Publishing a book when you are living in the United Kingdom is not that hard anymore. Whether you are concerned about how to publish a book on Amazon or thinking about how to self-publish a book through the traditional way of launching your books, we answer all queries. We are making this detailed guide to help you with finding answers to questions like how much does it cost to publish a book and many more. Additionally, you can easily publish your first book as an author on any platform with our guide.
Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing: Which Route Is Right for You?
Before we jump right into how to publish a book, lets breakdown two main methods of self-publishing a book. Because you need to know the right way to self-publish a book which suits your genre and marketing strategies:
| Feature | Traditional Book Publishing | Self-Publishing a Book |
| Publishing Process | Submit to a publisher or literary agent | Publish independently through platforms like Amazon KDP |
| Approval Required | Yes, manuscript must be accepted | No, anyone can publish |
| Upfront Cost | Usually free | Author pays for editing, design, and marketing |
| Editing & Design | Managed by the publisher | Managed by the author or hired professionals |
| Publishing Speed | Several months to years | A few days to weeks |
| Creative Control | Publisher has final say | Author has complete control |
| Royalties | Lower royalties (typically 5–15%) | Higher royalties (up to 70% on some platforms) |
| Advance Payment | May receive an advance | No advance payment |
| Distribution | Bookstores, libraries, and online retailers | Primarily online, with optional print distribution |
| Marketing | Shared between publisher and author | Mostly the author’s responsibility |
| Copyright Ownership | Author retains copyright but grants publishing rights | Author keeps full rights and royalties |
| Best For | Authors seeking traditional recognition and publisher support | Authors wanting faster publishing and full creative control |
How to Self-Publish a Book: Step-by-Step
Now, let’s talk about how to publish a book and reach a global audience, and share your ideas through a successful launch.
1. Finish and Edit Your Manuscript
The first step of successful self-publishing a book is to finalize your manuscript because it is the foundation. Although you can fix lots of mistakes by yourself in your manuscript, trusting a professional editor or proofreader lets you find more errors in time. If you have a good budget, then spending on expert book proofreading is really worth it.
2. Decide Whether You Need an ISBN
You can only find the ISBN from an official government source named Nielsen ISBN Agency if you are living in the UK. If you want to publish your book in the UK, then you cannot use another country’s ISBN.
- Single ISBN: £89
- Block of 10: £164
- Block of 100: £369
- Each book format needs its own ISBN
- Amazon KDP offers a free ISBN for paperbacks only
- Amazon offers a free KDP ISBN, but you cannot use it elsewhere.
- Kindle eBooks use an ASIN, so no ISBN is required
You have extra flexibility while publishing books when you have your own ISBN; then you are able to publish beyond Amazon. Every format needs a dedicated ISBN, so when you buy them in bulk it gives you more value than buying a single one.
3. Format Your Manuscript
With smart manuscript formatting, you can make them more readable whether it’s paperback or eBooks. A professional formatting specialist can help you correct margins, ensure consistent chapter headings, create a working table of contents, and clean page breaks. If you like more control over formatting as an author, then use tools like Reedsy, Atticus, and Vellum rather than Word or Google Docs. However, you can find free formatting templates in most publishing platforms as well.
4. Design a Professional Cover
The only reason readers want to buy your books is their smartly designed book covers, so never ignore creating a good one. You can find free book cover designing tools like Canva or use Amazon’s KDP Cover Creator for quick designs. But if you can afford more competitive results, then you must hire an expert book cover designer. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction book cover designs, try to make them stand out to capture audience attention.
5. Choose Your Book Publishing Platform
Despite there are hundrds of platforms that offer self-publishing book services these days, Amazon still dominates the market in the UK. However, to reach bookshops and libraries beyond Amazon, try Kobo, Apple Books, and IngramSpark. All these book publishing platforms work great for wider distribution across all the cities of the UK and worldwide.
How to Publish a Book on Amazon: KDP Explained
Moving on, you must be wondering about how to publish a book on Amazon KDP, a platform that lets you publish eBooks or print books for free. Amazon Direct Kindle Publishing (KDP) offers you a print-on-demand service with no upfront printing costs. The benefit of choosing Amazon KDP to publish your book is that you earn royalties on every sale. Here is how you can self-publish a book on Amazon KDP:
- Create a free KDP account
- Upload your manuscript and book cover
- Add your book details and keywords
- Set your price and royalty option
- Publish and sell worldwide on Amazon
You can earn 70% royalties from KDP for every eligible eBook depending on what qualifying range they are priced at. Additionally, you can earn 35% royalty for other pricing options on KDP. Likewise, you can earn from 50 to 60% royalties on print books based on the list price; the printing cost is deducted automatically. The best part is you don’t have to buy inventory or manage the stock when the books are being printed on demand.
How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book in the UK?
Many people ask questions like “how much does it cost to publish a book in the UK?” Self-publishing a book can cost from £0 to £1,500+, depending on how perfectly you manage the expenses and optimize your book for launch.
| Service | DIY (Free) | Professional (Typical UK Range) |
| Editing | Self-edit | £150 to £600 |
| Cover Design | Canva / KDP Cover Creator | £75 to £350 |
| Formatting | Free templates | £50 to £150 |
| ISBN | Free (Amazon-owned, KDP only) | £89 (single, Nielsen) |
| Publishing Platform Fee | £0 (KDP, Kobo) | £0 |
| Marketing | Organic social media | £50 to £500+ |
Stop searching for the best ways to get a book published in the UK when you have this detailed guide. If you can easily deal with book editing, cover design, formatting and proofreading, then you are able to publish a book for free. When you invest your money in one or two publishing services such as editing or cover designing your book stands out in the crowd.
How to Get a Book Published Traditionally in the UK
In traditional publishing, you can either submit your unsolicited manuscripts directly to publishers that accept or involve a literary agent. Below are the steps to publish a book traditionally:
- Complete and polish your manuscript
- Write a strong synopsis and query letter
- Submit to literary agents or eligible publishers
- Follow each publisher’s submission guidelines
- Wait for feedback and revise if requested
You need a dedicated agent to submit your manuscript to publishers like Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Hachette. However, there are many publishers who accept directing manuscript submission, such as Bloomsbury divisions. Later, you might have to wait for weeks or months for some response from these platforms.
Final Thoughts
At the end of this guide for how to publish a book, we recommend you hire professional publishers. Even if you are using Amazon KDP for self-publishing a book or a traditional publisher, the fundamentals are the same for both. You will need a well-edited manuscript, a professional cover, and clean formatting to give your book the best chance of finding readers. With self-publishing, you have full control over your manuscript; it works faster, and you get higher royalties per sale. On the other hand, traditional publishing gives you editorial support and provides wider distribution.
Whenever you are about to publish your book, make sure to find the best way to save money and time. That’s why you need a reliable book publishing company in the UK; hire TheBookPublishing.co.uk and reach your audience.
How to publish a book with no money?
If you are wondering how to get a book published without spending any money, it’s possible. You can use free tools for different essentials like editing, proofreading, and formatting. Also, working on Google Docs or Word files costs you nothing while writing your book. Design a classic book cover with the help of Canva, a free designing tool. Lastly, publish your book to Amazon KDP because it charges nothing and uses its own ISBN for paperbacks.
How to publish a book UK for free and still earn royalties?
You can still earn royalties by uploading your book directly to the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing service. All you need to do is set a price for your eBook within the 70% royalty band if eligible. Eventually, on every sale your book makes, you earn a specific royalty from KDP.
Do I need an ISBN to publish an ebook on Amazon?
No, you don’t need to buy a separate ISBN to publish your books on Amazon KDP because Amazon owns the ASIN identifier instead of an ISBN, which lets you publish your books in the United Kingdom.
Is self-publishing as credible as traditional publishing?
Yes, as the quality depends on the editing, cover design and formatting, so whatever medium you select to publish your book doesn’t matter anymore.
