How to publish your book with IngramSpark

An in-depth reference guide to self-publishing with IngramSpark

Sep 04, 2024

After more than a year of writing on Substack, I published my first physical book through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) in January 2023. Flipping through those pages—the result of countless hours of hard work and creativity—induced a warm sense of pride and accomplishment. However, I later recognized the limitations of KDP and a growing desire by readers to patron libraries and purchase books through alternative retailers. Wouldn’t it be grand if they were all stocked with a copy of their own? IngramSpark can help make that happen. Presented here is the research and experience I gathered while using IngramSpark to publish my second book, on sale August 31, 2024.

Evaluating IngramSpark

IngramSpark is an on-demand publisher and worldwide distributor of books and eBooks. They have formed relationships with a broad network of retailers, libraries, and academic institutions, allowing them to order from a diverse catalog. Unlike major traditional publishers, such as Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster, IngramSpark is focused on self-publication. No agent or publishing contract is required. Potential authors do not submit for consideration, and you will not be paid an advance.

An argument can be made about using the terms “publisher” and “distributor” in the case of IngramSpark. It’s possible to refer to them merely as printers and fulfillment providers focusing on self-published authors. Regardless of the terms, the company is a respected and established entity within the book publishing ecosystem. Nevertheless, it’s best to understand the distinction since any writer using IngramSpark will be required to provide more than an imaginative novel.

An account with IngramSpark can be created by visiting the IngramSpark company website and clicking “Create Account.”

Forming an Imprint

Forming an imprint is not required to use IngramSpark or to complete any portion of the publication process. An imprint is a trade name that often represents a specific brand or genre independent of the author. Major publishing houses use imprints to distinguish fiction from nonfiction, including major subgenres such as fantasy, science fiction or horror. As a self-publisher, it represents a higher degree of professionalism and increases the chances bookstores and libraries will order copies.

As an author, forming an imprint distinguishes your work and helps protect your brand. In the United States, an imprint is typically associated with an LLC, offering legal protections as a business when entering into contracts. Winston’s recent release, Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel, was published under the imprint Storyletter Xpress Publishing LLC, and my recent release, Voices from the Deep: A Collection of Fantasy and Science Fiction Short Stories, was published under the imprint Red Giant Press LLC. Both of these are legal entities.

Speak to a lawyer or personally research the options. Services like LegalZoom, ZenBusiness and Nolo offer self-service, which can be helpful if you’re willing to pay the additional costs. It’s not advised to publish under an imprint without legal protections, and the exact process will vary depending on your country of origin and state or province.

Finishing the Manuscript

The best place to start is with a finished manuscript, edited, proofread, formatted, and ready to print. Several steps are involved after the book is written, and progressing in an orderly fashion helps reduce stress throughout the process. Without a manuscript, it would be impossible to continue with IngramSpark. If the first draft is done but requires editorial review, those services will need to be procured. IngramSpark does not edit or proofread a work. Comprehensive editing, critiques and proofreading are all the responsibility of the author.

To locate an editor, contact other authors who have already published and are known and trusted. One place to start without any connections is Reedsy Marketplace. The network will provide guidance on associated costs and there are a number of articles discussing how to find and build a working relationship with one or more editors.

Formatting or typesetting the manuscript is not the responsibility of an editor. Writers are responsible for ensuring the book looks professional and aesthetically pleasing, which can be a daunting exercise. Some book designers will provide a full-service package comprising interior design and page layout, but don’t expect it to be all-inclusive.

Author-friendly desktop software and software as a service are also available. A few to research are Reedsy Book Editor, Atticus, Vellum, LibreOffice Writer and Scrivener. I used Scrivener to write and LibreOffice Writer to format my first book. The latter is free to use and has become my word processor of choice for my second book, but both have a steep learning curve.

Whichever software is chosen must be capable of exporting to PDF, with the option to embed fonts. Creating an eBook requires exporting to a reflowable (flexible) EPUB format. Both are the formats IngramSpark requested during the preparation of a title. Not all software will produce a professionally formatted eBook, an afterthought for many authors. Take advantage of software trial periods and experiment with several offerings.

IngramSpark now provides a free book-building tool, which is very similar to Amazon’s book-building tool. This is an incredible resource for authors who can’t afford software or to pay a designer. The link includes a video overview with design tips for adventurous authors.

A few key decisions must be made if the manuscript is manually formatted using a word processor since IngramSpark will only provide general guidance. While not exhaustive, the following topics cover the essentials. Review books you have on hand from major publishers to get a good sense of standards.

Front Matter and Back Matter

These items are often overlooked when crafting a story but are standard in the final manuscript. Front matter is just a fancy term for the Title Page, Copyright Page, Dedication, Table of Contents, Foreword, Preface, and Acknowledgements. None are required, but the Title Page, Copyright Page and Table of Contents are almost always present. The back matter can include an Epilogue, Afterword, Acknowledgements, Appendix, About the Author, Index, and Bibliography.

Book Dimensions

The book dimensions, in combination with the font and font size, will affect the number of pages and spine width. The most common sizes for trade paperback and hardcover are 5” x 8” (127 x 203 mm), 5.5” x 8.5” (140 x 216 mm) and 6” x 9” (152 x 229 mm). Mass market paperbacks are often smaller, and IngramSpark includes the aforementioned sizes and a number of other options.

Font, Font Size, and Spacing

Using a serif or sans-serif font is a matter of preference. The most important consideration is the right to use the font if it was not pre-installed with the word processor since it will need to be embedded within the PDF and eBook. Choosing a font readily available is the safest choice. Common serif fonts are Garamond, Georgia, Baskerville, and Palatino. Common sans-serif fonts are Helvetica, Futura, Open Sans, and Gill Sans.

While largely dependent on the font chosen, a size between 12 and 13 points is recommended for legibility. If the aim is to produce an accessible large print format, then at least 18 points is necessary.

Paragraph spacing should be equal to or greater than 1.5 and less than or equal to 2. Anything below 1.5 is difficult to read when transferred from digital to print, and anything greater than 2 gives the impression spacing was added to pad the page size.

Header and Footer

Books should include a header or footer. Many novels include both, and the goal is to include information relevant to readers. Page numbers should appear on every page but do not typically appear on the front matter or back matter. Some novels choose to use Roman numerals to represent front matter page counts. The first page of the story should start with number 1, even though it may not be the first physical page. The author's name and title of the book should alternate between even and odd pages, either alternating right and left justified or each centered.

The table of contents requires a special mention. Many novels don’t include a table of contents, or if they do, it’s in reference to parts instead of chapters. Almost all young adult novels include and name the chapters for the table of contents.

Insert the table of contents after the final draft is complete. Editing can change the page references, but in most word processors, this requires manually refreshing the table of contents to reflect the update. There’s nothing more frustrating than ordering a physical proof only to find that the table of contents doesn’t match the page numbers in the header or footer.

Margins

IngramSpark provides print guidelines for margins, which may be dependent on the book dimensions. The common recommendation is a 0.5” safety margin. The header and footer will need to be placed inside that margin. This is the bare minimum. However, a review of popular fiction titles reveals safety margins closer to 1”.

Remember to mirror the margins, placing larger margins on the gutter sides of pages. The gutter is the center channel where pages meet when a book opens. Failing to account for the gutter means readers will need to strain to read text on the inside edges of the page. An additional 0.75” to 1” is recommended for the gutter side of a page.

Designing the Cover

IngramSpark does not provide design services, but the book-building tool contains imagery for the cover design. This aspect of publication can be frustrating since most authors are not artists. If the goal is to provide an original, professional product, then it will be necessary to work with a designer. The cost will depend on the designer's experience and portfolio. It can range from $100 USD to $1000 USD.

The generated cover template provided by IngramSpark will need to be sent to the designer. The dimensions are based on the number of pages in the manuscript, cover format, and paper choice. Dedicated book illustrators understand the dynamics of crafting a book’s design. Be careful choosing a graphic designer who advertises book illustration as a service but can’t show a full cover spread.

A good place to start is searching for design services on the Reedsy Marketplace. You can also search social media like Pinterest or Instagram for book cover designs in various genres and reach out to the credited illustrators for a quote.

Purchasing ISBNs and Barcodes

According to Bowker.com:

“The most important identifier your book can have is the ISBN. As the U.S. ISBN Agency, Bowker is the ONLY official source of ISBNs in the United States. ISBNs provide unique identification for books and simplify the distribution of your books throughout the global supply chain. Without an ISBN, your book will not be found in most bookstores, either online or down the street from your house.”

Nielsen is the official ISBN agency for the UK and Ireland. Thorpe-Bowker is the official ISBN agency for Australia. Agencies of record for each country can be located using the ISBN international website.

IngramSpark and Bowker are two separate entities working together to supply libraries and retailers with all of the book metadata required so it can be searchable and cataloged (through Bowker, also known as MyIdentifiers) and ordered once it’s found (through IngramSpark). While institutions will use more than one distributor for ordering (such as Baker & Taylor or Follett), the source of truth will always be Bowker. The metadata will often be repeated in both locations and should match the most common fields: title, subtitle, description, and author.

Bowker offers several ISBN packages, including a single ISBN for $125 USD. Every book format (including eBook) must have its own ISBN, which means purchasing a single ISBN will only allow for a single format. The best package to purchase is 10 ISBNs, which is currently $295 USD, allowing an author to create a softcover, hardcover, and eBook at a significant cost savings. ISBNs don’t expire and can remain unassigned until a future date.

Just like Amazon, a retailer-specific ISBN can be obtained directly from IngramSpark for free. However, this is not recommended unless an author plans to use IngramSpark only as the printer and use a secondary distribution path, such as Kickstarter or conventions.

While ISBNs catalog a book, it must be scanned via a barcode to enter retailer and library databases. This requires a barcode image to be printed on the back of the book. Barcodes can be purchased from Bowker and other third parties online, but if you’re using IngramSpark, don’t spend the money. A free barcode can be generated as an option through the cover template generator tool. It will automatically be generated at the same resolution required for the final cover design.

You can create an account with Bowker by visiting the MyIdentifiers company website and clicking “Sign In/Register.”

Preparing Metadata

Book metadata is an important component of any book and is used to present the contents accurately. This information is used on retailer websites and in libraries to catalog and categorize titles. Crafting metadata for IngramSpark and Bowker needs to be given the same attention as writing the novel. Marketing materials should contain similar language, giving potential buyers a consistent experience.

Filling out these metadata fields is not complicated, but it’s good to prepare the information before adding a title to IngramSpark. The most important metadata will be the title, subtitle, series name and number, description, author bio, and subject categories (also known as BISAC codes). The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) contains the full 2023 BISAC listing and is a fantastic resource for determining the right category for a book. It’s not necessary to know the exact code; IngramSpark will provide the names and send the codes during distribution.

Libraries and retailers like Amazon will choose how BISAC codes align with their own system categories. It may not be an exact match, but it won’t prevent potential buyers from finding a book using the keywords provided in the other metadata fields. This information should never change unless a mistake is being corrected.

Selecting Print Options

Print options are selected when adding a new title. A paperback and hardback cover finish can be matte, which has a soft, velvety feel with no shine, or gloss, with a high shine and smooth finish. Practically speaking, the matte finish will show fingerprints on darker colors, and the gloss covers can peel after years of abuse. Hardbacks can also include a dust cover jacket with or without a digital cloth cover alternative. These options are provided at an additional cost and contribute to the overall design.

Interior paper options are Groundwood 38lb (56gsm), Crème 50lb (74gsm), White 50lb (70gsm) and White 70lb (104gsm). Groundwood is used for mass-market paperback, while Crème and White 50lb options are the most common. The White 70lb is a thicker option for a classier appeal. If the book contains color illustrations, then the thicker paper is a better choice, while black and white illustrations work well on both 50lb and 70lb paper. According to IngramSpark, ink and paper options may not be available at all book trim sizes. Not all ink options will be available for all paper options.

Submitting for Approval

The title can only be submitted for approval after the ISBNs are purchased, metadata is complete, and the manuscript and cover files are ready. These files will be submitted to IngramSpark and will return after a few days as a digital prepress PDF, allowing an author to review and correct any mistakes. The proof can be rejected, corrected, and resubmitted. An author must complete and resubmit all corrections within 60 days, or additional fees may apply.

After submitting a title for approval, the associated ISBN can never be reused within IngramSpark. Even after rejecting a digital proof, a title can only be canceled by contacting support, but the ISBN still can’t be reassigned to another title. It’s the primary unique identifier associated with a title in the system.

Once the digital proof is acceptable, it can be approved by checking one of a few options presented. One of those options is to approve and immediately enable distribution. No author should enable distribution without first ordering a physical copy for review, which is another option. Distribution can be enabled at any time in the future, but it’s difficult to correct mistakes after a book has already been distributed. The risk is readers buying and receiving a printed copy with errors.

Distributing the Book

Determine a publication date and an on-sale date strategy before enabling distribution. A best practice is to choose the same date for both, 30 days in the future. Another option is to choose the current day as the publication date and 30-45 days in the future as the on-sale date, but it’s not a standard practice. This buffer can be used to generate preorder marketing buzz and allows time for early readers and reviewers to finish the book. When distribution is enabled, the on-sale date can’t be changed! The On-Sale Date, Publication Date and Pre-Orders help page provides all the necessary details.

Price Point, Wholesale Discount and Returns

The price point, wholesale discount and returns policy are likely the most significant considerations in the eyes of any author using IngramSpark. A video describing the available choices is in the IngramSpark Support section, but it doesn’t adequately inform (or warn) the authors. The right choices need to be made, focusing on two broad markets an author can serve: the retailer or the consumer.

IngramSpark sells to wholesalers, who in turn sell to retailers like Barnes & Noble, who in turn sell to consumers. A wholesale discount must be offered by the publisher so that all of the interested parties can receive payment. The minimum requirement in the US is 40%, while the maximum is 55%. Those numbers vary slightly within international markets. Everyone in the process chain will take a cut. This discount also determines an author’s final payout after the book is printed.

If the intent is to recoup costs by encouraging retailers to stock several copies of a book at multiple store locations, then authors will need to offer the maximum discount and accept returns. Offering returns is a gamble. A wholesaler or retailer can order a significant number of copies by mistake and decide to return them. The cost of shipping those titles back to the author is debited out of the author’s IngramSpark account. Even if wholesale returns are not enabled, customers who order the book will be able to return it back to the store under the terms and conditions of the store policy.

But enabling returns doesn’t really affect first-time authors. Big box retailers won’t know to stock a self-published book inside the store unless otherwise informed of the release by the author, an agent or a publisher. Still, this isn’t a guarantee, as shelf space is competitive. Some authors who directly approach hometown retailers and libraries find success, but it’s limited.

Don’t be discouraged! Interested buyers can go online, find the book via their preferred retailer within the IngramSpark distributor network, and order it. It will be printed and shipped on demand, which is one of the greatest advantages of using IngramSpark. Focus on the readers first, and they will drive sales through the retailers. It’s unlikely to happen in reverse. The best possible choice (against the advice of IngramSpark and retailers) is the lowest wholesale discount with no returns.

Retailer and Library Availability

Once distribution is enabled within IngramSpark, it can take 2-6 weeks for the full details, including different formats, to show up on a retailer’s website. Simply put, there are no guarantees. Retailers can choose to apply arbitrary rules around the books they carry online or in the store, which puts authors at a disadvantage. Be sure to inform readers they can still make a customer service request using the ISBN. It’s possible the title is already in the system through Bowker, not just IngramSpark.

In the case of Voices from the Deep, the softcover format showed up on Amazon and Barnes & Noble within a week. However, with Barnes & Noble, the description and cover image were not transmitted during the same time period, and neither outlet has included the hardcover format yet. It’s possible they do not allow preorders for hardcover formats and are waiting for the on-sale date to lapse before offering it to customers.

Libraries require a special mention. Just like retailers, shelf space is coveted, but budgets do allow for patron requests. A great strategy is to contact friends and family and make sure they request your book. Even if they’ve purchased it already, the library is interested in serving the community. Getting a book into circulation is a difficult but not impossible endeavor when a village of people is involved. One suggestion is to craft a sell sheet directed at your hometown library. Several videos and articles exist online that outline the necessary details.

Conclusion

Publishing through IngramSpark, or any publisher, can be an exhausting process. While writing the next bestselling novel requires a unique creative voice, sending it out into the world requires a keen business sense. Our hope is the process will be much smoother with the guidance provided here.

If you found this post helpful, please support Winston Malone and Storyletter XPress Publishing with a paid subscription. The subscription helps defray the costs associated with publishing and marketing indie authors.

You can also purchase my latest book, Voices from the Deep: A Collection of Fantasy and Science Fiction Short Stories, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your preferred retailer.

Storyletter XPress Publishing