Summary

Draft2Digital is an eBook publishing platform that simplifies the process for authors to self-publish and distribute their books across various online retailers, offering a more efficient and author-friendly alternative to traditional publishing methods.

Abstract

Draft2Digital stands out as a self-publishing platform that empowers authors by allowing them to publish eBooks directly from their own website, bypassing the traditional middlemen such as big publishing houses. This service is praised for its ease of use, enabling authors to quickly distribute their work to multiple online marketplaces, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple Books, without the need for extensive formatting or dealing with rejections. The platform is particularly beneficial for authors who prefer to retain control over their content and pricing, and it is highlighted for its ability to get books into libraries through Overdrive, thus increasing visibility and accessibility for indie authors.

Opinions

The author expresses a strong preference for Draft2Digital over traditional publishing routes, emphasizing the time-saving and straightforward publishing process it offers.
Draft2Digital is seen as a superior option compared to Ingramspark and Amazon KDP in terms of ease and speed of publishing eBooks, though it is acknowledged that Ingramspark and KDP are still valuable for publishing physical books.
The author values the ability to set their own prices and receive payments from multiple sources, which is a significant advantage over traditional publishing deals where authors might receive only a fraction of the profits.
There is an evident frustration with the traditional publishing industry, which is depicted as exploitative and indifferent to authors' efforts.
The author believes that getting books into libraries through Overdrive is crucial for indie authors to gain exposure and reach more readers.
The personal anecdote of the author's grandmother using Overdrive suggests that the platform has a broad user base, including older generations, which can be surprising to some.
The author's aspiration to see their physical book on a bookshelf in a bookstore indicates a sentimental attachment to traditional forms of publishing and distribution, despite the embrace of digital self-publishing.

Draft2Digital: The One Website I Wish I Knew About Before Hitting Publish

Are you tired of losing hours of work on your newest bestseller when your computer crashes? Or selling your hard work for pennies to a big publishing house that doesn’t care about the author? Draft2Digital helps authors skip the middleman and sell eBooks from their own website.

Let’s face it; self-publishing is appealing to a lot of authors. Gone are the days of hoping an agent will pick you and your book, but sadly in its place, a new world of headaches has taken over.

You can upload your book through company after company and get nothing but rejections saying that your manuscript doesn’t meet their standards. Then you get to sit and watch as someone else who has the same genre as you get “published” by a big publishing house that uses your story to make money, leaving you with nothing.

Draft2Digital is different. This company doesn’t own any of your content. You don’t have to worry about them taking your hard work and selling it off to someone else because they are not in the business of publishing books. They help you publish your book yourself.

Draft2Digital is a free Ingramspark for eBooks.

I’ve self-published two books so far, and I’m proud to say they are both selling on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBook lists, and more. Let me share a secret with you — I wish it was easier.

Where many authors spend hours, days, even months toiling away on their manuscript, I simply hit publish. At first, I knew that Ingramspark was the way to get widely distributed, and so I published both books there and on Amazon KDP.

But aren’t you tired of losing hours of work on your newest bestseller when your computer crashes? Or selling your hard work for pennies to a big publishing house that doesn’t care about the author? Draft2Digital helps authors skip the middleman and sell eBooks from their own website.

Get an email whenever Shea Hulse publishes.

Get an email whenever Shea Hulse publishes. By signing up, you will create a Medium account if you don't already have…

sheahulse13.medium.com

I spent HOURS publishing on both websites.

Granted, they each provide the ability to publish hardcover and paperback books, so you want them to be up to par. And Draft2Digital does not (or not yet) offer that capability. But I spent ~10 hours total publishing two books on both sites vs. <1 hour for each on D2D.

So I would still suggest publishing on both KDP and Ingramspark, but neither of them can do it as easily as Draft2Digital. It gets you everywhere online. Because online is where it’s at! And the time saved is mind-blowing.

With Draft2Digital, I was on Kobo, Apple, B&N, and Overdrive so fast it wasn’t even funny. BUT, Overdrive is the key (for me).

What is Overdrive?

I’m still surprised when people I know that are avid readers don’t know Overdrive. It’s the library on your phone!

Honestly, I didn’t know about it either until my grandmother told me about it. My grandmother! Granted, my uncle was the one that told her and set it up for her, but I couldn’t keep spending money on books like I was or reading free ebooks that didn’t always satisfy me.

As an Indie author, though? You need as many eyeballs on your books as possible! So to be able to very quickly and easily upload my books, set my prices, AND get my books into the library!? YES PLEASE!

Join Medium with my referral link - Shea Hulse

As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…

sheahulse13.medium.com

Figure out what you want from your books first.

I would love to be J.K. Rowling and never have to work again but do anyway because I love it. I mean, who wouldn’t?

Personally, I want my physical book to be on a bookshelf in B&N and other retailers. The reason is that I love being in bookstores myself, and if I had all the time in the world, I would spend a good chunk in them. So to see mine, there would be amazing.

If you only want to sell your books digitally to increase your profit margin, then only use Draft2Digital! Skip the headache of formatting your book on Ingramspark and/or KDP. You can set your prices and get paid from so many places at once. Or set your first for free if you’re writing a series!

Also published on sheahulse13.com