What Is a Self Publishing Company? How to Choose One

A self publishing company is a business that provides services to authors publishing their own books. It may help with editing, design, production, or distribution. The author usually pays for those services and remains responsible for the publishing decisions.

The term can describe different kinds of businesses. Some sell individual services or packages. Others provide an online platform to upload and distribute a book. An independent press is different: it selects and publishes books under its own imprint.

Understanding which model you are considering can help you compare costs, rights, and responsibilities.

Three kinds of publishing businesses

Assisted self-publishing services

An assisted self-publishing company sells services to an author. A package might include editing, cover design, interior layout, ebook conversion, or help setting up retailer listings. Some companies offer a selection of services; others bundle them.

The author generally funds the work and makes the final publishing decisions. The agreement should explain what the company will deliver and what rights, if any, it needs to complete that work.

Hiring a service provider does not, on its own, make that business the publisher of the book. The contract and the practical arrangement matter more than the label used in marketing.

Publishing platforms and distributors

A platform provides tools or infrastructure for publishing and distributing a book. Authors may upload files, enter book details, select formats, and make the book available through retailers. Platforms may charge through sales deductions or other fees, depending on their terms.

For example, Amazon KDP’s rights guidance explains that authors must hold or control the publishing rights for the books they publish there. Review the platform’s terms to understand the licence it needs, how it handles sales, and what happens if you remove a title.

A platform is not the same as a full-service editorial provider. It may offer tools for creating or listing a book, but it may not provide the editing, design, or individual project support an author wants.

Independent presses

An independent press is a publisher, rather than simply a service vendor or distribution platform. It selects books for publication and publishes them under its own imprint. The exact arrangement depends on the press and the contract.

In a conventional publisher relationship, the press may fund production and distribution and pay the author royalties under agreed terms. The author may grant defined publishing rights for a stated period, territory, or format. “Independent press” does not, by itself, tell you what the press will pay for or what rights it will request. Read the agreement.

What services may be included?

Author publishing services often cover one or more parts of preparing and releasing a book:

• Editorial work: developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, or proofreading.
• Design and formatting: cover design, interior layout, and ebook conversion.
• Production: preparing print-ready files, ordering proofs, and coordinating with a printer.
• ISBN and metadata support: assigning or registering an ISBN where applicable, and preparing the book’s title, description, categories, and other listing details.
• Distribution setup: helping make the book available through selected retailers or distributors.
• Marketing support: services such as advertising setup, publicity, or promotional materials.

The name of a service does not tell you its scope. “Editing,” for example, could refer to different levels of review. Ask for a written description of the work, the number of revision rounds, and what is excluded.

If you are comparing production options specifically, see our guide to whether book printing services are worth it. For the broader publishing process, read how to self-publish a book in 2026.

How to compare quotes

A useful quote makes it possible to compare the same work across providers. Ask each company to list the deliverables, schedule, revision limits, and any recurring or optional costs.

Check whether the quote includes:

• Editing at a named level, with a stated word count or scope.
• Cover and interior design, including the number of concepts or revisions.
• Ebook and print files, and whether editable source files are supplied.
• Proof copies, shipping, and any setup or distribution charges.
• ISBN costs, if applicable, and who will be listed as publisher.
• Retailer or distributor setup, and whether ongoing account support is included.
• Marketing work, with specific deliverables rather than broad promises.

Compare the total cost, not only the initial package price. Ask what happens if the book’s length changes, you request extra revisions, or the project is cancelled. If the company takes a fee and also receives a share of sales, ask how that share is calculated and for how long it applies.

A service can be worth paying for when it fills a clear need at a cost that fits your plans. It may be less useful if you are paying for services you do not need, or if the company’s offer does not explain what you will receive.

Rights, fees, and account access

Before signing, identify the type of agreement. A services contract, a distribution-platform agreement, and a publishing contract do not grant the same rights or assign the same responsibilities.

Check the rights language

Look for the rights covered, including print, ebook, audiobook, translation, and adaptation rights. Check the territory, term, exclusivity, renewal rules, and how rights can revert or services can end.

For a service provider, find out whether the contract gives it a limited permission to perform the agreed work, or whether it claims broader control over publication or distribution. For a press, review which rights it requests and what it promises in return. If the terms are unclear or extensive, consider getting independent legal advice.

In the United States, copyright generally exists once an original work is fixed in a tangible form, such as a written manuscript. The U.S. Copyright Office explains that copyright registration is not required for copyright to exist, though registration has additional legal benefits. An ISBN is not a substitute for copyright, and an ISBN assignment does not itself transfer copyright ownership.

Understand ISBN and publisher details

An ISBN identifies a specific book edition and is associated with publisher information. The U.S. ISBN Agency’s FAQs explain that ISBNs are not transferable from one publisher’s block to another.

Ask who supplies the ISBN and whose name will appear in the ISBN record or book listing as the publisher. If you want your own imprint shown, confirm how that will be recorded before publication. Rules and procedures vary by country, format, and platform.

Confirm who controls the files and accounts

Ask who will own or have access to the final print-ready and ebook files, cover files, metadata, and retailer accounts. Check whether you can take those materials with you if the arrangement ends. Confirm who can change the price, description, or book files and how sales information will be reported.

For more on how imprint choices fit into the wider publishing model, see Indie Publishing 101.

Decide what kind of help you need

A self publishing company may be useful when you want defined services and prefer to hire one provider to coordinate some of the work. A platform may suit authors who want to manage files and listings themselves. An independent press may be appropriate when you want a publisher to select and publish the book under its imprint through a publishing agreement.

The simplest comparison is to ask: Who pays? Who makes the publishing decisions? What rights are granted? What will be delivered? What happens when the arrangement ends?

MTN Duck Press is an independent press based in Cincinnati, Ohio; learn more on our About page.

Penny