A Comprehensive Guide to Self-Publishing Platforms: Insights from Estee Houston

In the third part of a four-part series, the speaker collaborates with four authors to order proof copies of hardcover books from major self-publishing platforms, including KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu, Barnes & Noble Press, and Blurb. The focus is on comparing quality, cost, fulfillment time, and other factors to help authors choose the best publishing avenue for their print books.

Indie author and YouTuber Estee Houston published her first book, 'Blood of the Lily,' in October 2021. The book is a 6x9 hardcover with black and white print on cream-colored paper, featuring a matte cover and totaling 174 pages.

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) distributes hardcover books to six Amazon regions, with additional availability in Canada and Australia. However, hardcovers are not available for Japan or expanded distribution. Authors receive 60% of sales minus print fees, but the base print cost for hardcovers is higher than for paperbacks.

KDP announced a change in their base print costs effective June 2023. Currently, authors can choose from five trim sizes and various paper options, but standard color print is not yet available. Hardcovers can range from 75 to 550 pages, which may limit options for shorter books.

Estee Houston's proof order for her book cost $7.59, totaling $12.02 with shipping and taxes. She ordered the proof on April 18, 2023, and it arrived on April 21, 2023, showcasing a quick fulfillment time of three days. The proof was shipped in a cardboard box, a notable improvement over previous padded envelopes.

KDP watermarks all proof copies, which is a drawback. The speaker compared the hardcover proof to the paperback version, noting differences in color saturation, with the hardcover appearing brighter than intended. Additionally, the hardcover proof did not sit flat, with some separation in spots, affecting overall quality. Despite these issues, the speaker rated KDP a 2 out of 5, citing the need for improvement in print quality and features.

IngramSpark offers the widest distribution reach among print-on-demand options, connecting authors to over 40,000 retailers and libraries globally, including major players like Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Authors can set their royalty rates based on wholesale discounts, ranging from 45% to 70% minus print fees.

Starting July 1, 2023, IngramSpark will implement a 1% market access fee, a change from their previous model that charged $49 per upload and $25 per update. Authors can avoid update fees by becoming members of the Alliance of Independent Authors (Ally), which provides five coupon codes per month for this purpose.

IngramSpark boasts a wide variety of print options, offering over 14 trim sizes and different paper types, including 50-pound white or cream paper, 70-pound white paper, and 38-pound groundwood paper, making it a flexible choice for authors.

The comparison between IngramSpark and KDP reveals that despite using 50-pound cream paper, the differences in print quality are minimal. IngramSpark allows for a page count ranging from 18 to 840 pages. The proof cost for IngramSpark was $8.04, slightly higher than KDP, and with additional shipping, fees, and taxes, the total came to $15.46, approximately $3.50 more than KDP. The proof was ordered on April 21st, shipped on May 5th, and arrived on May 11th, totaling 20 days for fulfillment and delivery, which was considered excessively long. Although expedited shipping was an option, the proofs were ordered at the cheapest rates for a fair comparison. The IngramSpark hardcover was noted for its exceptional quality, with a marginally brighter cover compared to KDP's paperback, which did not meet the desired color saturation. The dilemma faced was whether to choose KDP for faster fulfillment or IngramSpark for higher quality, with the latter's books laying flat and having a more defined crease at the spine, enhancing readability.

Lulu offers hardcover books through its own bookstore, Lulu Direct, and has global distribution via Ingram, similar to IngramSpark. However, it was noted that hardcovers do not reach Hatchet Book Group, a major trade publisher. Authors receive an 80% royalty on net profits from Lulu, but this is after various distribution fees are deducted. The highest royalty is available through the Lulu Bookstore or Lulu Direct, where authors keep all profits minus printing, shipping, and taxes. Although Lulu pays out quarterly for global distribution sales, immediate payments are made for sales through Lulu Direct. Lulu's hardcover options include 60-pound cream or white paper and 80-pound coated white paper, but only five out of 15 trim sizes are eligible for global distribution. The proof cost for Lulu was $13.77, the highest among the options discussed, totaling $20.81 with shipping and taxes. The proof was ordered on April 18th, shipped on April 24th, and arrived on May 2nd, totaling 14 days for fulfillment, which was quicker than IngramSpark but slower than KDP. The Lulu hardcover was noted for its brightness and distinct spine crease, with no warping in the paper or cover, although KDP was still considered lower quality overall.

Barnes & Noble Press prints books that are distributed solely through Barnes & Noble U.S., providing virtual shelf space rather than physical placement in stores. They offer hardcovers in 12 trim sizes printed on 50-pound white or cream paper, available in both black and white and premium color options. For more details on physical store placement, a quick link to dalelinks.com slash bnbookstore was provided.

Barnes & Noble Press has specific size limitations for premium colors, and authors should conduct thorough research before choosing this platform. They offer 70-pound paper exclusively for color options, with a page count ranging from 18 to 800, depending on the selected trim size. Authors receive 55% of sales minus print fees, which is slightly less than KDP and comparable to IngramSpark based on the wholesale discount set. The proof cost is $8.89, which is marginally higher than KDP and IngramSpark but about $4 cheaper than Lulu. Including fees, shipping, and taxes, the total cost for a proof copy was $16.54, making it less expensive than Lulu, slightly more than IngramSpark, and $4 more than KDP. The proof copy ordered on April 21st shipped on May 4th and arrived on May 8th, totaling 13 days for fulfillment and delivery, which is faster than Lulu, one week quicker than IngramSpark, but about 10 days slower than KDP. The quality of proofs from Barnes & Noble Press, fulfilled by Lightning Source, is nearly identical to IngramSpark, but there are noticeable differences when compared to KDP and Lulu. Overall, the platform offers similar services to IngramSpark but lacks a broader distribution reach, earning a rating of 4 out of 5.

Blurb provides hardcover book distribution through its own bookstore, Blurb API, and Ingram Book Group, mirroring the distribution channels of IngramSpark and Lulu. Authors can set their profits for sales through the Blurb Bookstore and API, with base print costs calculated to determine retail prices. For additional distribution via Ingram, authors can set wholesale discounts at either 36% or 55%, resulting in royalties ranging from 45% to 64%. Blurb limits trim sizes to three options: 5x8, 6x9, and 8x10, with Esty formatting her book in 6x9, requiring fewer adjustments than previous authors. The page count ranges from 24 to 480, making it the smallest offering for hardcover books. The proof cost is $16.91, which is over $3 more than Lulu and double the cost of KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble Press. Including shipping and taxes, the total proof cost was $22.47, making it slightly more expensive than Lulu and $10 more than KDP. The proof ordered on April 21st shipped on April 26th and arrived on May 2nd, totaling 11 days for fulfillment and delivery, which is faster than IngramSpark by nine days, three days quicker than Lulu, and two days faster than Barnes & Noble Press, but eight days slower than KDP.

Blurb's proofs exhibit brighter, more saturated colors compared to others, but Esty preferred more muted tones. While KDP aligns better with her vision, Blurb's proofs do not suffer from cover or paper warping, unlike KDP. However, when compared to IngramSpark and Barnes & Noble Press, Blurb shows significant differences in color saturation. Notably, Blurb's proof had issues such as a poorly glued spine crease and a less snug fit than competitors. Given the high price, Esty expected superior quality, but Blurb's offering fell short, leading to a rating of 2 out of 5. Despite previous satisfaction with Blurb's print quality, this detailed scrutiny revealed areas for improvement, suggesting authors should carefully consider their options before choosing Blurb for print-on-demand services.

Blurb is not just a publishing and distribution platform; it also focuses on various print-on-demand products such as photo books, wall art, magazines, and eBook distribution. While these options may be appealing, Esty advises caution and thorough research before committing to Blurb's services. The hope is that Blurb will continue to improve its offerings for authors.

The speaker discusses their experience with print covers, having signed up with their ebook on various platforms while preparing to go wide. They initially worked only with Amazon, familiarizing themselves with its templates. They had to reformat their own covers to avoid cutting off important elements, which was a necessary step for every hardback cover they created. The speaker found the process of loading the book and entering details straightforward, but was surprised by the differences in templates across platforms, particularly noting that Amazon's template only covered part of the book, which led to some self-doubt about their approach.

The speaker encountered challenges with different templates from various platforms. Ingram's approval process was slow, causing delays in seeing necessary fixes, while Lulu's template appeared overly simple, raising concerns about potential errors. Despite these worries, the upload process for Lulu was smooth. Barnes & Noble's process was notably slow, lacking an estimated arrival time for the book until later in the publishing phase.

While working with Blurb, the speaker faced formatting issues, needing to adjust their interior file dimensions from the expected six by nine inches to 6.125 by 9.25 inches. This required additional work on both the interior and cover design, as the dimensions differed from other platforms. They appreciated the proof copy provided by Blurb, which included a PNG file with a dotted line indicating the fold-over area, helping them visualize the final product.

The speaker expressed satisfaction with the communication from KDP, Blurb, and Lulu, noting they were kept informed throughout the process. In contrast, Ingram and Barnes & Noble lagged behind, remaining in the printing phase while the other platforms had already shipped their books. This experience highlighted the importance of allowing extra time for planning when working with slower platforms.