You can write the absolute best book in the world, have top-of-the-line book distribution and quality, but another essential part to being a successful publisher is taking the time to invest in expanding your publishing knowledge and expertise, because, at the end of the day, your book’s success needs your input.
Take IngramSpark’s FREE Online Self-Publishing Courses
IngramSpark Academy
We now offer free online self-publishing courses on topics that are most beneficial to your success as an indie author or publisher! There also isn’t an author or publisher anywhere who knows all there is to know about publishing.
If you’ve done the work to write and publish a brilliant book, then readers should know about it!
There’s always more to learn as the publishing landscape changes constantly. Your advantage as an indie publisher is that you’re more versatile than traditional publishers will ever be. Even if you get just one piece of inspiration from seeking out more information, that’s a piece you didn’t have before and weren’t applying to your book’s potential success. As an indie publisher, you should never stop learning and looking for opportunity.
Where to Learn How to Self-Publish
The resources are out there! In an IngramSpark podcast spotlight episode, we interviewed Jason Pinter, New York Times bestselling author and indie publisher, and he said:
“There’s a responsibility that comes with [indie publishing] because there’s too much information available to you to not be knowledgeable.”
IngramSpark helps close the gap between independent publishing and traditional publishing by allowing authors and publishers access to the same global book distribution and quality enjoyed by traditional publishers at prices self-publishers can afford. We also offer you the educational aspects to help you and your book succeed—of which IngramSpark Academy is one.
How to Self-Publish Course
This is a crash course explaining some of the decisions you’ll need to make as a self-publisher. Self-publishing isn’t for everyone, and we absolutely get that! We want you to make the right decision for you and your book, so this course helps give you a better idea of what’s involved in self-publishing.
The How to Self-Publish Course teaches you how to self-publish a book with a better understanding of where self-publishing stands today, the benefits of self-publishing, the book publishing process, and what you need to self‑publish professionally.
"What a gem of a course! Explains the many facets of publishing in a short, easily digested format!"
Book Design Course
Book design (cover AND interior) is your book's first impression on potential readers - you want to make the best one, right?
This course reveals important publishing industry standards to keep in mind for your book design, whether you create your cover and interior yourself or work with a professional book designer.
How to Build an Author Platform
Building your author platform is essential. This is one of the main reasons authors are acquired by traditional publishers! Having an author platform ensures that you have a built-in audience for a publication. Every good book needs an audience, and every great author deserves fans.
This course offers you a better understanding of how and why people buy books, and tips on how to find, target, and engage with your audience.
"It made me think of promotion ideas I had never considered before!"
Social Media Marketing for Self-Publishers
Social media marketing is always a hot topic, because 1/3 of the world’s population uses social networks regularly and 81% of shoppers use the internet to help them make purchasing decisions. Social media can be a powerful book marketing tool and a great way to connect with readers. Why not look for readers where so many of them already spend their time?
Figuring out which social media platforms are best for authors, what each platform does, the time commitment, and what to post where overwhelms some authors, so we help break it down.
The Social Media Marketing Course teaches you how to market your book on social media, what social platforms work best for authors, and how best to develop a social media marketing strategy that promotes your book and author platform.
"After all the books and articles I've read over the past year trying to master social media, this one course gave me everything I need hands down!"
How to Increase Book Sales Potential: Metadata for Books
We can’t stress enough how important your book metadata is to your book’s online discoverability, not only to readers, but also to retailers and librarians. If someone’s searching for something like your book online, wouldn’t you like your book to show up as the answer to their search?
Good book metadata is your secret sales force and can win you readers while you’re not looking—with nothing more than you taking the time to set it up correctly. Book metadata sounds like a fancy technical thing, but it’s really all the things that describe your book to search engines, readers, booksellers, and librarians.
This course offers helpful tips in regards to your book’s most essential metadata such as: keywords, title, book description, author bio, subject codes, trim size, ISBN, price, and publication date.
"I had no clue about different trim sizes for different genres or the release calendar for books in my genre. Very enjoyable read."
We hope you'll take the opportunity to invest in your publisher education, whether it be through our free courses, podcast, blog, or downloadable resources, or by getting involved in a publishing association or attending a conference.
You have a story—it's time to share it with the world.
