Self-Publishing Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

TL;DR — Quick Answer

In this article, Dr. Madhuri Kanojiya shares hard-won lessons from independently publishing multiple books — both academic non-fiction and literary fiction — through Empire Research Press. The lessons cover the things first-time self-publishers rarely anticipate: why your own ISBN matters, the real differences between KDP and IngramSpark, why interior formatting consumes far more time than expected, the importance of proper front matter and pagination, and why the production stage is where most of the work actually happens. It is a practical, experience-based guide for anyone considering self-publishing a book.

When I published my first book, I thought the hard part was over once the manuscript was finished. I was wrong. Writing the book, it turned out, was only the beginning. The production process — the work of turning a finished manuscript into a properly published book, available in print and digital formats — was a substantial undertaking in its own right, full of details and decisions I had not anticipated. Having now published several books through Empire Research Press, across both academic non-fiction and literary fiction, I want to share the lessons I learned, often the hard way.

This is not theoretical advice. It comes from actually navigating ISBNs, formatting, distribution platforms, and the countless small production details that determine whether a self-published book looks professional or amateur. If you are considering self-publishing, I hope these lessons save you some of the difficulty I encountered.

Lesson 1: Owning Your ISBN Matters

One of the first decisions a self-publisher faces is the ISBN — the unique identifier for each format of a book. Platforms often offer free ISBNs, which can be tempting. But I learned the value of obtaining and owning my own ISBNs.

When you use your own ISBN, you are recorded as the publisher, you retain control and flexibility, and you are not tied to a single platform’s free identifier. For Empire Research Press, owning the ISBNs means the books are properly identified as ERP publications, with the professional standing that brings. Each format — paperback, hardcover, ebook — needs its own ISBN, and obtaining your own gives you ownership and control over your publishing identity.

The lesson: if you are serious about publishing under your own imprint, owning your ISBNs is worth the modest effort and cost. It establishes you as the publisher and gives you flexibility that free, platform-tied ISBNs do not.

Lesson 2: KDP and IngramSpark Serve Different Purposes

For print distribution, two major platforms dominate self-publishing: Amazon’s KDP and IngramSpark. I learned that they are not competitors to choose between so much as complementary channels that serve different purposes.

KDP is excellent for reaching Amazon’s enormous customer base directly, with a straightforward process. IngramSpark provides wide distribution beyond Amazon — into bookstores, libraries, and other retailers through Ingram’s extensive distribution network. Using both allows a book to reach Amazon customers through KDP while also being available to the broader trade through IngramSpark.

The platforms differ in their details — their fees, their distribution terms, their trade discount and returns options. Understanding these differences, and how the platforms complement each other, helped me make informed decisions about how to distribute each book. The lesson: do not assume you must choose one platform. Understand what each offers, and consider how they work together to maximise your book’s reach.

Lesson 3: Interior Formatting Takes Far Longer Than You Think

Perhaps the biggest surprise of self-publishing was how much time and care interior formatting demands. Turning a manuscript into a properly formatted book interior — with correct margins, fonts, spacing, headers, and pagination — is detailed, exacting work.

I learned to pay attention to things I had never considered as a reader: the trim size, the margins (which must account for the binding), the choice of body and heading fonts, the consistent spacing, and the way pages flow. Small inconsistencies that seem trivial individually add up to a book that either looks professional or does not. For my academic books, I settled on careful standards — particular trim sizes, specific margins, chosen fonts for body and headings — and applied them consistently.

I also encountered specific technical challenges that consumed real time. Converting formatting elements consistently throughout a long manuscript, ensuring blank pages did not carry unwanted footers, and getting pagination right — with front matter in Roman numerals and the main body starting its numbering appropriately — all required careful, sometimes painstaking work. The lesson: budget far more time for interior formatting than you expect, and treat it as a craft that deserves attention. It is a major part of what separates a professional-looking book from an amateur one.

Lesson 4: Front Matter and Pagination Are Part of Professionalism

A properly published book has a structured front matter — the title page, copyright page, dedication, acknowledgements, contents, and so on — in a conventional order, with appropriate pagination. I learned that getting this right is part of what makes a book look professionally published.

The order of front matter follows conventions; the pagination typically uses Roman numerals for front matter and switches to standard numbering for the main body; and each element serves a purpose. Attending to these details — which readers may not consciously notice but which contribute to the overall impression of quality — is part of producing a professional book. The lesson: learn the conventions of front matter and pagination, and follow them. These details quietly signal that a book is properly produced.

Lesson 5: Different Genres Have Different Production Needs

Publishing both academic non-fiction and literary fiction taught me that different kinds of books have different production needs. My academic books required elements like figures, a contents page listing chapters, and a formal structure suited to scholarly work. My fiction required different attention — to the flow of prose, the handling of formatting within the narrative, and the conventions of literary publishing.

I learned to adapt my production standards to the type of book, rather than applying a single approach to everything. An academic monograph and a literary novel are different products with different conventions, and producing each well means understanding and following the conventions appropriate to it. The lesson: understand the production conventions of your specific genre, and tailor your approach accordingly.

Lesson 6: The Production Stage Is Where Much of the Work Happens

The overarching lesson from all of this is that, in self-publishing, the production stage — everything between finishing the manuscript and having a properly published book — is where a great deal of the real work happens. Writing the book is essential, but it is not the end. Production is a substantial undertaking that determines whether your finished manuscript becomes a professional published book.

This realisation reshaped how I approach publishing. I now understand that a self-publisher is not only a writer but also, in effect, a publisher — responsible for all the production decisions and work that a traditional publisher would handle. Embracing this role, and taking the production process seriously, is what allows a self-published book to meet professional standards. The lesson: respect the production stage, allocate real time and care to it, and recognise that self-publishing means taking on the publisher’s responsibilities as well as the writer’s.

Advice for Aspiring Self-Publishers

Drawing these lessons together, here is my advice for those considering self-publishing:

Own your ISBNs if you are serious about publishing under your own identity. The control and professional standing are worth it.

Understand your distribution options — KDP and IngramSpark serve different, complementary purposes. Use them strategically.

Budget generously for formatting — interior formatting takes far longer than you expect and is a craft deserving real attention.

Follow production conventions — front matter, pagination, and genre-specific standards quietly signal professionalism.

Embrace the publisher’s role — self-publishing means taking on production responsibilities, not just writing. Take that role seriously.

Self-publishing is genuinely empowering — it puts the ability to publish in your own hands. But it also means taking on the full responsibility for producing a professional book. Understanding what that involves, and approaching it with the seriousness it deserves, is what allows a self-published book to stand alongside traditionally published ones.

Conclusion

Publishing several books independently through Empire Research Press taught me lessons that no amount of theory could have: that owning your ISBNs matters, that KDP and IngramSpark serve complementary purposes, that interior formatting takes far longer than expected, that front matter and pagination are part of professionalism, that genres have different production needs, and that the production stage is where much of the real work happens.

The unifying insight is that self-publishing means becoming a publisher as well as a writer — taking on the substantial work of production that turns a finished manuscript into a professional published book. For those considering self-publishing, I hope these experience-based lessons illuminate what the journey actually involves, and help you approach it with realistic expectations and the seriousness the production process deserves. The result — a professional book published on your own terms — is well worth the effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I use my own ISBN or a free one when self-publishing?

Based on Dr. Kanojiya’s experience publishing through Empire Research Press, owning your own ISBN is worth the modest effort and cost if you are serious about publishing under your own imprint. When you use your own ISBN, you are recorded as the publisher, retain control and flexibility, and are not tied to a single platform’s free identifier. Free platform ISBNs can be tempting, but owning your own establishes you as the publisher and gives you flexibility that platform-tied ISBNs do not. Each format — paperback, hardcover, ebook — needs its own ISBN. For an imprint like Empire Research Press, owning the ISBNs ensures books are properly identified with professional standing.

Q: What is the difference between KDP and IngramSpark?

In Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, KDP and IngramSpark are not competitors to choose between but complementary channels serving different purposes. Amazon’s KDP is excellent for reaching Amazon’s enormous customer base directly with a straightforward process. IngramSpark provides wide distribution beyond Amazon — into bookstores, libraries, and other retailers through Ingram’s extensive network. Using both allows a book to reach Amazon customers through KDP while also being available to the broader trade through IngramSpark. The platforms differ in their fees, distribution terms, and trade discount and returns options. Rather than assuming you must choose one, understand what each offers and how they work together to maximise your book’s reach.

Q: How long does book formatting take when self-publishing?

In Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, interior formatting takes far longer than most first-time self-publishers expect — it was one of the biggest surprises of the process. Turning a manuscript into a properly formatted book interior, with correct margins, fonts, spacing, headers, and pagination, is detailed and exacting work. Small inconsistencies that seem trivial individually add up to a book that either looks professional or does not. Specific challenges like converting formatting elements consistently, handling blank pages and footers, and getting pagination right all consume real time. Her advice is to budget far more time for interior formatting than you expect and treat it as a craft deserving careful attention, since it separates professional-looking books from amateur ones.

Q: What front matter does a professionally published book need?

Based on Dr. Kanojiya’s publishing experience, a properly published book has structured front matter — typically including the title page, copyright page, dedication, acknowledgements, and contents — arranged in a conventional order with appropriate pagination. The pagination usually uses Roman numerals for the front matter and switches to standard numbering for the main body. Each element serves a purpose, and getting this right is part of what makes a book look professionally published. While readers may not consciously notice these details, they contribute to the overall impression of quality. Learning the conventions of front matter and pagination, and following them, quietly signals that a book is properly produced.

Q: Is self-publishing just about writing the book?

No — in Dr. Kanojiya’s experience, writing the book is only the beginning. The production stage, everything between finishing the manuscript and having a properly published book, is where a great deal of the real work happens. Self-publishing means becoming a publisher as well as a writer, responsible for all the production decisions and work that a traditional publisher would handle — ISBNs, distribution, interior formatting, front matter, and genre-specific production standards. Embracing this publisher’s role and taking the production process seriously is what allows a self-published book to meet professional standards. Respecting the production stage and allocating real time and care to it is essential to producing a professional book.

Article reviewed, edited, fact-checked and approved before publication. — Empire Research Press Editorial Standard