Updated November 4, 2024

Mark Twain once said, "The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction." That may sound like a tall task, but you already know that writing is hard work and the hardest part of the process is the editing. If you want to help yourself get through your revisions faster and with more confidence, follow these essential writing tips when working on your first draft.

In the age of digital media, everybody and their brother has the capability of reading books online and on digital devices. But what if you want your books to exist in the flesh (or, in the print)? If you’re one of the many authors who dream of holding their book with their own two hands, we’ve got the information you need to succeed. You can create and print a book, then make it available through online retailers such as Amazon, Kobo, B&N, and Apple, as well as local brick-and-mortar bookstores and libraries, by following these general guidelines:

Technology has made it easy for authors curious about self-publishing a book. Self-publishing offers a cost-effective way to share your book with the masses and make some money from your writing. Whether you are hoping to self-publish a print book or an electronic version, here are eight tips on how to self-publish a book.

Updated October 7, 2025

When you decide to self-publish a book, you're signing up for all the duties a traditional publisher would typically take on. That means you not only have to write a great book, but you also take on the role of marketing it yourself. Where do you start? By developing a thoughtful book marketing strategy and taking it one step at a time!

Here are a few key elements for a good book marketing strategy:

Before your electronic content can be sold, it must first be uploaded into a portal so that it can be processed and then distributed to online retailers. There are a few rules that must be followed to ensure the successful processing of your content with IngramSpark.

When it comes to self–publishing a virtual title, one of the key questions that most authors come across is "how do I price my ebook?" While there's no one right answer to this task, there are a few wrong ones to keep in mind. As silly as it sounds, the goal is to price your ebook like an ebook. What does that mean? Well, for example, $99.99 is probably way more (unless you’re selling a college–textbook) than any potential customer would be willing to pay for an ebook. On the other hand, a virtual price tag of $14.99 can suddenly widen your customer base and potential sales. Long story short, the best way to succeed with your ebook pricing strategy is to think like a reader.

Remember the days of Harry Potter mania? Practically every chain and indie bookstore in several countries had a release party for the latest J.K Rowling tome. Children, teenagers, and even parents clad in cloaks, crooked plastic glasses, and eyeliner lightning bolts waited for hours to get their hands on a copy of the latest book. I was a fixture in these lines, complete in my Hermione costume. We look back at these midnight literary festivities ten years later as a pop-culture touchstone. However, to people in the publishing industry, this is the perfect example of how pre-orders can make your book a success.

Authors can self-publish a book in many ways, from print publishing to digital publishing. No matter the format you choose, providing an ISBN is an important component to publishing your book. Let's talk about all things ISBN! 

At IngramSpark, our mission is to support you through your self-publishing journey. Nothing is more inspiring than writers like you sharing your stories—the reason behind your book, your "why." In May 2020, we asked the writing community to share their #WhyIPublish stories, and the response was overwhelming. In today's post, we're sharing some inspiring stories and a breakdown of the data from our #WhyIPublish survey.

It's been over two years since we launched IngramSpark's self-publishing podcast, Go Publish Yourself, and we've been blown away by the positive response from indie publishers! With nearly 200,000 listens in more than 70 countries, the people have spoken—and we look forward to sharing more episodes with you in Season 5. Keep reading as we revisit some of the podcast's most popular episodes and share exciting news about what's to come!