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Amazon KDP is a popular ebook publishing platform, but should you consider publishing your book elsewhere? This article analyzes real-world experiences with alternative book distribution channels, including Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, and IngramSpark, to help you determine the right publishing strategy.
Alternative Book Distribution Platforms
Besides Amazon KDP, you can opt for other ebook distribution channels like Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, and Smashwords. For print books, IngramSpark and Lulu are two popular choices. However, Smashwords requires a specific formatting style, making uploads challenging. Lulu, specializing in hardcover books, hasn’t garnered high sales ratings. Therefore, this article will focus on Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, and IngramSpark.
Draft2Digital and PublishDrive: Optimal Choices for Ebooks
Draft2Digital and PublishDrive allow you to distribute your books to major online retailers such as iTunes, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble. Experience shows that after uploading around 30 books on Draft2Digital, passive income reached an average of $500/month, remaining stable for a year. PublishDrive generated lower revenue, around $50-100/month.
Uploading books to Draft2Digital and PublishDrive is quite simple, requiring only a .docx file for the book and a .jpg file for the cover. Remember to exclude distribution to Amazon to avoid duplication. PublishDrive shares some retailers with Draft2Digital, so deselect these when uploading to PublishDrive.
KDP Select and Timing Your Wide Release
KDP Select allows your book to be promoted exclusively on Amazon, in exchange for benefits from Kindle Unlimited and other promotional programs. However, this means you cannot distribute your ebook on any other platform.
Experience indicates that removing a book from KDP Select to publish on Draft2Digital or PublishDrive often leads to a significant drop in ranking and sales on Amazon. Therefore, consider publishing outside Amazon only when your ebook and paperback sales are below $15/month on Amazon.
IngramSpark: The Solution for Print Books
IngramSpark is a print book distribution platform not restricted by KDP Select. You can simultaneously publish your print book on both Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. Note that you need to purchase a separate ISBN for IngramSpark, with costs varying depending on the quantity purchased.
IngramSpark delivers impressive business results. After uploading 45 books, revenue reached nearly $1000 in the first month, equating to approximately $20/book/month.
Conclusion
Publishing beyond Amazon KDP can provide a significant supplementary income stream. However, carefully weigh the benefits and risks, especially for ebooks. For print books, IngramSpark is an excellent choice to expand readership and increase sales. Choose the strategy that aligns with your goals and business situation.