it sorted. It gives you the option of print-on-demand services. And it does by converting the EBook version of the manuscript into paperback. The ISBN is the most important element that distinguishes your book from millions of others. Amazon even gives out free ISBNs. Amazon leverages authors to run promotions on their books by setting up a budget and a time limit on it through Amazon KDP Select. Authors can even set their books for free if they want to. You can earn a royalty of 70% by enrolling yourself in the Amazon KDP Select program. All these KDP advantages make it the best company for self-publishing your book. However, remember that Amazon operates in 13 countries while Google functions in around 75+ countries globally! May it be the dominant one, but still, you know who the big player in the game is.
BARNES AND NOBLE PRESS
Royalties: Up to 70%
Cost: Free
Barnes and Noble Press was primarily known as the Nook Press. This is again among the easiest and most user-friendly platforms to publish books. It's a good platform; however, it has a barrier to entering the physical stores, unlike Amazon or other brick and mortar stores. It offers a flat royalty of 65% on the books, priced between $2.99 and $9.99. They are among the giants in US and UK too. Barnes and Noble Press is undoubtedly a key player in the market. There's not a single reason NOT to publish your book through B&N.
APPLE BOOKS (Apple iBook Author)
Royalties: Up to 70%
Cost: Free
Besides the iPhone and MacBook, Apple is known for its strong customer base in the book publishing industry. As the number of Apple users went up, so did the number of downloads from the Apple Books platform. Like Amazon, Apple offers the authors a flat 70% royalty. It is important to mention that for utilizing Apple Books to its full potential, one must be a Mac user, and the manuscript format should be EPUB, which is not a popular choice to go with. This option can't be overlooked given the numbers on Apple products' sales charts, especially when we're talking about the second biggest eBooks retailer after Amazon.
GOOGLE (Google Play Books)
Royalties: Up to 70%
Cost: Free
Google is the leading and arguably the biggest search engine this world has ever seen. The lesser-known fact about Google is that it provides a self-publishing service through Google Play Books. Google Play is the best platform to download music, movies, mobile applications, and books, and Android users can relate. The vast consumer base gives Google the eligibility to be in this quest for book publishing platforms. How about reaching billions with capital B! Create your account, upload the manuscript, and you're good to set up the price. It's that easy. Amazon operates in 13 nations. However, Google operates in over 75 countries worldwide! Even if it is the dominating one, you know who the major player in the game is. Google Play works on an affiliate marketing program that can pay up to 7% commission to the author on every unit sold. How good can that be! Utilizing Google Play, authors can run promotional programs with ease.
KOBO (Kobo Writing Life)
Royalties: Up to 70%
Cost: Free
Kobo is a Canadian self-publishing company, and it alone accounts for almost half of the EBook sales in Canada. Likewise, Amazon KDP, Kobo has Kobo Writing Life (KWL) which serve author globally by fulfilling their publishing requisites. According to the users, it is one of the easiest and most efficient platforms to publish books. You can upload your manuscript for free. Within the next 72 hours, it will be officially included in their book catalog. Keeping away from the aggregators, Kobo proffers many marketing and promotional programs to the authors. Over the years, Kobo has collaborated with the best players in the publishing industry worldwide. One of the giants Kobo collaborated with was the French distribution partner (FNAC) for the print-on-demand facility. Amazon stays at first, but the growth of Kobo can't be overlooked. Over the years, it has been a strong competitor of Amazon in particular areas.
THE VERDICT
Regardless of your book's niche (or the publishing platform you opted for), the differentiator lies in the promotions, marketing, and reaching out to potential readers. It's all about getting into the lime. Look out for what works best for you, which particular platform suits you and your manuscript, and always tweak accordingly. The best part is that all the platforms mentioned above will enable you to market, sell, promote your story and make something big out of it!
