Top things to look for in book self publishing companies (and why it matters)

Know what you're paying for

Nobody likes hidden fees, mysterious markups, or surprise surcharges when you're trying to self-publish your book. At the same time, some self-publishing companies prey on the author's desperation to see their book in print, and tack on added fees and charges that are hidden in the fine print. The best book self publishing companies are transparent and up-front about their prices.

For example, BookBaby lists our full suite of services right on our website. Our cover design services start at $399, and we also offer formatting, editing, Print On Demand, distribution, audiobook creation, and even translation of your book into one or more languages. Go ahead and see how BookBaby compares to other self-publishing companies like Lulu and others. You'll see that not only is our pricing transparent, but our commitment to creating a superior publishing experience from start to finish is second-to-none.

As you're evaluating different book self publishing companies, ask yourself: Is it clear what I'll get at each price tier? Does the company offer a-la-carte options and will I really use them, or are they just something that's “nice to have?” Make sure that with whichever company you choose, their pricing pages are open and easy to find — not buried under a mountain of other pages.

BookBaby offers a comprehensive suite of editing services, each centered around a specific type of editing needed to make your book as polished and presentable as possible. From line editing to copy editing and proofreading, our editing services are about more than just catching typos. Depending on the type of editing you choose, we can also help to organize the flow and cadence of your prose, uncover sneaky plot holes, or otherwise help tighten and polish your writing in the way that only professional literary experts can. This not only builds your authority as an expert in your field, but also boosts your credibility as an author with your audience of readers. When they see high-quality, detailed work, that impression will follow you — and that's exactly what you want!

Beyond the editing itself, make sure that the self-publishing company you choose also handles their cover design in-house with experienced designers who are ready to match the visual aesthetic of your book to your unique voice and genre. At BookBaby, we offer graphically inclined do-it-yourself authors the ability to create their own cover, but for those of you who panic with Photoshop or inch away from InDesign, our professional graphic design team has you covered. Plus, with professional cover design starting at just $399, it's a small price to pay to make a big impression!

That's why even if you're using our graphic design or layout templates, we'll still do a prepress file check before printing. During a prepress file check, our specialists will diligently check every file to make sure your content and artwork look flawless. If anything looks off, we'll either fix it for you, or alert you so that you can fix it. No surprises, no printing problems.

It's also worth noting that BookBaby is G7 certified and U.S. based, meaning that your printed books are held to the same exacting standards as bookstore-quality prints, so you can be confident that the end result looks, feels, and reads flawlessly, like any book you'd pick up off the shelf at your local bookstore. That's a commitment to quality that few self-publishing companies will back, but it's one that BookBaby does with pride.

For this reason, when deciding between self-publishing companies for your books, ask if your files are specifically reviewed or simply approved and then passed on through the printing process. Also, ask if the printed books look consistent from copy to copy. If they don't, it's time to look elsewhere.

Royalties, distribution, and earnings

The amount you earn per sale directly affects your livelihood as an author, and every dollar matters. At BookBaby, we make our royalty structure free and easy to understand. For example, through our Bookshop, you can earn even more through the books you sell directly. We also offer a convenient royalty calculator that makes it easy to see how much you'll earn.

In fact, we invite you to compare BookBaby directly with other self publishing companies including Lulu or SelfPublishing.com (in particular, pay attention to the royalty structure). You'll see that the difference in the amount you take home with each sale is notable.

Helpful support and customer care

Support before, during, and after the process matters. You're an author, you're not a printing technician, and you shouldn't have to be. Having experts accessible means progress goes smoothly, and you sidestep costly mistakes. Our U.S.-based publishing specialists are available by phone, email, and live chat, from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Imagine trying to get that level of support and direction with offshore or automated models, where you're left to deal with the file specifications and print details all on your own.

Rather than just “converting on command,” we also take the time to make sure, for example, that images are crisp and clear, the formatting of the eBook makes it easy and enjoyable to read, and much more. Oftentimes if you simply save a PDF as an eBook format, the result will look skewed, distorted, and nearly impossible to read. That's why it pays to have your eBook converted professionally!

But eBooks are just one of the many services we offer to get your book into the hands of more readers. We also offer audiobook services, which includes the option to hire a professional narrator and create a studio-quality recording. Considering that audiobooks are one of the fastest-growing segments for readers on the market, this is one segment of readers you won't want to ignore! Plus, authors earn 75% royalties on audiobooks sold via your Bookshop page!

When deciding on the best self-publishing company for your book, consider whether or not the company offers true end-to-end support, or if they simply convert your book to .EPUB or .MOBI format and then call it a day.

Looking for even more ways to expand your book's reach? We also offer professional book translation services in over 50 languages. Many famous books, from The Diary of Anne Frank to Harry Potter, have been translated into dozens of languages, and have shocked and captivated the world respectively. Your book could do the same!

Author education and ongoing support

Even after your book is printed and published and is reaching the hands of potentially millions of readers, you still need support to grow as an author. Whether you're publishing a series or working on your next book, education is crucial. Taking the time to understand everything from how to write better to how to publish like a pro can be the difference between a book with modest sales and one that reaches the bestseller lists.

For that reason, BookBaby offers a number of free self-publishing and book marketing resources. This includes step-by-step guidance on how to publish on Amazon, how to prepare your eBook files, or how to write your memoir. All of our guides are designed to be easy to follow and packed with actionable advice that helps you improve in the art and craft of writing.

Solid satisfaction guarantee

We're proud to stand behind thousands upon thousands of self-published authors across every genre imaginable, and over 200,000+ titles, plus five-star endorsements from media partners and review sites like Trustpilot and others. We guarantee your complete satisfaction at every stage of the process. If something isn't right, we'll make it right. That's how committed we are to making sure your experience is flawless from start to finish.

Avoiding vanity press pitfalls

When it comes to self-publishing, we've saved the “best” for last: Vanity presses. In fact, this is so important that we want to expand on it, since it's very easy to fall into the trap of unknowingly working with a vanity press. Here's what to look out for:

“Guaranteed bestseller” or major media coverage

No one can guarantee your book will become a bestseller. Even if you have great writing, an eager audience, and strategic marketing, sometimes it really does boil down to all these things, plus a sprinkling of good luck. Steer clear of any company that says they can “get you on Oprah” or make your book a bestseller.

These companies exist only to prey on your hype, and these types of guarantees are often tied to expensive “marketing” which sends out press releases to dead email lists or mentions you on “pay-to-play” podcasts that no one listens to. They may even place you on a “bestseller list” — but it's in an obscure niche, behind a paywall, and has nothing to do with Amazon, USA Today, or The New York Times.

With BookBaby, we're here to help you sell books, but we'll never promise results that even we can't control.

Priced at thousands of dollars with no clear indication of what you're getting

If the vanity press expects you to pay thousands of dollars before you even see a breakdown of prices, you're paying for a glorified trap. Vanity presses love big, bloated packages with names like “Elite Author Success Package” or “Platinum Published Author” priced anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 or more.

If you happen to ask what's actually included, you'll get some vague general responses like “global distribution” (where?), “marketing support” (how?), or “increased exposure” (what?) Digging a little deeper, you might discover that the “editing” you get is a quick spelling and grammar check, the “marketing” is a single post on social media, and the distribution is uploading your book to Amazon (something you could do yourself in 15 minutes or less).

At BookBaby, you only pay for what you get. No massive bundles, no mystery charges. We break it all down, from editing and cover design, to formatting and printing, so you know exactly what the cost is before you even pay one cent.

The contract is vague and hard to cancel

This one is particularly dangerous and fully designed to take advantage of unsuspecting authors. Vanity presses often hide clauses in the fine print that are particularly nefarious, including things like:

• They own the ISBN (and therefore the listing)
• They get a permanent cut of your royalties
• You can't terminate the agreement without paying a fee
• You can't publish elsewhere without their permission

If you do want to cancel the contract, you'll find it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to do so. You might get charged “termination fees” or have to go through “release conditions” — if you're responded to at all.

Conversely, a trustworthy self-publishing company will:

• Let you retain all the rights to your work
• Keep you as the publisher of record
• Use clear, terminable agreements that are designed to protect you
• Ensure that you keep 100% of your copyright to your book

The website lacks clear pricing or service descriptions

Interestingly, many vanity press websites look like they launched straight out of 2007 and never updated since then. They also suspiciously hide their pricing pages and don't list their services in detail. You might see “custom author support packages” but with no real meat behind it — so you don't know what you're actually getting.

This is a clear, and sometimes all-too-common method with vanity presses who are trying to hide how little value they actually offer. Compare these types of expensive bundles with BookBaby's a-la-carte services where we break down exactly what's included, and even give you comparison guides, pricing tools, and calculators to help you estimate what you'll pay, so that you'll know precisely what to expect in terms of cost and timeframe.

They push upsells hard — even if the upsell isn't relevant to what you need

BookBaby offers a number of services, but you'll never find us pushing upsells on you that you don't need. Vanity presses, meanwhile, are designed to part you from your money as quickly as possible. Once you're in their system, you'll no doubt be bombarded with calls, texts, and emails trying to sell you:

• Upgraded “marketing bundles”
• Social media “boosts”
• Audiobook creation using robotic voices
• Press release “submission” to wire services no one reads

These aren't publishing experts you're dealing with — they're salespeople with quotas to meet. At BookBaby, if all you need is a line edit and a cover design, that's all you have to sign up for. You won't find us trying to sell you an “influencer package.”

You read multiple author complaints on forums or websites

This is where reviews meet reality. If you're truly curious, Google the name of the vanity press you're considering, followed by the words “reviews” or “scam”, then read the results. You might discover authors who paid thousands of dollars and never saw a book, or people whose books were published with horrible covers and typos, or contracts that couldn't be canceled without a lengthy legal fight — and that's if the company even allows reviews.

Any of these items on its own should raise a red flag, but if you see more than one — run and don't look back. With BookBaby, we want your book to succeed as much as you do, which is why it's worth evaluating what we offer carefully to see for yourself how we give your book the care it so rightfully deserves.

It matters who you choose to self-publish with

Choosing a book self publishing company isn't something you can, or should do, in the span of a few minutes. By considering all these points carefully and paying special attention to what you get for your money and how easy it is to reach support if you have questions or concerns, a clear winner emerges.

The team at BookBaby is here to help you make your book a resounding success, from professional editing to cover design, translation, audiobook narration, eBook conversion, and more. We back up our services with prepress checks, digital previews, and easy proof ordering, so you can see and feel the end result is done with quality at every stage. Contact us today to learn more about our self publishing and printing services, and let's give your book the attention it deserves — worthy of a place on store shelves and bookshelves alike.