Thank you very much for creating a non clickbait, clear and concise video. That is a rare find these days. I'm trying to move beyond Amazon KDP after having several negative interactions with their customer service who clearly struggle with English.
✨Omg Jason! This is the most thorough breakdown of KDP AND INGRAM SPARKS - self publishing process I ever heard. Please continue the good work and you have an amazing platform. Thanks again! You're a godsend🌌🌠💯✨
Amazing guidance, Jason! I'm writing a book on women's safety and I want this book in every woman's hand. So, I'm trying to do the best thing possible. More than money, it's the distribution that I messed up last time. Wiser now.
This was very helpful, especially the part about not setting KDP's enhanced distribution in order to let Ingram Spark take that role. I had no idea. Thank you.
Before watching your video, I found myself thoroughly perplexed about utilizing both KDP and Ingram Spark for self publishing. Your video is concise and easy to understand. It cleared my mind and provided the clarity I desperately needed. Thank you!
I spent 4 hours on several sites trying to get my questions answered and was still confused. This remarkable video clearly and succinctly sorted all of my problems. You have a very good mind for understanding something complex and describing it simply. That's a rare talent.
Excellent video, Jason! I've been publishing my ebooks and paperback books on KDP and Hardcover books on IngramSpark. I've always wanted to publish my paperback on IngramSpark because of their wider distribution but wasn't sure if it would mess up my KDP published paperbacks. But you've cleared that up. So it is ok to go ahead and publish paperbacks already published on KDP on IngramSpark as long as you have your own ISBN and extended distribution isn't set. Cheers!
This was one of the best presentations about navigating the mad world of Indie publishing, and the advantages of going with both KDP and Ingram, that I've seen. Thank you.
I'm so glad it's helpful! I had a hard time figuring this out when I was first publishing. I'm surprised there wasn't more info about this online when I was originally searching for it.
@@jasondoroughauthor hello one person from ingramspark says you cant use your own isbn on ingramspark and kdp as they distribute to both and another support worker said otherwise. I don't think that's true is it? Thank you.
After publishing 22 books at Amazon in 2022, I’ve been trying to plan my Ingram spark release of those books. Thank you for answering a few questions I had that nobody else had answered in their videos.
Jason, this was incredibly detailed and specific info and exactly what I was looking for. And @Billy down in the comments asked my questions about ebook specifically. Thank you for being SO kind and generous with your time and knowledge!
@@jasondoroughauthor Hey Jason - one "cart before the horse" question here and maybe self explanatory but once you're all set up with (KDP, IS and KDP, D2D for eBook) and are ready to do your presale... how do you do your presale? I'm gonna lurk on your website and see if you've got something like that happening right now but I was just wondering about where you're linking your readers to. Obviously not multiple links, surely. Or maybe yes?
Thank you so much, for your very clear answers to questions I have had for weeks regarding publishing on both IngramSpark and Amazon, the how-to's, which one first, etc. You are the first person who explained it clearly and succinctly. I will send fellow authors to your link!
Excellent video that finally explained how to set up in both KDP & IS successful! I appreciate you succinct video as so many go on and on! LOL 3 keys: buy your own ISBN, use same ISBN on both sites, & don't click expanded distribution on KDP.
I've already done the two things you told us not to do on KDP. I accepted the ISBN and I selected expanded distribution. Wish I had seen this video first.
You can uncheck the ED anytime you like. If you haven't made sales yet, you could opt to archive the title on KDP and start all over again having purchased an ISBN first. Just an idea.
Man, thank you for this video. I watched it carefully. Thanks to this video I found out about IngramSpark. I intend to follow your advice to the end. Otherwise, information related to ISBN outside the US. I am from Serbia, in Serbia ISBN is purchased from the National Library of Serbia. So it is very easy to get ISBN in every country.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Goodness I needed help understanding this process. I feel so much better now. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, Jason.
Wow, Jason, you're amazing. This is the first truly clear info I've ever seen on this muddy question. I somehow (accidentally) managed to get your key 3 takeaway steps correct before I saw this, and I'm so relieved! Also, I had no idea you could enable the. book for preorder on Ingram Spark and have it show up as available for preorder on Amazon. I had heard stories about Amazon showing the dreaded "out of stock at the publisher" message instead of listing it for preorder. Know anything about that situation?
Thank you!! This is EXACTLY what I needed. This is the best video I have seen in a long time. Very concise and all around just perfect. BRAVO!! Keep it up. One question...do you purchase the barcodes with the ISBN #?
Jason, What are the benefits of putting one’s book live on KDP but wait a bit In IngramSpark? I ask because IS has mass distribution. Could an author get pushback from IS? I heard from another indie author that an author should give IS 6 weeks to get everything organized and ready for distribution. Tell us your opinion on this. Thank you for explaining. I’ll check out your other videos. You have a brand new fan! THANKS.
If you're wanting to use the same ISBN for your book at both KDP and IngramSpark, it's important to set the book up with that ISBN at KDP first, because that will log the ISBN at Amazon right away. You don't actually have to make the book live through KDP at that time; you just need to set it up and save it so that the ISBN is reserved. Then, when you set it up and distribute through IngramSpark with that same ISBN, the IS version won't distribute to Amazon (since the ISBN is already reserved there) but will distribute everywhere else. So the delay in setting up at IngramSpark is just to make sure you set it up at KDP first, so that it has a chance to populate the ISBN into Amazon's database and block it when IngramSpark tries to send the same ISBN to Amazon. With regards to giving IS time to set things up, that can vary a lot. I do think it's a good practice to have everything set up and ready to go as early as possible through any company (KDP, IS, or otherwise), as delays can and do happen, and their regular processes do take some time, too. I don't know that I'd say you need a full six weeks of lead time, but it never hurts to build in as much buffer time as possible. Good luck!
Yes, IngramSpark does distribute to Walmart and Target. Target has some odd requirements for indie distribution, though, and a lot of authors find their requirements unpalatable. Because of that, IngramSpark allows you to opt out of distributing specifically to Target. That's what I decided to do, so my books are distributed through IS to Walmart but not to Target.
@@jasondoroughauthor Ah, thank you very much! I don't have any Targets close to me, so I will just publish to only Walmart as well, lol. I know it's not a 100% guarantee, but it would be cool to see my book in a physical store. Just another thing, do you assign your book to the ISBN fist and then publish it to KDP and Ingram? I assume you do, but just really isn't sure.
@@rocksreviewsreactions337 Yes, I always set up the ISBN at Bowker and then assign it to my book at KDP and then to the book at IngramSpark. Setting it up at Bowker just involves filling out a form in my account there and then waiting while they catalog the info I've given them for that particular ISBN and the book I'm assigning it to.
Oh my goodness I've been trying to figure out how to set up a preorder without having 2 copies of it on amazon! I've been trying to find out if doing it that way works! Thanks so much! Ahh!!
You're welcome! I'm so glad this is helpful! It took a lot of digging around, talking to other authors, and experimenting before I could figure this stuff out. It's definitely not a straightforward process.
Thank you so much for this information. Should I use a barcode with my cover designer while doing my black cover art? I generated barcodes with Ingram Sparks and my ISBN's. Again thank you so much!!!!
I always have my designer leave space for the barcode in the design, but I don't have her actually include the bar code when she sends me the art. I just have KDP and IngramSpark add the bar code into the space she left for them when I set the books up. Good luck!
@jasondoroughauthor my goodness.. Thank you, man (a designer just kinda gypped me when I asked them to insert my various price containing barcodes). They wanted so much from me. Thank you, big time, sir! Also, I am more than ready to put my two books out after 10 years of writing. But I just don't know my books, trim sizes, or optimal price to finish the cover design!!! Any advice would be extremely appreciated!
If you get reviews on the IngramSpark version on Amazon, do they disappear when you publish the KDP version and Amazon boots the Ingram one off? Thanks for the helpful video!
This was very helpful. You answered the questions I couldn't find on other You Tubes. One question (kind of off topic), since it costs more to publish on Ingram Spark than KDP in terms of wholesale discounts etc, is it common to price books on KDP to be less expensive than on Ingram Spark? Or should be offer the same price on both platforms?
When should you press publish on KDP? Should it be the same date you set for the preorder on IngramSpark, or should you publish 2 days before the set date? Doesn’t KDP take up to 72 hours for your book to go live?
Jason this was very well done, concise & clear! Thank you for taking the time to do this. Any advice if you are coming to this after the book is setup and in distribution with Ingramspark?
Thanks Jason for your your detailed guide. I am an author in the UK and I am just about publishing my new book. I opted to do my Ebook, paperback and hardcover through KDP and my paper back and hardcover through Ingramspark. However, I enabled expanded distribution for Ingramspark and now KDP have rejected the ISBN for the print books saying it already exists and I believe this is due to the Ingramspark version. However, when uploading on Ingramspark, I saw no option for disabling Amazon on the expanded distribution list. Please can you advise me on what to do as my launch soon. Thanks very much.
Hello, and I'm sorry it took a couple of weeks to get back to you! Unfortunately, there's not a way to disable distribution to Amazon when you distribute through IngramSpark. IS's distribution generally sends the book information to all the stores in their distribution network, including Amazon (there are some exceptions, such as that you can specifically opt out of Target distribution through IngramSpark). That's why it's important to set up the ISBNs on KDP first. When you do that, the ISBNs are logged at Amazon with the KDP version. Then, when IngramSpark tries to distribute there, the numbers are already taken at Amazon, so the KDP versions remain intact there.
this video was very informative and got quite a few tips thank you. OWuld have really made it much more intuitive to see screenshots or screen recordings of the pages on KDP and Ingram you were talking about though
I'm glad it helped! IngramSpark and KDP occasionally change their interfaces, so I felt like including screenshots or recordings could cause the video to become outdated rather easily. The concepts don't change, though, so keeping it to just the descriptions seemed like a better course for the long term.
This is the most helpful and clear video on the topic - thanks Jason. Can I ask one further question? You recommend using the same ISBN for both the KDP and the IngramSpark version of the book. Ideally the KDP version of my book will be 8.5" X 11" and the IngramSpark version will be 8" X 10" and the font size and total number of pages will be different, but everything else will be identical - covers, titles, content, author name, etc... (the larger size is ideal for Amazon sales but the smaller version is better in order to fit on bookstore shelves). If I follow your directions exactly (using the same ISBN), will everything go well or will KDP or IngramSpark cause some snag if they notice a difference in the book formats with the same ISBN? If different sizing of the KDP and IngramSpark version causes a problem, can I simply use a different ISBN for each to get around this, or will different ISBNs for the same book (with different sizing) cause another problem? Thanks!
This is very detailed and I love it. I have a question. What if I setup on kdp already with their free isbn. Can I buy my own and change it on kdp and go ahead and publish on ingramspark?
I haven't tried that myself, but my best guess is that you'd need to set up a new listing for the book on KDP using your own ISBN. Amazon might be able to combine the previous listing with the KDP ISBN into your new listing with your own number, but I'm not positive whether that would work. It might result in a duplication of your book listing on Amazon. In that case, you'd probably just have to unpublish the original version that used the KDP number and then set up the new version using your own ISBN. Good luck!
for the ingramspark fulfilled amazon pre-orders of paperbacks, will those "count" under the new KDP listing when it comes to stats/reviews? or does it start from 0 when the KDP version releases and replaces the ingram pre-orders?
As far as I know, the IngramSpark preorders don't count toward the same stats that KDP orders count towards. In order to fulfill the Ingram preorders, Amazon will order a bulk shipment of books from IngramSpark, and that goes through different processing than KDP books do. A lot of what Amazon does is not public knowledge, and accounts of it will vary, depending on who you ask at Amazon and KDP. I definitely could be wrong on this, but my impression has always been that the IS preorders don't count towards the KDP listing.
Brilliant thank you. What if I have already just uploaded but not released on IngramSpark. Can I still release on KDP? Or is worth let IngramSpark handle it?
Thank you for this in-depth explanation. What happens if your 'blurb' at KDP and the one at IngramSpark do not match: which one is used by which system? The same question applies to the use of keywords.
Hi Jason, this video is very informative and extremely helpful. I am creating a children's picture book and wish to have both paperback and hardcover. If I choose hardcover through Ingram Spark, does it change anything or are the steps you've outlined in the video the same? Thank you.
For books that are going to be in Kindle Unlimited, you have to stay exclusive to KDP with the ebooks. You can do anything you want with the print versions, but Amazon requires exclusivity for the e-versions. If you're not going to be in Kindle Unlimited, then I recommend distributing your ebooks to Amazon through KDP but then using Draft2Digital to distribute the ebooks everywhere else. D2D can get them into Barnes & Noble, Kobo, libraries, and all sorts of other places. That's what I'm currently doing with my novella, The Gem of Tagath.
Hi James! Sorry for the delay in responding--RUclips wasn't notifying me about comments for a long time, so I only just now saw this. Yes, you can do hardcovers the same way I describe here for paperbacks, and that's what I've done myself with my own hardcovers in the past. For my most recent hardcover (Lizandra's Deepest Fear), I only went with IngramSpark and am having them to distribute to Amazon ongoing, because that book ended up being too long for KDP to be able to print it as a hardcover. But, sizing issues aside, I recommend using the KDP + IngramSpark method for hardcovers like I describe in the video for paperbacks. Good luck!
Hi Jason, thank you for this explanation! This is really helpful! I only have one question... but to make a recap of your method for uploading to KDP + IS: Use an ISBN bought by yourself, upload to KDP “without wide distribution” and save it as “draft”. Then upload to IS with the same ISBN, put it on pre-order, and before the actual launch date put it “live on KDP”. My question is the following: Is it not better to set from the beginning the same launch date for both KDP & IS? When I upload to KDP I can set an advanced publication date (e.g. 1st October) instead as saving as “draft”. Afterwards I upload to IS and I set pre-orders with the same “on-sale date” as for KDP (i.e. 1st October as in the previous example). Do you think that this small change to your method is not better than leaving my KDP upload as ‘’draft”? Thank you for your answer!
Thanks for the question! At the time I made this video, KDP didn't offer the option to set a publication date in advance for paperbacks. Now that they do have that option, I definitely do recommend using it exactly as you described. The method I describe in the video is still how I do hardcovers, though, as KDP doesn't yet offer the same scheduling capability for them.
Jason, help :) You instructions are FANTASTIC. I uploaded to KDP effortlessly (use Kindlecreate to format the book), but the KDF file from Kindlecreate isn't being accepted when I upload to Ingram Spark (it says the type of file isn't accepted)--I'm clueless. What can I do to effectively upload the manuscript to Ingram Spark? TU :)
Thanks for your video, it’s incredibly helpful. I’ve set up an account with kdp and am now in process of setting up Ingram account, I wondered whether it’s better to keep ebooks solely with kdp or opt for the ebook and print with Ingram or just stick with print only on Ingram?
If you're going into Kindle Unlimited, then you'll need to stay exclusive with KDP for your ebooks. If you want wide distribution with your ebooks, though, I recommend using KDP for distribution to Amazon and Draft2Digital for distribution everywhere else. That's what I use for my one widely-distributed ebook, The Gem of Tagath.
Hi Jason! Fantastic video! Thank you heaps for sharing such valuable information! I am based in Australia and here the ISBN external provider is called Thorpe-Bowker. I was wondering if apart from the ISBN, I need to buy the barcode too or if KDP and Ingramspark would generate it once I provide the external ISBN. Hope it is not a silly question, I am just on a budget and don't want to buy the barcode if it isn't necessary. An ISBN here would be $55 and ISBN plus barcode $89 or a bit more. I just don't want to buy the ISBN itself and then realised I am "trapped" with Amazon cause they provided the barcode. I greatly appreciate your time! Wishing you the best week!!
Hello! I’m sorry I didn’t see your question until now. You don’t need to buy a bar code. Both KDP and Ingramspark will generate bar codes for you for free after you enter your ISBN during setup. They’ll even do it if you use the free numbers they give you, but I always recommend using your own ISBN. There are also other sites like Kindlepreneur that will generate bar codes for you at no charge, if you publish anything outside of the more common companies. I hope this helps!
@@jasondoroughauthor hi Jason! Please don’t apologise, thank you actually for taking time to respond! 🩷🫶🏻 This is sooo helpful!! I was about to buy both of them, the isbn and barcode, but after what you’ve said, I’ll only buy the isbn, which is half the price! Thank you sooooo so much! This video is just great!! I’m working with a client who has bipolar and special needs, and his passion in life is expressing it all through poetry, and I’m supporting him in publishing his 4th book but independently this time. We’ll think of you often t her laugh out the process and whenever we have the book in our hands!! Just know you’ve been part of the journey of many here! 👣 Have the best week!
My hero! I've been wanting the answer to this question for so long! One question though! Does this work with Hardcover as well? I know KDP does that too so if I have multiple versions of a print book could I potentially do this with each version?
Amazing video, thank you! I have a question. My children's book was already on KDP with KDP ISBN in 2020 when I first published it. I want to make a hardcover version on Ingram Spark using my own ISBN for the hardcover, can I do this with no complications?
Hi Anna! I assume the version from 2020 that's through KDP was a paperback, is that correct? If so, you won't have any trouble making a new hardcover edition through IngramSpark and/or KDP with your own ISBN. You need a different ISBN for each version of a book anyway, and paperback and hardcover count as different versions for that, so they wouldn't affect each other. And, in theory, the new hardcover should automatically connect to the previous version and show up alongside it on the same product page on Amazon. That usually happens within a few days after you publish the new version. If it doesn't happen automatically, you can get Amazon to link the books by emailing support. Good luck!
Followed your awesome advice and instructions in this video. Unfortunately, my book is stuck with the "Temporarily out of stock" label on Amazon. It's been over 30 days and can't share the link for preorders for Amazon. Funny thing is that preorders work for Barnes & Noble and other retail platforms. My release date is August 1, 2024 and I'm tempted to make the draft on KDP live. Would that mess things up royally or would I just have the book available to purchase on Amazon and preorder everywhere else?
Sometimes things can be a little wonky between IngramSpark's distribution and Amazon (in my experience, most frequently because Amazon sometimes doesn't order sufficient inventory from IngramSpark in a timely manner). Something connected to that might be the reason for that "out of stock" message showing up. Since your book's preorders are correctly appearing elsewhere, I tend to think the problem is at Amazon and not at IngramSpark. I'd recommend reaching out to Amazon support to see if they can help with this before you do anything else. If you make the draft live on KDP, you're correct in thinking that would make your book immediately available for purchase through Amazon, while it's still on preorder everywhere else. So I wouldn't go in that direction just yet. I think talking with someone at Amazon would be the first step I'd take. Good luck!
Thank you very much for creating a non clickbait, clear and concise video. That is a rare find these days.
I'm trying to move beyond Amazon KDP after having several negative interactions with their customer service who clearly struggle with English.
I come back to this video every time I'm about to publish thank you so much
Six weeks of information delivered in 17 minutes. Great job, thanks.
✨Omg Jason! This is the most thorough breakdown of KDP AND INGRAM SPARKS - self publishing process I ever heard. Please continue the good work and you have an amazing platform. Thanks again! You're a godsend🌌🌠💯✨
Amazing guidance, Jason! I'm writing a book on women's safety and I want this book in every woman's hand. So, I'm trying to do the best thing possible. More than money, it's the distribution that I messed up last time. Wiser now.
This was very helpful, especially the part about not setting KDP's enhanced distribution in order to let Ingram Spark take that role. I had no idea. Thank you.
Before watching your video, I found myself thoroughly perplexed about utilizing both KDP and Ingram Spark for self publishing. Your video is concise and easy to understand. It cleared my mind and provided the clarity I desperately needed. Thank you!
I spent 4 hours on several sites trying to get my questions answered and was still confused. This remarkable video clearly and succinctly sorted all of my problems. You have a very good mind for understanding something complex and describing it simply. That's a rare talent.
Little Update: Ingram spark no longer charges the $50 upload fee, up to 2 books per month. But they do charge a revision fee if you need to reupload.
there's a 2 book/mo limit? for no fee?
@@jessieheartart Yes no upload fee.
This video was outstanding, thorough, and clear! Thanks so much!
Excellent video, Jason! I've been publishing my ebooks and paperback books on KDP and Hardcover books on IngramSpark. I've always wanted to publish my paperback on IngramSpark because of their wider distribution but wasn't sure if it would mess up my KDP published paperbacks. But you've cleared that up. So it is ok to go ahead and publish paperbacks already published on KDP on IngramSpark as long as you have your own ISBN and extended distribution isn't set. Cheers!
Really great and informative video Jason. Untangled in minutes, what can be a damn confusing mess. Thanks
That was the information I was looking for. Thanks.
This was one of the best presentations about navigating the mad world of Indie publishing, and the advantages of going with both KDP and Ingram, that I've seen. Thank you.
Thanks for the info. KDP now lets you take preorders on a future publish date. I guess they had a lot of feedback from authors.
Thank you! In 15 minutes you've cleared up a question that's been vexing me for some time.
I'm so glad it's helpful! I had a hard time figuring this out when I was first publishing. I'm surprised there wasn't more info about this online when I was originally searching for it.
@@jasondoroughauthor hello one person from ingramspark says you cant use your own isbn on ingramspark and kdp as they distribute to both and another support worker said otherwise. I don't think that's true is it? Thank you.
After publishing 22 books at Amazon in 2022, I’ve been trying to plan my Ingram spark release of those books. Thank you for answering a few questions I had that nobody else had answered in their videos.
Many thanks for this video it is great help, fast and clear!!!
Great video! I also love your stuff on the shelves.
Great presentation. I am a newbie preparing to self publish my first book. this was so helpful and so clear! Thank you!
Jason, this was incredibly detailed and specific info and exactly what I was looking for. And @Billy down in the comments asked my questions about ebook specifically. Thank you for being SO kind and generous with your time and knowledge!
You're welcome, and I'm so glad I was able to help!
@@jasondoroughauthor Hey Jason - one "cart before the horse" question here and maybe self explanatory but once you're all set up with (KDP, IS and KDP, D2D for eBook) and are ready to do your presale... how do you do your presale? I'm gonna lurk on your website and see if you've got something like that happening right now but I was just wondering about where you're linking your readers to. Obviously not multiple links, surely. Or maybe yes?
Thank you for answering questions I've been unable to find answers to!
Thank you so much, for your very clear answers to questions I have had for weeks regarding publishing on both IngramSpark and Amazon, the how-to's, which one first, etc. You are the first person who explained it clearly and succinctly. I will send fellow authors to your link!
Just terrific. Thanks a lot. And you speak very well. Not an "um" or an "er" in there. Bravo.
Thank you! I'm glad it helped!
Paused it at 7:19 to say "Man, you're the truth." Thank you so much. I gotta binge your channel now.
Excellent video that finally explained how to set up in both KDP & IS successful! I appreciate you succinct video as so many go on and on! LOL 3 keys: buy your own ISBN, use same ISBN on both sites, & don't click expanded distribution on KDP.
What if you already selected expanded distribution and published on KDP, does this mean you can’t put the book on Ingram Spark?
I've already done the two things you told us not to do on KDP. I accepted the ISBN and I selected expanded distribution. Wish I had seen this video first.
You can uncheck the ED anytime you like. If you haven't made sales yet, you could opt to archive the title on KDP and start all over again having purchased an ISBN first. Just an idea.
What you mean: ISBN # lost if you used it first in IngramSpark? Great info, thanks!
Right? I would think it would work on both platforms if it's your own ISBN.
Very clear and helpful, Jason!
This was awesome! You answered every question I had clearly and concisely. Thank you!!🙏
THANK YOU! I can't thank you enough. This video answered all my questions and more, especially the part about pre-orders, thank you 🙏
Very well spoken and to the point and clear-cut. Thank you.
Thank you, Jason! This video is so helpful. I've been trying to find a way to publish on both KDP and Ingram.
Man, thank you for this video. I watched it carefully. Thanks to this video I found out about IngramSpark. I intend to follow your advice to the end.
Otherwise, information related to ISBN outside the US. I am from Serbia, in Serbia ISBN is purchased from the National Library of Serbia. So it is very easy to get ISBN in every country.
Thank you so much, very detailed and clear info!
Thank you so much for explaining this process! Much needed. Great teaching!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Goodness I needed help understanding this process. I feel so much better now. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, Jason.
Nice and clear, thank you!
This is incredibly helpful and valuable information. Thanks so much!
Thank you very much! Such a useful video and all information!
Excellent info! Thanks much.
Great insights Jason. Thanks so much.
Wow! Thank you for this video! 👊✨
Thanks for this valuable information.
THANK YOU! This is exactly what I needed to know. I'm going to follow your advice when I publish my first book within the next couple of weeks.
Thank you so much for this video. Answered so many of my questions. Much appreciated!
Excellent. Very helpful. Ive been seeking what to for an age
Wow, Jason, you're amazing. This is the first truly clear info I've ever seen on this muddy question. I somehow (accidentally) managed to get your key 3 takeaway steps correct before I saw this, and I'm so relieved! Also, I had no idea you could enable the. book for preorder on Ingram Spark and have it show up as available for preorder on Amazon. I had heard stories about Amazon showing the dreaded "out of stock at the publisher" message instead of listing it for preorder. Know anything about that situation?
Thanks for this video Jason. This just answers my question for which one to go for regarding my paperbacks.
Got the answer I was looking for! Thank you!
Thank you!! This is EXACTLY what I needed. This is the best video I have seen in a long time. Very concise and all around just perfect. BRAVO!! Keep it up. One question...do you purchase the barcodes with the ISBN #?
excellent detail easy to understand and follow- thank you!
That was extremely helpful. Thank you so much.
Jason,
What are the benefits of putting one’s book live on KDP but wait a bit In IngramSpark? I ask because IS has mass distribution. Could an author get pushback from IS?
I heard from another indie author that an author should give IS 6 weeks to get everything organized and ready for distribution.
Tell us your opinion on this.
Thank you for explaining. I’ll check out your other videos. You have a brand new fan! THANKS.
If you're wanting to use the same ISBN for your book at both KDP and IngramSpark, it's important to set the book up with that ISBN at KDP first, because that will log the ISBN at Amazon right away. You don't actually have to make the book live through KDP at that time; you just need to set it up and save it so that the ISBN is reserved. Then, when you set it up and distribute through IngramSpark with that same ISBN, the IS version won't distribute to Amazon (since the ISBN is already reserved there) but will distribute everywhere else. So the delay in setting up at IngramSpark is just to make sure you set it up at KDP first, so that it has a chance to populate the ISBN into Amazon's database and block it when IngramSpark tries to send the same ISBN to Amazon.
With regards to giving IS time to set things up, that can vary a lot. I do think it's a good practice to have everything set up and ready to go as early as possible through any company (KDP, IS, or otherwise), as delays can and do happen, and their regular processes do take some time, too. I don't know that I'd say you need a full six weeks of lead time, but it never hurts to build in as much buffer time as possible.
Good luck!
Oooooooh! So helpful! Jason, do you have a checklist to help with these steps? Timing seems key! Thanks
In Australia your ISBN is via Thorpe-Bowker in Victoria
This was a really good video, I subscribed. I have a question, can books uploaded through IngramSpark make it to stores like Walmart or Target?
Yes, IngramSpark does distribute to Walmart and Target. Target has some odd requirements for indie distribution, though, and a lot of authors find their requirements unpalatable. Because of that, IngramSpark allows you to opt out of distributing specifically to Target. That's what I decided to do, so my books are distributed through IS to Walmart but not to Target.
@@jasondoroughauthor
Ah, thank you very much! I don't have any Targets close to me, so I will just publish to only Walmart as well, lol. I know it's not a 100% guarantee, but it would be cool to see my book in a physical store.
Just another thing, do you assign your book to the ISBN fist and then publish it to KDP and Ingram? I assume you do, but just really isn't sure.
@@rocksreviewsreactions337 Yes, I always set up the ISBN at Bowker and then assign it to my book at KDP and then to the book at IngramSpark. Setting it up at Bowker just involves filling out a form in my account there and then waiting while they catalog the info I've given them for that particular ISBN and the book I'm assigning it to.
You should update this video:)
Oh my goodness I've been trying to figure out how to set up a preorder without having 2 copies of it on amazon! I've been trying to find out if doing it that way works! Thanks so much! Ahh!!
You're welcome! I'm so glad this is helpful! It took a lot of digging around, talking to other authors, and experimenting before I could figure this stuff out. It's definitely not a straightforward process.
Thank you. Very good information.
Thank you so much for this information. Should I use a barcode with my cover designer while doing my black cover art? I generated barcodes with Ingram Sparks and my ISBN's. Again thank you so much!!!!
I always have my designer leave space for the barcode in the design, but I don't have her actually include the bar code when she sends me the art. I just have KDP and IngramSpark add the bar code into the space she left for them when I set the books up. Good luck!
@jasondoroughauthor my goodness.. Thank you, man (a designer just kinda gypped me when I asked them to insert my various price containing barcodes). They wanted so much from me. Thank you, big time, sir!
Also, I am more than ready to put my two books out after 10 years of writing. But I just don't know my books, trim sizes, or optimal price to finish the cover design!!!
Any advice would be extremely appreciated!
You are amazing. Thanks so much!
Thank you for this video, really clear and explained at a nice pace.
This video gave me hope
this was so helpful thank you soooooo much!
If you get reviews on the IngramSpark version on Amazon, do they disappear when you publish the KDP version and Amazon boots the Ingram one off? Thanks for the helpful video!
Fantastic thanks I’m going to go this route
Good luck!
This was very helpful. You answered the questions I couldn't find on other You Tubes. One question (kind of off topic), since it costs more to publish on Ingram Spark than KDP in terms of wholesale discounts etc, is it common to price books on KDP to be less expensive than on Ingram Spark? Or should be offer the same price on both platforms?
Excellent video, thanks for sharing!!
When should you press publish on KDP? Should it be the same date you set for the preorder on IngramSpark, or should you publish 2 days before the set date? Doesn’t KDP take up to 72 hours for your book to go live?
Thank you very much. This is very good and helpful content and I am very glad I found your channel.
You're welcome! I'm so glad to help!
Jason this was very well done, concise & clear! Thank you for taking the time to do this. Any advice if you are coming to this after the book is setup and in distribution with Ingramspark?
Thanks Jason for your your detailed guide. I am an author in the UK and I am just about publishing my new book. I opted to do my Ebook, paperback and hardcover through KDP and my paper back and hardcover through Ingramspark. However, I enabled expanded distribution for Ingramspark and now KDP have rejected the ISBN for the print books saying it already exists and I believe this is due to the Ingramspark version. However, when uploading on Ingramspark, I saw no option for disabling Amazon on the expanded distribution list. Please can you advise me on what to do as my launch soon. Thanks very much.
Hello, and I'm sorry it took a couple of weeks to get back to you! Unfortunately, there's not a way to disable distribution to Amazon when you distribute through IngramSpark. IS's distribution generally sends the book information to all the stores in their distribution network, including Amazon (there are some exceptions, such as that you can specifically opt out of Target distribution through IngramSpark). That's why it's important to set up the ISBNs on KDP first. When you do that, the ISBNs are logged at Amazon with the KDP version. Then, when IngramSpark tries to distribute there, the numbers are already taken at Amazon, so the KDP versions remain intact there.
this video was very informative and got quite a few tips thank you. OWuld have really made it much more intuitive to see screenshots or screen recordings of the pages on KDP and Ingram you were talking about though
I'm glad it helped! IngramSpark and KDP occasionally change their interfaces, so I felt like including screenshots or recordings could cause the video to become outdated rather easily. The concepts don't change, though, so keeping it to just the descriptions seemed like a better course for the long term.
Great video thank you
This was exactly what I was looking for - Thank you so much Jason.
I'm so glad it's helpful!
@Jason Dorough Thank you - I have one more question - I posted above... Appreciate if you could help me please. Thank you so much! 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you so much! This was very helpful! :)
Good stuff.
Thanks!
Very helpful, thanks! I have been wanting to do something with all of this and did not know where to begin.
You're very welcome! I'm glad it's helpful, and good luck to you!!
This is the most helpful and clear video on the topic - thanks Jason. Can I ask one further question? You recommend using the same ISBN for both the KDP and the IngramSpark version of the book. Ideally the KDP version of my book will be 8.5" X 11" and the IngramSpark version will be 8" X 10" and the font size and total number of pages will be different, but everything else will be identical - covers, titles, content, author name, etc... (the larger size is ideal for Amazon sales but the smaller version is better in order to fit on bookstore shelves). If I follow your directions exactly (using the same ISBN), will everything go well or will KDP or IngramSpark cause some snag if they notice a difference in the book formats with the same ISBN? If different sizing of the KDP and IngramSpark version causes a problem, can I simply use a different ISBN for each to get around this, or will different ISBNs for the same book (with different sizing) cause another problem? Thanks!
This is very detailed and I love it. I have a question. What if I setup on kdp already with their free isbn. Can I buy my own and change it on kdp and go ahead and publish on ingramspark?
I haven't tried that myself, but my best guess is that you'd need to set up a new listing for the book on KDP using your own ISBN. Amazon might be able to combine the previous listing with the KDP ISBN into your new listing with your own number, but I'm not positive whether that would work. It might result in a duplication of your book listing on Amazon. In that case, you'd probably just have to unpublish the original version that used the KDP number and then set up the new version using your own ISBN. Good luck!
@jasondoroughauthor Thanks alot. Makes sense.
for the ingramspark fulfilled amazon pre-orders of paperbacks, will those "count" under the new KDP listing when it comes to stats/reviews? or does it start from 0 when the KDP version releases and replaces the ingram pre-orders?
As far as I know, the IngramSpark preorders don't count toward the same stats that KDP orders count towards. In order to fulfill the Ingram preorders, Amazon will order a bulk shipment of books from IngramSpark, and that goes through different processing than KDP books do. A lot of what Amazon does is not public knowledge, and accounts of it will vary, depending on who you ask at Amazon and KDP. I definitely could be wrong on this, but my impression has always been that the IS preorders don't count towards the KDP listing.
Brilliant thank you. What if I have already just uploaded but not released on IngramSpark. Can I still release on KDP? Or is worth let IngramSpark handle it?
That was a really informative video. Thank you.
I’m glad it’s helpful!
Thank you Jason
Thank you for this in-depth explanation. What happens if your 'blurb' at KDP and the one at IngramSpark do not match: which one is used by which system? The same question applies to the use of keywords.
Hi Jason, this video is very informative and extremely helpful. I am creating a children's picture book and wish to have both paperback and hardcover. If I choose hardcover through Ingram Spark, does it change anything or are the steps you've outlined in the video the same? Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video. I've heard others recommend that you launch e-books only through KDP. What is your opinion on this?
For books that are going to be in Kindle Unlimited, you have to stay exclusive to KDP with the ebooks. You can do anything you want with the print versions, but Amazon requires exclusivity for the e-versions. If you're not going to be in Kindle Unlimited, then I recommend distributing your ebooks to Amazon through KDP but then using Draft2Digital to distribute the ebooks everywhere else. D2D can get them into Barnes & Noble, Kobo, libraries, and all sorts of other places. That's what I'm currently doing with my novella, The Gem of Tagath.
This was awesome information.
Glad it was helpful!
Outstanding explanation. Thank you. Just realized something. Have you tried to hardback off KDP and would it work the same way as the paperback?
Hi James! Sorry for the delay in responding--RUclips wasn't notifying me about comments for a long time, so I only just now saw this. Yes, you can do hardcovers the same way I describe here for paperbacks, and that's what I've done myself with my own hardcovers in the past. For my most recent hardcover (Lizandra's Deepest Fear), I only went with IngramSpark and am having them to distribute to Amazon ongoing, because that book ended up being too long for KDP to be able to print it as a hardcover. But, sizing issues aside, I recommend using the KDP + IngramSpark method for hardcovers like I describe in the video for paperbacks. Good luck!
Thank you for this video, Jason! Super helpful!
You're welcome! I'm so glad it's helpful!!
Hi Jason, thank you for this explanation! This is really helpful!
I only have one question... but to make a recap of your method for uploading to KDP + IS: Use an ISBN bought by yourself, upload to KDP “without wide distribution” and save it as “draft”. Then upload to IS with the same ISBN, put it on pre-order, and before the actual launch date put it “live on KDP”.
My question is the following: Is it not better to set from the beginning the same launch date for both KDP & IS? When I upload to KDP I can set an advanced publication date (e.g. 1st October) instead as saving as “draft”. Afterwards I upload to IS and I set pre-orders with the same “on-sale date” as for KDP (i.e. 1st October as in the previous example).
Do you think that this small change to your method is not better than leaving my KDP upload as ‘’draft”?
Thank you for your answer!
Thanks for the question! At the time I made this video, KDP didn't offer the option to set a publication date in advance for paperbacks. Now that they do have that option, I definitely do recommend using it exactly as you described. The method I describe in the video is still how I do hardcovers, though, as KDP doesn't yet offer the same scheduling capability for them.
Helpful, thank you!
Jason, help :) You instructions are FANTASTIC. I uploaded to KDP effortlessly (use Kindlecreate to format the book), but the KDF file from Kindlecreate isn't being accepted when I upload to Ingram Spark (it says the type of file isn't accepted)--I'm clueless. What can I do to effectively upload the manuscript to Ingram Spark? TU :)
Thanks for your video, it’s incredibly helpful. I’ve set up an account with kdp and am now in process of setting up Ingram account, I wondered whether it’s better to keep ebooks solely with kdp or opt for the ebook and print with Ingram or just stick with print only on Ingram?
If you're going into Kindle Unlimited, then you'll need to stay exclusive with KDP for your ebooks. If you want wide distribution with your ebooks, though, I recommend using KDP for distribution to Amazon and Draft2Digital for distribution everywhere else. That's what I use for my one widely-distributed ebook, The Gem of Tagath.
@@jasondoroughauthor Thanks for this, very helpful.
Hi Jason! Fantastic video! Thank you heaps for sharing such valuable information!
I am based in Australia and here the ISBN external provider is called Thorpe-Bowker. I was wondering if apart from the ISBN, I need to buy the barcode too or if KDP and Ingramspark would generate it once I provide the external ISBN.
Hope it is not a silly question, I am just on a budget and don't want to buy the barcode if it isn't necessary.
An ISBN here would be $55 and ISBN plus barcode $89 or a bit more.
I just don't want to buy the ISBN itself and then realised I am "trapped" with Amazon cause they provided the barcode.
I greatly appreciate your time!
Wishing you the best week!!
Hello! I’m sorry I didn’t see your question until now. You don’t need to buy a bar code. Both KDP and Ingramspark will generate bar codes for you for free after you enter your ISBN during setup. They’ll even do it if you use the free numbers they give you, but I always recommend using your own ISBN. There are also other sites like Kindlepreneur that will generate bar codes for you at no charge, if you publish anything outside of the more common companies. I hope this helps!
@@jasondoroughauthor hi Jason! Please don’t apologise, thank you actually for taking time to respond! 🩷🫶🏻
This is sooo helpful!! I was about to buy both of them, the isbn and barcode, but after what you’ve said, I’ll only buy the isbn, which is half the price! Thank you sooooo so much! This video is just great!!
I’m working with a client who has bipolar and special needs, and his passion in life is expressing it all through poetry, and I’m supporting him in publishing his 4th book but independently this time.
We’ll think of you often t her laugh out the process and whenever we have the book in our hands!!
Just know you’ve been part of the journey of many here! 👣
Have the best week!
My hero! I've been wanting the answer to this question for so long! One question though! Does this work with Hardcover as well? I know KDP does that too so if I have multiple versions of a print book could I potentially do this with each version?
I'm so glad to help! And yes, this is the way to do it with hardcover as well.
Amazing video, thank you! I have a question. My children's book was already on KDP with KDP ISBN in 2020 when I first published it. I want to make a hardcover version on Ingram Spark using my own ISBN for the hardcover, can I do this with no complications?
Hi Anna! I assume the version from 2020 that's through KDP was a paperback, is that correct? If so, you won't have any trouble making a new hardcover edition through IngramSpark and/or KDP with your own ISBN. You need a different ISBN for each version of a book anyway, and paperback and hardcover count as different versions for that, so they wouldn't affect each other. And, in theory, the new hardcover should automatically connect to the previous version and show up alongside it on the same product page on Amazon. That usually happens within a few days after you publish the new version. If it doesn't happen automatically, you can get Amazon to link the books by emailing support. Good luck!
Great video. Thanks. If print version by IS better than KDP, then isn't it better to not go live on KDP?
Followed your awesome advice and instructions in this video. Unfortunately, my book is stuck with the "Temporarily out of stock" label on Amazon. It's been over 30 days and can't share the link for preorders for Amazon. Funny thing is that preorders work for Barnes & Noble and other retail platforms. My release date is August 1, 2024 and I'm tempted to make the draft on KDP live. Would that mess things up royally or would I just have the book available to purchase on Amazon and preorder everywhere else?
Sometimes things can be a little wonky between IngramSpark's distribution and Amazon (in my experience, most frequently because Amazon sometimes doesn't order sufficient inventory from IngramSpark in a timely manner). Something connected to that might be the reason for that "out of stock" message showing up. Since your book's preorders are correctly appearing elsewhere, I tend to think the problem is at Amazon and not at IngramSpark. I'd recommend reaching out to Amazon support to see if they can help with this before you do anything else. If you make the draft live on KDP, you're correct in thinking that would make your book immediately available for purchase through Amazon, while it's still on preorder everywhere else. So I wouldn't go in that direction just yet. I think talking with someone at Amazon would be the first step I'd take. Good luck!
@@jasondoroughauthor Jason, thanks so much for this insight and advice! Appreciate it!