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This month I want to talk to you about getting started by choosing a platform. There's a lot of information out there for anyone who wants to self-publish, and it's hard to know where to start.
The first thing you should do is figure out whether you want to publish your book(s) on Amazon only or multiple platforms.
Amazon
Amazon is the most popular, with a global reach in the millions. You can publish ebooks, paperbacks, and hardcover by setting up an account through Kindle Direct Publishing (aka KDP).
Alternatives
Despite their notoriety, Amazon is not the only game in town. Barnes & Noble has Barnes & Noble Press, Kobo has Kobo Writing Life (KWL), Google Play has the Books Partner Center, and then there's Apple Books.
They all offer authors the ability to publish digital copies of their works. Barnes & Noble Press offers the opportunity to publish paperbacks and hardcovers, just like Amazon.
When deciding on which platforms to use, consider how much time you'll have available. Are you able to set up accounts and publish on all the platforms? If so, go for it.
Aggregators
If you're not, select the platforms you have time for, or use an aggregator. Aggregators will publish the books on the other platforms for you, for a percentage of your net sales, typically 10-15 percent. The most popular ones are PublishDrive and Draft2Digital.
Whatever you decide, factor in at least a few weeks when setting up your accounts. Some take longer than others and require approval before your account goes live.
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