The book distributor PublishDrive now holds the distinction of being the first (and so far only) service for self-published authors that can handle distribution of all three major book formats. For now, its audiobook distribution does not include Audible or Apple; however, print distribution (using print-on-demand) includes Amazon.
Last year, the service moved to charging authors a flat fee based on the number of titles distributed, instead of charging a percentage of sales like its key competitors, Draft2Digital, Smashwords, and StreetLib. Its development over the last year or two appears to target and appeal to more well-established indie authors.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
