How do I get my files from iUniverse?

Request your production files (formatted interior PDF and cover source files) in writing from iUniverse customer service. They are legally obligated to provide your manuscript. Cover and interior files may incur a fee depending on your contract terms.

Can I republish an iUniverse book?

Yes in most cases, subject to your contract. Your manuscript is yours. Columbia Publication can republish iUniverse books from $499 for authors with existing production files, or from $1,499 including new cover design and global distribution.

iUniverse Authors: Your Rights and Options

Q: Who owns my iUniverse book?

You do. iUniverse contracts retain copyright with the author. The ISBN on your current edition is registered to iUniverse as publisher of record. A new ISBN from Bowker ($125) and a republication through a new service removes iUniverse from the publisher record entirely.

Q: Is iUniverse still operating?

Yes, iUniverse is still operating as an Author Solutions imprint. The concerns are not about closure but about the documented pattern of post-signing upselling and marketing packages that authors report did not produce results.

iUniverse is one of the original self-publishing companies, operating since 1999 and now an Author Solutions imprint. Thousands of authors have published through iUniverse. Many of them eventually discover they want their book off the iUniverse platform and published properly — with better distribution, better pricing and no ongoing relationship with Author Solutions.

By Gia Kahn, Book Production ManagerUpdated May 20267 min read

Disclaimer: Based on publicly available sources including ALLi, Writer Beware and author forums. Columbia Publication is an alternative service. Not legal advice.

What iUniverse Authors Own

iUniverse contracts retain copyright with the author. Your story, your words and your manuscript are yours. What is not automatically yours: the ISBN assigned to your iUniverse edition (which names iUniverse as publisher of record), and potentially your production files depending on your contract.

A new ISBN from Bowker costs $125 for a single ISBN or $295 for ten. Registering a new edition under your own ISBN severs the iUniverse publisher of record relationship entirely. Your Amazon and Ingram listings will be separate, but the book is yours.

Getting Your Files

Contact iUniverse customer service in writing and request your production files: the formatted interior PDF and the cover source file. iUniverse may charge a fee for file access depending on your contract — this is common across Author Solutions imprints. Your manuscript in Word or text form is always accessible as you wrote it.

If files are not available or the cost is prohibitive, Columbia Publication can reformat your manuscript from a clean Word document and create a new cover. The Global Publish package at $1,499 includes this.

Why Authors Leave iUniverse

Per the Alliance of Independent Authors and author forum records, the most common reasons are: high book prices that make retail sales nearly impossible (iUniverse sets list prices that are often double or triple what readers expect to pay); the royalty model takes a percentage of already-thin retail revenue; and post-signing contact about marketing packages that produced no result at significant cost.

The book pricing issue is structural. iUniverse adds a markup to cover its own margin, which results in a paperback that costs more at retail than a comparable traditionally published book. Republishing independently through Amazon KDP and IngramSpark eliminates the middleman margin entirely.

Republishing Options

Columbia Publication works with iUniverse authors at any stage of the process. If you have your production files: Kindle Launch at $499 covers formatting review, ISBN registration and distribution setup. If you need new production: Global Publish at $1,499 covers full cover redesign, formatting and global distribution. Full Production at $2,499 adds proofreading and a dedicated manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns my iUniverse book?

You do — copyright is retained by the author. The ISBN is currently registered to iUniverse as publisher of record, which a new Bowker ISBN resolves.

Is iUniverse still operating?

Yes, as an Author Solutions imprint. The concerns relate to post-signing upselling and book pricing, not business closure.

Can I republish my iUniverse book?

In most cases yes. Your manuscript is yours. A new ISBN and a new publisher removes iUniverse from the record. Columbia Publication publishes iUniverse books from $499.

Why is my iUniverse book so expensive on Amazon?

iUniverse sets the list price and takes a margin, resulting in retail prices significantly above comparable books. Republishing through KDP gives you full price control with royalties of 35-70% depending on pricing.

Free Consultation for iUniverse Authors

Gia K. reviews every submission personally. Free consultation, no obligation.

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Reviewed by Gia K. Sources: ALLi Watchdog Desk, Writer Beware. Updated May 2026.