In today’s online publishing landscape, it’s a good idea to become familiar with all the options available to you. That’s why veteran authors and publishers have turned to IngramSpark to assist them with their publishing needs.
So, what is IngramSpark?
This is a print-to-order (POD) service that gives authors and publishers the opportunity to print books as they are purchased. This is a huge advantage over traditional publishing. In traditional publishing, publishers always took a chance on new authors. The reason for this is because there is no guarantee that a new author will be successful. Even established authors can have a flop once in a while.
With POD, this risk is practically eliminated. Once a customer orders a hard copy of a book (hardcover or paperback), IngramSpark takes care of the rest. The book is shipped out to the customer as scheduled. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at what IngramSpark has to offer both authors and publishers.
How to Get the Ball Rolling
IngramSpark works the same ways as Kindle’s POD service. Now, it’s important to note that IngramSpark is a great alternative to Kindle. So, if you are planning to use an alternative to Kindle, IngramSpark can work very well for you.
To get started, all you need to do is sign up for your account. There is a $49 sign-up fee. You can get this rate discounted every time there are offers. These offers are practically permanent so do check for discount codes. This is a one-time fee for every book you upload. Then, you will need to use the cost calculator to determine how much it will actually cost to print and ship. This is key in determining your book’s retail price. You can also sign up for $25 to get your eBook online. This is the best option as there are no shipping or printing costs associated.
Advantages of IngramSpark
Unless you are 100%, totally committed to Kindle, IngramSpark is a great way to get your book out there. Plus, IngramSpark can connect you to brick-and-mortar stores. This is important as getting into the physical book market is always a feat for any author or publisher.
Also, Kindle is a vast sea of titles. As such, it can be hard for new authors to get their foot in the door through Kindle. Often, you need to invest in Kindle ads before your book can gain any kind of traction. If your marketing does not depend on Kindle, then IngramSpark can be a good way for you to get your book out there. For example, you sell your book on your website and IngramSpark takes care of the rest.
That’s a great way to make things work out quickly and easily.
Should You Use IngramSpark?
Yes, if you are keen on making hard copies available to your customers. Also, if you are looking to make your book available both digital and print, IngramSpark is a great choice. However, if you are planning to make your book available only in eBook format, then you might be better off with Kindle.
Now, it should be noted that IngramSpark does offer shipping to the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. Plus, it has global shipping options. This is something that Kindle doesn’t offer. So, if you are serious about getting hard copies out to the world market, then you should really give IngramSpark a closer look.
