Is exclusivity worth the higher royalty?

It depends whether your readers are on one store. Exclusive terms pay more per sale and add promotional visibility, at the cost of every other retailer and most library systems. Going wide earns less per copy from a larger reachable audience.

Do I need a professional editor?

For anything sold, yes, and it is the line item people cut first and regret most. Proofreading catches errors. A developmental edit fixes the structural problems that produce the reviews saying it dragged.

Print or digital only?

Digital first, because it costs nothing to keep in stock, and print on demand has removed the need to choose. Print matters where the book is a physical object people want to own, or where you will sell copies in person.

Best Self-Publishing Tools and Platforms for Creators 2026

Turn the thing you know into a book, formatted properly and on sale everywhere.

16 tools in this category.

Publishing a book yourself splits into writing, typesetting and distribution, and only the last is really a business decision. Royalty rates, exclusivity terms and what print options exist are what separate the routes. Exclusivity is the one that quietly closes doors in exchange for a higher rate now.