Wide distribution through D2D or IngramSpark or LuLu | Only pick one aggregator to self-publish

First, a history lesson. Kinda. Trust me, it will pay off.
Ingram, the publishing juggernaut that it is, provided distribution services for major and minor publishing houses. They have a network of physical stores and their online counterparts, that a dedicated team pitches and sells books to. As publishers have a new slate of books coming out, they work with dedicated sales reps at Ingram to pitch those books to retailers. Ingram historically has been created to help sell books. Publisher orders a mass shipment of books and then it is warehoused around the country, or world, at Ingram warehouses and distributed to stores in that region.
But let’s say a book that was expected to do meh, suddenly takes off. Flying off the shelves. Well, it can take a while to have a whole new offset run of books so Ingram developed Lightning Source to print books on demand. This name should feel very familiar to you. If a publisher knew a shipment of more books was delayed by a week, Ingram could create and stock these interim books. It would be at a higher cost per book so less margin, but it is better than having no books on the shelves at all.
Once this is set up, Ingram thinks. Wait. We have distribution. We can print on demand. Why not open up this service to self-publishers?
So they did. Through IngramSpark. But you’ll notice all your invoices come from Lightning Source when you order author copies or get the dreaded returns.
How does all of this relate to Wide Distribution with LuLu or Draft2Digital?
LuLu and Draft2Digital offer their distribution through the same exact network, and sometimes, also use Lightning Source
This is why you will get the biggest headache and run around of your life if you decide to have your paperback on IngramSpark AND Draft2Digital or your paperback and hardcover on IngramSpark AND LuLu.
Because all the data is going to one network… Ingram’s network. So it shows as a duplicate and the system says “Nope.” If you are already on one platform and unhappy with it you need to pull your books and upload them elsewhere. Now you CAN do a transfer form but it can get messy. I know one author who elected to do the direct sales only through IngramSpark but then had issues uploading the book to Draft2Digital. Cue customer service run around. If you have one platform that you love but the other has one cool feature, I’d say it’s not worth just one cool feature. Find the platform that meets most of your needs and stick with that one.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @1mkwilliams
Music from: Wondershare Filmora Sounds: "Something Cheer You Up"
Stock video and images from Wondershare Filmora and Pexels
How You Can Support This Channel and My Work:
👍Like, Subscribe, and Comment on this video!
✉️Subscribe to my monthly newsletter: mailchi.mp/52c...
➕Follow me on my other channels: FB | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
/ 1mkwilliams
/ 1mkwilliams
/ 1mkwilliams
/ 14420756.m_k_williams
☕️Buy Me A Coffee: www.buymeacoff...
📚Check out my books and purchase them or request them at your library: 1mkwilliams.com or payhip.com/MKW...
Author Your Ambition Merch on Etsy:
📖www.etsy.com/s...
Partnership Opportunities:
Interested in working together to collaborate on an upcoming video? Let's connect: authoryourambit...
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you, but it can help me continue to create and put out more content. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!

[@1MKWilliams]

For more details on how to expand your self-publishing distribution read: Going Wide 1mkwilliams.com/going-wide/

[@jennellew.6036]

What do you think about people who advertise "reverse?" Where they say they have Ghost writers to write and then sale ebooks on Amazon? Is it possible they are stealing real authors ebooks and selling them. If so, why aren't real authors getting Royalities!?

[@1MKWilliams]

@@jennellew.6036 I think there are a lot of legitimate ghost writing operations out there. If there is a stolen book there is a way for the original author to petition and have the copycat removed

[@jennellew.6036]

@@1MKWilliams Hi, Thank you MK William's for responding to my question. It does help alleviate some concerns I've had. 🙂

[@Dialysistechniciansworldwide]

Thank you so much!!

[@1MKWilliams]

Happy to help!

[@akilahnoble2259]

Honestly, I found your information so useful, Thank you! It even pushed me to get my own ISBNs and ditch the free ones so that's a plus. I'm publishing my second poetry book and I really wanted to go wide with my distribution. So I decided on D2D because I tried signing up with IS but the sign up wasn't favoring international authors at least for the most part so I settled on D2D and Amazon KDP for my ebook, so fingers crossed that it all works well. Ill surely return with more questions about D2D after my release later this month.

[@1MKWilliams]

Best of luck on book 2 and going wide!!!

[@BrianBaum-k9z]

Thank you and love to follow .. Question: I am a creator of niched out puzzle books. They include thousands of words supporting historical and social themes comingled with themed crosswords, word search puzzles and cryptograms .. among others. D2D discounted everything I did as 'low content'. Apparently, this definition varies greatly. I find some of the potential 'return issues' with Ingram a detractor. I do like your idea of picking ONE Aggregator and staying with them. Suggestions of which one Aggregator allows medium content work? Next on my list is Publish Drive.

[@1MKWilliams]

I think a better alternative would be LuLu. I know several people who do puzzle books who use this service.

[@timtrottproductions]

Never overlook libraries (D2D)

[@locustsandhoney486]

Im trying to work out who gives the best profit. B&H takes up 85% of the sale value in printing and distribution, leaving the writer with 12-15%, and then tax, you get left with less than 10% of the value of your book. This is pretty poor income. These companies are taking almost all of the profit for doing no work distributing because its all online, and automated. I am intending on Print Only, no ebooks, the book must be a physical in the hand book.

[@Pack-a-Bag]

I was thinking to pick Kdp direct draft2digital for ebooks and lulu for wide print. But the print cost of lulu for color ink is so much higher than Kdp. Would that mean that my book could appear on Amazon with two different prices? One from lulus wide distribution which I would have to set higher and one of Kdp?

[@1MKWilliams]

If you elected to use Lulu for print you would need to make sure to not agree or sign the distribution agreement for Amazon

[@alialmas1279]

Can we used the same book that already we publish on kdp, and same on the d2d?

[@1MKWilliams]

Yes

[@babygremlins]

So helpful and cute as a button too

[@Pyrat1313]

Question, I'm getting ready to publish my first book. If I'm publishing through Ingramspark do I need a KDP account, or a Barnes and Noble account to get my book on those sites? Basically, who makes the sales page for my books on Amazon or those other sites?

[@1MKWilliams]

If you are using IngramSpark and intend to have them distribute to Amazon and Barnes and Noble for you then DO NOT make an account with KDP or B&N Press. The metadata from IngramSpark will populate for the book page. You can still create an Author Central account with Amazon.

[@Pyrat1313]

@@1MKWilliams Thanks! It's tough deciding which one to go with. Your videos are so helpful.

[@jeanshelbybooks4154]

I have a questions about UBL’s and if you have one UBL for the distributions method you have. I’ve tried to follow how to do this but just don’t understand since I want to publish direct with KDP. Thanks!

[@1MKWilliams]

D2D can create the UBL based on all the links they distribute to but you can also add your own links too for Amazon or your direct store

[@juliamckernan354]

If I use Lulu for print who can I use for audio book?

[@1MKWilliams]

I have a whole playlist on audiobooks. For an aggregator like LuLu but for audiobooks I like Findaway Voices kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKWYYWeZgJepo7c

[@timtrottproductions]

Audiobooks- Google, Audible, ETX…

[@jessielouheart]

Thank you. To clarify (am I getting it right?) - You're saying pick ONE aggregator for EBooks but it's fine to have a different one for Paper books without the headaches you mentioned? So, eg, D2D for Ebooks and Ingram for Paper? thanks!

[@1MKWilliams]

Correct! Ideally one aggregator to handle the eBooks. You could use both D2D or IngramSpark as your aggregator of choice for both, but ideally only 1 aggregator total in your mix.

[@jeanshelbybooks4154]

I was doing this also, but also publishing direct at Barnes and Noble. So you don’t publish paperback at B&N? I got into the ISBN loophole with that!

[@1MKWilliams]

You'd likely need to do a title transfer with B&N instead of trying to upload it