Today’s post is by writer and creativity coach Anne Carley (@amcarley.bsky.social).
Some words of caution for writers who’d like a bit of help with the adventure that is self-publishing. It used to be the case that bringing in a more experienced person to help get your book out into the world was doable. As I’ve recently discovered, that has changed.
A little background: Starting in 2012, I helped new authors get their nonfiction books finished and self-published. But eventually I stopped helping others self-publish, and focused my efforts on coaching writers to complete and polish the best book they could write.
However, recent circumstances beyond my control required me to assist a client self-publishing their new book. Feeling pretty confident that I knew what to do, I offered to help. Weeks and weeks later, the struggle continues with KDP and IngramSpark. (Happily, Draft2Digital has been just fine so far, setting up ebook distribution.) I’m perplexed and dismayed by what I see. The landscape has changed, drastically, for the worse.
My best guess is the problems arise from fears of identity theft, pushback against “books” written by AI, and an apparent policy change on the part of the big print-on-demand (POD) distributors to discourage informal outside assistance to self-publishing authors.
I’ll explain.
My typical process for assisting authors
My usual plan for a client publishing their paperback and ebook consists of three parts.
- We set up paperbacks with KDP (for retail on Amazon).
- We set up paperbacks with IngramSpark (for wholesale to libraries and bookstores).
- We set up ebook distribution to a host of sellers via Draft2Digital (while listing the ebook separately on KDP/Amazon).
I believe I first adopted this strategy from Jane Friedman, and it held up for years.
Problems with establishing and verifying identity
Getting the system at KDP to believe you are who you are is a challenge—especially when you’re assisting the author. KDP and IngramSpark, using a combination of email address and mobile phone number, regularly authenticate the identity of the person using the author’s online account. Unless the author is always sitting in the room with their helper, this leads to difficulty.
Also, for practical reasons, we wanted to ship KDP’s paperback proofs to the client in care of my shipping address. This apparently set off security alarms. All the information my client and I had painstakingly entered into the system became suspicious. No kidding, the client and I had to meet multiple times in person to safely exchange sensitive personal information so that the online forms could be filled in and the security questions could be answered. This involved significant inconvenience for the client, including travel. At one point, the client had to bring their passport and driver’s license to me, just so we could convince KDP’s automated system that we were legit. Another time, KDP insisted on extra special double top-secret numbers from the client’s credit card, in addition to the usual security code. At that point, my client wondered out loud how many people just stop trying to publish, because of all the frustrating steps.
Consolidating two IngramSpark accounts
At one point, we had contracted out the print-on-demand printing and distribution to a third party. It soon became clear, though, that the third party was not a good fit for the client, and we parted ways. This put me in the hot seat. Time did not permit searching for someone else to do this work—we had a fixed launch date. The paperback needed to be available from Ingram, not just KDP; library and bookstore sales were important to this book’s marketing strategy.
The third party directed the client to set up their own IngramSpark account, but I soon discovered that using this account was a nonstarter. Why? Because it keyed to the client’s email address and mobile phone number. Every login to the account dashboard was met with automatic two-factor authentication, pinging the client’s email and/or mobile phone. I inadvertently interrupted the client’s weekend the first time this happened, and put a stop to it thereafter; after all, the whole point of my stepping in to do this work was to relieve the client of the burden. So I created a new email address for our shared use, and opened a new IngramSpark account under that email. When they asked for a mobile phone number, I put in mine, for the obvious reason: two-factor authentication would come to me, not the client.
An error message came back, telling me that an account already existed with that phone number. Well, yeah. My own IngramSpark account uses my mobile number. Turns out, IngramSpark keys each account to a unique mobile phone number (not email address, as with KDP). I remember muttering to my client, as I discovered this in real time on a call with them, “This is why people get burner phones.” I won’t go into the next weeks of tech purgatory. Suffice it to say that eventually I used a virtual number so that it rings to an app on my existing mobile phone.
One month later, we have not been permitted to order IngramSpark proofs. Why? Because there are two accounts in the client’s name. So what? Turns out another hidden rule at IngramSpark is that they prohibit multiple accounts. Why not just ask them to cancel the first account that the third party erroneously advised the client to set up? I did ask, as soon as I learned about the problem, but IngramSpark customer service has yet to address the matter. Meanwhile our launch date cannot change, and we will probably need to resort to using another distributor with a back door to IngramSpark, just to get the book into their system in time.
Why don’t we use my own existing IngramSpark account instead of faffing around with their hidden rules? Because accounting. I am not serving as the client’s publisher. They are their own publisher. And this means that the income from future sales of books should flow directly to the client. Hence the requirement that they have their own IngramSpark account with the correct banking and tax information. (Imagine the agita involved, after the fact, begging IngramSpark to shift a book published under my imprint to someone else’s IngramSpark account.)
Why would an author need assistance?
Given all these headaches, doesn’t it just make sense for every indie author to tough it out and learn to work within the systems provided by IngramSpark, KDP, et al.? Not necessarily. I can think of numerous scenarios from my own working life. For example:
- Authors with congenital or acquired neurological issues who need assistance with complex data input requiring the use of computer screens and keyboards.
- Older authors, not digital natives, who can manage word processing, email, and internet searching, but not setting up detailed print specifications.
- Authors who have limited time and attention for sets of technical skills they have no other need to master.
- Vision-impaired authors.
That’s not an exhaustive list. And it doesn’t begin to include the dangers of the potential “gotchas” that lurk within KDP and IngramSpark—like clicking the box for “Expanded Distribution” on KDP’s pricing screen. That can bring a whole world of trouble if you ever want to sell or distribute your book with anyone else. (FYI, unclicking the box does not necessarily solve the problem.)
Also, the KDP and IngramSpark authentication systems keep changing. After several months’ absence, even for an experienced do-it-yourselfer like me, I barely recognized parts of the process with KDP and IngramSpark. They like to keep us on our toes.
Alternatives for self-publishers
Private enterprise has risen to the occasion, of course. Many companies offer to ease the burden of self-publishing. I have limited experience with them, but I can tell you that, thanks to transparent pricing on their website, one such company, BookBaby, would charge my client over $900 upfront for distributing the paperback. After deducting the cost of printing and shipping the required and included 25 copies, that still comes to about $700 the client would need to pay, prior to launching the book, just to offload working within the KDP and IngramSpark systems. Seems like a lot. It’s no doubt worth it for some authors. But what about something a little more down to earth?
Reddit has some good information, and YouTube offers video tutorials. But the information is all over the map—some good, some formerly good but out of date, and some plain wrong. Trusted information sources like Jane Friedman and ALLi exist, and can be very helpful to those with the time and inclination (and budget, in ALLi’s case) to learn about the ins and outs and stay up to date as the landscape continues to shift.
Time for authorized representatives
I have to believe there are ways to establish the credentials of a helper for writers who want to self-publish. Too many authors are shut out of the system otherwise, or, perhaps worse, make inadvertent errors that can be painful, technical, and time consuming to fix (if/after they are recognized).
Years ago, I remember getting authorized to represent my elderly mother with a government agency, so I could use the system on her behalf. Surely we can have an equivalent process that permits trusted representatives of an author to interact with the POD systems at KDP and IngramSpark. Right?
In the past, I could get on the phone with customer support at KDP or IngramSpark, the client joining in our conversation and addressing any security and privacy concerns so that I could operate as the client’s agent. It was all above board and transparent. Those of you who’ve tried, since the pandemic began in 2020, to talk with a human at IngramSpark will be laughing bitterly as you read this.
But for the moment, if you’re an indie author on a budget, you’re on your own when it comes to interacting with KDP and IngramSpark. I wish it were otherwise, and I hope the situation will change for the better.
A M (Anne) Carley is a writer and creativity coach at annecarleycreative.com. Her handbook, FLOAT: Becoming Unstuck for Writers, provides empathetic interventions for writers and others who work with words.
Having led a sheltered life, why is it not in the best interests of KDP, IngramSpark, and others to create a certified representative complete with coursework and credentials? The best analogy I can think of is the people who guide ships through the Panama Canal.
What an interesting analogy!
Thank you for this. I write slowly enough that everything seems to change a bit between each book. When I published in January 2024, I had an Ingram Spark issue and customer service took 72 hours at a time to receive an email response – there was no option to call. And then, if the response wasn’t clear or it didn’t resolve the problem and I asked a follow up question, it took another 3 days for a response. Finally, someone in a group told me to try direct messaging IS customer service in Facebook. And that worked. We were able to go back and forth quickly on the issue and get it resolved.
That’s good advice, Teri. I’ve seen it work with getting attention from ISPs, utilities, etc. so why not POD places?
How do we locate the IngramSpark customer service resource in Facebook to message them? Is that Facebook account listed among the IS contacts? Yes, even their chat support for IS customers has long wait times for any reply. I once had to give up after 45 minutes, and then the auto-bot emailed me an hour later to ask how the engagement went — even though there was no engagement.
There are So Many Books by now, and coupled with the AI deluge, it’s harder to publish than it once was for POD publishers.
This is so depressing. The last time I helped a client self-publish was 2022. We used a 3d-party vendor to do the production, and they set up all the accounts–Ingram, Smashwords (as it was then) and KDP/Amazon–with a separate gmail address and the royalties going into the author’s bank account. This was an elderly client who could barely manage email and couldn’t figure out the KDP website, but I could switch back and forth from my gmail address to his when I wanted to check his sales. So simple.
Reminds me of how Amazon’s guarding against fake revews has made it impossible for me to review a book–even one I bought from Amazon–because I haven’t spent $50 there in the previous year.
I hear you, Stephanie. It’s gotten so much trickier, and, as you say, there are lots of authors who want and need help. I’d love to see a way forward to help them.
Who was your third-party vendor of 2022?
The Reading List, https://readinglisteditorial.com/. They were great, high-quality editing and production of a complicated book.
Okay, for sure, you nailed it. I was just helping an elderly client last week getting his book up. What a nightmare. It took hours of work and back and forth. The part you wrote about with KDP getting the IDs to you was the same here, but I had him take pictures (both front and back) of his Driver’s License, and he sent it over to my email, then I saved it on my computer and then pulled it from my files onto their platform and it worked. It took us most of the day. I am wondering if they are doing this so we won’t help others anymore. It was terrible. Another client who wrote a children’s picture book – it took forever from Ingram for the copies he ordered. I ordered two as well and it took 3.5 weeks to get here from Amazon. Is this happening all because of people trying to steal books? I wonder, whatever it is we will have to find a way to make this more streamlined, or just quit helping others. Thanks for sharing Anne, Susan
Agreed, Susan. Either there’s a streamlined way, or indie authors on a budget are truly on their own. I’d love to see these problems addressed.
Are you better off self publishing or going traditional now?
Hi Marvin: There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. I have considerations here: https://janefriedman.com/should-you-self-publish-traditional/
What @Jane says, Marvin. If we could all just choose, no doubt many authors would vote for traditional publishing. And some would still want to be independent.
Thanks.
I hope you don’t mind me reaching out. I just finished writing my very first book, and I’m so excited—but also completely overwhelmed by the publishing process.
I initially thought I was working with someone from KDP Publishing, and we were going back and forth over email. But now I’m realizing KDP is more of a self-service platform, and the person I was communicating with has stopped responding. The email address ends in
@amasonkdpservices.com, and now I’m worried I may have sent my completed manuscript to someone who isn’t actually affiliated with Amazon.This is all brand new to me, and I’m just trying to figure out how to officially become a published author. If you’re open to it, I’d love any advice or guidance you might be willing to share about how you got started, or how to move forward from here.
Thank you so much in advance for any insight you can offer—it truly means a lot.
Hi Helen: Indeed, it sounds like you got caught up with one of the predatory companies that pretends to be Amazon or closely associated with Amazon.
To learn the basics of self-publishing on your own via Amazon KDP, I have 101 articles here:
https://janefriedman.com/self-publish-your-book/
https://janefriedman.com/get-book-distributed-self-published-authors-need-know/
Bear in mind, this article is speaking of the specific scenario when two separate parties are collaborating to publish with KDP/IngramSpark and the difficulties that arise from authenticating both of them. I consider this a relatively rare edge case compared to the vast majority of self-publishers who simply do it themselves. Personally, I’ve not encountered any of the problems mentioned here because I’ve done it all solo.
In other words, don’t let the pain points in this article influence your decision to self-publish or go traditional *unless* your plans to self-publish would necessarily involve assistance from another party.
I am 71 years old and have seven books. One was self-published with XLibris more than a decade ago. I currently have a book edited, formatted and with cover designs. I am able to handle email, internet searches, etc., but know I cannot handle the printing/distribution process without help. Is there reputable assistance for me anywhere for printing and distribution? I want to do POD. I am also trying to find a website designer.
Thanks so much and have a nice day.
Hi Lenny: It sounds like you need someone to assist you with getting the book available via Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. A decent authors’ assistant could potentially help you with that, like here: https://www.lornakbailey.com/
I appreciate the frustration of the author. KDP and Ingram constantly evolve, and keeping up with the changes is challenging. Contrary to the headline, though, I think these comments make a case for getting expert help with the process. We use the same system the author describes, uploading books to the author’s own account in KDP and Ingram Spark, to help hundreds of authors. While we have occasional glitches, our system works smoothly for 99% of our authors because we understand and adapt to the constantly changing parameters of third-party sites. Taking it on once every few years is bound to lead to headaches; working with someone who does it full time, as our publication specialist does, results in a much better experience.
Agreed. We have similarly avoided these kinds of problems and don’t find it intrusive to have the author stand by for code when necessary. Though I do still think the idea of a designated rep is fantastic.
Yikes, what a tangle. Ingram’s support has always been … slow. I’ve helped clients publish by getting on a Zoom call and having them share their screen, then talking through each step (after painstakingly gathering files and information in advance). But as you point out, that won’t work with everyone. The “authorized representative” idea is golden.
Thanks, Anne
In 2019 I had a very good experience with BookBaby in publishing my first book “Welcome to College – Your Career Starts Now!”. Although I had to proof thoroughly (I declined their editing services), once I sent them the draft they handled pagination, table of contents, copyright, cover art, and listings on some 12 distribution platforms including most of the ones mentioned in this thread.
I am working on a second non-fiction book, and plan to use BookBaby again. Not inexpensive, but reading these comments makes me feel like it was a good decision.
Agreed. I have had clients work with them, too, and they report a good experience. Glad you’re happy with your decision.
I’ve worked as an author assistant for fifteen years. The recent implementation of verification codes, sending an authorization to another device/phone, etc. has been very problematic.
Many authors hire assistants to manage all aspects of self-publishing, include dashboard management which not only includes uploading new books but changing prices for sales and promotions, updating series, adding A+ content, etc.
Draft2Digital, Apple and Google Play offer account access to assistants via the author’s primary account with limits on functionality and what info can/cannot be viewed. This is the best and easiest solution, should publishing partners like Amazon and IngramSpark decide to get with the times.
Here’s hoping they do decide to get with the times!
Gosh, this is discouraging! Even though I don’t plan to self publish, this is sad news for too many writers, who don’t have any other choice. And, ultimately, I could become one of them, should things not turn out as I hope they will. Thanks for sharing your experience, Anne.