IngramSpark News

IngramSpark takes a necessary stand to uphold the integrity of and reduce bias against independently published works. To align with our industry’s needs for content integrity, we will actively remove content from our catalog that is deemed unsuitable according to the criteria specified below, that may be deemed illegal or harmful under applicable law, or that may otherwise harm buyers or the reputations of IngramSpark, its affiliates, our publishers or distribution channels; IngramSpark retains the right to make any such determination in its sole and absolute discretion.

It’s hard to believe that we are almost through May. It has been quite the start to 2023, and May has proven no different with the many new changes that we have introduced at IngramSpark.  In our industry, we often are busy keeping up with the day-to-day changes that come along with publishing, but I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude and thanks for the continued support we receive from our IngramSpark authors and publishers. Your use of IngramSpark is instrumental in driving our growth and enabling us to create better opportunities for indies and independently published content around the globe.

One of the things that stands in the way of many writers' ability to self-publish is book design. Finding and hiring a book cover designer, formatting the interior, uploading your files to IngramSpark—it can all seem a bit daunting. What if we told you IngramSpark offers a FREE tool to create your own book online? You heard that right—learn more about what you can do with IngramSpark's free Book-Building Tool!

For many years, the discussion around ebooks has been tied to print: which is better, more efficient, more reliable—as if the two options were pit head-to-head on a vs. match. But let's be realistic, both formats are on the same team. Skewed rhetoric has made it seem as if the two compete with each other when in reality, both could be working in tandem to bring your book more exposure. When it comes down to it, authors want their books to be seen by as many potential customers as possible. Offering a print AND ebook version of your books is one way to do that and with IngramSpark's newest updates to ebook distribution, your ebook format is even more visible than ever.

We appreciate you being a contributing member of our IngramSpark community. We are dedicated to offering our authors and publishers a secure and quality self-publishing experience. We are also fully committed to bringing value to the many relationships that are managed through our expanded distribution network of bookstores, libraries, and independent publisher associations. Part of the success of our distribution network that you rely on is directly reflected in gaining and maintaining the trust of our retail partners in the IngramSpark content we provide them.

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:

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!

This immortal anthem, written in 1964 by Bob Dylan at the height of the civil rights movement in the U.S., has been dancing in my head lately. However, when I looked up the lyrics, I had forgotten that the second verse specifically calls on writers not to miss this chance. Dylan later said, “This is definitely a song with a purpose…I knew exactly what I wanted to say and who I wanted to say it to.” Even though our current time is more than a half-century later, I think Dylan’s call to writers to lift, inspire, and to tell the human story is even more relevant today.

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.

We're excited to unveil the new home dashboard and title setup process in your IngramSpark account!

Quarantine days are a bit quieter, and there's never been a better time to step into a creative mindset and write. The IngramSpark community is hyper-engaged right now, and WE 👏 SEE 👏 YOU! 👏 To keep the creative juices flowing, we've rounded up some of our top writing and publishing resources to keep you stimulated and sane while you're at home!

I’m sitting here in my kitchen window on a January snowy day in New Mexico thinking about all the possibilities ahead in 2020. With this new year just dawning, it’s a perfect time to take inventory of what's happening in the world of self-publishing andbook distribution for small publishers. Here’s a review of self-publishing trends in 2019 and what I see happening in 2020.

IngramSpark has been hard at work to expand book options for indie authors. Over the last few months, we've launched three exciting new product offerings: groundwood paper, Digital Cloth™, and Jacketed Case Laminate! Learn more about the new product options.

2019 was another fantastic year for IngramSpark authors. We have so much to look back fondly on in 2019, including a successful IngramSpark Day and a brand new look for www.ingramspark.com. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to launch wholeheartedly into the new year! 

Writing is a journey. Sometimes, we could all use little extra motivation! Are you ready to challenge yourself to do more? Learn more about IngramSpark's 30-Day Writing Challenge and join a community of people improving their writing skills, one day at a time. 

For the past few months, we've been hard at work laying out a new online experience for our website users. We've focused on making it easier to find the self-publishing and online book distribution resources you need, highlighting our IngramSpark authors and publishers, and helping you connect with your IngramSpark community. Now, it's time for us to share it with the world. 

What happens when your book gets stuck in IngramSpark's title processing? And what if your title is showing up as "temporarily unavailable" or "out of stock" through online retailers? In this post, we'll review common file errors that delay your title processing and how to ensure that your title is available to booksellers worldwide.

Historically, you've been able to update pricing, returns, and discount information within your IngramSpark account and those changes have been made effective on a monthly basis. As of March 26, 2019, these price changes are now effective weekly. Learn more about how to update pricing in IngramSpark—and a few things to think about before you do.

Earlier this month, The Authors Guild shared the results from their 2018 Authors' Income Survey, leading to buzz around dwindling author salaries. With over 5,000 writers participating in the survey, including some IngramSpark authors, we saw the largest U.S. survey of published authors to date. The findings have created conversations in the book publishing industry. The good news? Self-published author incomes are on the rise! Here are some of our key takeaways from the survey, and some tips to help you maximize your self-publishing author salary today.

The beginning of any year presents a unique opportunity to combine reflection with forward-thinking, and 2019 is no exception. Whether you're beginning a new novel, writing a book marketing plan for an existing book, or working on any aspect of your self-publishing journey, now is the time to examine the self-publishing landscape at the conclusion of 2018 and prepare accordingly for 2019. So, what’s ahead for the self-publishing world in 2019? Here are my insights into trending book publishing topics for the New Year:

Considering converting your print book into an ebook? Offering your book in multiple formats is one of the easiest ways to reach more readers. While some readers prefer to read in print, some prefer to read ebooks only. Not offering your book in ebook format, is a guarantee your content will never reach them, so why limit your book's distribution?

Your IngramSpark account setup is complete – now what? The first step in moving forward is uploading a book into your account, so here’s how you would go about doing that!

I remember the first time I "published" a book. My grandparents owned a bookstore, and I would spend most of my adolescence in the back office helping to price books, doing my homework, or goofing off. While bored one day, I came up with an idea to make money the same way my grandparents did—selling books.

The moment you’ve been waiting for! IngramSpark just got personal. Now you can personalize any book order for just $1 per book! Keep reading for details and ideas of how to use this awesome new feature to customize your book orders!