Top 10 self-publishing houses in CANADA

Introduction

Other than the USA, Canada is the second-largest country where the book market has become overbearing and prominent. According to an estimate, in 2021, over 54.6 million books will be sold through different channels. Several reasons explain why the book market has become so popular in Canada. For instance, the lockdown and pandemic forced people to spend their time indoors, and many developed the habit of reading books. Similarly, many budding authors also came to the forefront and gave several unique creations. 

Due to the dramatic surge in the number of authors, several publishing houses expanded their domain to meet the demands. But going by the traditional publishing method, authors had to face a lot of complications. For example, they didn’t have sole discretion or control over their contents. Similarly, royalty is also not up to the mark. Owing to all these cumulative reasons, the book market witnessed the popularity of self-publishing houses in Canada. 

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What is self-publishing? 

Before we discuss what self-publishing is, we would like to focus on traditional publishing so that you can understand the differences. Going by the traditional way, once you are done with the manuscripts, you have to submit them to the editor. It is the job of the editor to review the manuscripts, detect the errors, and fix them at the earliest. Once this initial step is done, you need to work on designing the outer cover and another context before sending the final draft to the publisher’s house. 

If the publisher thinks that your content is up to the mark, only it will be sent for publishing and printing. If not, they have the right to reject your work straightaway. This is why opting for self-publish is much better. This might be a new concept for many authors, but it has proven to be more efficient and result-yielding in terms of ease of publication, networking, price, royalty, etc. 

Self-publishing is a technique through which authors can easily publish their works all by themselves without worrying about anything else. No one will have authority over the content, so self-publishing has become so popular amongst both budding and experienced authors. 

Advantages of self-publishing

There are many advantages that most people aren’t aware of. This is why in this following section, we will introduce to you some of the major benefits of this new form of publishing from an author’s point of view. 

1. You won’t have to associate yourself with any publishing house completely. You can easily exercise complete control over the content. 
2. The publishing house won’t be able to reject your content as long as you follow all other processes appropriately. 
3. Loyalty programs offered by self-publishers are quite lucrative, and you can bag a lot of rewards if you manage to create a larger fanbase. 
4. Some publishing houses also come with affiliate marketing and campaigns to help you properly promote your growth. 

Time taken to publish a book.

The time taken to publish the books is dependent on the time you spend on intermediate steps. For instance, the process starts with preparing the entire manuscript and submitting the same to the editor or proofreader. Usually, this step takes about a month or two. Once done, you need to design the front and back cover. For this, two to three days will be enough. Finally, you need to upload the book to the self-publish platform once you are done with the final draft and arrangement of the manuscripts with the cover. 

Steps involved in self-publishing

1. First, prepare the final manuscript draft. 
2. You need to proofread, edit, modify, and again proofread the same document to be sure of the final content.
3. Once done, arrange the papers with the top cover and then upload the book on the chosen self-publishing website. 
4. As the book is processed and added to the collection, you will receive notifications. 

Why do you need to consider to self publish your book in canada

1. Legal Considerations: Before self-publishing, it’s essential to understand the legal requirements and obligations, including copyright laws, tax obligations, and any necessary permits or licenses.
2. Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to understand the target audience, current trends in the Canadian book market, and the demand for your genre or niche. This will help you tailor your marketing strategy accordingly.
3. Distribution Channels: Determine the most effective distribution channels for your book. Evaluate options such as online platforms, local bookstores, and libraries, and consider how you can reach readers across different regions in Canada.
4. Canadian Content: If your book caters specifically to the Canadian market, ensure that the content reflects local sensibilities, culture, and interests. Incorporating elements that resonate with Canadian readers can enhance the appeal of your book.
5. Marketing and Promotion: Develop a comprehensive marketing and promotional plan to create awareness about your book. Consider utilizing social media, book fairs, local events, and other platforms to reach a wider audience and generate interest in your work.
6. Budget and Financial Planning: Plan your budget carefully, considering expenses related to editing, design, printing, distribution, and marketing. Understanding the financial aspects involved in self-publishing can help you make informed decisions and manage your resources efficiently.
7. Professional Assistance: Consider hiring professionals such as editors, cover designers, and marketing experts to ensure the quality and marketability of your book. Collaborating with experienced professionals can significantly improve the overall presentation and reception of your work.
8. Understanding the Publishing Process: Familiarize yourself with the publishing process, including formatting requirements, printing options, and ISBN registration. Having a clear understanding of these aspects will facilitate a smoother publishing journey.

Top self-publishing companies in Canada

Blurb Publishers Canada

Blurb is considered one of the most profitable self-publishing platforms since it offers excellent royalty packages to authors. Based on what price you keep for the book, you can get 80% or 90% royalty. Apart from this, you can also enjoy the long list of genres that allow different types of opportunities to publish their works, regardless of the niche it is based on. But that’s not all! Here, you can also easily publish magazines, recipe books, and non-fiction books, provided all the terms and conditions are met.

Kindle Direct Publishing  Canada

One of the best self-publishing platforms having about 3 million fanbases, is Kindle Direct Publishing. While it is a subsidiary of Amazon, it comes with its online platform where you can publish the books in no time and get instant results. With over 30 languages to publish the books and a long list of niches, you will have wonderful opportunities to ensure that your work can reach out to millions. At Kindle, you will get a royalty of 70% based on the book’s price you have decided on. 

MindStir Media Publishing 

If you want to collaborate with one of the best self-publishing houses, no other platform will be as good as MindStir Media Publishing. It was established a decade back, and the founder was Amazon’s one of the best-selling authors. The platform is most suitable for budding writers who haven’t yet ventured into the world. If offers up to 100% royalty to the authors, based on the package chosen at the beginning of self-publishing. One of the best things this platform offers is the copyright and publishing rights according to a contract you need to sign at the very beginning. 

Smashwords

If you do not want to endure the hassles of publishing traditionally, Smashwords is the best platform to choose for self-publishing your boom. Signing up for this platform is super easy, so you won’t have to invest too much time into it. Instead, you can easily sign in with your email and start the publishing work. You can even promote them through marketing tools, apart from publishing the books. The total revenue earned from your published works will be divided into 4:1 or 80% of your pocket. 

Kobo 

Kobo is a Canada-based self-publishing house that has established a strong foothold in the market. Whether you are an experienced writer or a beginner, you can easily use this platform to publish your books according to the desired niches. Since it is Canada-based, over 25% of eBook sales come from the hands of Kobo, which is why you will get wonderful loyalty programs that will bring you more fortune. You can use marketing tools to promote your books and promote them easily. 

Lulu

Publishing more than 500 titles per day, Lulu has become a wonderful platform where you can easily publish your creation and earn a fortune from the same. Lulu offers a loyalty program of more than 50%, so you won’t have to worry about the price being set for the same. Since it comes with a large platform of readers and other authors, you can easily connect with them and grow your network base. You will also get printing tools where you will be able to design and print the front and back covers of the books. 

Barnes & Noble

Considered one of the best self-publishing houses in the US, Barnes & Noble has earned a huge reputation worldwide. This site offers you a self-publish portal and several marketing tools with which you can publicize your creations. In the beginning, you need to choose the package, and based on that, your royalties will depend. The lowest royalty rate is 40%, while the highest limit is 60%. Apart from offering eBooks publishing services, it also comes with on-demand printing. 

BookBaby 

When you are a beginner, the thought of self-publish might seem to be scary. This is where BookBaby Publications comes in. Having an intuitive interface and easy navigation, you won’t have to worry about finding your way through the online website platform. It boasts a lot of packages, from book cover page designing to eBook distributions. This is why choosing BookBaby as your self-publish partner is worthy. 

iUniverse

iUniverse offers an excellent platform for self-publishing. You will receive a more than 40% royalty on your published book. There are several guides present on the website, using which you can easily understand how to self-publish the books and grow the reader network. If the facts are still unclear to you, watching author videos will help a lot. At the time of signing up, you need to fill out a form to have sole discretion over the published book. 

Streetlib 

Streetlib is one of the unique platforms for self-publishing your books. Since different genres are there, you won’t have to worry about anything. Once you are done with your manuscript editing and formatting, avail the design maker tool from Streetlib to come up with the best and most relevant top and back cover. The platform houses more than 3000 books which is why it is preferred so much. 

Conclusion 

With so many options for self-publishing your books, magazines, newspapers, and any other such content, you don’t have to go through the hassles of traditional publishing. But yes, you need to choose the best publisher to avoid any further problems with the book and copyright issues. 

Disclaimer: The list furnished in this article does not indicate any ranking based on quality of services provided by these companies. This is just a collated list of companies operating in this industry. We do not claim any ownership of the accuracy of the data furnished in this article. The readers are requested only to use this as an information for reference and is requested to get in touch with the companies directly to understand their services and service quality. The information provided here is curated based on existing information available on public domain. Any discrepancies in data observed and suggested by readers or the companies directly shall be ammended.