These are the primary platforms and services discussed on Your Book Is In There for publishing and distributing your book.

Amazon KDP

The biggest platform. Most readers will find you here.

Important: Create your own account with your own email address and credentials. Do not let someone else create it for you.

Mentioned in: Episode 3, Episode 7, Episode 10

Barnes & Noble Press

The second-largest US retailer. Easy to use, free to publish, and important for readers who prefer shopping anywhere other than Amazon.

Apple Books

Essential for reaching iPhone and iPad readers, with large international reach.

Kobo Writing Life

Strong in Canada, Europe, and Australia. Especially valuable if your story has international appeal.

Google Play Books

Reaches Android users and international markets.

StreetLib

A distributor that can get your book onto multiple platforms at once, including smaller international markets.

Publishing your own book means understanding who controls your accounts, your ISBNs, your copyright, and your files.

Get Your Own ISBN

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is the unique identifier that tells bookstores and libraries which book and edition they’re dealing with.

The important part: the publisher associated with an ISBN is the publisher of record for that ISBN. If you want to be the publisher of record, purchase and register your ISBNs yourself.

You need a unique ISBN for every format combination of your book — for example:

• eBook
• paperback
• hardcover
• audiobook

ISBNs do not expire.

Bowker / MyIdentifiers — the official US ISBN agency. A single ISBN is $125 and a block of 10 is $295. If you expect to publish more than one book or multiple editions, purchasing a block may be worth considering.

Mentioned in: Episode 7, Episode 10, Episode 12, Episode 13

Register Your Copyright

Your copyright exists when you create your original work. Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office provides important additional legal benefits if infringement occurs.

U.S. Copyright Office — the official source for copyright information and registration in the United States.

Mentioned in: Episode 8

Vanity Publisher Red Flags

Not every company that offers to “help you publish” has your interests at heart.

Warning signs

• They create publishing accounts on your behalf using their own credentials instead of yours.
• Royalties flow through them rather than directly to you.
• They purchased your ISBN, meaning it may be registered in their name.
• You’re asked to pay significant upfront fees before your book is published.
• It becomes difficult to get access to your own files.

Questions to ask before signing

• Will I always have access to my manuscript files, at any time, for any reason?
• Will my Amazon KDP and Barnes & Noble accounts be in my name, with my login credentials?
• Will royalties be paid directly to my bank account?
• Who will the ISBN be registered to?

If the answers make you uncomfortable, trust that feeling.

Writing & Manuscript Organization

Scrivener

Manuscript organization and drafting.

Mentioned in: Episode 9

Microsoft Word

A familiar option for manuscript writing and preparation.

Book Formatting

Vellum

Professional formatting for beautiful eBooks and print books. Available for Mac.

Mentioned in: Episode 9, Episode 14

Distribution & Print

IngramSpark

Print, global distribution, and management of print and eBooks.

Mentioned in: Episode 3, Episode 10, Episode 12, Episode 13

Draft2Digital

Book distribution for eBooks and paperbacks to major online retailers and storefronts worldwide.

Mentioned in: Episode 3, Episode 10, Episode 12

Lulu

Print-on-demand for physical books. Useful for obtaining printed copies without a large upfront inventory.

Mentioned in: Episode 14

BookFunnel

Delivers books directly to readers. Particularly useful for ARCs, reader magnets, and promotions.

Mentioned in: Episode 9

StoryOrigin

An author platform offering review-copy distribution, reader management, newsletter swaps, and other promotional tools.

Mentioned in: Episode 14

BookSirens

A reader and reviewer-discovery platform designed to help authors connect with interested readers who may voluntarily leave honest reviews.

Mentioned in: Episode 14

NetGalley

Connects authors and publishers with book advocates including reviewers, librarians, booksellers, educators, and media professionals. Particularly useful for pre-publication discovery.

Mentioned in: Episode 14

Reedsy

A marketplace connecting authors with publishing professionals including editors, cover designers, formatters, and more.

Mentioned in: Episode 2

Novella Publishers

Mentioned in the discussion of assisted self-publishing and vanity/hybrid publishing models.

Mentioned in: Episode 2

Amazon Author Central

Author biography, photos, and book-management tools.

Mentioned in: Episode 12

Books2Read Universal Links

Universal book links that can make it easier for readers to find your book across different retailers.

Mentioned in: Episode 10

OverDrive

Library distribution services for eBooks and audiobooks.

Mentioned in: Episode 10

W-8BEN

A tax form that may be relevant to eligible international authors receiving income from U.S. sources.

Mentioned in: Episode 10

BISAC Subject Codes

Industry-standard subject categories used by publishers, bookstores, and libraries to classify books.

Mentioned in: Episode 12

Grammarly

AI-assisted grammar and proofreading software, discussed as an example of assistive AI.

Mentioned in: Episode 11

AI Tools

AI tools such as ChatGPT can be useful for brainstorming metadata ideas, keyword research, organization, and other parts of an author’s workflow.

Mentioned in: Episode 12

Practical worksheets and checklists created to accompany the podcast episodes. Each one is a download you can print and fill in.

Everything from the ARC episode, in one place.

Looking for something from a particular episode? This is the quick-reference index. The full resource information lives in the categories above, so you won’t find the same resource repeated over and over.