The best feeling for a writer, you ask? It is indeed finishing writing a book. The satisfaction of having your book completed is unmatched. But hold on! That is not it.
The task of getting your finished book published is as significant. The good news is, gone are the days when authors had to approach the doors of several publishers and wait patiently till one of them found it worth publishing.
With digital publishing taking the internet by storm, authors no more have to go around physically with their manuscripts to publishers.
eBook publishing platforms have simplified the job by leaps and bounds. Self-publishing has revolutionized the entire process of book publishing.
Writers can easily publish their books on an online publishing platform. However, a few things to bear in mind are the exposure, royalties, and the publishing process.
Dive in to know the 10 best free publishing platforms for authors:
1. Google Play Books
The OG of online eBook publishing platforms needs no introduction. Google Play undeniably is a large platform, with its reach in 75 countries and more than 300 billion users worldwide. Its Play Books service enables authors to publish their books online to this wide audience.
Once you get your book on Google Play Books, you make it available to the search algorithm of Google increasing your visibility manifold.
Google does not require exclusivity, which means that authors are free to have their books published on other platforms simultaneously. Play Books ensures a 70% royalty to its authors, supporting only PDF and EPUB formats.
2. KITABOO
KITABOO is a great online publishing platform that enables authors to publish their books online. It allows authors to leverage the multiple avenues of eBook publishing by creating feature-rich eBooks. It is accessible on Windows, IOS, and Android devices.
KITABOO provides an effortless experience to its authors, who can optimize their eBooks for publication using its top-notch user analytics.
Authors can also enhance their eBooks using an AR (Augmented Reality) feature. Offline accessibility of books is also available to readers once they download a particular eBook. KITABOO accepts the EPUB format and allows you to convert eBooks to this format.
3. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
A leading name among many aspiring writers is Amazon KDP. This eBook publishing platform gives you full rights to your book and aids your book’s availability globally.
The unmatched exposure is best for budding writers. About 40% of the best-sellers on Amazon are self-published.
Amazon supports doc, Docx, Kindle Package Format (KPF), EPUB, and MOBI formats. Authors receive royalties ranging from 35% to 70%, determined by the price of the book.
4. Kobo Writing Life
One of the best online platforms to get your book on is Kobo Writing Life. It is a Canada-based company serving as one of the largest eBook stores. It gives you the liberty of setting your prices and going about with your promotions.
Kobo Writing Life allows you to publish simultaneously on platforms besides its own, allowing you to reap multiple benefits for your book.
Kobo gives enough exposure to your book, with its publications reaching more than 16 countries. It supports formats like doc, Docx, ODT, EPUB, and MOBI.
5. Bookrix
Another free online publishing platform where authors can self-publish their books is Bookrix. Like most eBook publishing platforms, Bookrix also does not require exclusivity. It allows its authors 70% royalty paid monthly.
Prior to publishing, the platform formats and optimizes your work. The platform also assigns your book an ISBN (Internation Standard Book Number).
6. Barnes & Noble Press
Barnes & Noble Press is a quick and easy eBook publishing platform of the Barnes & Noble enterprise. It enables authors to publish their books in less than twenty minutes, putting them up for sale within three days.
The platform also allows you to publish your book on other platforms simultaneously. The authors are entitled to a royalty of 70% on each sale.
It also provides editorial, designing, and marketing services with applicable charges. B&N accepts formats like doc, Docx, txt, HTML, and EPUB.
7. Apple Books
Running close behind Google Play Books is Apple Books. It is the second-largest online retailer of eBooks. Over 100 million MAC users have direct access to Apple Books which makes this online publishing platform a cut above the rest.
Apple books promise its authors 70% of the royalties of their publishing, irrespective of the book’s price. It allows its users to publish under a DBA or pen name. It supports formats like EPUB and multi-touch books created in Apple Pages.
8. Lulu
Another platform providing eBook publishing services is Lulu. It is the home of several self-publishing authors. It provides guidance and assistance to its users throughout the publishing process.
It also dispenses distribution services for a fee to ensure that your book reaches a large audience, along with formatting, editing, and designing services.
Lulu shares 90% of the net profits with its authors. Like Google, it only supports formats like EPUB and PDF.
9. Wattpad
Unlike the other mentions here, Wattpad is typically for short stories and novels published episodically. The majority of stories here are free for readers except a selected few.
You must be wondering why you would opt for a free site. The logic is simple. Wattpad has 90 million readers, enabling you to create a community of readers that looks forward to your work and then search for you on other platforms.
10. Smashwords
The answer to every self-publishing writer’s prayers is Smashwords. It works both as an eBook publisher and an aggregator allowing you to sell your book to major retailers and their bookstores.
It supports the EPUB and MOBI formats and provides 80% royalty to authors. It is a speedy publishing platform, giving your book worldwide exposure.
Conclusion
Narrowing down on a publishing platform is no easy job. The purpose of writing a book is defeated when it fails to garner the readers’ attention or even reach them.
Do your homework thoroughly and choose your online publishing platform carefully. You do not want your book falling flat on its face because of lack of exposure.
Here is a pro tip: if you are a newbie, start slowly and choose a platform that provides thorough assistance to ensure that you are on the right track. So go out there and publish your eBook right away!
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