I have not looked into any of these publishing platforms, other than to research them, so I cannot endorse or steer authors clear of any of them. Many of these are do-it-yourself platforms, but some offer a-la-carte and full service publishing. In all cases, the author retains the ownership of the book and can terminate the contract at any time.
1.)
MindStir
Media
- Ranked as the #1 self-publishing
company website and platform according to Penny
Matters, BestTechie and iTech Post.
- Won numerous awards and, for over a decade, MindStir’s
self-publishing services and consultations have helped thousands of authors.
- Authors enjoy access to top-notch
services: book design; editorial; distribution to around 30,000 booksellers,
retailers and wholesalers in over 100 countries (through Ingram); marketing and
publicity.
- Mentoring provided from a
bestselling author.
- This is a one-stop shop platform
for self-publishing paperback, hardcover and ebook formats.
- Packages for paperback publishing start at $1899 and go up from there.
The publishing packages include cover design, formatting the book for publishing, getting and ISBN number, copyrighting the book, advertising on their Facebook page, an author page, and as many black and white images as you want within the book. One of the major selling points (according to the site) is that you receive ongoing mentoring from best-selling author J. J. Hebert. You are not actually paying them to publish as you would with a vanity press, you are paying for services that are required for publishing, but instead of having to seek out and pay for the services on your own, you are doing it all in one place. This site gives the author 50% royalties.
2.)
Barnes
& Noble Press (formerly Nook Press)
- A redesigned, user-friendly online
platform.
- As a leader among self-publishing companies, Nook Press helps authors self-publish Nook
eBooks, paperback and hardcover formats.
- Distribution is limited to BN.com
and Nook devices.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
They do not provide services such as editorial, book design, marketing or
publicity.
3.)
Rakuten
Kobo aka Kobo Writing Life
- A renowned platform that helps
authors self-publish in the ebook format only.
- eBook distribution around the
world in online bookstores in over 190 countries.
- They seemingly do not offer any
sort of services like book design, editorial, marketing or publicity.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
4.)
Seacoast
Press
- An award-winning self-publishing
platform that specializes in helping authors become bestsellers.
- Full-blown distribution through
Ingram makes the book available to thousands of retailers.
- Comprehensive marketing and
publicity campaigns built-in to its Best Seller package.
- Authors keep 100% royalties.
- This is a one-stop shop platform
that provides services for all aspects of self-publishing.
The standard package includes: a project manager, paperback or hardcover format, custom interior layout, Copyright, ISBN, social media marketing, press releases on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX affiliates, and costs $2500. This is a 100% author royalty program.
5.)
Smashwords
- Mainly a distributor of eBooks.
Their distribution makes eBooks available to major retailers and thousands of
libraries.
- Clients get their own “Author
Pages” where they can promote their work.
- eBooks must be uploaded according
to their Style Guide.
- Since this is a do-it-yourself
platform, there’s no hand-holding whatsoever. You must bring your own cover
design to the platform and your book will need to be edited elsewhere. Also,
the marketing and promotion is on the author.
6.)
IngramSpark
- An online platform for small
self-publishers.
- Assists authors in self-publishing
paperback, hardcover and eBook formats.
- Distribution is powered by Ingram.
- Files must be uploaded according
to their in-depth File Creation Guide.
- This is a do-it-yourself option.
Authors should come prepared with their own book designs. Also don’t expect
self-publishing companies like IngramSpark to help with marketing or publicity.
7.)
Blurb
- Online tools can help authors
create template-based book designs.
- Ideal for small self-publishing
projects or photo books.
- Plenty of different trim sizes and
paper types offered, including glossy interior pages.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform
that doesn’t appear to offer in-house editing, marketing or publicity services.
8.)
Lulu
- One of the oldest self-publishing companies and providers of
print-on-demand books.
- Publishing in paperback, hardcover
and eBook.
- Distribution through Amazon,
B&N and Ingram.
- They offer a do-it-yourself model
as well as a one-stop shop option. On one hand, authors can provide their own
edited files and designs and Lulu will print books based on those files.
Alternatively, Lulu offers additional a la carte services such as cover design,
editing, marketing.
Lulu is a free service, but you can purchase other services, if you desire. The services they market range from editing to book design and marketing.
9.)
Apple
Books (formerly iBooks)
- eBooks available through Apple
Books app.
- Must have a Mac computer to
self-publish through Apple Books.
- No print publishing options
available.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
10.)
Google
Play Books Partner Center
- eBook distribution to Android
users in over 50 countries.
- Books published through Google
Play can be previewed through Google Books.
- This is a do-it-yourself platform.
