Self-publishing means that the Author is the publisher.

You keep control of your rights, your editorial decisions, your printing options, your price, and your route to market. It gives full independence — but also places the full responsibility for quality, compliance and professionalism with the Author (rather than with a traditional publishing house).

A professional self-publishing support company provides the same professional services that commercial publishers use.

Typically this includes:

• editorial
• cover design
• layout and typesetting
• ISBN registration
• pre-press technical work
• print management
• distribution setup
• royalty management

The aim is to lift the heavy technical work so that the Author can concentrate on writing, publicity and marketing — while still remaining fully in control.

Traditionally, “vanity publishing” describes companies that charge Authors large fees while presenting themselves like traditional publishers, often bundling unnecessary services and taking rights they don’t need.

A genuine self-publishing service sells clearly-priced services while you retain your rights.

Watch for unclear rights language, pressure to buy bundles you don’t need, distribution claims without detail, and advice tied to a single print method.

If the business model can’t be explained in one paragraph you understand, don’t buy.

An independent publisher is a publishing company that is not owned by one of the large conglomerates.

Many independents use the same professional workflows as the trade but make more flexible decisions about list, print methods and distribution.

Yes — you should retain copyright.

Service providers may need limited licences (e.g., to manufacture and distribute your book), but your copyright should remain with you unless you explicitly assign it, which is unusual in self-publishing.

No. A transparent service will itemise tasks (editing, typesetting, cover, pre-press, distribution setup) so you can buy only what you need.

Packages can be convenient, but they should never be compulsory.

Yes, in most cases. A professional edit improves clarity, flow and credibility, and catches structural or consistency issues you may no longer see.

The level of edit depends on your manuscript: some need a light copy-edit, others benefit from deeper developmental work.

Look for subject experience, clear scopes and sample work.

Ask for a short sample edit, check references from recent authors, and agree deliverables, timelines and fees in writing. A good editor improves the book in your voice; they do not overwrite it with theirs.

Copy-editing happens first and focuses on language, consistency and correctness (grammar, style, references).

Proofreading comes last and checks the final layout for typographical errors, spacing, page numbers and other production slips after typesetting.

Yes. Professional indexers exist, and for some highly technical, historical or academic books their skills are essential.

Many Authors find it useful to have indexing handled by a specialist rather than attempting to do it themselves inside a Word document at the end of the process.

YouCaxton offers a semi-automated process for indexing which is suitable for most books.

Footnotes aid immediate reading in scholarly or reference-heavy works; endnotes keep pages cleaner in trade non-fiction or narrative.

Choose based on your audience, citation needs and page design. Either way, keep note text concise and consistent.

Typical front matter is: half-title, series page (if any), title page, copyright page, dedication/epigraph (optional), table of contents, list of figures/tables (if used), foreword/preface/acknowledgements (as applicable), then the main text.

Academic and illustrated books may vary slightly.

Clear and descriptive beats clever and poetic. A good title signals subject, tone and target reader at a glance.

Avoid puns or long phrases that obscure meaning. Search engines, catalogues and booksellers rely on keywords, so keep your title direct and searchable.

Often yes, especially for non-fiction. A subtitle lets you explain the promise or focus of the book, which improves discoverability.

Keep it concise and factual — think of it as the line that would appear under your book title in an online search result.

You can and many authors do. But be careful: there is a big difference between designing the cover concept and preparing the cover for print.

If you are designing your cover yourself, we suggest you ask a professional to check that it is print-ready (bleed, spine width, barcode area, margins, colour profiles) and advise you about print options (cloth covers, dust jackets, printed paper covers).

DIY covers often look slightly “off” even if you can’t say why. Remember, your book cover is an advert for your book. Most browsing buyers will purchase a book depending on the cover, the back-cover blurb, and the introduction text — in that order.

Designers translate your vision of the manuscript into final form. They will develop visual concepts and layout ideas, set typography, help with selecting imagery, and deliver press-ready artwork with correct spine, bleed and barcode.

As the customer you make the final decisions, but a good book designer has lots of experience and you should be guided by them with regard to font choice, line length, margins and visual impact.

To brief well, share a one-sentence summary of the book along with audience, title and subtitle, must-have elements, specs (book size, paper, colour palette) and deadlines. A book designer should be able to offer two or three options for your approval.

It is important to get the basic layout design agreed before the designer completes the book — it can be costly to change your mind later.

Genre is how readers, retailers and recommendation systems find books. It sets expectations for tone, cover style, length and pricing. Choose the primary genre your target reader actually searches for, then add secondary categories where relevant.

The book genre also declares which shelf the book belongs to — booksellers will only place the book in one category. Once you are clear about the genre, check out the Thema codes which are used to declare the genre as part of the book's metadata.

Thema codes are international subject classifications used by publishers, booksellers and distributors to describe a book’s genre and subject matter.

They are part of the book’s metadata and determine how it is listed and found by retailers and libraries. See the official Thema Subject Categories.

An ISBN uniquely identifies a book and its specific format. In UK self-publishing it is required per printed format (paperback, hardback). You don’t need an ISBN for an eBook.

If you publish under your own publisher-name, you will need to buy and register the ISBN yourself.
At YouCaxton, we recommend that you publish under a YouCaxton Imprint so that we can manage all of the registration and metadata for you — in which case, we provide you with a free ISBN.

There are several free sites that can create an EAN-13 barcode for you. You just supply the ISBN and they generate a PNG or PDF to place on your cover. Most cover designers will create the barcode as part of the cover artwork.

The barcode should be placed on the back cover, bottom-right. Always proof that the digits match your ISBN and that the contrast is strong enough to scan reliably.

UK legal deposit requires you to supply one copy to the British Library upon request. Additionally, five other deposit libraries can request free copies via the Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries (ALDL). Budget for this at publication: it’s part of being on the record and available to scholars.

YouCaxton will manage this for you — we charge for the cost of six books plus the postage cost.

Choose based on quantity, colour needs and cash flow. Print-on-demand is low risk with higher unit cost; short-run digital is ideal for 50–500 copies with quick turnaround; litho is best for larger printings where colour control and unit economics matter. Many authors combine them: POD for ongoing availability plus a short-run/litho batch for launches and events.

POD prints each copy only when ordered, so you don’t hold stock or pay upfront for a large run. It’s excellent for managing risk and keeping a title “always available”, but unit costs are higher and paper/colour options are more limited. Use it for steady catalogue availability; supplement with a batch print when you need lower unit cost or premium finishes.

Short-run uses high-quality digital presses to produce small batches economically (typically 50–500 copies). You get better paper and finish choices than POD, faster top-ups, and cleaner unit costs for events and signings. It’s a good middle ground when you’re confident of near-term sales but not ready for litho volumes.

Litho uses plates and ink on press, giving superb consistency, rich solids and the lowest unit cost at higher quantities. It shines for colour-heavy books, hardbacks and when you’re printing several hundred to several thousand copies. Setup has a fixed cost, so it’s most cost-effective once you pass the break-even against digital.

Work from demand, not hope. Forecast first-year sales by channel, then test with POD or a 100–250 short-run to learn. Move to litho when the projected sales volume clears the setup cost and storage realities. Keep cash tied up in stock as low as practical; reprint sooner rather than filling your garage.

Start with your genre’s typical price band, then check your unit cost and the trade maths. Allow for retailer/wholesaler discounts (often 40–55%), print cost, shipping to you, and a sensible margin. Printed books are zero-rated for VAT in the UK; price to signal the correct market position, not just to be the cheapest. If your cost base is high, adjust format, page count or print method before pushing the RRP beyond its category norms.

Use purpose-made book wraps or rigid mailers; avoid thin jiffy bags for anything heavier than a slim paperback. Protect corners, keep barcodes unscuffed, and include a simple packing slip and returns address. Weigh and measure accurately, batch your labels, and keep a small stock of spare wraps. Test-post one to yourself to check it survives normal handling.

Distribution is the set of systems and agreements that make your book orderable: accurate metadata (e.g., Nielsen), listing with wholesalers, and trade terms (discounts/returns) so bookshops and online retailers can source copies reliably. It is different from marketing; distribution makes supply possible.

Wholesalers (e.g., Gardners in the UK) hold catalogues and sometimes stock that retailers order from. They simplify purchasing for bookshops, enable consolidated deliveries, and help smaller orders flow without each retailer opening a direct account with every publisher.

Independent bookshops commonly expect 35–45% off RRP; chains may expect more. Online retail terms vary by route. Discounts are the price of access to the trade and cover retailer margin, handling and risk.

Sale or Return (SOR) allows bookshops to return unsold stock within an agreed period. It reduces retailer risk and can help secure initial orders, but you must budget for returns and avoid shipping large quantities without proven demand.

Most small Waterstones orders are placed via Gardners. When a Waterstones branch orders, Gardners typically buys from the publisher, consolidates, then ships to Waterstones’ hub before the store receives stock — so allow time. Listing your ISBN correctly with Nielsen is essential. Local branches can sometimes buy direct for local-interest titles.

Make the book easy to order (correct metadata + wholesaler route), present a clear AI sheet (cover, blurb, price/ISBN, discount/returns), and approach the right shops for your subject or locality. Start with local and specialist stores; offer sensible terms and supply promptly.

“Amazon” is the retail marketplace; “Kindle” is Amazon’s eBook ecosystem (with KDP as the upload portal). You can supply printed books to Amazon via distribution channels and offer eBooks via Kindle; they are related but distinct routes with different file formats and terms.

Offer advance copies to people already interested in your subject area, contact relevant publications and blogs, and encourage early readers to post honest reviews. Specialist reviewers and subject-area communities are generally more effective than generic “review services”.

Choose platforms where your likely readers already spend time. Share short extracts, behind-the-scenes processes, research stories and images that illustrate your themes. Focus on authenticity and consistency rather than volume. It is better to engage meaningfully in one or two places than post everywhere.

An Author webpage gives you a central place to showcase your book, biography, images, links to retailers, event listings and contact details. It helps readers, journalists and booksellers find accurate information quickly. YouCaxton can create an Author webpage for you as part of the publishing process.

Goodreads is a large online community where readers review, rate and track books. It can help with early discoverability, especially if your audience is active there. Alternatives include StoryGraph (strong on genre tracking and reading habits) and LibraryThing (popular with academic and specialist readers).

Amazon Kindle remains the largest, but Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play Books are significant alternatives. Choice depends on your readership: Kindle for general trade, Kobo for libraries and international reach, and Apple Books for Apple-centric audiences. Distributors can place your eBook on multiple platforms at once.

Yes. Non-fiction performs well when it meets a real need or joins an existing conversation. Identify the communities already engaged with your subject area: professional groups, societies, enthusiasts, academics, newsletters and online niche forums. Participate intelligently rather than simply “promoting”.

Share useful extracts, insights, stories behind the book and practical value. Focus on where your readers naturally gather. Success comes from matching your book to the right audience — not broadcasting more loudly.

Be cautious. Many fixed-price book marketing packages focus on broadcast exposure rather than genuine demand creation. Look carefully at what is being sold: follower counts, generic newsletters and mass “review outreach” often produce little meaningful engagement.

Before purchasing any package, ask three questions: (1) What proportion of their audience is genuinely organic? (2) Can they show recent measurable results for comparable books? (3) How do they decide if your book is a good fit for their service? A professional will occasionally tell you “no”.

Scattergun marketing pushes your book to as many people as possible — general social posts, broad mailings and untargeted adverts — in the hope that a small percentage will be interested.

Sniper marketing focuses on the specific readers and communities who already care about your subject: societies, institutions, specialist groups, newsletters and forums in your niche. It is slower and more deliberate but usually far more effective for self-published Authors, especially in non-fiction, history, biography and art.

Passive marketing makes your book available and easy to find — for example, having an Author webpage, correct listings and up-to-date information — but it does not, on its own, bring new readers to you.

Active marketing is what you do to put the book in front of the right readers: contacting societies, offering talks, writing short articles, approaching reviewers, or working with bookshops and libraries. Most successful self-published books combine strong passive foundations with focused, active outreach.

Most self-published Authors earn from several related streams rather than a single source. Common examples include:

• Amazon online sales — printed internationally and usually the source of most sales.
• Print sales — direct sales at events, website orders, and sales via bookshops or other online retailers.
• eBook sales — via platforms such as Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo or other eBook services.
• Library-related income — PLR and, for some non-fiction and academic work, schemes such as ALCS.
• Bulk or special sales — to schools, universities, companies, galleries or societies.
• Events and speaking — talks, workshops or lectures connected to your book or research.
• Associated work — consultancy, courses, commissions or exhibitions arising from the book.

A good publishing plan looks at the whole picture: where your readers are, which formats they prefer, and how each route contributes to the overall outcome rather than relying on a single channel.

Royalties are normally calculated from net receipts — the money received from retailers and wholesalers after discounts and, where applicable, returns. From this, printing and other agreed costs are deducted to give a net figure on which your royalty is based.

A royalty statement should show, for each format and ISBN:

• period to which the royalty statement applies
• units sold (adjusted for units returned)
• amount due to the author

They may also show:

• net receipts after discounts
• gross sales value and the discounts applied
• the royalty rate and the resulting payment due

Publishers frequently quote a percentage figure which may be something like 7% of the cover price or 10% of net receipts.

At YouCaxton, we try to maximise the amount paid to the author by only charging a small admin fee for managing royalties or other types of author compensation — typically 10% of the cover price, the balance being paid to the author. This reflects the reality that the author usually manages their own marketing, and we are providing a royalty collection service.

The amount paid to the author varies depending on the type of sale — highest for direct sales and lowest for bookshop sales, which require higher discounts and absorb shipping costs.

We provide royalty statements quarterly through the author’s royalty account on our website.

Public Lending Right (PLR) is a scheme that pays authors, illustrators and other contributors a small amount each time their books are borrowed from registered public libraries in the UK and some other countries.

To receive PLR you must register yourself and your titles with the relevant PLR authority. Payments are usually made once a year, based on sample data from participating libraries. PLR is separate from publisher royalties and is paid directly to you as the rights holder.