As you research your options as an independent author, you will undoubtedly come across the companies that dominate the self-publishing market (BookBaby, Ingram Sparks, and a slew of others). With a wealth of choices, it can be difficult to decide which option is right for your specific needs. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is one of the industry’s most popular choices, and Amazon’s pedigree and global reach make it a tough competitor.
Spines is new to the self-publishing world, but it has a progressive vision to revolutionize the industry with use of artificial intelligence technology to shorten the proofreading, editing, and formatting labor process and significantly cut costs without sacrificing the quality of the resulting product. Spines also boasts a world-class in-house design and editing team, as well as the opportunity to digitally distribute your book across 100+ channels all from their platform.
You’ll find that KDP and Spines differ greatly in processes, prices and services. Let’s break down how these two companies (and their packages) compare.
Spines vs KDP: Pricing
Kindle Direct Publishing offers a compelling sales pitch – if you have the manuscript, cover, and design elements ready, publishing your book is quick and free, with instant digital copies available in Kindle stores worldwide. However, KDP only handles the basics, leaving authors to manage distribution and marketing on their own. They also require authors to meet strict guidelines for expanded distribution through other retailers and bookstores, placing the burden of meeting these requirements squarely on the author.
Spines offers more comprehensive support through its publishing packages. Starting with their Signature package, which is priced at $2,710 for a 75,000-word manuscript, authors gain access to AI-powered grammar checks, professional proofreading, and cover design services, all managed by Spines’ in-house staff. The Signature package also includes consultation with a production manager to ensure your materials are in top shape before publication. Spines provides global distribution across numerous platforms, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more, which KDP doesn’t offer directly. Additionally, Spines offers marketing tools, tracking dashboards, and the support of both AI technology and Spines staff, guiding authors through every step of the process.
While KDP may seem like an easy and cost-free option, Spines provides a more hands-on, all-inclusive approach that ensures authors have the professional support they need from start to finish. Whether you’re looking for expert editing, design, distribution, or marketing, Spines’ comprehensive services give independent authors a significant edge over those who choose to navigate the self-publishing process on their own.
Royalties Comparison
KDP offers authors 70% of their book’s revenue, but you are responsible for managing your own distribution and production, which can reduce your net revenue. You can also sign up for their Expanded Distribution program, which gives permission to make your book available to distributors, but there’s no guarantee your book will be accepted. If it is, KDP promises only 40% net revenue for accepted books.
Spines, on the other hand, offers 100% of the royalties from your sales, with no deductions beyond the distributor cuts. While there are upfront costs for Spines’ publishing packages, all production and distribution costs are included, making it a more streamlined and predictable option. You won’t have to manage multiple accounts across different platforms or worry about varying royalty policies, as everything is centralized in one place. This approach provides greater clarity and control over your earnings.
Distribution Comparison
KDP directly handles distribution of eBooks in the Kindle marketplace, worldwide, but you will have to outsource the distribution of physical copies of your book. You may also enroll in Expanded Distribution, which makes your book available to other distributors, but it does not guarantee your book will be accepted and sold with them.
Spines handles distribution with over 100+ companies, at a competitive rate, in all of their packages, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, Baker & Taylor, Adlibris, Bookazine, Books Express, Book Depository and Ingram. Spines offers a 70% revenue after online retailer cuts/print costs, and the convenience of managing your inventory and sales all on their platform, which streamlines the process for authors considerably.
Publishing Timelines
Most of KDPs limited services are as simple as uploading your files, so publishing can take only about 24-48 hours. Within that, the author is expected to already have a finished product. In addition, KDP has a comprehensive technical guide that acts as a FAQ and troubleshooting reference for customers, but customers are otherwise on their own to sort out uploading issues, file requirements, and a final proofread.
A Spines customer’s average publishing time is around a month, but that can also include manuscript editing and proofreading, cover design, and other elements that would need to be otherwise outsourced. This is thanks to Spines’ revolutionary method of using AI technology to do a first glance for book and design errors, allowing authors to cut down on labor costs. Customers are then assigned a devoted production manager who takes one more look, and walks the customer through their order before sending the final materials to distributors. Especially as a first-time author, having your publisher help you every step of the way is a uniquely personal touch that makes Spines stand out as a competitor.
Spines vs KDP
If you are an author who has digital files of your book ready to be published, it can be a good idea to upload your book to KDP, since the process is free and using their service can give you a headstart on digital book sales. However, since KDP doesn’t handle distribution with other retailers, your best bet is to pay for an all-inclusive package like Spines’, which ensures you’ll get maximum royalties across retailers and the accessibility of handling sales across platforms on Spines’ site.
If you’re a first time author and are unsure how to get your manuscript ready to be published, Spines’ packages are designed to assist with everything from your manuscript and cover design to managing sales and marketing of your book, with Spines staff helping you every step of the way. Having excellent customer support is invaluable to those at the beginning of their publishing journey – and Spines’ publishing platform promises that in spades. If you’re looking for a publishing company that can act as your one-stop shop from start to finish, Spines is a compelling option.
