Why I Also Publish Through Amazon (KDP)

The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

- Dr. Seuss

Open children’s book showing a toddler and mother from Bye-Bye, Boobies with two signs labeled IngramSpark and Amazon KDP, illustrating publishing paths for Little Goodbyes Press picture books.

While Amazon (through its KDP platform) wasn’t my first choice for publishing (see my earlier post about IngramSpark), it has turned out to be an excellent option for families wanting to buy books. IngramSpark connects my books with Canadian libraries and bookstores all over the world, which matters to me long-term, but Amazon makes them more affordable and easier to access right now for everyone to enjoy. Libraries have budgets for books, so we always say be sure to check their shelves first!

What Kindle Direct Publishing Does Well

For anyone exploring self-publishing, there are a few things KDP does particularly well:

Instant previewing

As soon as you upload a file, you can see exactly how it will print and fix any issues right away, such as margins, text alignment, or image placement. This is not the case for IngramSpark - you have to wait to see an eproof sometimes for days (five days has been the longest so far for me).

Fast approval times

So far, all of my titles have gone live within 24 hours after uploading. Although I should note it their own site says up to 72 hours.

Clear feedback 

If something needs adjusting, such as increasing the cover size by 0.125 inches on one edge, Amazon clearly explains what to change instead of asking you to find the right template on your own and, for me, that is invaluable in terms of saving time

No Extra Pages

IngramSpark adds 2 extra blank pages (one with their internal barcode) to each book and charges the publisher for these extra pages that they insert which is why my 32 page book is the same as the 34 page book when you see it on other platforms. It doesn't seem like much but considering these are full colour pages it adds up.

Printing in Canada

What I do love is that Amazon has printers in Canada (and globally) so most books that are printed on demand from their Amazon.ca will be printed and shipped directly from Canadian printing companies and they even include that on the back pages of the books.

What Kindle Direct Publishing Isn't Great At

Images

What I do not love about KDP is that it does not allow full bleed images for picture books. IngramSpark does, but with Amazon you need to leave a small white area near the binding and that actually works out to a small white trim around each page. Since I create each illustration as a full two-page spread, this small technical difference feels quite noticeable to me as an illustrator.

Hardcover Books

So far, I'm not able to add the hardcover version of my picture books to Amazon directly, as they do not have enough pages for their printers. This means that the hardcover books are all being distributed through IngramSpark just the same as other bookstores.

Shipping Options

Another benefit of ordering through Amazon is that they don’t always rely on Canada Post for shipping. That means even if there’s a postal strike, proof copies and customer orders can still be delivered through alternate carriers without major delays. (You can read more about how the Canada Post strike has affected proof copies and that impact on publishing titles in Stuck in the Mail).

Pricing Differences between Amazon and other Bookstores

You may also notice that the prices are lower on Amazon than on other retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, or Indigo. That is because IngramSpark includes a 55% wholesale discount in its pricing structure. This discount is standard in publishing so bookstores can order and resell titles, but it raises the retail price. Amazon prints its own books on demand, so it does not need that discount built in making it more accessible for families.

Best of Both Worlds

IngramSpark helps my books reach libraries and stores, while Amazon helps them reach families. For me, using both means balancing accessibility with long-term discoverability and so I'll continue to use both unless a better option comes along.

You can see all of our current titles on Our Books page, including those published through both platforms.

Location: Canada

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