Publishing turns a writer into a published author

The six steps

1. Choose your platform

Your choice comes down to what you're optimising for: visibility, control, or distribution breadth. Amazon KDP gives you the biggest single audience; IngramSpark reaches bookstores and libraries that Amazon can't. Many authors use both — KDP for ebook and Amazon print, IngramSpark for wider print distribution.

2. Upload your files

You'll need your final manuscript (ebook or print-ready) and your cover. Get these right before you upload:

• Print covers need exact dimensions based on trim size, page count and paper type — use the platform's cover calculator rather than guessing
• Ebook files should be tested on an actual device, not just in the preview tool

Worth knowing: IngramSpark charges for revisions after publishing. Amazon KDP doesn't. That difference should change how carefully you check before hitting publish.

3. Add your metadata

This is how readers find your book, and it's where most first-time authors under-invest. You'll enter:

• Title and subtitle
• Author name
• Book description
• Keywords and categories

Strong metadata is the difference between a book that surfaces in search and one that doesn't. Treat your description as sales copy, not a synopsis, and choose categories where your book can realistically rank rather than the broadest one available.

4. Set pricing and royalties

Each platform has different royalty bands, and they're not linear — Amazon pays 70% only within a specific price range, and 35% outside it. Price for the combination of earnings and discoverability, not for the highest per-copy figure.

5. Preview and approve

Your last chance to catch mistakes cheaply. Check:

• Interior formatting — especially chapter breaks and page numbers
• Cover alignment and spine placement on print editions
• How it renders on a phone, a tablet and an e-reader

6. Go live

Once approved, your book is on sale. Ebooks usually appear within a few hours; print titles can take a few days to propagate across retailers.

Platform comparison

All five below are free to publish with. The real differences are reach, royalty rates, and whether you'll pay to fix a mistake later.

Beyond these, Kobo Writing Life is strong internationally, Barnes & Noble Press reaches Nook readers, and BookBaby and Blurb offer full-service design and print-on-demand if you'd rather pay than DIY. For serialised or subscriber-funded work, Substack, Patreon and Gumroad let you sell directly to readers and keep the relationship.

Cover calculators — use them

Print covers are the single most common source of last-minute publishing failures, because the spine width depends on your exact page count and paper stock. Both major platforms provide free calculators that generate a correct template:

• KDP Cover Calculator — generates exact dimensions from trim size, page count and paper type, and gives you a ready-to-use template that meets Amazon's print requirements.
• IngramSpark Cover & Cost Calculator — does the same, and additionally estimates your print cost and profit margin per copy before you commit to a retail price.

Run the IngramSpark calculator before you set your price. Authors regularly discover their planned price barely covers printing once they see the real per-unit cost.

A realistic sequence

If you're publishing for the first time, this order causes the fewest problems:

1. Finish editing — publishing won't fix a manuscript that isn't ready
2. Decide your formats (ebook only is a perfectly good start)
3. Get your ISBN sorted if you want one of your own
4. Build the cover to the calculator's exact spec
5. Publish the ebook first — it's faster and revisions are free
6. Add print once the ebook edition is stable