When self publishing there are plenty of options for distribution. From selling your book directly, to going exclusive with Amazon, to going with everyone but Amazon, to a hybrid version of all three. Each option comes with pros and cons, and in the end, it depends on your goals, and the level of effort and time you have. For my first novel I decided to go WIDE. Which basically means, publish it via as many platforms as possible, including Amazon. My thought process was, even though Amazon (and others) offer better exclusive distribution royalties, I didn’t want all my eggs in one basket. Of course, Amazon kinda has the market by the balls. KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is very easy to use, setup, and get published to Amazon. Their print-on-demand service is also very, very good in quality and consistency. It’s hard as a self-published author to pass up, while also being on the world’s largest book store. It sucks but it’s a necessary evil unfortunately for unnamed authors. My first novel, HOST, broke even which is amazing. 83% of my books (digital and print) were sold via Amazon. Now, could that have worked if I didn’t publish to Amazon and focused my marketing efforts on a different platform? Maybe? But I don’t think it would have had the same success as it did if it wasn’t on Amazon. Sad truth.
For my next novel, Zero Trust, I’m still planning on publishing WIDE. Same setup as my first. Another reason I like going wide is I can say ‘you can find my book wherever you buy books’ to me that is more powerful than a few extra cents per copy if I went exclusive (anywhere btw). I also think it’s a better long term play. Building a catalog that can be found in as many places as possible equals greater exposure. Why wouldn’t I want that? Only 7% of my books (so far) have been sold on other platforms. If I put a little marketing and promotion effort toward those others platforms, that could increase, and I’ll reach a new audience. A goal for 2027.
Services like IngramSpark and Draft2Digital are some of the bigger distribution options out there. I currently use IngramSpark and will most likely use them again. I wouldn’t say I’m the biggest fan of theirs (UI, book setup, and reporting feels weak) but I’m going to give it another shot with my next book and see how it goes.
All that is to say, there are plenty of options. For me going WIDE with a combination of KDP and a WIDE distribution platform like IngramSpark was the right move. Saves me time, effort is medium, and they both offer features that can help get exposure. In the latest episode of Writer Syndrome we get into a bit more nitty gritty with KDP Select and what that offers authors, as well as a few more pros / cons of each. Check it out below!
