KDP VS INGRAMSPARK: WHERE TO SELF-PUBLISH

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and IngramSpark are two popular self-publishing platforms, but they serve slightly different purposes and offer distinct features. Here's a comparison of KDP Amazon and IngramSpark in children's book:

1. Target Audience

A. KDP Amazon: KDP is primarily KDP, or Kindle Direct Publishing, is a platform created by Amazon that allows authors and publishers to self-publish their children's books in digital and print formats.

The target audience for KDP includes:

1. Authors and Writers: KDP is primarily aimed at authors and writers who want to self-publish their children's books. This includes fiction and non-fiction authors, poets, bloggers, and anyone with written content they want to share with a wider audience.

2. Independent Publishers: Small independent publishers and self-publishing companies often use KDP to distribute and sell children's books. It's a cost-effective way for them to reach a global audience.

3. Aspiring Authors: KDP is popular among new and aspiring authors looking to break into the world of publishing without the need for a traditional publishing contract.

4. Content Creators: Content creators who have developed written materials as part of their brand or business, such as bloggers, content marketers, and subject matter experts, can use KDP to repurpose their content into children's books.

5. Educators: Educators, including teachers and professors, can use KDP to publish educational materials, textbooks, and resources for their students.

6. Niche and Specialty Authors: KDP is also a good fit for authors of niche or specialized topics that might not be of interest to traditional publishers but have dedicated readerships.

7. Entrepreneurs and Business Owners: Entrepreneurs and business owners often use KDP to publish children's books related to their industry, expertise, or as a marketing tool to establish themselves as thought leaders.

8. Non-Profit Organizations: Some non-profit organizations use KDP to publish educational materials, guides, and resources.

9. People Looking for Passive Income: KDP offers an opportunity for individuals looking to generate passive income through book sales. They can monetize their knowledge, creativity, or storytelling abilities.

10. Readers: While readers are not direct users of KDP, they benefit from the platform as it increases the availability of diverse children's books and authors, giving them access to a wider range of reading options.

KDP's audience is quite diverse, but it essentially caters to anyone with written content they want to publish and make available to a global audience through Amazon's distribution channels, both in digital (eBook) and print (paperback) formats.

B. IngramSpark: is a self-publishing platform and print-on-demand service that primarily targets independent authors and publishers who want to publish and distribute their children's books. The platform is designed to serve a wide range of content creators, including authors, poets, illustrators, photographers, and small to medium-sized publishers. The target audience for IngramSpark includes:

1. Independent Authors: Writers who want to self-publish their children's books, novels, non-fiction works, poetry, or any other type of written content.

2. Small Publishers: Independent publishers, including self-publishing companies, micropublishers, and small presses looking for a distribution and printing solution.

3. Poets: Poets who want to publish their collections or individual poems.

4. Photographers: Photographers interested in creating and distributing photography children's books or portfolios. Illustrators: Artists who want to self-publish graphic novels, comics, or illustrated children's books.

5. Academic and Non-fiction Authors: Individuals or academics who want to publish scholarly or educational works.

6. Religious Organizations: Churches, religious groups, or organizations looking to publish religious texts, devotionals, or other spiritual content.

7. Organizations and Businesses: Some organizations and businesses may also use IngramSpark for printing marketing materials, training manuals, and other printed content.

IngramSpark provides a distribution network that allows these authors and publishers to make their works available for sale through various book retailers and distribution channels. It offers both print-on-demand and eBook publishing services, making it accessible to a wide range of content creators who want to reach a global audience with their publications.

2. Print-on-Demand (POD)

A. Amazon

1. Ease of Use: Amazon’s KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) Print is known for its user-friendly interface. It's integrated with Amazon's Kindle platform, making it convenient for self-published authors to publish both Kindle children's eBooks and print children's books in one place.

2. Distribution: KDP Print primarily focuses on Amazon distribution. Your children's books will be available for sale on Amazon's various regional websites. You can also enable expanded distribution to make your book available to bookstores and libraries, but this isn't as extensive as what IngramSpark offers.

3. Royalties: You can set your own list price and receive royalties for each sale. The amount you earn depends on factors like book size, page count, and whether you use color or black-and-white interior printing.

4. Print Quality: KDP Print provides high-quality black-and-white and color printing options, including glossy and matte covers.

B. IngramSpark:

1. Distribution: IngramSpark is a POD service provided by Ingram, one of the largest book distributors in the world. It offers broader distribution than KDP Print. Your children's books can be made available to numerous booksellers, libraries, and online retailers worldwide. This makes it a popular choice for authors looking to reach a wider audience beyond Amazon.

2. ISBN: You can use your own ISBN or get one from IngramSpark. This gives you more control over the publishing process and allows you to use the same ISBN for your book on other platforms.

3. Pricing: IngramSpark offers flexible pricing options, allowing you to set discounts for retailers and libraries. You can also set the list price, taking into account printing costs, to ensure a profit margin.

4. Print Quality: IngramSpark is known for its high-quality printing and offers various paper types and trim sizes.

e) Global Reach: If you want to reach markets outside of Amazon or if you're planning to sell to bookstores and libraries, IngramSpark is a strong choice.

3. Distribution

A. KDP Amazon: Primarily focuses on Amazon distribution, although there is an Expanded Distribution option that allows your book to be available to a wider range of online retailers and bookstores.

B. IngramSpark: Offers broader distribution, making your children's book accessible to physical bookstores, libraries, and various online retailers, beyond just Amazon.

4. Pricing

A. KDP Amazon: Generally, there are no upfront costs to publish your book on KDP. Amazon takes a percentage of your royalties for each sale, and you have the option to set the list price.

B. IngramSpark: There are upfront setup fees for publishing your book. You'll need to pay for ISBNs and formatting services if required. However, you have more control over pricing.

5.  Royalties

A. KDP Amazon: You can earn royalties of up to 70% on eBook sales and up to 60% on paperback sales. The exact royalty depends on factors like book price and distribution options.

B. IngramSpark: Royalties vary depending on factors such as book format, page count, and retail price. While the royalties may be lower for some sales channels, you have more control over pricing.

6. Print Quality and Options

A. KDP Amazon: Offers good quality print-on-demand for paperbacks with a range of trim sizes and paper options.

B. IngramSpark: Provides high-quality printing options with more choices for paper, trim size, and cover finishes.

7. ISBN Ownership

A. KDP Amazon: Assigns a free ISBN to your book, but it limits your distribution options beyond Amazon.

B. IngramSpark: Allows you to use your ISBN, which provides more control and flexibility in terms of distribution and branding.

8.     Author Copies

A. KDP Amazon: Offers author copies at cost, but shipping charges can be high, especially for international orders.

B. IngramSpark: Provides author copies at a discounted rate, and international shipping might be more cost-effective.

9. Ease of Use

A. KDP Amazon: Known for its user-friendly interface and straightforward publishing process. KDP is user-friendly and relatively easy to navigate, making it accessible to both novice and experienced authors. You can format and upload your eBook or print book with relative ease.

B. IngramSpark: Offers a more robust publishing platform but can be somewhat more complex, especially for beginners.

The choice between KDP Amazon and IngramSpark depends on your publishing goals. If you primarily want to publish children's eBooks and target Amazon's audience, KDP may be sufficient. If you want to publish print children's books for a broader distribution network, including physical bookstores, libraries, and multiple online retailers, IngramSpark is a better option, despite the additional setup costs and complexity. Some authors even choose to use both platforms for maximum exposure.

IngramSpark and Amazon are two platforms that can be used to publish children's books. They each have their advantages, and the best choice depends on your goals and needs as a writer or publisher. Here are some of the advantages of each platform for children’s book:

Advantages of IngramSpark:

1. Wide distribution: IngramSpark has an extensive global distribution network, including thousands of bookstores, libraries and online stores. This can help your children's books reach a larger audience.

2. Strict quality control: IngramSpark has high quality standards, which ensures that your children’s books will be printed with good quality.

3. Wide selection of printing materials: IngramSpark offers a wide selection of printing materials and children’s book sizes, allowing you to customize your children's books to your liking.

4. Ability to self-publish books: You can choose to use self-publishing services with IngramSpark, which gives you more control over the publishing process.

5. Distributed book printing services: You can print your children's books on-demand or in large quantities, depending on your needs.

Amazon Advantages

1. Access to a huge market: Amazon is one of the largest online stores in the world, and has the potential to reach a huge audience. Your children's books can be easily found by buyers on Amazon.

2. Ease of use: Amazon has its own publishing platform called Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) which is easy to use. You can quickly upload and publish your children's books on Amazon.

3. Kindle Unlimited Program: Your children's books can be part of the Kindle Unlimited program, which allows customers to read your children’s books for free as part of a monthly subscription.

4. Promotion and advertising: Amazon offers a variety of promotional and advertising tools that can help you market your children's books to a wider audience.

5. Control over pricing: You have complete control over the price of your children’s books when using KDP.

IngramSpark and Amazon's KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) are two self-publishing platforms that have their own advantages and characteristics. Here are some of the advantages of IngramSpark compared to Amazon's KDP:

1. More varied book formats: IngramSpark allows you to publish books in a variety of formats, including print books, electronic books (eBooks), and audiobooks. This allows you to cover a wider variety of books in your catalog.

2. Wider Distribution: IngramSpark has a wider distribution network than Amazon's KDP. They distribute your books to various book retailers and libraries, as well as connect you with local and international bookstores.

3. Greater Control over Prices and Royalties: In IngramSpark, you have more control over pricing and royalties for your books. You can set the price of the book according to your policies, and you have more flexibility in determining the royalty percentage.

4. Unbound ISBN: You do not need to use an IngramSpark ISBN if you already have your own ISBN. This gives you more flexibility when it comes to identifying your books.

5. Higher Print Quality: IngramSpark is known for its good print quality. They offer a variety of paper options and printing options that can enhance the physical quality of your book.

6. High Quality and Control: IngramSpark places an emphasis on quality and professionalism in book publishing. They provide the tools to ensure that your book meets high quality standards.

However, it's important to remember that IngramSpark also has initial costs and maintenance costs that you should consider. Additionally, each platform has its own audience and policies, so the best choice may depend on your goals and preferences. Some authors choose to use both to reach a wider audience and maximize their book's publishing potential.

IngramSpark is better suited if you want wide global distribution and high print quality, while Amazon has the potential to reach a large audience and offers ease of use. You may also consider using both platforms to achieve the benefits of each.

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and IngramSpark are two popular platforms that serve slightly different purposes and offer distinct features. KDP is primarily aimed at authors and writers who want to self-publish their children's books in digital and print formats, while IngramSpark is a self-publishing platform and print-on-demand service that primarily targets independent authors and publishers who want to publish and distribute their children's books. KDP offers an opportunity for individuals looking to generate passive income through children’s book sales, while IngramSpark offers an opportunity for individuals looking to generate passive income through children’s book sales. Both KDP and IngramSpark offer a variety of features to help authors and publishers reach a global audience. KDP is primarily aimed at authors and writers who want to self-publish their children's books, while IngramSpark is primarily aimed at independent authors and publishers who want to publish and distribute their children's books.