If you have plans to get your book in as many distribution channels as possible, you need to publish (print) from the sources that give you direct access to the major distribution channels. What are the major ones? Amazon and Ingram (and to a lesser extent but just as important Baker & Taylor).

This begins with purchasing your own ISBNs. Do not buy your ISBNs from third-party sellers, but directly from Bowker (MyIdentifiers): https://www.myidentifiers.com/get-your-isbn-now.

If you have plans to publish more than 1 book and in multiple formats, it’s best to buy ISBNs in bulk, at least a bundle of 10 or 100. By doing that you’ll end up spending less per ISBN.

During the purchase of your ISBNs, DO NOT purchase barcodes or copyright.

Why?

When given the option to buy, they become “upsells”. Why buy something when you can get it for free?

Additional reasons for not buying a barcode:

1. Barcodes can be created for free from online applications (eg. https://www.bookow.com).
2. Bookcover designers can create barcodes at no additional cost to you.
3. Many POD (Print on Demand) platforms will now automatically add barcodes to bookcovers during the printing process. Some give you choice to have List Price of your book encoded into the barcode.

You are better off registering your copyright directly from: https://www.copyright.gov.

In my opinion (from what I’ve experienced personally and what I’ve learned and observed working with my students and clients), the following is the most effective method to self-publish a book while getting the best distribution:

• Publish (print) with Createspace (or KDP Print) for Amazon distribution (opt-out of Expanded Distribution).
• Publish a Kindle book with KDP for eBook (Kindle) distribution.
• Publish (print) with Ingram Spark for national and international distribution.

Why publish using this combination of printing platforms?

1. There is no easier and faster process for getting your book published and into Amazon distribution, the largest online bookstore in the world. Take advantage of what they do best.
2. There are other options for eBook distribution (and I encourage you to use them), but publishing your book on KDP is again taking advantage of Amazon’s distribution.
3. Publishing with Ingram Spark (or Lightning Source), gives you the ability for global distribution from a combination of its partnerships from print distribution partners around the world as well it’s title catalog (made available via Ingram Book Group) to over 39,000 retailers, online commerce companies, libraries, schools, universities and other partners (includes but not limited to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo) and many other well-known book wholesalers and retailers throughout the US.

What’s the reason for opting out of Expanded Distribution?

If you have plans to get into retail and bookstores, Createspace KDP Expanded Distribution will actually NOT help you – you need to use Ingram Spark (or Lightning Source if you are a publishing company with more than 30 titles, less if you are already “grandfathered” in).

Createspace KDP Expanded Distribution will provide you the ability to get listed onto many online stores, but NOT physical bookstores or retailers.

Bookstores and/or retailers will not purchase Createspace KDP books (perhaps 1% will), but it basically comes down to economics.

• Createspace KDP does not allow books to be returned.
• Createspace KDP does not offer a large enough discount for retailers (most retailers will expect 40%, book industry trade discount is 55%).

The Createspace KDP Expanded Distribution will help with the ONLINE channel of Barnes & Noble, Borders and other online stores, NOT the physical stores. Since Createspace KDP does not offer a large enough trade discount nor allow book returnabilty, those two issues alone will be deciding factors for 99.9% of physical stores to NOT put a book onto their shelves. That’s why using Ingram Spark as an option to get into stores is a much better option.

Ingram Spark gives you the option to accept returns (or have them destroyed) and they provide you the choice to choose a discount between 30% – 55%.

However, that’s not the only thing bookstores and retailers base their decisions on while contemplating buying an author’s book and selling it … DEMAND is the elephant in the room. If an author cannot create demand, a bookstore owner/manager will less likely want to purchase from an unknown author with no audience demand.

How do you actually publish (print) with both Createspace (or KDP Print) and Ingram at the same time?

If you are contemplating this process, only 1 ISBN is required for use on both platforms. However, you will not be able to use a free Createspace KDP ISBN with Ingram Spark. You’ll only be allowed to use that ISBN with Createspace KDP and not be able to use it anywhere else.

This goes back to owning your own ISBNs. So you’ll need to purchase your own ISBN and use that ISBN for the same book with Ingram Spark (as long as it’s the same format). So since Createspace (or KDP Print) only prints paperback, you’ll be able to use the same ISBN or your book at Ingram Spark that you used for your book at Createspace (or KDP Print).

Let’s backtrack just a bit … before you plan on publishing (printing) with Createspace (or KPD Print), I’d recommend starting with publishing a Kindle book first (because it’ll be the easiest). By doing that, whatever reviews and or testimonials you’ve received will “roll-over” to your other formats while they are in pre-order status. This’ll help with your marketing strategy.

Once you’ve published your Kindle, follow-up with Createspace your paperback book on KDP (but make sure to NOT enable Expanded Distribution). As you get acquainted with the publishing process, you’ll gain more knowledge and confidence and at the same time your book will get into distribution immediately (on Amazon).

Then followup by publishing (printing) a paperback book with Ingram Spark & use the same ISBN you used for your paperback book on Createspace KDP.

Yes, you can print your book with the same ISBN with multiple printers simultaneously (same format book). This option will help prevent you from using multiple ISBNs for the same book (which would in essence create multiple listings on Amazon and other places) and would confuse your potential customers as well as dilute whatever rankings you are trying to get on Amazon!

So why have I suggested this specific process in this order?

1. KDP (for Kindle books) provides the simplest option (and fastest) to get published. Createspace KDP is a close 2nd, they are also simple to use. Their guidelines are a bit more easier/flexible. Ingram Spark is a bit more complicated and yes, there are a few set-up fees associated with it but the fees are tiny in the grand scheme of things. Submission guidelines need to be adhered to exactly. By deciding to print with Ingram Spark you are in affect no longer “eating at the kids table”, you are now “eating at the grown-ups table”.
2. Getting a book into distribution (via Amazon) is much, much faster. It’s common to see your book get listed within 0 to 3 days after you approve “publish” your title on Createspace KDP. If you decide to start with Ingram Spark first, it can take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks (and I’ve seen all sides of the spectrum) to get listed on Amazon after enabling distribution. It can also take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks for books to get into other partner channels. Some authors are lucky and their books appear much faster. But generally speaking you have to prepare yourself for a longer wait time.
3. For first-time authors/publishers there is a “built-in” impatience, need and desire to see their book sooner rather than later! 🙂 That’s normal … who wouldn’t be excited and overwhelmed simultaneously when publishing for the first time!? Using Createspace KDP eases that a bit since they see results almost instantly.
4. If part of your launch strategy when you publish your book involves pre-orders, personally I don’t see any benefit to setting up pre-orders via Ingram Spark other than they’ll do it for you. However, you don’t get real-time sales results (which you’d want to see in order to gauge how well your marketing efforts are going) when you use this process.
5. Another option to is to set up pre-orders by doing it directly via Amazon Advantage. Even though my suggested way to set up pre-orders can be a bit convoluted and seem overwhelming, using Amazon Advantage gets you almost real-time sales data (within 24-48 hours). This provides effective insight into your marketing efforts. You also have more control over when your book becomes available and what actually gets “posted” on your Amazon Listing (since you have direct access via the Amazon Advantage interface).
6. Createspace, KDP and Ingram Spark are a good combination of printers that will make up for the major distribution channels. 🙂 Also, that combination will help insure a book on Amazon will always have the green “IN STOCK” notification.

What do you do if you’ve already enabled “Expanded Distribution”?

Obviously, everyone’s situation is different, but this method can arguably be one of the most effective methods to getting published, while maximizing distribution in the least amount of time.

This method WILL work if you DO NOT have “Expanded Distribution” enabled.

That brings up a very important issue that will PREVENT you from using this method successfully.

What is THAT?

IF you are currently using Createspace KDP to print your paperback book AND you’ve already ENABLED “Expanded Distribution”, and you’re now thinking that printing with Ingram Spark sounds advantageous, you will not be able to take advantage of this process successfully.

Is there something that can be done to “fix” that?

Ahhh… YES! I’m happy you asked.

Your scenario: you’ve already selected “Expanded Distribution” in CreateSpace KDP and you’ve opened an account with Ingram Spark but once you tried listing the same ISBN with Ingram Spark, you receive an error message like the following: “You must de-register your ISBN with CS KDP before we (Ingram Spark) allow you to get set up in our system”.

This is a COMMON issue if you’ve already enabled “Expanded Distribution” in Createspace KDP and you are trying to list the same ISBN on Ingram Spark. This goes back to the earlier discussion in this article that explains it’s not possible to have the two channels “active” at the same time – it simply will not work.

Basically, without getting into all the details, “Expanded Distribution” is an agreement between Createspace KDP and Ingram Content Group to allow an open door into Ingram’s distribution channel/network via Createspace KDP.

So a red “flag” is raised when Ingram Spark notices that a title (ISBN) has already been registered somewhere else in it’s system. If a book has been registered into any channel where it’s part of Ingram, it cannot be added again. This “butting of heads” creates an error message. By enabling “Expanded Distribution”, you are technically registering with Ingram, thus the reason Ingram Spark requires that the title (ISBN) be de-registered.

There are specific steps required before removing your title (ISBN) from Createspace KDP so that Ingram Spark can activate it within their platform independently of Createspace KDP. So by following the recommended process you’ll be able to successfully remove your title (ISBN) from the Createspace KDP “Expanded Distribution” channel.

NOTE: this WILL NOT remove your title (ISBN) from Amazon’s distribution, that includes the 13 or so other Amazon websites (for example: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc). So this is “safe”. Your normal Amazon distribution will not be affected, your sales will continue without interruption.

Requirements:

• You must have already registered an Ingram Account & it must be fully active, for example: all the account setup tasks in your interface must be completed (your responsibility).
• You (the Publisher) need to complete the “Title Transfer Responsibility Addendum” (your responsibility).
• Ingram needs confirmation from Createspace KDP that they’ve released the title (ISBN) so that it can be transferred to a new account. This can only be accomplished if the publisher (you) own the ISBN. Ingram Spark will allow transfer once it gets removed from “Expanded Distribution” and Createspace KDP confirms the transfer to Ingram Spark (Createspace KDP responsibility).
• If CreateSpace KDP owns the ISBN and/or you are using a FREE Createspace KDP ISBN, Ingram Spark WILL NOT allow transfer (as I mentioned earlier, you cannot use a FREE Createspace KDP anywhere but on Createspace KDP/Amazon).

If the title (ISBN) has never been in the “Expanded Distribution” channel, the title (ISBN) transfer is not necessary. The publisher (you) can set up a new title directly without having to go through this transfer process.

Complete the following steps to ensure a successful title (ISBN) transfer (or simply go to Ingram Spark website where they provide a simple title transfer form to get started, https://www.ingramspark.com/lp/title-transfer):

1. Make sure you are already registered with Ingram Account and it’s fully active.
2. Disable the “Expanded Distribution” channel within your Createspace KDP interface.
3. Open a Createspace KDP support ticket requesting that they should release/remove your title (ISBN) from their Ingram “account” so that you can print with Ingram Spark directly.
4. Fill out the following “Title Transfer Responsibility Addendum” form (**) that’s been posted on Ingram Spark’s website: https://help.ingramspark.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/115015432866/Title_Transfer_Addendum_IngramSpark.pdf
5. Attach the “Title Transfer Responsibility Addendum” form to your title transfer request email (with reference to your book’s title and ISBN, but don’t add the title and ISBN to the form itself) to Ingram Spark support: ingramsparksupport@ingramcontent.com
6. It should take approx. 5 to 7 business days (or less) to hear back from Createspace KDP that they’ve released your ISBN from their Ingram “account”.
7. It should take approx. 5 to 7 business days (or less) for Ingram to review and approve the transfer as well as receive a confirmation from Createspace KDP that they’ll release the title (ISBN) to your Ingram Spark account.
8. Once your title (ISBN) has been transferred into your Ingram Spark account, Ingram should notify you via eMail when the title (ISBN) is listed in your account.
9. A title (ISBN) transfer/confirmation can take up to 30 days (or less) to complete.

** Instructions on how to fill out the Title Transfer Responsibility Addendum form (there will be 6 available “fields” you will be required to fill in):

• 1st & 3rd available field: add your Company Name in the 1st and 3rd (client field). Don’t enter your name in these fields, unless your name is the same as your imprint/publishing company name.
• 2nd field: add your entire address & make sure to include your zip code.
• 4th field: Print out and physically sign the form (or use Adobe’s e-signature option).
• 5th field: add your Ingram Spark account number.
• 6th field: add the current date.

That’s a wrap … !

If you have questions about this process, or would like to share your experience with how this method has helped make your book available to more people in order to make an impact, please share in the comment section below.

I’ve also decided to create a Facebook group so that folks have somewhere to go when they need answers to their questions.

The name of the Facebook Group is: “Publishing Made Simple“

https://www.facebook.com/groups/publishingmadesimple/

…and if you see value in this article, make sure to share it with your network of friends.