Distribution does not mean a bookshop has ordered your book.

Much of the confusion around independent publishing comes from these being described as one thing. Each step depends on different people: the first on you and the platform, the second on distribution setup, the third on a bookseller’s judgement.

Available

The book exists and can be bought through a platform, such as its Amazon page.

Available to order

A retailer may be able to order it through distribution if a customer asks, or if it chooses to.

Stocked

The retailer has chosen to hold physical copies — a buying decision made by the shop.

Amazon is both a retailer and a platform ecosystem. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) can make eligible ebook and print formats available to buy on Amazon, with the listing controlled from the author’s own KDP account. Quill & Reed does not control your listings indefinitely — they remain in your account.

IngramSpark provides printing and distribution infrastructure for independent publishers and authors. Its reach may include online retailers, booksellers, libraries and wholesalers — which means they can find and order the book through channels they already use. Participation by any individual retailer is still that retailer’s decision.

Many independent authors use KDP for Amazon and IngramSpark for wider trade reach. Whether that suits a particular book depends on its formats, market and the settings chosen on each platform — and platform rules on combining them change, so check current terms. We look at this during setup rather than applying a single rule to every book.

Shelf space is limited, so every stocked title is a commercial bet by the shop. Factors that may influence the decision include the following — none of which guarantees anything on its own.

• Demand, including customer requests
• Local relevance
• Author profile
• Genre and fit with the shop
• Sales history
• Wholesale terms
• Returnability
• The buyer’s own judgement
• Publicity
• Events
• An existing audience

Retailers need a margin to stay in business. The wholesale discount is the share of the retail price the trade keeps. It affects retailer economics, what reaches the author’s account, and how attractive the book looks to the trade. A higher discount can make a book easier for shops to take on but leaves less for the author. Recommended levels vary by market and change, so we do not quote a fixed figure here.

The traditional book trade often allows unsold copies to be returned. Depending on the route and settings, returned copies can have a real financial cost for the publisher of record — in independent publishing, often the author. Understand returnability before choosing settings, and check the platform’s current terms for what a return costs.

Print on demand means copies are printed when ordered rather than needing a large initial print run. You do not need to print hundreds of copies to publish professionally.

Independent and local shops are often the most realistic first step for a physical presence. Nothing is guaranteed, but some angles give a shop a reason to say yes.

• A local-author angle
• Local subject matter
• Events and readings
• A direct, respectful relationship with the shop
• Signings
• Community interest

Libraries may acquire independently published books through the relevant supply channels or directly. Selection decisions stay with the library or library service.

Authors may also sell through their own website, at events and talks, or directly to readers. How that works — payments, stock, fulfilment and postage — depends on the setup chosen, and it is worth planning before launch.