Self-Publishing Process
Self-Publishing for First-Time Authors: A Practical Starting Guide
First book, first decisions: readiness, budget, DIY vs package, Launch vs Pro, and what to ignore (bestsellers-for-sale).
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Self-publishing guides for authors who want clarity
Transparent packages, royalties, Lightning Source literacy, and the Author Portal — written for authors who refuse opaque paid packages.
Royalties & Distribution
Print-on-Demand Self-Publishing Explained (No Garage Full of Cartons)
POD prints a copy when it sells. That is how debut authors avoid a garage of cartons. What POD is, what it is not, and how packages use…
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Royalties & Distribution
How to Price a Self-Published Book (Print, eBook, and Net Royalties)
Price is not a vibe. It is trim, page count, channel discount, and print cost. How to set a number without copying a bestseller’s $9.99 by accident.
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Company & Industry
BookBaby Alternative for Debut Authors: What Actually Differs
BookBaby is a known assisted-publishing catalog. AuthorShelf competes on listed six-tier packages, lifetime portal, and 100% net royalties. Honest overlap and differences.
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Company & Industry
Author Solutions Alternative: AuthorHouse, Xlibris, iUniverse — What to Compare
AuthorHouse, Xlibris, and iUniverse sit in the same research set. Use one comparison: listed total, rights, royalties, and whether production is visible.
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Royalties & Distribution
How to Get Your Book in Bookstores (Orderability vs Being Stocked)
Bookstores order returnable titles they believe they can sell. Distribution setup makes the book orderable. It does not force a shelf. Here is the honest path.
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Packages & Pricing
Book Editing Services Prices (2026): What an Editor Costs
Book editing services prices: developmental $380, copyediting + proofreading $799 at AuthorShelf. How much an editor costs depends on the level you actually need.
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Royalties & Distribution
IngramSpark vs KDP (2026): Amazon KDP vs IngramSpark Compared
IngramSpark vs KDP is not a fight. KDP is Amazon. IngramSpark is wide print/wholesale. Most debut print programs use both — or a partner who sets up both.
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Royalties & Distribution
How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP (Files, ISBN, and Proofs)
KDP is a retailer dashboard, not a publisher. Here is what Amazon needs, what you still have to produce, and when a package is worth it.
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Packages & Pricing
Self-Publishing Companies That Don’t Take Royalties (How to Verify)
Cheapest is not the filter. The filter is whether the company takes a cut of book sales. Here is how to verify — and how AuthorShelf’s net formula…
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