I think the main issue here is that I have never been able to get the truth out of anyone because they answer your question from the point of view of their own interest rather than from my interest. The distributor and/or retailer (Amazon) want your business and they naturally say they are the better choice. You have to decide what you're going to do, and you have to find out what you need on your own. It's not easy, and from the point of view of an author who isn't an experienced publisher, it's really downright confusing; if not utterly frustrating. I'll explain.
I have published several books but have always gone through a publisher who I suppose has a handshake with the major distributor, namely IngramSpark. IngramSpark is both a Print-on-Demand (POD) printer and a distributor. They print on demand if someone asks them to, which would be unusual, but they do distribute to Amazon; so Amazon may ask them to print it for them. Either way, it's just six of one and a half-dozen of the other to an author. We just want our books out there so they can be looked up, seen, bought, and then ultimately we are paid! That's all we want.
First, you write your book. Then you have choices as to who publishes it. You can go through IngramSpark for that too, but I didn't know that. I had NO IDEA that was an option until I left Xlibris and IngramSpark pointed out to me that they could have done what Xlibris did, but that's not to be decided today. It's done. I spent $1200 getting the damn thing to the point that I have now a PDF interior and a PDF cover which can be uploaded to IngramSpark so it can be distributed. I think (if I had stayed with Xlibris another week) they would have done this for me, but I don't know. We won't know, because I left them after they proved to be nearly useless and I had to fight my way through the publishing process.
I have the PDF interior and cover to upload. I think I can do that for $49 at IngramSpark for the softcover or paperback, as we used to call them. They then take the interior and cover, upload it and do what they do in order to get it over to Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, and other global markets. That's a good thing. I am pretty stoked about that. They do have an eBook option as well. I'm on the fence about it because I think, (think) that I can upload that for free when I upload my print cover and interior, however, their site wasn't allowing it this weekend and I'm about to pull my hair out over the issue. When I wrote to their customer service you NEVER get anyone to call me back, they email me, and they suggest things that I've already done. NO HELP WHATSOEVER.
At least I know I can get the print cover and interior uploaded. I may do that and come back to do the eBook, but then again, I may just wait for someone to finally answer me, it should not be this way. There should be people willing to help. On the flip side of that, the KDP or Kindle Direct Publishing is probably going to be best for my eBook since 95% of my sales will likely be from Kindle. Well, OK, but that's $600 to upload. WHAT? OK, maybe I'll just wait to save the money and do that since I'll make another $2.00 off each book I sell rather than allowing IngramSpark to take their cut if I go through them, only to have them go through Amazon. It's cutting out the middleman, but there is a cost involved to do it. DAMN.
Bottom line, I have to wait to save the money to do it, I'm not rich at this point. I have to wait for the eBook but not the print version. I can also go ahead and upload the book on IngramSpark and see if they can run it through Amazon, then after I do have the $600 to take it from Ingram and re-up it at Amazon, but then I'd have to buy another ISBN. It's just too stupid, and it's just too confusing. I am not a fan. I have to admit that it's not for the fainthearted. Books are fun to write, but they do cost $$$ to have published, printed, promoted, and purchased. Maybe it will be worth it. I'll just save and do it correctly, that way I do not regret my decision later. It's only going to take 6-8 weeks to save that so I'll be OK, but damn. I really think it should be FREE to upload since they are making money on the sale. It's an eBOOK not a printed book. Geez!
Yep, that's what I'll do. I'll upload the printed book on IngramSpark now so it can be out there, then I'll wait 6-8 weeks, save the $600 and upload it to Amazon directly, but I do want it to be global, so if Amazon doesn't have a global market, then I'm going with IngramSpark for sure. I need someone from IngramSpark to answer my questions!! That's what I need. Even a FAQ would be great.
UPDATE: I uploaded the print version of "Of Kilted Pleasure" as well as my poetry book "Periwinkle" onto IngramSpark today. They will be available next week on Amazon in PRINT version. $19.99 or less for the novel, and $8.99 or less for the poetry book. The eBook will be uploaded when I can get the money to do so. I think maybe 6-8 weeks (June 15-July 1). The eBook for "Of Kilted Pleasure" will be $5.99 USD I won't upload the poetry book for eBook, it wouldn't look right.
Photo Credit: Steemit.com
No comments:
Post a Comment