How to Choose the Right Publishing Platforms for Your Book
One of the most common questions I get from authors—especially those just starting out—is: Where should I publish my book?
It’s a great question, and one that doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer. Your publishing platform choices should be strategic, based on your goals, your genre, your marketing plans, and how you want readers to find and buy your book.
In this post, we’ll walk through your main options for publishing platforms—KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, and more—and help you build a strategy that maximizes visibility while staying aligned with your goals.
Let’s dive in.
Exclusive vs. Wide: What Does It Mean to Publish on KDP Select (Kindle Unlimited)?
The first big decision you’ll need to make is whether to go exclusive with Amazon’s KDP Select program (which places your ebook in Kindle Unlimited) or publish wide.
If you choose KDP Select:
Your ebook will be exclusive to Amazon for 90-day periods (renewable).
Your ebook will be available through Kindle Unlimited, and you’ll get paid per page read, not per purchase.
You can’t sell your ebook through other retailers (like Barnes & Noble or Apple Books) or directly from your website (this does not apply to your paperback).
KDP Select makes a lot of sense for certain genres—especially romance, thrillers, or cozy mysteries, where Kindle Unlimited has a huge audience. If your book fits a bingeable, series-based model and you're trying to grow quickly, KU might be a great fit.
If you choose to publish wide:
You can sell your ebook across multiple platforms, including Barnes & Noble Press, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, and libraries.
You maintain more control and flexibility over your pricing and promotions.
You’re building a presence in more marketplaces, which can be helpful long-term.
There’s no right answer here—it depends on your genre, goals, and how much marketing you’re able to do yourself. If you're just starting out, KU can offer discoverability and income potential (via page reads), but wide publishing builds long-term reach.
What About Print Books? (IngramSpark, Amazon, and Beyond)
Whether you go wide or stay exclusive, you still need to decide how to publish your paperback and hardcovers.
My top recommendation? Always publish your print book through IngramSpark.
Here’s why:
IngramSpark feeds directly into bookstore and library catalogs. If you want to give indie bookstores or libraries the ability to stock your book, it has to be listed in Ingram’s system.
Amazon doesn’t distribute well to bookstores. In fact, many retailers refuse to order books printed by Amazon.
IngramSpark allows paperback preorders, which KDP does not.
You can still publish your paperback on KDP to have it available for Amazon Prime shipping and visibility, but always pair it with an IngramSpark listing to maximize distribution options.
How to Get Your Book Into Libraries
Amazon recently updated its policies to allow KU-exclusive ebooks to be offered to libraries—but that doesn’t mean you’ll magically show up in Hoopla or OverDrive.
To make your books available to libraries:
Use Draft2Digital or PublishDrive. Both platforms let you opt into library systems like Hoopla, OverDrive, and Baker & Taylor.
Mark your ebooks for library distribution only, if you’re exclusive to KDP.
Promote your availability to librarians by sharing links, promotional materials, or requesting info.
The key here is accessibility. Libraries can’t buy your book if it’s not available through the vendors they use. These aggregators (like Draft2Digital) make sure your book is visible and accessible.
Stacking Your Platforms: A Hybrid Strategy
You don’t have to pick just one place. Most successful authors use a multi-platform strategy to maximize both income and visibility.
Here’s one example:
Ebook exclusively on KDP Select to benefit from Kindle Unlimited’s readership
Paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Press, and IngramSpark
Library access via Draft2Digital or PublishDrive (ebooks only)
This hybrid approach lets you:
Earn page-read income through KU
Distribute to bookstores and libraries
Leverage Amazon’s algorithm and also reach beyond it
Your distribution strategy matters just as much as your writing—and the right publishing platforms can make all the difference.
Tips for Deciding Where to Publish
Know Your Genre
Is it heavily read in Kindle Unlimited?
Do readers in your genre prefer physical books or ebooks?
Know Your Audience
Do you already have an audience that shops on one platform?
Are they international or U.S.-based?
Know Your Budget
IngramSpark has setup fees unless waived during promotions
Draft2Digital and KDP are free to use
Plan for Future Books
If you're planning a series, consider where you want that series to live long-term
Set up a reader magnet and email list early to retain your audience across platforms
What About Preorders?
Preorders are a powerful marketing tool, especially when paired with newsletter growth or social media buzz.
KDP only allows ebook preorders.
IngramSpark allows paperback preorders.
So if you want to run a full campaign, set up your paperback preorder via IngramSpark and get your launch date on the calendar. Readers can start ordering before your official release.
Your Platform Is Your Gateway to Readers
Choosing where to publish is more than just picking a button on a dashboard. It’s a strategy. A distribution plan that determines how and where your readers can find you.
Whether you go exclusive or wide, whether you use IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, or Barnes & Noble Press, the most important thing is to choose with intention. Understand the limitations and opportunities of each option, and build a plan that works for your book, your life, and your readers.
If you want help building a publishing plan that fits your vision and helps your book find the right readers, I’d love to support you. Inside the Story Flow Collective, we break all this down and build it together—step-by-step.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Want more guidance? Grab my freebie: Self-Publishing Starter Kit to get your roadmap started.
P.S. Letters From Story Flow is your bi-weekly resource for authors who are ready to grow their careers with clarity and ease—without relying on hustle-heavy strategies that don’t feel like you.
If you're ready to build a sustainable author business, connect with readers, and get expert guidance that actually meets you where you are, click here to join me!