publishing your book
Put it in print.
How to Publish?
If you are looking for print on demand services we would recommend KDP or IngramSpark. KDP offers free ISBN numbers and incredibly fast print on demand options. KDP does not require any setup fees, revision fees, or fees to set up an ebook. Author proof copies will come with a sticker that says “Not For Resale”. Once published, your author copies will be indistinguishable from regular copies and you can resell however you’d like.
IngramSpark offers higher quality prints, along with the option of printing hardcover books. However you will need to purchase an ISBN number, and they require fees such as title setup ($49), revision fees ($25 per revision), and shipping on author copies costs more. IngramSpark does offer free title set up and free revisions with promo codes from time to time.
Barnes and Noble Press is another option. They offer softcover, hardcover and ebooks. The big perk of Barnes and Noble Press is that your book will be available on their website within 72 hours of publishing.
You can also publish your chapbook with independent publishing houses and presses. There are wonderful independent presses that can print high quality, limited run books. In many cases you will need to commit to printing a minimum quantity of your book at an agreed upon price. You can raise the funds to cover the initial printing costs through pre-orders. Be sure to factor in your projected shipping costs both to receive your books and to send them to your pre-order customers if you go this route. If you are shipping with the USPS, Media Mail rates are very affordable, but you will not be allowed to include any additional materials like thank you notes, flyers, stickers, or pins. However, there are no rules against signing and inscribing the interior cover.
If publishing with an independent or hybrid publisher, a good rule of thumb is that you should not have to pay your publisher to publish your book. Be sure to do your research before submitting to a publisher to make sure that they are reputable and trustworthy.
Do I need to buy a barcode? ISBN?
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. These unique numbers indicate the publisher, edition, price, print format, and author. ISBNs are used by libraries, bookstores, online retailers, distributors, and wholesalers to track purchases and sales. ISBN registering authority varies by country, be sure to check the laws in your country to find out where to get yours. If you are publishing with a publisher or through a chapbook contest they should provide the ISBN for your book. KDP offers free IBSNs for books published through their services.
You do not need to purchase a barcode. There are many services that are happy to sell you one, but you can generate it yourself. KDP will automatically insert the correct barcode on your cover. If you want to place it someplace else or if you’re publishing through IngramSpark or a small press you can generate your own barcode with free tools online. The barcode is just a scannable version of your ISBN number.
Setting prices…
We’d love to say that we have a magic formula for how to set your chapbook price. We don’t. Here are some things to consider when setting your prices:
Would you, as the author, be willing to spend the full retail price on the book? Would your mom? Would your best friend?
Is this book intended as a keepsake?
How much did it cost you to produce?
Are you planning to use this book for promotional or marketing purposes?
Did you write this book for profit or because you love when people read your work?
Are your readers also going to have to pay for shipping? How much?
At the end of the day, remember that chapbooks were intended to be cheap and entertaining.
