How to Sell your writing Online as an eBook and in Print

Please, the time has come when I need your help SERIOUSLY. I just want to find out some things and knowing your wealth of experience, I am sure you can help me. As you know, the book I am working on is almost ready and I intend to sell some e-copies before going to print. It is about selling my books online.

This was an email I received recently and I have reproduced the questions and my suggestions below.


1. How can I upload my ebook on Amazon to sell and what do I require to be elligible for this?

You simply go to kdp.amazon.com and register. If you already shop from Amazon you can use the same sign in. It is free but I think you need a credit card or bank account so they can pay you when you make sales. You can find more information on their help site  https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help

2. Do I need to do anything extra for people to be able to buy my book on kindle? or does uploading it on Amazon qualify the book to be bought on kindle?

Uploading it at the link above will make it automatically available on Amazon and people who have the Kindle will be able to download it wherever they are.

3. Apart from Amazon, what other sites can I sell the e-copies of my books?

Apart from Amazon, Smashwords.com will distribute your eBook to several retailers including Apple, Diesel, Kobo, Sony, and on their own website. I greatly recommend Smashwords since their sign-up requirements are less tasking for international authors, and you can get paid through Paypal. They will also distribute to Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but I suggest doing these sites yourself since the option is there, and you get more up to date reports on uploading you book and after that, on sales. To self publish on B&N, go to pubit.barnesandnoble.com. Register with the relevant details and you can upload your book. You may require to provide some tax details and/or a credit card.

4. I heard from a fellow writer that there are sites where when people order for my books, the site will print it into hard copy (Paper back or hard cover) and deliver to those people. Do you have an idea what these sites are?

Yes indeed, there are several sites where you can get print on demand services. The foremost providers, and they're virtually free are Createspace.com and Lulu.com. For Createspace, you upload all the necessary files and once the final look is approved by you, your book becomes available on Amazon.com. The book will also be given expanded distribution for a nominal fee.

Lulu first makes the book available on their site, and later on other online retailers including Amazon. My tip is that you use only one of them. I forgot to mention earlier that you can also publish your eBook on Lulu.com for free and it would be sold on their site.

For assisted and paid for Print on Demand, the biggest player is Author Solutions - they are the ones behind AuthorHouse, xLibris, iUniverse, Trafford, Westbow, Balboa and Abbott, among others. I used them for my first book but found them a bit costly for someone just starting out. However, their services are topnotch and I may go back to them with time.


Let me know in the comments if the above throws up any further questions and I'll try my best to give a fitting answer.