How to Self-Publish Your First Book in the United States

October 18, 2026

Last updated: October 18, 2026

To self-publish a book in the US, you need an edited manuscript, a formatted interior file, a cover, a decision about ISBNs, accounts with the platforms you will sell through, and a launch plan. Most US authors publish ebooks and paperbacks through Amazon KDP, and many add IngramSpark for wider print distribution to bookstores and libraries. The steps below walk through the process in order. Platform rules can change, so check each platform's current help pages before you publish.

Key takeaways

Edit before you format, and format before you proofread.
You need separate files for ebook and print, plus a full wraparound cover for print.
Amazon KDP offers a free ISBN for paperbacks, but it can only be used on KDP. Buying your own from Bowker gives you more flexibility.
Copyright exists automatically, but US registration gives you important legal advantages.
Start planning your launch months before your publication date.

What files do you need before publishing?

A fully edited manuscript. See the editing stages for what that involves.
An ebook file, usually EPUB, formatted to reflow on different screens.
A print interior PDF, laid out at your chosen trim size with margins, headers and page numbers.
An ebook cover. KDP recommends 2,560 by 1,600 pixels, a 1.6:1 ratio (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, n.d.-c).
A print cover that wraps around the front, spine and back. Its size depends on your trim size and page count. KDP requires 0.125 inch of bleed and calculates spine width from page count and paper type (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, n.d.-d).
Metadata: title, subtitle, author name, description, categories, keywords and price.

Professional formatting and cover design make a big difference to how a book is received. See our ebook formatting, interior design and cover design services, or read ebook vs. paperback vs. hardcover.

Do you need an ISBN?

For print books, yes. For ebooks on KDP, no. Amazon assigns its own identifier to Kindle ebooks, and KDP offers a free ISBN for paperbacks. The catch is that a KDP-assigned ISBN can only be used for that edition on KDP, and the imprint will be listed as "Independently published" (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, n.d.-e).

In the US, ISBNs are sold by Bowker. As of October 2026, Bowker lists one ISBN for $125, ten for $295 and 100 for $575, and notes that each version of a book, print or digital, requires its own ISBN (Bowker, n.d.). Buying your own lets you use your own imprint name and publish the same edition on several platforms. For the full picture, see ISBNs, copyright and book registration.

What about copyright?

Under US law, your work is protected by copyright automatically as soon as it is fixed in a tangible form, such as a saved file. Registration with the US Copyright Office is not required for protection, but it is necessary before you can sue for infringement of a US work, and registering early makes statutory damages and attorney's fees available (U.S. Copyright Office, 2021). As of October 2026, the Single Application fee is $45 (U.S. Copyright Office, n.d.).

How do ebook and print distribution differ?

	Amazon KDP	IngramSpark
Formats	Ebook, paperback, hardcover	Paperback, hardcover, ebook
Main reach	Amazon stores worldwide	A network of more than 40,000 retailers, libraries and educators
Setup fees	None	None for new titles since 2023 (IngramSpark, n.d.)
Free ISBN	Yes, for KDP use only	Check current offer

Many authors use KDP for Amazon and IngramSpark for everything else. If you enroll an ebook in KDP Select, Amazon requires that ebook to be exclusive to Kindle for the enrollment period, so check the current terms. Our comparison of Amazon KDP vs. IngramSpark goes into detail.

How do you prepare a launch?

Three to six months before: finalize cover and description, set up your author website and email list.
Two to three months before: send advance reader copies, plan a cover reveal, line up promotion.
One month before: set up preorders if you are using them, schedule social posts and emails.
Launch week: share widely, thank early readers and keep engaging.

See the full book launch timeline for details.

A step-by-step checklist

Finish and self-revise your manuscript.
Get it professionally edited.
Decide on formats, trim size and ISBNs.
Commission or create your cover.
Format the ebook and print interior.
Proofread the formatted files.
Register copyright, if you choose.
Set up your accounts and upload files.
Order a printed proof and check it carefully.
Publish and launch.

Want help with any of these steps? Our Print Ready Package covers the production stage, and our editorial services cover the rest. Book a free consultation to plan your book.

References

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. (n.d.-c). Create an eBook cover. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200645690

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. (n.d.-d). Create a paperback cover. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201953020

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. (n.d.-e). ISBNs for print books. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/A18PX0NLBGTTLN

Bowker. (n.d.). Get your ISBN now: Self-publisher. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://www.myidentifiers.com/get-your-isbn-now/self_publisher

IngramSpark. (n.d.). No more setup fees. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://www.ingramspark.com/no-more-setup-fees

U.S. Copyright Office. (n.d.). Fees. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://www.copyright.gov/about/fees.html

U.S. Copyright Office. (2021). Copyright basics (Circular 1). https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf

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