Publishing your book is one of the most rewarding steps in the entire process. In this module, we’ll walk through how to publish your book using today’s most reliable platforms (KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital), how to gather reviews ethically, and how to market your book in simple, practical, and effective ways. This module is designed to help you feel confident—from clicking “Publish” to sharing your book with the world.

 

1. Understanding Your Publishing Options

Today’s publishing world gives authors more control than ever. Rather than relying on traditional publishers, you can publish independently and keep ownership of your content, royalties, and creative direction.

To publish your book, you require an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). An ISBN is a unique 13-digit identifier assigned to each version of your book (ebook, paperback, hardcover). It helps bookstores, libraries, and online retailers accurately track, list, and sell your book.

In Canada, ISBNs are free and can be obtained from the Canadian ISBN Agency through Library and Archives Canada:
https://isbn.canada.ca  You can publish and sell your book worldwide, including the U.S., using an ISBN registered in Canada.

In the United States, ISBNs are purchased from Bowker:    https://www.myidentifiers.com

KDP offers free ISBNs for print books, but these cannot be used outside Amazon.

 

Here are the three leading publishing platforms most indie authors use.

1.1 Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)

Amazon KDP is the largest and most accessible self-publishing platform in the world. It allows you to publish:

  • Ebooks

  • Paperbacks

  • Hardcovers

Why Authors Use KDP

  • Completely free to publish

  • Print-on-demand (books are printed only when ordered)

  • KDP will provide an ISBN, or you can provide your own

  • Fast updates (you can fix typos or adjust files anytime)

  • High royalties

  • Your book becomes available on Amazon’s global stores

What You Need to Publish on KDP

  • Your formatted interior file (PDF for print, EPUB for ebook)

  • A professional cover

  • Book details: title, subtitle, author name, description

  • Keywords and categories

  • A pricing strategy

After uploading your files, KDP reviews your book and usually approves it within 24–72 hours.

 

1.2 IngramSpark

IngramSpark is another print-on-demand platform, but it specializes in expanded distribution—getting your book into:

  • Bookstores

  • Libraries

  • Retailers beyond Amazon

Why Authors Use IngramSpark

  • Bookstores prefer ordering through Ingram

  • You can set wholesale discounts

  • You can decide whether your book is returnable

  • It adds more professionalism and credibility to your publishing setup

Costs and Considerations

  • IngramSpark may have upload fees (often waived with promo codes)

  • You must supply your own ISBN

  • Returnability adds bookstore appeal but may result in returned stock

  • Printing quality is often excellent across all formats

Most authors use KDP + IngramSpark together for the broadest reach.

 

1.3 Additional Publishing Option: Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital (D2D) is a simple and powerful ebook distribution service that helps you publish your ebook beyond Amazon.

Where D2D Distributes

  • Apple Books

  • Kobo

  • Barnes & Noble

  • Scribd

  • Multiple library systems (OverDrive, Hoopla)

Why Authors Use D2D

  • Free to upload

  • Very easy to use

  • Reach readers who prefer Apple or Kobo

  • Excellent for authors outside the U.S. and Canada

D2D takes a small percentage of your sales instead of charging upfront fees.

 

The Simplest Publishing Workflow

Here is the setup most indie authors use because it’s simple and effective:

Ebook

  • Amazon KDP

  • Draft2Digital for all non-Amazon stores

Paperback

  • Amazon KDP

Hardcover

  • Amazon KDP or IngramSpark

Expanded Distribution

  • IngramSpark

This combination gives you the maximum reach with minimal effort.

 

2. Reviews: Why They Matter and How to Get Them

Reviews play a significant role in how readers judge your book. A book with twenty-five reviews looks very different from a book with zero reviews—even if the content is excellent.

 

2.1 Why Reviews Matter

  • Social proof: Readers trust the opinions of others.

  • Amazon ranking: Books with more reviews tend to rank higher; therefore, they are more visible on Amazon.

  • Higher conversion: More people look more closely at, and perhaps buy your book, once they see positive feedback from reviews.

  • Long-term credibility: Reviews accumulate over time and help future sales.

 

2.2 How to Get Reviews (Ethical and Effective Methods)

I.  Build a Launch Team

A launch team is a small group of people who get a free early ebook copy in exchange for an honest review on launch day. These might include:

  • Friends

  • Email subscribers

  • Early fans

  • Professional connections

II. Add a Review Request in the Back of Your Book

A simple message such as:

“If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving an honest review. Your feedback helps other readers discover it.”

III. Reach Out to Reviewers in Your Niche

Many bloggers and reviewers accept books in specific categories. They often welcome:

  • Nonfiction

  • Self-help, Health & wellness, Personal development

  • Parenting

  • Investing

IV. Use one of the many sites that allow you to enroll your book for other authors to read and provide a review.

The process involves you choosing a book from the site library, purchasing it from Amazon, reading it, and providing a review on Amazon. You are not asking another author to read your book directly, so this system is entirely ethical. It is in your best interest to register your book as a Verified Purchase and buy only Verified Purchase titles from Amazon to read and review. It will cost $1.40 CA or $0.99 US for each review, which I think is a bargain. I have tried several sites to generate reviews. The only one that consistently works for me is Book Bounty:  https://book-bounty.com

V. What Not to Do to Get Reviews

Do not buy reviews! However, there are online companies that will provide ethically sourced reviews for a fee. They are very expensive! https://doneforyoukdpreviews.com/            https://getbooksreviewed.com/

  • Do not offer incentives or prizes

  • Do not ask for 5-star reviews

  • Do not submit reviews yourself

Your goal is always to generate honest, ethical reviews. If you don’t, your account with your publisher can be terminated.

 

3. Marketing Your Book: With and Without Social Media

Marketing is simply helping the right people discover your book. You do not need a massive social media presence or complicated strategies. Start small and build steadily.

 

3.1 Marketing Without Social Media (Highly Effective)

Email Marketing

Your email list—even if small—is one of your most valuable assets.

  • Send updates about your writing

  • Share snippets or early content

  • Notify readers when your book launches

  • Ask for honest reviews

Email marketing builds a loyal reader base over time.

 

Optimize Your Amazon Product Page

Your book’s Amazon product page is your most important marketing asset.

Make sure the following are strong:

  • Title and subtitle

  • Book description (benefit-focused)

  • Professional cover

  • Keywords and categories

  • A+ content (optional but powerful)

Small improvements here can dramatically increase sales.

 

Amazon Ads

Amazon Ads help your book appear when readers search for terms related to your topic.
Start simple:

  • One auto campaign

  • Two to three manual keyword campaigns

Begin with a small daily budget.

 

Offline Marketing

Don’t underestimate local opportunities:

  • Independent bookstores

  • Libraries

  • Community centers

  • Workshops and classes you teach

  • Local podcasts and media outlets

These can build strong word-of-mouth momentum.

 

Collaborations

Reach out to:

  • Other authors in your genre

  • Facebook or professional groups

  • Local organizations

  • Podcast hosts

  • Bloggers

A single good collaboration can lead to hundreds of new readers.

 

3.2 Marketing With Social Media (Optional, but Helpful)

You do not need social media to succeed. But if you enjoy it, here are good platforms for authors:

Instagram

  • Great visuals

  • Reels about your writing process or tips

  • Quotes from your book

TikTok (BookTok)

  • Powerful for fiction or personal development

  • Short videos with tips or stories

YouTube

  • Excellent for nonfiction topics

  • Build authority through teaching

Facebook

  • Author groups

  • Affordable ads

  • Perfect for older demographics

LinkedIn

  • Great for business, leadership, or workplace books

Pinterest

  • Evergreen traffic, especially for wellness, parenting, and how-to books

Simple Social Media Content Ideas

  • Quick tips from your book

  • Behind-the-scenes updates

  • Milestones (“Today I finalized my cover!”)

  • Short videos on your topic

  • Announcing your launch

 

4. Launching Your Book

Your launch doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are the three stages.

 

Pre-Launch

  • Finalize your book details

  • Organize your launch team

  • Collect early reviews (email list)

  • Prepare Amazon ads (optional)

 

Launch Week

  • Announce to your email list

  • Encourage reviews

  • Share updates (email or social media)

  • Start your ads

A solid launch week builds early sales momentum.

 

Post-Launch (Long-Term Marketing)

  • Keep ads running at a low daily budget

  • Appear on podcasts

  • Share your book in groups and communities

  • Offer occasional discounts

  • Create related products (workbooks, journals, courses)

  • Keep building your email list

Marketing is not a sprint—it’s a steady, long-term process.

 

Final Thoughts

Independent publishing is more accessible than ever. With the right tools and a simple plan, you can publish a high-quality book and market it effectively—without stress, without guesswork, and without needing a vast audience.

Your goal is simple:

  • Publish confidently

  • Get honest reviews

  • Share your book steadily

  • Keep improving your author brand

Your book will find the readers who need it.