How to upload your book in Ingramspark

How to Upload your Print/ Ebook to Ingramspark

Upload your book in Ingramspark

Now that your account is set up, when you log into IngramSpark, you will be brought to the Dashboard. You can also access the Dashboard on the main menu.

Make sure to match the requirements before you upload your files. Refer to Ingramspark guide link

  1. To start adding a new book to the system, click Add a New Title. You can save your book project entries you keep going, so don’t worry about getting it done in just one sitting.
  2. You can also view or edit your titles as you add them here.
  3. As the dashboard includes sales data as well, you can view a quick summary or get detailed information by using the Reports tab.
  4. Thanks to IngramSpark allowing you to upload your print and eBook editions simultaneously, you can save a lot of time. Now, choose the type of book you want to publish and choose the option that fits best.

You will complete the title setup process. Make sure to think twice before uploading it as it’s a critical component of your publication process. Your book’s title and subtitle you enter will be presented to the world on Amazon, other retailer websites, and what people are searching for.

Ensure to follow IngramSpark’s title and subtitle keyword concepts.

1. Title Information Setup

Title information setup

1.1 Add the final title.

1.2 Add the subtitle.

1.3 Add the language of the book you are publishing.

1.4 Enter the name or pen name of the book’s primary author. This name will be the first to show as an author on Amazon’s product pages and listings.

1.5 Keywords are SUPER important.  You can use IngramSpark’s keyword finder tool (part of this kit) to choose the most popular keywords that fit your book and give it the most visibility.

  • You can enter 7 keywords and phrases.
  • After each keyword or phrase, use a comma to separate them.
  • Lowercase letters work best, but NOT for proper names.

1.6 List the series title here. You can select a volume number for the book as it is ordered in the series.

1.7 The edition number is very important as you update and change the book for future iterations. Books with the same title & author, but with a numerically higher edition number,  will replace the previous book on Amazon’s search listings.

1.8 Enter the full book description. You have 4,000 characters  to describe your book in detail. Use your best synopsis written by a professional if possible. It should talk about your book, its story or content, and why readers will want to read it. A minimum of 500 characters is recommended.

2. About the Author/ Contributors

about the author

2.1 Add your pen name or your name as an author/ contributor to the book. You can also add contributors [7] (co-authors, illustrator, editors, or anyone you want to give credit to). The additional contributors will appear in search results on Amazon. If you want have a popular contributor, this is a great way to make your additional contributors a part of the metadata.

2.2 Add additional details about your contributors by clicking About Contributor.

2.3 The Biography field is important if you don’t want an Author Central page or if you are using expanded distribution to stores apart from Amazon. It’s better to use the same bio you used for Author Central.

2.4 List the books you’ve written.

2.5 List your current residential location for your author bio.

2.6 List any author associations or professional organisations you belong to.

3. Book Category, Subject & Review Setup

subject review

How to Upload your Print/ Ebook to Ingramspark

3.1 Choose the book imprint (brand or publishing company) you created during your IngramSpark account setup phase.

3.2 IngramSpark lets you choose upto 3 categories so make it count. Be as specific as possible

3.3 Few retailers like Amazon use the first category for print publications and the next two for ebook publications. Make sure to put the categories in order of importance.

3.4 Select a region of interest for your book title. This piece of metadata is important if you have a book about a specific geographic area, or if the book is of special interest to a specific area.

3.5 Thema is a book classification and categorisation system that is similar BISAC. As Thema is starting to gain traction globally, you should select a Thema subject category with the same attention to competition as you have for your BISAC code.

4. The Audience, TOC & Review Quotes Section

the audience toc

4.1 Pick the audience your book is for. Most books are usually for Adult or General Audience. If yours is a children’s book, select the option here.

4.2 Post your book’s table of contents here. Make sure to submit a plain text version of content. Few retailers use this.

4.3 Submit editorial review quotes. Make use of this space to get professional, positive reviews and quotes for potential buyers to see. This will appear on your Amazon product page before the reviews left by consumers.

4.4 Select Yes if you have photos in your book and mention the number.

5. Print Interior and Cover Setup

print interior

It’s time to choose the interior and cover options of your print book. This stage locks in the design and print choices used to physically produce your book. The options on the screen must the design and layout choices, like the trim size of your book (height and width of your book) you design and formatted.

You will also have to select the paper type (cream coloured paper or bright white paper) that is great for literary work. You might also have to choose if the book is printed in black & white (which is really grey scale) or in full rich color. Go through all the options in detail to make the right choice.

PIC

5.1 Choose the Trim Size –  It’s the physical size your book will print on.

The PDF you upload to IngramSpark containing your book’s pages must match the size physically. If you choose 5”x8, your PDF’s paper page must also be 5”x8.

5.2 Choose your book’s interior type and paper color.

  • Black & White is a great choice for an economical book.
  • Full color get can expensive and must be used only if you have color photos or illustrations. IngramSpark prices the book to assume every page uses color, so it’s pricier than Black & White.
  • The paper color offers a light difference. White is bright white like copy paper and cream is softer white that is easier on the eyes. White paper is used for nonfiction books and cream color is used for literacy fiction and nonfiction.

5.3 Choose the Binding Type. You can have your book printed as a trade paperback or a hardcover. (If you want both, you will have to redo the process for the other version.)

5.4 Select cover type.

– Perfect bound is usually used for trade paperbacks as it gives you a clean glues edge for the binding. Select matt to gloss.

5.5 A dust jacketed cloth is used for hardcovers and is used for fiction or literary works. This is preferable if you want your book to have  a “textbook cover” feel, select and casewrap.

5.6 Enter the number of pages in your book.

6. Print Edition ISBN and Price Setup

ISBN and price

6.1 You must provide your own ISBN you get from Bowker. You need to have a separate ISBN number for each version or edition of the book you publish. Your paperback and ebook will have different ISBNs.

6.2 Enter prices you are considering for your book to compare royalties. Enter prices appropriate for each country.

  • IngramSpark will give you a minimum list price for your book that covers production and fulfilment costs plus the discount retailers get for their own profit margin.
  • You get the option to set pricing based on the country your book will be sold.
  • You are allowed to the wholesale discount given to bookstores that will order and resell your book. As the customary discount is 55%, the bookstores will buy your book at 55% off of the retail price you set here. That allows them to sell your book at full retail, and make a large profit, or sell the book at a lower than retail price to be competitive. It is best to go with 55% as retailers may not purchase and stock your book if it is lower.
  • Select an option to make the book returnable. It means that the unsold bookstore orders are returned to IngramSpark to be destroyed or mailed to you.

6.3 You can also copy your selected pricing options to the Global connect program, which makes your book available internationally.

6.4 Choose a Publication date. This date will show up as the books date of Publication in the books details on retailer websites.

6.5 Select when you want your book to be released for sale. This is a great option as you can choose to have your book published held until a specified release date.

Note: Make sure to price your book to match your competitors. Pick five books yours can compete with on niche, genre or subject, and page count. Price your book within that range. To attract buyers, consider low cost options. The strategy involves charging a minimum price you feel comfortable with in an effort to compete on price. This is a smart way of getting you readers. Some authors choose to look at their books value based on its content or unique qualities. This is true for non fiction books that have heavy content, niche or subject.

7. Ebook Edition ISBN and Price Setup

ebook edition

7.1 You must provide your wwn ISBN you get from Bowker. You need to have a separate ISBN number for each version or edition of the book you publish. Your paperback and ebook will have different ISBNs.

7.2 Enter prices you are considering for your book to compare royalties. Enter prices appropriate for each country.

  • IngramSpark will give you a minimum list price for your eBook that covers production and fulfilment costs plus the discount retailers get for their own profit margin.
  • You get the option to set pricing based on the country your book will be sold.

7.3 Choose a Publication date. This date will show up as the books date of Publication in the books details on retailer websites.

7.4 Select when you want your eBook to be released for sale. This is a great option as you can choose to have your book published held until a specified release date.

7.5 Enter page count for your book’s print edition. (If you don’t have a print version, estimate the number of pages based on the assumption that 300 words fit on a printed page. Divide the number of words in your book by 300 to get a rough page count.)

Note:  Make sure to price your book to match your competitors. Pick five books yours can compete with on niche, genre or subject, and page count. Price your book within that range. To attract buyers, consider low cost options. The strategy involves charging a minimum price you feel comfortable with in an effort to compete on price. This is a smart way of getting you readers. Some authors choose to look at their books value based on its content or unique qualities. This is true for non fiction books that have heavy content, niche or subject.

8. Ebook Rights

Make sure to confirm that you have the right to publish your ebook globally

8.1 Based on the rights you hold, select yes or no.

8.2 Click continue to proceed to file submission.

File Submission

  1. In PDF format (X1A:2001 or X3 format), upload a print edition book interior. Adobe Acrobat is recommended to generate the PDF file.
  2. In PDF format (X1A:2001 or X3 format), upload a print edition book cover. IngramSpark cover generation tool is recommended to align your cover.
  3. Upload your eBook file, in ePub format. Use an ePub file that has passed IDPF ePub validation with no errors.
  4. Upload HR eBook cover image here.

Your submission will be reviewed by IngramSpark using a quick automatic check. It  will review your files and will note any issues (file size, format mismatch or ePub encoding errors).

If no major errors were detected after the review is complete, you will be taken to the checkout process.

Checkout

  1. You will see a detailed list of charges for uploading your files to IngramSpark & payment option. Select your payment method.
  2. Click I Agree to checkout.

Your book will go through a process of setup by IngramSpark after checkout. You have to approve your book for distribution at the end of the setup process. As this is the last critical step, IngramSpark will email you this to complete the process.

Note: if you don’t receive an email, you can click on your book’s title to view the distribution status and enable it there.