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Publishing Guide

From manuscript to bookstore
in under 10 minutes.

A complete, step-by-step guide to publishing and selling your book on Books.by. No technical skills required — just your book and a few minutes.

1

Create Your Account & Storefront

Getting started takes less than a minute. Sign up, choose your store URL, add your author bio, and connect your bank account for daily payouts.

Your storefront is instantly live at books.by/yourname — customise your brand colours and upload a profile photo to make it yours.

What you'll set up

✓ Store URL — books.by/yourname
✓ Author bio & profile photo
✓ Brand colours & theme
✓ Bank account — daily payouts

Tip: Your bookstore URL can be changed anytime. Most authors use their name or pen name.

Your Storefront

Choose your theme and customise it to suit your book

2

Upload Your Book Files

Books.by accepts the same files you'd use for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or any other print-on-demand service. No reformatting needed.

Interior File

PDF format, 300 DPI recommended. Standard book margins (at least 0.5" inner, 0.25" outer). Supports 24–828 pages depending on trim size. Files from KDP, IngramSpark, D2D, Reedsy, and Vellum all work directly.

Cover File

PDF or high-res image (PNG/JPG) with front, spine, and back as a single file. 0.125" bleed on all sides. Spine width is calculated automatically based on your page count and paper type.

Accepted formats

📄
Interior
PDF (300 DPI)
🎨
Cover
PDF / PNG / JPG

Already on Amazon or IngramSpark? You can use the exact same files. Just upload them — no changes needed.

Don't have a cover?

No problem. Books.by includes a built-in cover builder with templates, automatic spine sizing, and bleed handling. Design a professional cover in minutes, or upload your own from a designer.

3

Get Your ISBN & Set Your Price

Free ISBN — No Restrictions

Every book gets a free ISBN automatically assigned when you publish. No need to purchase your own or navigate Bowker — and your ISBN is yours to use on any platform.

→ Included free with your subscription
→ Use on any platform — no lock-in, no restrictions
→ Separate ISBNs for each format (paperback, eBook)
→ Or bring your own ISBN if you have a publishing imprint

Tip: Books.by ISBNs list "For Authors, Inc" as publisher of record. Use your own ISBN if you want your imprint listed instead.

Set Your Price

Full control over your retail price. Books.by shows you the exact printing cost upfront so you can see your royalty before publishing.

→ No minimum markup or commission — set any price
→ Live royalty preview: retail price − print cost − shipping = yours
→ Change your price anytime — readers see local currency at checkout

Tip: Average Books.by author prices at $14.99 and earns ~$5.69/sale (40%+ royalty). Try our royalty calculator.

4

Proof, Publish & Launch

Before your book goes live, preview everything to make sure it's perfect. Then hit publish — your bookstore is live instantly.

1
Digital proof

Preview interior and cover in the browser

2
Physical proof (optional)

Order a printed copy shipped to you at cost

3
Approve and publish

Your bookstore goes live at books.by/yourname

books.by/dashboard
🎉

Your book is live!

Your bookstore is ready at books.by/yourname

Share Your Bookstore
First steps 1 of 3
Share your bookstore link on social media

The moment you hit publish — your bookstore is live and ready for readers.

Your Dashboard

Track every sale, order, and royalty in real time.

From the moment your first reader places an order, your dashboard shows you everything — sales, royalties, customers, and fulfilment status. Daily payouts, no waiting.

Books.by author dashboard showing sales, orders, and royalty tracking

Sell eBooks too — from the same bookstore.

Upload an EPUB, MOBI, or PDF and sell digital editions alongside your print books. No pricing restrictions, no commission — and you get every customer's email. Offer a free eBook with print purchases, or use it as a lead magnet to grow your audience.

100% royalties on digital sales
No price floors — sell at any price
Customer emails on every download

Now share it everywhere.

Every link you control should point to your Books.by store. That's where you keep 100% and own the customer relationship.

Community

Join an author community 20,000+ strong.

From first-time storytellers to New York Times Bestsellers — meet some of the authors selling direct on Books.by.

Peter Brighouse — A Paw Full of Cat Tales

A Paw Full of Cat Tales

Short cat stories for children and those young at heart.

Visit bookstore →
Renee Ritchie — The Case of the Unknown Baby

The Case of the Unknown Baby

Set amongst the spectacular landmarks of Newcastle, Australia.

Visit bookstore →
Swoosh the Snow-saurus

Swoosh the Snow-saurus

A charming children's story born on the ski slopes.

Visit bookstore →
Mike Hodsall — NOBODY

NOBODY: Rock 'n' Roll Trenches

Bright lights, big dreams, soaring heights and crushing lows.

Visit bookstore →
Warwick Pearson — To Serve the Dead

To Serve the Dead

He went to war to find a new life, but the past won't let him go.

Visit bookstore →
Tamsyn Moore — The Magic of Midlife

The Magic of Midlife

From heartbreak to hope — a fearless journey through life.

Visit bookstore →
Darryl Armstrong — Between the Tracks

Between the Tracks

An eclectic collection of short stories across genres.

Visit bookstore →
Jack Kelly — Cahill's Journal

Cahill's Journal

A late-night phone call sets in motion terrifying events over four decades.

Visit bookstore →
John Gulzari — Refugee Entrepreneur

Refugee Entrepreneur

A journey from fear of the Taliban to pioneering entrepreneurship.

Visit bookstore →
Maggie Yore — When She Breaks

When She Breaks

A medical drama and psychological thriller about navigating PTSD.

Visit bookstore →
Peter J. Charles — A Detective's Dilemma

A Detective's Dilemma

Covert informants, political corruption, and a Russian mission.

Visit bookstore →
Tony Carrucan — A Fatal Attraction

A Fatal Attraction

When Venus breaks from its ancient orbit, Earth's fate hangs by a thread.

Visit bookstore →
See All Author Reviews →
What You Get

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

No middlemen, no gatekeepers, no hidden fees. Just you, your book, and your readers.

💰

100% Royalties

You keep every dollar above print cost. No commission, no revenue share. Your earnings are yours.

⚡

Daily Payouts

No waiting 60 days for royalties. Sales hit your bank account the next business day.

🏪

Your Own Bookstore

A branded storefront at books.by/yourname. Customise the theme, share the link, own the relationship.

📧

Customer Emails

Every buyer's email is yours. Build your audience directly — no platform standing between you and your readers.

🌍

Global Shipping

Print-on-demand fulfilment from facilities worldwide. Readers pay local shipping rates at checkout.

🤝

Real Human Support

Stuck on something? Our support team responds personally — real people who know publishing, not chatbots.

Start Publishing Now →

Ready to publish your book?

Create your bookstore, upload your files, and start selling in under 10 minutes.

Get Started →