Resources
A small collection of practical tools and articles for writers navigating the publishing process. These are resources I’ve found helpful over the years while publishing my own books and helping other authors prepare theirs.
Book Discoverability
Resources that help readers find your book.
Amazon KDP Categories Help Page
Explains how categories work on Amazon and how they affect discoverability.
Amazon KDP Select
Amazon’s optional program that gives Kindle Unlimited access in exchange for 90-day ebook exclusivity. Helpful to understand before choosing a distribution strategy.
BISAC Subject Headings (Book Industry Study Group)
Official category system used by publishers and retailers to classify books.
Publishing Essentials
Tools and guides that help you prepare professional publishing files.
Book Formatting for Self-Publishers (my guide)
A step-by-step guide to preparing print and ebook files from a Word manuscript, including cover template placement, PDF/x-1a formatting, and ePub creation for platforms such as KDP and IngramSpark. A separate Mac edition is available for authors preparing their files on Apple computers.
Bowker (ISBN)
The official U.S. ISBN agency. Helpful if you want to understand ISBN ownership and purchase your own ISBNs instead of using free platform-assigned ones.
KDP (Free ISBN)
Amazon KDP provides a free ISBN for print books, though authors can also purchase their own ISBN through an official agency such as Bowker if they prefer to be listed as the publisher.
KDP Cover Calculator
Creates exact cover dimensions for print books based on trim size, page count, and paper type. You can also choose to download the cover template created for your book
IngramSpark Cover Template Generator
Creates a cover template for your book based on trim size, page count, and paper type.
Publish Your eBook
Amazon KDP
Publish ebooks and print books directly to Amazon.
Barnes & Noble Press
Self-publishing platform for distributing ebooks and print books through Barnes & Noble.
Draft 2 Digital
Distributes ebooks to multiple retailers and library platforms, including Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.
Kobo Writing Life
Direct publishing platform for Kobo’s international ebook store.
Apple Books for Authors
Publish ebooks directly to the Apple Books store.
Publish Your Print Book
Amazon KDP
Print-on-demand books distributed primarily through Amazon, but offers expanded distribution as well.
IngramSpark
Print-on-demand distribution to bookstores, libraries, and online retailers worldwide.
Barnes & Noble Press
Self-publishing platform for distributing ebooks and print books through Barnes & Noble.
