Top 10 Best Self-Publishing Companies

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by CJ McDaniel // September 13  

Self-publishing has become a more and more common means of publishing in recent years. Because of the ever-changing nature of the publishing world, people are moving their ideas elsewhere. The large book publishing companies are no longer the best book publishing companies!

Self-publishing books are making appearances on bestseller lists across the world. Books like Party Girl started out as self-published books before they were bought by big name publishers.

Could you have the next New York Times Bestseller sitting on your hard drive just waiting to be self-published?

Self-publishing provides options and levels of control that you don’t get with traditional publishing. For one, there’s no rejection letters or deadlines. Whenever you think you have a good idea, you just write it!

When it comes to self-publishing companies there are all kinds of services that exist with the aim of helping your book look better, read better and sell better. They all take on different aspects of the process. For this reason we have listed a large variety of companies from printing, to editing and aggregation.

Because so many options exist now, it’s important to know some of the best self-publishing companies to work with.

Here are my top ten recommendations for the best self-publishing companies that can truly help you share your amazing books with the world.

10 Best Self-Publishing Companies to Sell Your Book

AuthorLab

AuthorLab - top 10 self-publishing companies

Have you ever felt that the self-publishing world is full of one obstacle after another? I mean, once you figure out the writing part, you are faced with with a myriad of choices and even more costs to get your book into the hands of readers. We know, because we’ve spent years helping authors and publishers.

AuthorLab takes the guesswork out of book writing and marking and drastically changes how much authors will have to spend on important items like book covers, print layout, ebook layout, promotional materials, social media campaigns and more.
AuthorLab is everything you need to market and promote your book. Give AuthorLab a try with a free 15 day trial.

IngramSpark

IngramSpark - top 10 self-publishing companies

If you have been around traditional or self-publishing industries for any amount of time, then you have probably heard the company name IngramSpark peppered into many conversations.

Ingram provides self-published authors the ability to print-on-demand high quality books in many different trim sizes and formats. If you are looking to print something other than a basic paperback, then Ingram is the way to go.

But a variety of  printing methods definitely isn’t the only reason to use Ingram. With Ingram you get the ability to be added to the Ingram catalog which allows your book to be ordered by libraries, bookstores, gift shops and other retail outlets around the world. Ingram offers retail locations a discount on your book so that it can resold at a profit. This is unlike Amazon’s distribution option, which limits the discount to where retail locations can’t make enough of a profit.

Ingram not only makes your book available to physical stores, but they also have one of the largest ebook distribution networks in the world. So not only will your ebook be available on Amazon, but it will also be available on iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, etc.

While Ingram does charge a small set-up fee for each book, it is worth it to have your books printed the way you want and to have them featured in the Ingram catalog.

 

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

KDP- top 10 self-publishing companies

It’s not possible to write a list like this without Kindle Direct Publishing—which is widely respected as one of the foremost self-publishing platforms currently available.

Working under the Amazon family of products, there’s nothing these guys can’t help you with on your next self-publishing project. And, unlike other e-publishers, you can update your book online — even after it’s been published.

If you’re looking to get into the biggest literary marketplace around, Kindle Direct Publishing should be your go-to.

Services

  • KDP allows your to publish print and ebooks and sell both on Amazon.com.
  • KDP also allows you to order any quantity of your books using their wholesale pricing, this lets you sell copies in person at speaking engagements and other special events.
  • Using their Expanded Distribution option Amazon will make your  book available to distributors so booksellers and libraries can find your book and order it. Beware that bookstores and libraries are cautious with purchasing books through this option both because of Amazon’s presence in their market as well as some policies that provide slightly lower margins than other wholesale distributors.

 

Kobo

Kobo - top 10 self-publishing companies

Kobo is popping up on recommendation lists for best self-publishing companies every where you turn.

Kobo is an ebook reader/retailer most popular in Canada where they are responsible for a quarter of all ebook sales.

With their very own e-reader device, Kobo is not only a self-publisher. Uploading your finished book on Kobo will make your selection available to people with a Kobo device.

Regardless of Kobo’s no-frills approach to self-publishing, they are still a mogul in the self-publishing industry. And you’d be remiss to forego those Canadian ebook sales.

Smashwords

Smashwords -top best self-publishing companies

Smashwords makes it easy to send your eBook to all the different distribution sites at once. They are the worlds largest eBook distributor of self-published authors. While other sites provide similar services only Smashwords distributes to Baker & Taylor and OverDrive two of the prominent catalogs if you want your book to be carried by libraries.

BookBub

BookBub - top 10 self-publishing companiesBookBub is a little different than some of the other self-publishing companies on this page, but no less important. BookBub is a site where readers go to find books that they want to read –  most commonly free and discounted books. What makes BookBub special is that they offer the ability to run ads to readers looking for books just like yours. There are authors who have built the majority of their success off of BookBub promotions.

Apple Books

Apple Books - top 10 self-publishing companiesHow did Apple Books qualify for the best self-publishing company list? You are probably thinking “Isn’t Apple Books what I use to buy books on my iPad and iPhone?” You are right, and that is exactly why Apple Books is so important. Recent statistics show that authors sell 5 times more books on Apple Books over Barnes & Noble online.

You will most likely distribute your books to Apple through a service like Smashwords or Draft2Digital, but that doesn’t change how important Apple Books is to your sales.

Draft 2 Digital

Draft 2 Digital- top 10 self-publishing companies

Much like Smashwords, Draft 2 Digital allows you to upload your ebook to one portal and have it distributed to many different ebook vendors. While Draft 2 Digital has a slightly smaller list of distribution sites, they do format your ebook for you which is a really nice feature.

 

Lulu

Lulu - top 10 self-publishing companies

With a quirky name and attentive staff, Lulu has quickly risen as one of the best self-publishing companies.

Lulu is well-known for their attention to detail and quick turn around. In fact, Lulu releases roughly 1,000 new titles every single day!

Unlike other self-publishers, Lulu is a one-stop shop. You can find editors, printers, and even illustrators to help you fine-tune your finished book.

To get a feel for Lulu, I recommend downloading their free guidebook to their products and self-publishing options.

 

Self-Publishing School

self-publishing-schoolSelf-Publishing School is an online self-publishing education company founded by Chandler Bolt after he discovered how lucrative self-publishing a book really is. Once others realized he was consistently making 4 figures in passive income per month from his bestselling books, they wanted to know one thing: how?!

This is where Self-Publishing School was born. Today, this self-publishing company has helped over 5,000 students from more than 65 countries self-publish their books to bestseller status with programs offering 1-on-1 coaching, full education material from the process of starting your book, to a marketing plan, to a step-by-step guide to self-publish your book on Amazon with inside tips to earn that coveted Best Seller banner. And that’s not to mention their exclusive Facebook Mastermind Community of over 2500 members offering advice, with expert interviews from industry experts and weekly group coaching calls to answer any other questions you might have about the process.

It’s a do-it-yourself self-publishing company where you learn how to do it the right way to increase impact, earn more money, and share your message with the world.

Book Baby

Book Baby - top 10 self-publishing companies

Offering some of the most affordable self-publishing packs anywhere, BookBaby is perfect for the frugal author. And their interface is incredibly easy to use.

If you’re eager to rush your new book to the Amazon bookstore while staying within budget, look no further than BookBaby.

Have any more questions for us on self-publishing companies? Feel free to get in contact with us!

About the Author

CJ grew up admiring books. His family owned a small bookstore throughout his early childhood, and he would spend weekends flipping through book after book, always sure to read the ones that looked the most interesting. Not much has changed since then, except now some of those interesting books he picks off the shelf were designed by his company!