Explore articles on self-publishing, book design, launch strategy, and book marketing from a team that has supported authors since 2015.
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Self-publishing strategy
Clear walkthroughs for planning the book, the launch, and the reader journey.
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How many words is a novel? Typical word counts by genre, where a novella ends and a novel begins, how word count turns into pages at 5x8 and 6x9, and what length means for editing and print.
Is KDP Select worth it? How KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited work, the 90-day ebook exclusivity rule, how page reads are paid, free promotions and Countdown Deals, and when going wide suits you better.
Article index
Browse the latest publishing advice, design guidance, and author education content.
How to calculate your book's spine width and full-wrap cover size for KDP and IngramSpark: the official per-page figures, bleed, spine text minimums and worked examples in inches and millimetres.
How many words is a novel? Typical word counts by genre, where a novella ends and a novel begins, how word count turns into pages at 5x8 and 6x9, and what length means for editing and print.
Is KDP Select worth it? How KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited work, the 90-day ebook exclusivity rule, how page reads are paid, free promotions and Countdown Deals, and when going wide suits you better.
What copy editing is, what a copy editor fixes on the page, before-and-after examples, a sample style sheet, and where copy editing sits between developmental editing and proofreading.
What typesetting means for self-published books, how it differs from formatting, and when a Word layout is enough versus a page-by-page InDesign interior for KDP and IngramSpark.
Hardcover vs paperback for self-published authors: what each costs to print on KDP, what you earn per copy, KDP case laminate vs IngramSpark jackets, ISBNs, and which format to print first.
If you publish a book in the UK, the law says you must send a copy to the British Library. Here's what to send, where to send it, when it's due and what happens with the other five libraries.
The front matter of a book in the right order: half title, title page, copyright page, dedication, contents and more, plus back matter, page numbering and a printable checklist.
How long does it take to edit a book? Realistic timelines for a developmental edit, line edit, copy edit and proofread at 60k, 80k and 100k words, plus how to plan your launch around them.
KDP manuscript upload failed? The nine file errors behind most rejected paperbacks, why KDP covers get rejected, and how to fix each one before you resubmit.
What it really costs to self-publish a book in the UK in 2026: editing, cover, formatting, ISBNs, KDP and IngramSpark fees, and three budgets from £0 to done-for-you.
You can publish without an editor, but should you? When beta readers and a self-edit are enough, the minimum pass every book needs, and how to hire a book editor.
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