Publishing Articles & Guides Expert advice for self-published authors

Step-by-step guide from manuscript to globally distributed book. Every stage explained for first-time authors.

Honest 2026 comparison of royalties, timelines, rights and creative control. Which route is right for your book?

Real publishing costs in 2026: editing, cover design, formatting and distribution. Budget guide from free to professional.

Free vs purchased ISBN, Bowker vs Nielsen, KDP limitations and IngramSpark requirements all explained.

The seven most costly mistakes in self-publishing and exactly how to avoid each one before it damages your launch.

Interior formatting specs for print and Kindle: trim sizes, margins, font embedding and EPUB requirements.

What to look for, the right questions to ask, red flags to avoid and what professional ghostwriting costs.

From age group selection to illustration briefs, 32-page structure and global distribution to libraries.

Narration options, ACX vs Findaway Voices, production costs and distribution to Audible and Spotify.

Complete launch strategy: Amazon listing optimisation, advance reviews, Amazon Advertising and email list building.

How KDP and IngramSpark work, quality comparison, royalties and when each model makes sense.

The thumbnail test, genre conventions, typography rules and technical specs for print and digital covers.