—BOOK PUBLISHING SERVICES
Publish Your Book on Amazon and Beyond
Amazon book publishing services, handled end to end. We set up your book on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, IngramSpark, and Google Play in your name. One-time setup fee from $249. Accounts registered to you, 100% of rights and royalties retained, live in 5 to 30 business days.
—WHAT YOU GET
What Amazon Self Publishing Services Actually Buy You
The line item says “publishing.” The actual deliverable is six different jobs across 5 to 30 business days, depending on tier.
A real publishing service handles file preparation (validated EPUB 3 and print PDF for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark), metadata setup (BISAC categories, keywords, descriptions per platform), ISBN coordination, distribution registration across major retailers, copyright registration guidance, and launch-day coordination across the first 30 days.
Bowker data reported by Publishers Weekly shows 3.5 million self-published titles were released in the United States in 2025, and most authors hit the same setup wall on day one: BISAC categories, ISBN decisions, trim size, royalty rate tiers, and KDP Select exclusivity choices that lock in for the life of the book. Ebook publishing services exist to take those decisions off your desk.
—DISTRIBUTION
Book Distribution Services Across 7 Retail Channels
Self-publishing book distribution runs through two kinds of partner: retailers who sell directly to readers, and distributors like IngramSpark and Draft2Digital who push your book into stores and libraries you cannot reach on your own. The Amazon KDP vs IngramSpark question is not really a choice: KDP Print gives the better margin on Amazon orders, IngramSpark self publishing reaches the wholesale channel Amazon has no access to, and authors who set up both capture each without competing against themselves. Most first-time self-published authors believe Amazon is the publishing endgame. It is the largest single retailer for ebooks and self-published print, but Amazon is one of seven channels that matter, and the other six handle different reader populations who do not buy on Amazon. Ebook distributors such as Draft2Digital and Smashwords cover the last gap, pushing one file to the library platforms, OverDrive and Hoopla among them, that no direct retailer account reaches.
How the 7 channels split your readership
Each channel below reaches a reader group the others do not.
Manuscript
Amazon (KDP)
65 to 70% US ebook
Kindle device users, Audible subscribers, Prime members
ebook + print + audio
Apple Books
~10% US ebook
iPad and Mac users, tablet-reading audience
ebook + audio
Kobo
Largest non-Amazon globally
Canada, Netherlands, 35+ countries
ebook + audio
Barnes & Noble
5 to 8% US ebook
Older readers, US-focused
ebook + print
Google Play
Android default
Android users, mobile readers globally
ebook
IngramSpark
Print + libraries
Bookstore browsers, library borrowers
print + hardcover
D2D + Smashwords
Aggregator
OverDrive, Hoopla, library platforms
ebook (multi-platform)
Why Distribution Breadth Matters
Authors who distribute beyond Amazon earn 15 to 30% more total revenue than Amazon-exclusive authors at the same sales velocity, because they reach readers Amazon does not.
Print on Demand Book Publishing Services
Print on demand removed the two things that used to stop authors printing at all: a minimum order quantity and a garage full of unsold stock. What it did not remove is the setup work behind it. Trim size, bleed, margin, and spine width are calculated against your final page count, and the specifications are not identical between the two print channels, so a file that passes on one can fail on the other. Our print on demand book publishing services handle that calculation for both channels and run test uploads on each before anything goes live. Included from the Global tier upward.
—INVESTMENT
Amazon Self-Publishing Cost: Three Tiers from $249
Each tier price covers a complete publishing setup at the level your book needs. Three tiers map to three reader-reach decisions: an Amazon-only launch, a multi-platform global launch, or a premium launch with hardcover, audiobook setup, and library distribution. All tiers set up accounts in your name with full rights and royalties retained. Same setup team across all tiers.
| Feature |
Amazon $249 Amazon-only ebook launch Choose Amazon |
Most Popular
Global $549 Multi-platform launch Choose Global |
Premium $1,299 Hardcover, audiobook, and library Choose Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch scope | |||
| Best for | Amazon-only ebook launch | Multi-platform global launch | Premium launch with hardcover and audiobook |
| Timeline | 5 to 10 business days | 10 to 15 business days | 15 to 30 business days |
| Payment options | Single payment | Single payment | Single / 50-50 |
| Ebook distribution | |||
| Apple Books direct upload | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kobo Writing Life | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Barnes & Noble Press | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Draft2Digital alternative path | ✗ | Optional | Optional |
| Print and hardcover | |||
| Amazon KDP paperback | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| IngramSpark paperback | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hardcover, KDP and IngramSpark | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Print proof review coordination | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audiobook and library | |||
| Audiobook setup, ACX or Findaway | ✗ | ✗ | Platform setup and distribution only |
| Library distribution, OverDrive and Bibliotheca | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pre-order setup across platforms | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Metadata and profiles | |||
| Categories | 2 categories | 2 categories | 2 categories + A+ Content briefing |
| Keywords | 7 keywords | 14 across platforms | 21 + A+ Content briefing |
| ISBN guidance | ✗ | Free Amazon or Bowker | Owned ISBNs across all formats |
| Universal Book Link | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Goodreads author profile | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| BookBub author profile | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Launch and post-launch | |||
| Launch coordination | Single live launch | Multi-platform coordinated | Founder coordination + checklist |
| Pre-launch quality check | Ebook file | Ebook + print | All formats |
| Post-launch monitoring | ✗ | ✗ | 30 days, platform issue resolution |
In every tier
- Amazon KDP setup
- Metadata configuration
- Pricing strategy consultation
- Amazon Author Central profile
- Every account set up in your name
- 100% rights and royalties retained
- The same setup team, whichever tier you choose
—PACKAGES AND BUNDLES
Self Publishing Packages with Cover, Format, and Distribution
Three self publishing packages for finished and edited manuscripts. Cover, format, distribution, one invoice. Save up to $538. Everything you need to publish your book online, quoted once.
If your manuscript is finished and edited, you need three services on one timeline: cover design, interior formatting, and platform distribution. Buying them separately works but takes longer, costs more, and leaves you coordinating three vendors who never talk to each other. Publish-Ready Bundles solve that by quoting all three services up front. Each bundle draws on exactly one publishing tier, one cover tier, and one formatting tier, so what you are buying is easy to check against the rates on this page.
| Feature |
Publish-Ready Starter $529 $647 individual Save $118 · 18% off Choose Starter |
Most Popular
Publish-Ready Growth $1,239 $1,547 individual Save $308 · 20% off Choose Growth |
Publish-Ready Authority $1,909 $2,447 individual Save $538 · 22% off Choose Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bundle scope | |||
| Best for | Ebook-only launches on Amazon | Ebook and paperback across every major platform | Hardcover, audiobook, and library reach |
| Manuscript size | Up to 30,000 words | Up to 30,000 words | Up to 30,000 words |
| Beyond the cap | $0.005 per word | $0.012 per word | $0.012 per word |
| Timeline | 2 to 3 weeks | 4 to 6 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Cover design | |||
| Cover tier | Cover Ebook ($199) | Cover Print-Ready ($399) | Cover Print-Ready ($399) |
| Cover formats | Ebook only | Ebook, paperback, hardcover files | Ebook, paperback, hardcover files |
| Design directions and revisions | One direction, 2 rounds | Two directions, 3 rounds | Two directions, 3 rounds |
| Interior formatting | |||
| Formatting tier | Standard Ebook ($199) | Standard Complete ($599) | Standard Complete ($599) |
| Format coverage | Validated EPUB 3 | EPUB 3, paperback and hardcover interiors | EPUB 3, paperback and hardcover interiors |
| Three-page sample before full typeset | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Publishing and distribution | |||
| Publishing tier | Publishing Amazon ($249) | Publishing Global ($549) | Publishing Premium ($1,299) |
| Amazon KDP ebook | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paperback, KDP and IngramSpark | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hardcover distribution | ✗ | Add later, $199 | ✓ |
| Audiobook setup, ACX or Findaway | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Library distribution and pre-orders | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Owned ISBNs across all formats | ✗ | Free Amazon or Bowker | ✓ |
| Author copies shipped | ✗ | 5 paperback | 15 paperback + 5 hardcover |
| Listing and profiles | |||
| Amazon book description optimization | ✗ | ✗ | Included, worth $150 |
| Author Central profile | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Goodreads and BookBub profiles | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Post-launch monitoring | ✗ | ✗ | 30 days |
In every bundle
- One contract and one timeline across all three services
- Single payment or 50-50 split
- Every account set up in your name
- 100% of rights and royalties retained
- Source files delivered, yours to keep
- 30-day spec correction window on formatting
—ADD-ONS
Six Add-Ons for Ebook Publishing Services Launches
These add-ons sit on top of the Amazon, Global, or Premium publishing tiers. Most authors do not need any of them. Some authors need exactly one or two. Buy what solves a real problem you have, skip what does not.
Copyright Registration Filing
$199+
We file your copyright registration with the US Copyright Office on your behalf. The official certificate is issued in your name, not ours. For UK, Canada, and Australia authors, copyright is automatic on creation under the Berne Convention, so registration is optional in those jurisdictions. We provide guidance only at no extra fee, and you handle any voluntary registration directly. Worth buying for US authors who want the filing handled rather than doing it themselves.
Bowker ISBN Coordination
$30
Our fee covers the coordination work. Bowker charges for the ISBNs separately and you pay them directly, currently $125 for a single ISBN and $295 for a 10-pack. We handle the purchase and registration so you own your ISBN instead of using Amazon's free ASIN. Worth buying if you plan to publish the same book across multiple platforms with consistent identification, or if you plan a series and want unified ISBN management. Skip if you are Amazon-only at the Amazon tier.
Series Setup on Amazon
$99
Multi-book series linking on Amazon, automatic “Book X in series” labeling, series logic on Author Central, and reader-discoverability optimization across the series. Worth buying if your current book is part of a planned 3+ book series and you want Amazon’s series engine working in your favor from the start. Skip if this is a standalone book.
Additional Format Setup
$199
Adding a hardcover or large-print format to your existing book listing after the original launch is complete. The most common use case is launching ebook + paperback first, then adding hardcover six months later when sales justify the format. Worth buying if you want to expand format coverage post-launch without redoing the full publishing setup.
Audiobook Production
$1,500 to $5,000
Full audiobook production: narrator hire, studio recording, editing, mastering, and ACX or Findaway Voices submission. Custom quote based on book length (audiobooks run roughly 9,000 words per finished hour) and narrator selection (industry-standard rates run $200 to $400 per finished hour). Worth buying if you have an audience that listens, which most non-fiction and memoir audiences do. Skip if your readers are exclusively Kindle or print.
Translation Services
$0.09/word
Professional human translation by a native speaker in the target language, with a second native speaker checking it against your original. Spanish, German, French and Italian most common. From $0.09 a word, which is $7,200 for an 80,000-word novel. French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Arabic are quoted on your manuscript. Worth buying if you have evidence of audience demand in a specific language market. Skip if you have not validated the international audience yet, and see book translation services for when a Foreign Rights Pitch is the better starting point instead.
Universal availability and cost disclosure
Prices listed cover our coordination, filing, and setup work. Third-party costs (US Copyright Office filing fees, Bowker ISBN purchase fees, narrator talent fees, translator fees) are paid by you directly and vary by vendor selection, market, and timing. The ranges shown are indicative 2026 rates and may change without notice. Availability of specific narrators, translators, and vendors depends on capacity at the time of booking.
—PREMIUM ADD-ONS
Book-to-Screen and Foreign Rights Beyond Standard Publishing
Most published books are never optioned for film or television, and most are never translated into a foreign language. Both outcomes become more likely when the author has professional treatment, pitch materials, and an active outreach campaign instead of waiting for inbound interest that almost never arrives. Rights Development Services exist to do that outreach professionally, on a fee-for-service basis, with no rights or royalties claimed by AuthorWings.
Book-to-Screen Opportunity Pitch
The Book-to-Screen Opportunity Pitch covers logline development for film and TV adaptation, a 10 to 15 page Hollywood treatment, a pitch deck with visual assets for studios, a curated list of 20 to 30 producers, agents, and managers in your book’s genre, and a 4 to 6 week initial outreach campaign. If interest comes back, we coordinate handoff to Hollywood agents and entertainment lawyers. Entertainment lawyer fees ($2,000 to $10,000), talent agent commissions (10 to 15% if signed), and option negotiation costs are paid by you directly. Most pitches do not result in deals. We coordinate the work professionally. The outcome depends on Hollywood market conditions, your book’s adaptation potential, and timing.
$4,995
Foreign Rights Pitch
The Foreign Rights Pitch covers a custom list of 20 to 30 foreign publishers in your target region (Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East), personalized rights pitches per publisher, a translated sample (roughly 5 pages of excerpt for pitching), an 8-week active outreach campaign, and coordination if interest is received. Foreign rights agent commissions (10 to 15% if signed), full translation costs, and legal fees for foreign rights deals are paid by you directly. The same realistic outcome caveat applies: most pitches do not result in deals.
$3,495
Realistic outcome disclosure
These services are appropriate when your book has traction (consistent sales, reviews, audience growth) and an adaptation or translation case can be made on its merits. They are not appropriate for newly launched books with no sales history. We say so on the consultation call. Book sales results vary by author, genre, market conditions, and effort applied to marketing. AuthorWings does not guarantee specific sales, option, or rights deal outcomes.
—HOW IT WORKS
Self Publishing on Amazon: The 6-Step Setup
Most self-publishing horror stories trace to one root cause: the author tried to publish their book on Amazon before they understood which decisions were reversible and which were locked in for the life of the book. Six documented steps prevent that, with author approval gates between every irreversible choice.
I
Discovery and Pre-Launch Audit
A 45-minute consultation maps what you have (manuscript file format, cover status, ISBN ownership, audience research, prior publishing history) and what you need (which tier, which platforms, which formats, which timeline). We identify any pre-launch gaps before contracting (file conversion needs, missing assets, pricing strategy questions). Written proposal with tier, scope, timeline, and payment plan delivered within 48 hours.
II
Contract, Account Audit, and Setup Plan
Once you sign, we audit your existing accounts (KDP, IngramSpark, Author Central, Apple, Kobo, B&N) or create them in your name where missing. Every account is registered with your bank, your tax info, your bio. A written setup plan documents which platforms, which formats, which keywords, which categories, and which pricing tiers we will configure in steps 3 through 5, plus the launch sequence for step 6. You approve the plan before any uploads begin.
III
Metadata, Description, and Categorization
The metadata layer that determines whether readers find your book. Title and subtitle finalization, BISAC category research and selection, keyword research using Amazon's auto-suggest plus dedicated tools, book description writing or optimization for each platform, contributor and series setup, and pricing strategy across regions. This is the highest-leverage step in the process. Bad metadata is the single largest cause of self-published books selling 12 copies in their first year.
IV
File Preparation and Validation
Manuscript files prepared and validated for each target platform. EPUB for Apple, Kobo, B&N. The same validated EPUB 3 for Amazon Kindle, which KDP converts on upload. Print-ready PDF with bleed, trim size, and margin specifications for KDP Print and IngramSpark. Hardcover specifications if Premium tier. Cover files validated against each platform's exact pixel and DPI requirements. Test uploads run on every platform to catch validation errors before launch.
V
Platform Setup and Pre-Launch Configuration
Books configured on every platform you contracted for. Pricing entered, categories selected, keywords loaded, descriptions formatted (each platform handles HTML differently, which trips up most DIY authors). Author Central, Goodreads, BookBub, and any other author profiles built and linked. Pre-order windows set if Premium tier. Universal Book Link generated. Final dashboard review with you on a screen-share before launch goes live.
VI
Launch Day and 30-Day Monitoring
Books go live across platforms in the staggered sequence we mapped in Step 2. Launch-day checklist confirms each platform is live, search results are returning the book, and metadata is rendering correctly. For Premium tier, we monitor for 30 days and resolve platform issues as they surface (KDP categorization changes, IngramSpark distribution delays, Apple Books territory glitches, ACX audiobook validation queues). Most issues happen in the first 14 days, which is exactly when DIY authors are least equipped to handle them.
—WHEN NOT THE RIGHT FIT
When Not to Publish Your Book on Amazon Yet
Self-publishing is the right path for most authors most of the time. It is the wrong path for at least three specific scenarios. Read this before you sign a contract with any publishing service, including ours.
Traditional Publishing Potential
You have not queried agents yet. If your book is in a genre where traditional publishers actively buy debut authors (literary fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, narrative non-fiction with a strong author platform, certain YA categories), a Big 5 advance plus bookstore distribution plus marketing budget often exceeds what self-publishing earns over the same 5-year window. Query agents first. Most agents respond within 12 weeks. If you receive multiple offers, you have a real option. If form rejections come back after 30 to 50 well-targeted queries, self-publishing becomes the better path.
Try this instead
Query agents for 3 to 6 months before publishing.
Manuscript Not Finished or Edited
If your book has not been through professional editing yet, do not buy publishing services first. Publishing setup pushes your manuscript into a globally distributed system, and unwinding that later is harder than setting it up correctly the first time. Edit first, publish second. The most common pre-launch regret authors share with us in consultation calls is “I should have edited before I published.”
Try this instead
Start with Book Editing Services.
No Defined Reader Yet
The reader for your book has not been defined yet. Whether the writing started from a personal mission, a long-held idea, professional expertise, or external encouragement, the book needs a specific audience before publishing setup pays off. A book published without a defined reader has nobody to sell to. If the answer to “who specifically will buy this and why” is hazy, the book is not ready for publication regardless of how finished the manuscript feels.
Try this instead
Spend a week answering the reader and audience questions in writing first.
—Frequently Asked Questions
Amazon Book Publishing Questions Authors Ask First
Nineteen questions, ordered the way they typically come up on intake calls. None rehash earlier sections.
If you set up my KDP account in my name, what happens if I want to leave AuthorWings later?
Nothing changes for you. The account is registered with your email, your tax info, your bank account, your bio. You have the password. We have nothing locking you in. If you want to manage the account yourself going forward, you log in and do that. If you want to hire a different service to run promotions or add formats later, you give them access to the same account. We are a contractor for the setup, not a co-owner of the publication.
Do I need an LLC or registered business to self-publish on Amazon?
No. You can publish on KDP, IngramSpark, Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble as an individual, using your legal name, your personal bank account, and your own tax details. An LLC is optional. Some authors form one to keep book income separate from personal finances, to list a business name as the publisher of record, or for liability and tax reasons, but none of that is required to get a book live and paid. If you want that separation, an accountant or attorney can tell you whether an LLC fits your situation, and we register the publishing accounts to match whichever structure you choose.
What is the difference between a Bowker ISBN and Amazon's free ASIN?
Amazon's free ASIN identifies your book inside Amazon's ecosystem only. It does not work for IngramSpark, Apple Books, Kobo, B&N, or any other retailer. A Bowker ISBN is a global standard identifier that works across all retailers and stays with the book regardless of which platforms you publish on or who manages the listings. You own the Bowker ISBN. If you ever want consistent identification across multi-platform launch, library distribution, or future format additions (hardcover, audiobook), the Bowker ISBN is the right choice. Single ISBN $125. 10-pack $295 from Bowker directly.
Besides your setup fee, what else will I have to pay to publish my book?
A few third-party costs that go straight to the platforms rather than to us. The setup fee covers our work. Separately, you may pay for your own ISBNs if you want them (Bowker charges $125 for a single ISBN or $295 for a 10-pack, while Amazon's free ASIN covers Amazon-only publishing), the printing cost of any author copies or print proofs you order, and optional extras such as a Bowker barcode or the US Copyright Office filing fee. Ebooks have no printing cost. Retailers keep their standard percentage of each sale instead of billing you upfront, so there is nothing to pay per copy sold. We walk through every likely cost on the consultation call so nothing catches you off guard at launch.
Should I enroll in KDP Select for the first 90 days?
Probably not. KDP Select gives Amazon ebook exclusivity in exchange for Kindle Unlimited (KU) revenue and access to Amazon's promotional tools (Kindle Countdown Deals, free book promotions). The trade-off is you cannot list your ebook on Apple Books, Kobo, B&N, or Google Play during the 90-day window. For most authors, the lost royalties from non-Amazon retailers exceed the KU revenue gained. Exception: if your audience is heavily Kindle-concentrated (true for some genre fiction categories) and you want the promotional tools for a launch push. We will give you the math on the consultation call based on your specific genre.
What happens if Amazon flags my book during launch?
Amazon's automated content review occasionally flags books for manual review (most often for cover content, pricing structure, or category placement). If your book is flagged, the listing is paused while Amazon investigates, typically 24 to 72 hours. Premium tier includes 30-day post-launch monitoring, which means we handle Amazon support escalation if a flag occurs. For Amazon and Global, you handle it directly using Amazon's support documentation. We cannot guarantee Amazon will not flag any specific book, because their review system is opaque.
Do I have to tell Amazon if I used AI to write or edit my book?
Only if AI generated the actual content. Amazon KDP asks you to disclose AI-generated text, images, or translations through a checkbox in the publishing workflow. Work that is only AI-assisted, meaning brainstorming, outlining, grammar checks, or editing your own writing, does not need to be disclosed. The disclosure is internal to Amazon, is not shown to readers on your product page, and does not affect your royalties, ranking, or category eligibility. Skipping it when disclosure was required can get a title removed or an account flagged, so when in doubt, disclose. Amazon revises this policy from time to time, so we confirm the current wording on KDP's own guidelines page before we submit your book.
How much will I actually earn per book sold?
Depends on format, retailer, and pricing. Amazon ebook royalties are 70% on books priced $2.99 to $12.99, 35% outside that range. Amazon paperback royalty is roughly 40 to 60% after print costs (varies by trim size and page count). Apple, Kobo, B&N pay roughly 70% on ebooks at any price. IngramSpark print royalties are typically 45 to 55% after wholesaler discount. A $4.99 ebook sold on Amazon at 70% earns $3.49. The same ebook on Apple at 70% earns $3.49. A $14.99 paperback through Amazon earns roughly $5 to $7 depending on print costs.
What if I have already started publishing my book somewhere and want to move it?
Possible in most cases. If your book is on KDP and you want to add other platforms, that is straightforward. If your book is locked into a hybrid publisher contract, you need to read the contract for an exit clause (most hybrid contracts make leaving difficult or expensive). If your book is on a vanity press platform, the rights situation needs review by you and an IP lawyer if necessary. We will audit your existing publishing situation in the discovery call and give you an honest read on how migratable it is.
Will my book be available in bookstores?
Maybe, with caveats. IngramSpark distribution (included in Global and Premium tiers) makes your book technically available to any bookstore through Ingram's wholesaler network. Whether a specific bookstore actually orders it depends on the bookstore's purchasing decisions, your discount terms (we recommend 55% wholesale discount with returns enabled for bookstore-friendly terms, which costs you per unit), and your book's local relevance. Self-published books rarely appear on bookstore shelves without local promotion. They appear on bookstore order forms and can be purchased on request.
How long does the publishing setup actually take from start to live?
Depends on tier. Amazon (Amazon-only ebook) goes from contract to live in 5 to 10 business days. Global (multi-platform print and ebook) takes 10 to 15 business days. Premium (everything plus hardcover, audiobook setup, library distribution) takes 15 to 30 business days. The variable inside that range is how quickly you respond to approval gates (metadata review, cover proof approval, final dashboard walkthrough). If you are responsive within 24 hours at each gate, projects land at the fast end of the range. If approvals take a week each, the project lands at the slow end.
Do you handle the marketing after the book is live?
Not by default in publishing tiers. Author Central setup is included in every publishing tier. The publishing Premium tier adds 30-day post-launch monitoring (resolving platform issues), a Goodreads author profile, and a BookBub author profile. None of those are marketing. Marketing is separate. Our Book Marketing Services cover ongoing launch promotion, ad campaigns, email automation, and PR. Publish-Ready Bundles above combine cover design, formatting, and distribution. No bundle includes marketing: Author-Polished adds editing to that mix, Launch-Ready adds ghostwriting, and marketing is quoted on its own because ad spend is ongoing and the rest is not.
Can I publish under a pen name?
Yes. KDP, Apple Books, Kobo, B&N, and IngramSpark all support pen names. The publishing accounts are still registered to your real legal name and bank account (required for tax reporting and royalty payment), but your published name on the book cover, listings, and Author Central can be a pen name. We handle the setup so the public-facing name is the pen name and the back-end administrative info is your legal info. For full privacy (anonymous Bowker ISBN, separate business entity for royalty receipt), there are additional steps that require an IP lawyer or accountant. We can refer you to professionals for that level of separation.
Will Amazon publish my book, or do I publish it myself?
You publish it. Amazon is not a publisher in the traditional sense, it is a retail and printing platform. Nobody at Amazon reads your manuscript, decides whether to accept it, or offers you a contract. You open a KDP account, upload your files and metadata, set your price, and the book goes live, usually within 72 hours. That is why there is no rejection and no waiting list. It is also why the quality of the setup is entirely on you or whoever you hire, because Amazon checks that your files are valid, not that your book is ready.
How do I publish my book on Amazon and Kindle?
Kindle and paperback are two separate setups behind the same KDP login, with different files, different metadata fields, and different royalty structures. The Kindle edition needs a validated EPUB 3 file, checked across phone, tablet, and e-ink. The paperback needs a print-ready PDF with trim size, bleed, and spine width calculated against final page count. Both need categories, keywords, description formatting, and territorial pricing entered separately. You can do all of it yourself through kdp.amazon.com at no charge, or the Amazon tier at $249 covers the Amazon setup and the Global tier at $549 extends it to six more retailers.
How much will it cost me to publish my book on Amazon?
Uploading to KDP is free. What costs money is everything that has to be right before you upload. Our setup fee starts at $249 for an Amazon-only ebook launch and runs to $1,299 for the Premium tier across all seven channels. Separately, you may pay Bowker for your own ISBNs if you want them, and printing costs for any author copies or proofs you order. Ebooks have no printing cost. Retailers take their standard percentage per sale rather than billing you upfront. The Amazon self-publishing cost calculator returns a tier-by-tier estimate in under a minute with no card and no email.
I want to self-publish my book. How do I get it printed?
Through print on demand, which means a copy is manufactured when a reader orders it. No print run, no inventory, no boxes in your garage. Two channels handle it and they are not interchangeable. Amazon KDP Print produces the paperback on your Amazon listing at the best margin. IngramSpark produces the same book for bookstores, libraries, and the wholesaler network Amazon does not reach. Global and Premium tiers set up both. Hardcover across KDP and IngramSpark is Premium tier only.
Should I hire an Amazon book publishing service or do the setup myself?
Either works, and the honest answer depends on your time and your patience for platform admin. KDP is free to use and the interface is not difficult. What takes the time is everything upstream of the upload: category and keyword research, description formatting that renders differently on every retailer, print specifications calculated against final page count, and the exclusivity and pricing decisions that lock in for the life of the book. Authors who find that work interesting should do it themselves and keep the fee. Authors who would rather spend those three weeks writing the next book hire it out. The one thing worth avoiding either way is an Amazon self publishing company that takes a royalty share or registers the accounts in its own name, because that is a permanent cost for a one-time job.
What is KDP self publishing, and is it the same as Amazon self-publishing?
Same thing, two names. KDP stands for Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon's own platform for uploading and selling books. When people say Amazon self-publishing, KDP self publishing, or self publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, they are describing one process: you open a KDP account, upload your ebook and paperback files with their metadata, set your price and territories, and the book goes live on Amazon within 72 hours. Amazon is not acting as a publisher in that transaction. Nobody reviews the manuscript or decides whether to accept it. KDP checks that your files are valid, not that your book is ready. The account is free to open and free to use, and the royalty is 70% on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $12.99, 35% outside that band.
Next Steps
❦See exactly what your book publishing will cost
Build your quote in 60 seconds. Pick your services, see real pricing with no hidden fees, no forms, no waiting for a sales email. When you are ready, book a call with a publishing specialist who will tell you honestly which of three things is true: this is the right fit, a different service serves you better, or now is not the time.
Mutual NDA available before the call on request. 100% rights retention guaranteed. No contracts until you decide.
AuthorWings · Transparent PricinG · 100% Your Rights
Last updated: September 2026