Is Barnes and Noble good for self-publishing?

Barnes & Noble Press (B&N Press) reviews are mixed, highlighting its free setup, access to the B&N ecosystem, and potential for reaching readers, but also criticizing limited print reach (no physical store placement unless ordered), slow customer service, and potential for high print costs eating into royalties, with some authors finding it great for a first step but others experiencing frustrating issues. It's a strong option for authors wanting to sell directly on the B&N platform without upfront fees, but authors should manage expectations about distribution and support compared to other major players like KDP.

How good is Barnes and Noble self-publishing?

Barnes & Noble pays high royalties (70 percent).

It's a flat rate. There are no hidden fees. Unlike Amazon KDP (which requires $2.99 to 9.99 ebook pricing for the 70 percent royalty), you only need to price your book $0.99 or greater, and it just needs to be less than your print book (if you have one on B&N).

What is the best company to use for self-publishing?

In this article, you will learn what are the best self-publishing companies for writers:

• Kindle Direct Publishing (Retailer)
• Apple Books (Retailer)
• KOBO (Retailer)
• Barnes and Noble Press (Retailer)
• Draft2Digital (Aggregator)
• BookBaby (Aggregator)
• PublishDrive (Aggregator)
• IngramSpark (Aggregator)

How much does it cost to self-publish with Barnes and Noble?

It's free to self-publish with Barnes & Noble Press, with no setup fees or costs to list your book, but you pay for printing and shipping (print-on-demand) and can earn 70% on eBooks or 55% on print books minus printing costs. The actual costs come from optional services like editing, cover design, formatting, or marketing, which authors hire independently.
 

Can a self-published book be sold at Barnes and Noble?

Yes, a self-published book can be sold at Barnes & Noble (B&N) through their B&N Press platform for online sales and potentially in physical stores if you work with a distributor like IngramSpark, meet their requirements (ISBN, professional cover, returnable, etc.), and contact local stores or the corporate buyer for placement consideration, as they often support local authors. 

Is Self Publishing Barnes and Noble worth it?

How many books do you need to sell to make $100,000?

If you're self-publishing, you'll need to sell roughly 25,000–30,000 books to hit $100K. For traditionally published authors, the number climbs to 60,000+ depending on royalties. The journey is long—but achievable. With the right strategy, even a first-time author can join the six-figure club.

What is the best publisher for first-time authors?

The "best" publisher for a first-time author depends on your goals (traditional vs. self-publishing), but top traditional choices include Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Macmillan for big reach, while independents like Sourcebooks or niche presses (e.g., Orbit Works for SFF) offer more tailored paths. For self-publishing, Amazon KDP & IngramSpark offer speed and global print-on-demand. A strong publisher provides wide distribution, marketing, and professional support, but you'll likely need an agent for major traditional deals. 

What are the downsides of self-publishing?

Some people are very good at self-publishing, and more power to them. But they have to spend an enormous amount of time and savvy doing everything a publisher does. They have to spend money as well. They could spend that time writing another book.

Is a $50,000 word book a novel?

If you're writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length. Anything over 110,000 words is considered too long for a fiction novel.

What 30 year old makes $1.8 million self-publishing on Amazon?

Meet Alex Rivera (not his real name, but his story is fiercely real). Alex turned 30 last year. He doesn't live in a mansion (yet), but he did pull in $1.8 million in revenue last year.

What is the average income for self-published authors?

'Indie Authors' Earnings 2023' found that the average incomes of self-published authors are rising, with a 53% increase in 2022 over the previous year. The median revenue in 2022 for self-published (indie) authors was US$12,749.

Can I use ChatGPT to write a book and sell it?

You can publish a book written by ChatGPT, but there are some legal points to consider. The big question is ownership—who actually owns the rights to content generated by AI? Clearing this up is essential if you want to legally publish and claim it as your work.

What are the drawbacks of the B&N press?

Cons of B&N Press

The biggest con of B&N Press is its limited reach. While it is nonexclusive, you would have to manage multiple accounts and dashboards to self-publish elsewhere. Since your work only appears in-app and on the website — there is no in-store option — your potential audience may be relatively small.

Do bookstores accept self-published books?

Yes, self-published books can be sold in physical bookstores, but it requires professional presentation, using the right distribution (like IngramSpark), and actively pitching to stores, especially local indies, often through consignment or events, as stores need to see demand or a strong reason to stock them over traditionally published titles. While large chains like Barnes & Noble and Walmart might stock them if sales warrant, focusing on local independent stores and driving traffic there is a more realistic starting point. 

How much do authors make from Barnes and Noble?

You will be paid a 70% author royalty off the List Price. You will, at all times, ensure that the eBook List Price: Is no greater than the eBook's List Price at any other retailer, website or sales channel.

How much does an author make on a $20 book?

For traditionally published authors, royalties range between 10% and 15% of the retail price of the book. If a book sells for $20 and the royalty rate is 10%, the author would make $2 per book sold. But remember, publishers don't pay royalties out until the author has earned back their advance.

What is the shortest novel ever written?

There's no single definitive "shortest novel," but the legendary six-word story, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn," attributed to Ernest Hemingway, is famous for packing immense emotional weight, though it's technically a short story. For actual published novels, shorter ones exist, like Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner or recent Booker Prize nominees such as Orbital by Samantha Harvey (136 pages), demonstrating that impactful novels can be quite brief. 

Is 20 pages an hour slow?

No, 20 pages per hour isn't necessarily slow; it depends heavily on the material, but it's a decent pace for complex topics like textbooks or dense non-fiction, though slower for light reading where averages can be 40-60 pages/hour. For study or technical content, 20 pages/hour (around 11 wpm for textbooks) is normal for comprehension, while a fast reader tackling a novel might hit 60+ pages/hour. 

Do I need to copyright my book if I self-publish?

Yes, your self-published work is automatically copyrighted the moment you create it and fix it in a tangible form (like typing it), but you need to formally register it with the U.S. Copyright Office to have strong legal standing, prove ownership in court, and sue for infringement. While you can publish first and register later (even years after), registration creates a public record and unlocks key legal benefits, making it a vital step for self-published authors.
 

What is the 10 rule for KDP?

The 10% rule is for material in KDP Select, but it's often best to err on the side of caution and put less. For KDP publishing in general, if any of your work is freely available online, be prepared to show that you created and own that work.

Do self-published books ever become best sellers?

Yes, self-published books can absolutely become bestsellers, with famous examples like Fifty Shades of Grey and The Martian, but it requires excellent quality (editing, cover design), strategic marketing, and often significant sales volume, with Amazon lists being more accessible than the prestigious New York Times list, though even that is achievable with the right approach. 

Which publisher does JK Rowling use?

J.K. Rowling's primary publisher for the Harry Potter series and other works in the UK and globally is Bloomsbury Publishing, a major independent publishing house that first accepted Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone after many rejections, with Scholastic handling US publications. For digital versions like eBooks and audiobooks, Pottermore Publishing manages the Harry Potter titles. 

What are some vanity publishers to avoid?

You should avoid prolific vanity publishers like Page Publishing, Xlibris, iUniverse, Author Solutions, Austin Macauley, Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie, Olympia Publishers, Christian Faith Publishing, Morgan James Publishing, Newman Springs Publishing, Tate Publishing, AuthorHouse, and Abbott Press, as they often charge authors for overpriced services, provide low-quality work, hide behind "hybrid" labels, and have deceptive contracts, according to Reedsy and Writer Beware. Look for red flags like unsolicited contact, guaranteed bestseller claims, or upfront fees for services a real publisher would provide, and use resources like Writer Beware to check company legitimacy. 

What age do most authors get published?

Most authors get published in their mid-30s to early 40s, with averages often cited around 36 years old for debut novelists, though there's a wide range, with many succeeding much later or even younger, showing it's never too late to start, but experience often counts.