Which Self-Publishing Company is Right For Me?

You’ve written a book and you’re thinking that the hard part is done. Then enters the world of publishing: a million different routes, traditional versus self-publishing, and even more companies hidden within that. You might speak to an author who had a terrific experience doing things a certain way; another author might say that didn’t work for them at all. And how can you identify which companies will support you, and which are scams? 

It might seem overwhelming, but there are a few key factors you should consider before deciding on which self-publishing provider is for you. 

What Are Your Goals? 

The first thing to consider before deciding on your self-publishing route is what your goals are. Do you want to see your books in bookshops? What format did you want to see your book in? Did you have a specific timeframe in mind? These are some of the many crucial questions authors must ask themselves. 

For instance, if you’d like to see your books in bookshops, then opting for a publishing route which only offers Print On Demand (POD) may not be for you. Bookshops rarely order POD books as they order books which are POD; they order books that can be ordered on a sale or return basis. Therefore, to achieve your dream of being sold in bookshops, you need a publishing route that offers print runs. You’ll also need to consider how you’d distribute your books to the bookshops. Authors wanting their books to be in bookshops should look for a publisher that has existing connections with retailers and their own distribution facility.  

Many self-published authors opt to start with an ebook only. It is cheaper to set up, and offers authors the route to maximise distribution without having to incur storage costs. A platform like Amazon KDP will be good for people considering publishing an ebook, however there is significant competition on Amazon KDP. Your book will be one of many thousands published every year, and standing out from the crowd will be a major challenge. Alternatively, if you want to see your books in other formats, such as an audiobook or hardback, you will need to consider which publishing routes make these available to you. 

The time frame and author's wants to be published in is very important when deciding what route is best for your project. Different routes to publication vary hugely in the time it takes, from near instant to many months if not years. As mentioned above, for authors publishing on Amazon KDP, they can have a book uploaded within minutes. However, for authors wanting to prioritise quality and market exposure, the process will take far longer. For context, publishing at Troubador typically takes around 6-9 months. This is because we are working to the timelines set out by the book trade, who like to know about titles ahead of publication. Waterstones, who we supply direct, require all data on books they are going to buy for stocking 6 months ahead of publication date. 

If you are seeking an immediate publication, a self-publishing provider like Amazon KDP or Lulu is best; IngramSpark is also a good option, although their file reviewing process can take a couple of days. If you are happy to wait, however, going for a full-service self-publisher can offer you a range of services, including marketing to bookshops, at a quality that competes with traditionally published books. 

These are just a couple of examples of how your goals can shape what self-publishing provider will be most suitable for you. 

Can You Trust The Providers?

This is a big question in self-publishing. Unfortunately, there are plenty of scams out there, and it can be difficult to identify what is a self-publishing company and what is a vanity press (yes, there’s a difference between the two!) 

There are a few things you should always do before committing to a self-publishing provider to give you some more peace of mind and help ensure you are going with a company that genuinely wants to support your book and its needs, rather than being solely interested in your money. 

Alliance of Independent Authors 

The Alliance of Independent Authors service rating guide is designed to empower indie authors by helping them create great books, reach more readers and campaign for author rights, so that independent authors can publish and sell with confidence. If you are looking at a company's services, they should be listed here as reputable and trustworthy. If they are not listed at all or are marked as less trustworthy, approach with caution. 

On this ratings platform, rankings for each self-publishing service provider are published to help you decide whether you should opt for them or not. It works on a system that offers a link to the website, allows a rating, highlights any concerns, includes a notes section, and a ‘category’ section that identifies what services they offer (for example, Troubador’s category is multi/full service). 

Trustpilot and Google Reviews 

Both Trustpilot and Google Reviews are very useful to ascertain other authors’ genuine experiences with a company. Go through the reviews and identify any recurring themes. Are people generally happy with the services? Are there any repeated concerns or complaints? When there are concerns, what is the response from the company like?

A quick scour through Trustpilot, Google Reviews and ALLI can save you heartache, if you go for a self-publishing provider who doesn't have your best interests in mind. 

Talk to Them  

And we don’t just mean on live chat, which scammers can easily use to sound like a real human. Call them, email them, visit them if you can. The more contact you have with real people, the more you will feel comfortable with trusting them. 

Explore the Work They’ve Done Previously

Be sure they have a good reputation in the market - see if other companies endorse and recommend them. A reputable company will have examples of a range of works they’ve published and, with that, a host of authors with feedback. Demonstration of previous works can be a brilliant indicator of the quality of their publications, and also demonstrate if their publishing services are the right fit for you and your book.  

Ask Questions

When checking if a self-publisher is for you, there are some key questions you should ask. You should always check who retains the copyright, as you’ll want to ensure that the copyright always remains with you, the author. 

If you are opting for a company that provides services, you may have to pay. If this is the case, make sure you are able to see your contract before payment. Ensuring you have clarity about the services they are providing you and how they will be supporting you and the book is crucial. On this note, you may want to consider if you have the choice in your services. Some self-publishing providers offer packages - whilst this means you are able to see potential costs fairly quickly, these packages may offer services you don’t actually need for your book, therefore wasting your money. 

You should also check who they are supplying to, and consider if they are guaranteeing you sales (which they simply cannot) or are they managing expectations? An honest, reliable publishing partner will never guarantee sales. It’s just simply something a publisher cannot control. What they can offer you is concrete evidence of the services they provide. 

What is the Difference Between a Vanity Publisher and a Paid Self-Publishing Provider? 

Self-publishing has been booming for years, as a viable, empowering option for many authors. With that, companies like Troubador, who offer professional services to ensure that self-published authors do not have to compromise on quality in order to achieve their goals. However, paid self-publishing providers can often be confused with vanity publishers or presses, and there are some clear differences between the two: 

• Transparency: especially when it comes to things such as contracts and royalty structures. Vanity presses will often be vague, or offer an opaque system when it comes to royalties and contracts. Ensure you go to a company that offers you clarity on all areas of their service.
• Promising Unrealistic Success, Particularly Without a Plan: promises of being a bestseller, massive distribution, particularly without evidence of a plan, could be the sign of a vanity press.
• Experience: Vanity presses do not offer a positive experience to their authors. If the press’s reviews are overwhelmingly negative, perhaps reconsider. 

So Which Provider is Best For You? 

If you want to publish your book as soon as possible, opting for publication via Amazon, Lulu or Ingram Spark may be best for your project. However, if you want to give your book the best chance of being stocked in bookshops, feel comfortable that a team of experts is taking care of every stage of the project, and you can guarantee a high-quality end product at the end of the process, a full-service self-publishing company is likely the direction you want to go in. 

Whatever provider you go for, we recommend that you do plenty of research before you commit, particularly checking their reputation, their services, and how they can help you achieve your goals. The process of choosing the right self-publisher for you is a complex one, with questions, caveats, costs and decisions to face at each stage. However, for authors wanting to give themselves the best possible chance of choosing the right provider for their project, taking your time to figure out what is best for you is crucial.