The Low Down on Ebook Distribution: How Your Book Can Reach Millions Of Readers Worlwide

so you've written a book, where are you going to sell it?

According to an article published on Geekwire.com in May, 2018 traditional publishers’ eBook sales have dropped, while non-traditional publishers’ such as Amazon, who cater to independent authors, have taken off. But how does an indie author take a book from manuscript to eBook? Who are the other non-traditional players in the publishing industry and how do they compare? Options vary as far as which retail outlets they sell to, foreign market availability, other formats of production, royalty percentages and how royalties are paid out.

Amazon KDP

Of course, everyone has heard of Amazon’s Kindle eBooks. Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP (kdp.amazon.com) is Amazon’s indie eBook publishing platform. The website is easy to navigate, all of the information you need at your fingertips, with clearly marked links. KDP Jumpstart is a step-by-step guide for creating and publishing your eBook. Your book can be available for download in as little as 48 hours and physical copies available through print-on-demand. There are no up-front costs to the author and royalties range from 35-70%. The higher royalties are available through their KDP Select program which offers extra promotional tools and a larger market but includes an exclusivity agreement, which means that eBooks distributed through KDP Select are only available through Amazon. Royalties are paid via direct deposit, wire transfer or check. The minimum threshold for royalties to accrue before payment can be made through check or wire transfer is $100. There is no minimum for direct deposit. While Amazon has marketplaces all over the world, it may not dominate the eBook field in other countries as it does in the U.S., so international markets may not be as lucrative when using Amazon’s KDP. Unless you opt for KDP Select, you have the choice of using other distributors for foreign markets.

Smashwords

Smashwords.com bills itself as "World's largest eBook distributor for self-published authors and small independent presses” with global retail and library distribution to Apple iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and several others. Notably, Amazon is not on their list of retailers. The website offers style guides, “how to”s and a podcast for authors. Physical copies are not available, but through a partnership with Findaway Voices, audiobooks are! There are no up-front costs and royalties range from 60-80%. Royalty payments are made via check or PayPal, with a minimum threshold of $75 for check payments. As with Amazon, although Smashwords does distribute globally, they are mainly invested in the U.S.

Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital.com has no style guides and encourages authors to be creative. They distribute to several retail outlets including Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble. They do not offer physical copies on demand, but they do offer PDFs that the author can download and use with a third party to produce paperback copies. Like Smashwords, Draft2Digital offers audiobooks through Findaway Voices. There are no upfront costs. They take 15% of royalties at the back end. If you refer another author to Draft2 Digital you are eligible for their affiliate program which pays a percentage of Draft2Digital’s cut of the other author’s royalties. They offer several forms of payment including PayPal and direct deposit with a $100 minimum threshold.

Publishdrive

Publishdrive.com offers 24/7 customer service for authors and distributes to several retailers including Apple iBooks, Google, and Amazon, including several of Amazon’s foreign competitors. No physical or audio formats are available. There are no upfront costs and Publishdrive keeps only 10% of royalties. Unlike most distributors who require incoming funds to have cleared before royalties are paid out, royalty payments are guaranteed to the author. Publishdrive pays the author even if the company doesn’t actually receive the funds from the purchase. Royalties are paid through wire transfer, local bank transfer, check, PayPal or prepaid debit card. Payment threshold is only $5 in most cases.

Feiyr

Feiyr.com is a British company who distributes through Amazon, iTunes, and European retailer Tolino. Feiyr also distributes music and audiobooks. There is an upfront fee of 9.90£ ($12.98), but authors keep 90% of royalties. Royalties are paid via bank transfer or PayPal with a minimum threshold of 25£ ($32.77)

All of the eBook publishers listed here retain only non exclusive distribution rights for your eBook. In all cases but Amazon KDP Select, the author retains the right to distribute elsewhere.