Amazon KDP vs a traditional publisher: which is right for your book?
Amazon KDP vs a traditional publisher: who pays, who decides, royalties per copy, time to market and bookstore reach, with current KDP terms and sources.
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The ShelfPublisher blog
How books really get onto shelves: distribution, ISBNs, royalties and the decisions behind them, written by the editorial team of Orbita Media.
Book distribution for self-published authors
Book distribution explained: distributors, wholesalers and aggregators, the discount chain, print on demand and KDP Expanded Distribution.
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How much does it cost to self-publish a book?
How much does it cost to self-publish a book in 2026? Real prices for editing, cover, ISBN, printing and distribution, with sources and a cost table.
Read the articleHow to get a book published in 2026: every realistic path
How to get a book published in 2026: literary agents and traditional houses, small presses, hybrid, KDP and Draft2Digital, or a publishing imprint.
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How to get your book into bookstores
How to get your book into bookstores: how stores order through wholesalers, what booksellers need, why POD books rarely sit on shelves, and Barnes & Noble.
Read the articleHow to sell your book in Italy: Italian bookstores, distribution and the law
How Italian bookstores order books: distributors and wholesalers, the 5% discount cap, consignment and returns, and how a self-published book becomes orderable in Italy.
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Hybrid publishing vs self-publishing: an honest comparison
Hybrid publishing, self-publishing, traditional publishing and vanity presses compared: who pays, who is the publisher, what you keep, and the red flags.
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ISBN numbers for self-published books: cost, free ISBNs, ownership
What an ISBN number is, what it costs to buy one in the US, UK and Canada, what a free platform ISBN from KDP means, and why it names the publisher.
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KDP account terminated: what happens and what you can do
KDP account terminated or suspended? What the KDP terms say about your books and royalties, how to appeal through official channels, and how to spread risk.
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What is a publishing imprint? Imprint vs publisher, explained
What an imprint is in publishing, how it differs from the publisher, where it shows up in the ISBN record, and what starting a self-publishing imprint takes.
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