Choosing the Right Publishing Platform

 Chapter 6: Choosing the Right Publishing Platform

Once your e-book is written, formatted, and edited, the next step is getting it published and into the hands of readers. But how do you choose the right publishing platform?

In this chapter, we’ll cover:
✅ Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing – Which is right for you?
✅ The best self-publishing platforms (Amazon KDP, Gumroad, Apple Books, etc.)
✅ Understanding royalties and licensing to maximize profits

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6.1 Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

Before choosing a platform, you need to decide whether you want to self-publish or go the traditional publishing route.

🔹 Self-Publishing (The Fast, Independent Option)

Self-publishing means you control everything—writing, editing, design, pricing, and marketing. You also keep more of your profits.

✔️ Pros of Self-Publishing:

• Full creative control over your book
• Higher royalties (you keep up to 70% of sales)
• Faster publishing (your book can be live in days)
• No gatekeepers—you don’t need approval from a publisher

❌ Cons of Self-Publishing:

• You’re responsible for editing, formatting, and marketing
• Harder to get into physical bookstores

💡 Best for: Entrepreneurs, content creators, and writers who want control and higher profits.

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🔹 Traditional Publishing (The Big-Name Route)

Traditional publishing means a publishing house (Penguin, HarperCollins, etc.) accepts your book, edits it, and distributes it—but they take a big cut of your profits.

✔️ Pros of Traditional Publishing:

• Prestige & credibility (a big-name publisher backs you)
• Wider distribution (bookstores, libraries, etc.)
• They handle marketing & editing

❌ Cons of Traditional Publishing:

• Low royalties (authors typically get 10–15% of book sales)
• Slow process (can take 6–12 months to publish)
• No creative control (publishers decide cover, pricing, edits)

💡 Best for: Writers who want a traditional book deal and bookstore distribution—and don’t mind waiting.

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6.2 Best Self-Publishing Platforms

If you’re self-publishing, you’ll need to choose the right platform to sell your book. Here are the best options:

📌 1. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) – Best for Maximum Reach

🔹 Website: kdp.amazon.com
🔹 Best for: Selling e-books on Amazon Kindle

✔️ Pros:

• Huge audience (Amazon dominates the e-book market)
• Earn up to 70% royalties on sales
• Easy to publish (takes only a few hours)

❌ Cons:

• Amazon takes a cut of every sale
• You must price your e-book between $2.99–$9.99 for 70% royalties

💡 Great for: Authors who want global exposure and passive income.

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📌 2. Gumroad – Best for Direct Sales & Full Control

🔹 Website: gumroad.com
🔹 Best for: Selling e-books directly to your audience

✔️ Pros:

• Keep up to 90% of sales (higher profits than Amazon)
• No pricing restrictions (sell at any price)
• Sell bundles, courses, or extras with your book

❌ Cons:

• No built-in audience (you must do your own marketing)
• Gumroad fees (they take ~10% per sale)

💡 Great for: Entrepreneurs, influencers, and creators with their own audience.

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📌 3. Apple Books – Best for iPhone/iPad Readers

🔹 Website: authors.apple.com
🔹 Best for: Selling to Apple users (iPads, iPhones, MacBooks)

✔️ Pros:

• Access to millions of Apple users
• High-quality platform with great design
• Up to 70% royalties

❌ Cons:

• Less traffic than Amazon
• Requires a Mac device to publish

💡 Great for: Tech-savvy authors who want another income stream beyond Amazon.

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📌 4. Other Self-Publishing Platforms

✔️ Kobo Writing Life (kobo.com) – Good for international sales
✔️ Payhip (payhip.com) – Best for selling PDFs & e-books directly
✔️ Barnes & Noble Press (press.barnesandnoble.com) – Sell on Nook e-readers

💡 Pro Tip: You can publish on multiple platforms to maximize earnings! 🚀

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6.3 Understanding Royalties & Licensing

Your earnings depend on the platform you choose and your book’s price.

🔹 How Royalties Work on Different Platforms

Platform	Royalties	Notes
Amazon KDP	70% (if priced $2.99–$9.99)	35% for lower or higher prices
Gumroad	90%	Small transaction fees apply
Apple Books	70%	No pricing restrictions
Kobo Writing Life	70%	Popular in Canada & Europe

💡 Pro Tip: To maximize royalties, price your e-book between $4.99–$9.99—this is the sweet spot for sales.

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🔹 Understanding Licensing & Copyright

When you publish an e-book, you automatically own the copyright—but you may want to add extra protection and distribution rights.

✔️ ISBN (International Standard Book Number):

• Required for print books but optional for e-books.
• Amazon KDP does NOT require an ISBN.

✔️ Creative Commons vs. Full Copyright:

• Full copyright: No one can reproduce your book without permission.
• Creative Commons: Allows limited sharing (good for lead magnets & free books).

💡 Pro Tip: If you want your e-book to be exclusive to Amazon Kindle, join KDP Select—this lets you run Kindle Unlimited promotions but limits where you can sell.

🚀 Action Steps Before Moving to Chapter 7

✅ Decide whether to self-publish or go traditional
✅ Choose a publishing platform (Amazon KDP, Gumroad, Apple Books, etc.)
✅ Understand your royalties and pricing strategy

Publishing is easier than ever, but choosing the right platform makes all the difference. Make sure you pick the best option for your goals! 🚀

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