Self-publishing lets you keep control of your book, its price and its rights. The hard part is everything between a finished manuscript and a book that looks and reads like it came from a traditional publisher.
We manage that whole process for UK authors: editing and proofreading in British English, cover design, typesetting, Nielsen ISBNs, metadata and distribution to Amazon.co.uk, Kindle and UK bookshops. You make the creative decisions; we take care of the rest.
Self-Publishing in the UK
A traditional publisher employs editors, designers, typesetters and a sales team. When you self-publish, you are the publisher, so each of those jobs still needs doing to the same standard if you want readers to take your book seriously.
That is where authors lose time and money: juggling freelancers, reworking files that the platform rejects, or discovering too late that an ISBN or a trim size cannot be changed after publication.
We coordinate every stage as a single project with one point of contact. You receive a fixed written quote before we begin and approve the work at each stage.
We are not a vanity press. You pay for the services you choose, the book is published under your name or imprint, and your royalties are paid to you by the retailers.
Structural feedback, copy-editing and a final proofread in British English. See our editing and proofreading service.
A cover designed for your genre that works as a full-size print cover and as a small thumbnail on Amazon.co.uk.
Interior layout for paperback and hardback in standard UK trim sizes, plus a reflowable ebook that reads well on Kindle and other devices.
Nielsen ISBNs for each format if you want your own imprint, plus the book description, categories and keywords readers search for. Read our UK ISBN guide.
Amazon.co.uk and other Amazon stores through KDP, and wholesale distribution so UK bookshops, including Waterstones and independents, can order your book.
Guidance on legal deposit with the British Library, your Amazon author page, and the tax interview UK authors complete on Amazon.
Each step ends with your approval before we move on.
START MY PROJECTWe review your manuscript, formats and goals, then send a fixed written quote and timeline.
Your manuscript is edited and proofread, with tracked changes for you to accept or reject.
Cover concepts and page layouts, refined with your feedback.
Identifiers assigned per format, and your description, categories and keywords written.
You review a final proof of each edition before anything goes on sale.
We publish to the channels you chose and walk you through legal deposit and your author page.
Amazon.co.uk and Kindle. Most UK self-published sales happen on Amazon. Your ebook is sold through the Kindle Store and your paperback or hardback is printed on demand, so there is no stock to store.
UK bookshops. Through wholesale distribution your print book can be listed for UK bookshops to order, including Waterstones, Foyles, Blackwell's and independent shops. A reader can walk in and order it by title or ISBN.
Libraries. Accurate metadata and an ISBN in your own name make it easier for libraries to find and order your book, and legal deposit places a copy in the British Library's collection.
Other ebook stores. If you do not enrol in Kindle Unlimited, your ebook can also be published to Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play.
UK Author FAQ
Get your manuscript professionally edited and proofread, commission a cover and interior layout, decide on ISBNs, then upload your files to a publishing platform such as Amazon KDP (for Amazon.co.uk and other Amazon stores) and, if you want bookshop availability, a wholesale distributor such as IngramSpark. We coordinate each of these steps for you.
Your book can be made available for UK bookshops to order through wholesale distribution, which means a customer can order it at Waterstones, Foyles or an independent shop. Being stocked on the shelves is a separate decision made by each bookshop, usually based on local demand, events and reviews.
Amazon asks every author to complete a tax interview. UK residents can usually claim the reduced rate under the US–UK tax treaty, which generally means no US tax is withheld on royalties. You declare your royalty income to HMRC through Self Assessment. Speak to an accountant for advice on your own situation.
Under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003, publishers of print books in the UK, including self-publishers, are generally required to send one copy to the British Library within a month of publication. The other legal deposit libraries can also request a copy. We explain what applies to your edition.
Most UK self-published authors start with an ebook and a paperback, because they are the most affordable to produce and sell. A hardback suits memoirs, gift books and illustrated titles. Each format needs its own ISBN if you are using your own.
Yes. Your book is published in your name or your own imprint, the retailer pays royalties into your account, and the rights stay with you. We charge for the services we provide, not a share of your sales.
It depends on how much editing and design your book needs. After a free consultation we give you a written timeline alongside your fixed quote.
Tell us what you have written, which formats you want and when you would like to publish. We will send a fixed quote and timeline.
