How to Publish a Book

Publishing an open-access book for free or at a low cost involves following key aspects:

Choosing the Right Open-Access Model:

There are mainly two types of open-access publishing models: gold and green. In a gold open-access model, the work becomes immediately free and available to the public upon publication, typically supported by Book Processing Charges (BPCs) paid by the author or their institution. The green model, by contrast, entails self-archiving one version of the manuscript in a repository so that it can be read for free, either immediately or after an embargo period. Which model you choose as an author will depend on your budget, how visible you want your work to be, and the requirements of your funders or institution. Publishing platforms such as the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB), Open Book Publishers, Pressbooks, Google Books, and even Project Gutenberg have established avenues for no or low-cost publishing.

Finding a Suitable Publisher:

There are various publishers who provide open-access option to authors from large traditional publishers to relatively smaller. Identify and choose publishers that fit the subject area of your book and provide open-access services that are transparent and a low cost. Be sure to also check their policies on copyright and distribution to determine if they will meet your needs for wide dissemination.

Funding the Publication:

There may be costs involved, particularly if you take the gold open-access route. Explore possible funding through academic grants, institutional, or scholarship opportunities that are designed to support open-access publication. Some book publishers also offer waivers or discounts for authors from low-income countries or those without sufficient funding.

Copyright and Licensing:

The most commonly used licenses are provided by Creative Commons, which range from allowing any form of reuse with attribution (CC BY) to allowing only non-commercial use and no derivative works (CC BY-NC-ND). Your license will affect how other people can use your work, so think about what makes the most sense for your goals.

Long-term Archiving and Access:

This involves selecting publishers that provide guaranteed archiving in reliable digital repositories. These repositories ensure that even if a publisher ceases operations, your work will continue to be accessible to readers worldwide.

 

Comparison: Open-Access Books vs. Traditional Book Publishing

The difference between open-access books vs. traditional book publishing can be understood from the following aspects:

Accessibility and Distribution:

Open-access books are accessible for free to anyone with an internet connection, regardless of cost barriers or geographic location. In contrast, traditional book publishing works on a physical distribution system of bookstores, libraries, and online retailers, which means readers are most often expected to buy or borrow copies.

Cost and Funding Models:

Books that are open access usually are funded through alternative funding models, such as such as institutional support, grants, or author fees, to cover production costs. Traditional publishing on the other hand, is a commercial model that recoups costs through sales (Pinter, 2012; Rane et al.,2024). Readers pay for this, but writers receive advances and royalties.

Author Control and Rights:

Many open-access books are published under Creative Commons licenses, allowing authors to specify how their work can be used, shared, or adapted. In traditional publishing, authors typically transfer copyright to the publisher, therefore losing the rights to distribute or adapt their work without permission.

Peer Review and Quality Assurance:

Traditional publishing has a long-established reputation for providing high editorial standards lending credibility to authors and their work. Open-access publishing, while increasingly respected, sometimes faces skepticism due to the presence of low-quality or predatory publishers.

Speed of Publication:

Without the need for printing, distribution, and extensive marketing, open-access works can be made available online shortly after the completion of the editorial process.

Discoverability and Marketing:

Traditional publishers typically have strong marketing and distribution systems (Frankland, & Ray, 2017; Huang et al., 2024; Rane et al.,2024). It may be more difficult for open-access books to be able to reach readers if they are not available to be promoted in traditional ways by authors, institutions, or paid open-access platforms.

Longevity and Preservation:

Traditional books can last long if preserved well but are vulnerable to damage or loss. Open-access digital books offer easier archiving, updates, and corrections, ensuring relevance. However, their longevity depends on stable hosting and compatible technology.

Impact and Citation:

Open-access books are freely available to a wider audience, leading to their larger impact in the form of higher citations and influence compared to traditional books, for which cost and distribution means limited availability.

Environmental Impact:

Publishing open-access is more sustainable than traditional publishing, leading to reduced demand for paper, ink and distribution. Though traditional publishing implements green practices, it is still resource intensive.

 

Factors Affecting the Selection of Best Open-Access Book Publisher

Below are the most important factors to evaluate when making your decision:

Reputation and Credibility:

If published by a reputable publisher with a track record for quality peer-reviewed works, your credibility is strengthened and your work is more likely to be visible within academia and professional communities.

Peer Review Process:

In consideration of an open access book publisher, investigate about their peer review policies. Rigorous peer review is a hallmark of quality in scholarly publishing.

Open-Access Policies and Licensing:

Seek publishers that utilize standard open-access licenses, like Creative Commons (CC BY), which allow readers to share and adapt your work with appropriate attribution. A transparent, ethical open access policy enables you to secure maximum exposure of your work.

Publication Fees and Funding Options:

There are a number of open-access publishers that charge publication fees known as Book Processing Charges (BPCs). What you need to consider when choosing a publisher is whether the fees are affordable or not. Sometimes publishers provide waivers or discounts for authors from low-income countries or authors experiencing financial challenges. Moreover, find funding options, such as institutional grants or research funding, to cover these costs.

Editorial and Production Quality:

A good publisher offers editing, proofreading, and typesetting to ensure a polished, error-free book. Good design and formatting make it easy to read and appealing. Review published books on the publisher’s website to ensure it meets your standards.

Distribution and Accessibility:

Reputed open-access publishers often disseminate books from more than one avenue, including through their website, online bookstores, and academic databases, to further ensure they reach a wide audience (Huang et al., 2024; Rane et al.,2024). Also make sure your book will be available in multiple formats such as PDF, EPUB, and print-on-demand, to cater to different reader preferences.

Copyright and Author Rights:

Seek publishers who let you keep copyright and give a license for open-access distribution. This allows you to retain control of your own work, allowing you to reuse or republish at a later date.

Impact and Metrics:

The impact of your publication is often measured by metrics such as downloads, citations, and altmetrics. When choosing a publisher, check whether the publisher is indexed in reputable databases, such as Crossref, Google Scholar, DOAJ, or Scopus, as this can enhance the discoverability and credibility of your book.

Ethical Practices:

An ethical publisher holds membership in organizations like the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) or adhere to guidelines such as those provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Selecting an ethical publisher protects your reputation and ensures your work is published with integrity.

 

How to Get Free ISBN for Your Book

If you are publishing exclusively on a self-publishing platform, such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Draft2Digital, or Smashwords, they will provide an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) for free. This can be a money saver, but it also usually means your book is forever in their distribution network and it is difficult to sell through other retailers (Pecoskie, & Hill, 2015; Huang et al., 2024). A few nonprofit or grant writing organizations may provide authors with free ISBN but these opportunities are quite limited and typically require certain criteria to be met. However, the merits and demerits of a free ISBN should be considered carefully, as it may affect your book’s distribution and ownership rights.

Traditional publishing involves submitting your book manuscript to publishing houses; and if accepted, they will take care of the editing, design, distribution, and marketing. This route can be highly competitive, but it often provides access to professional resources and wider distribution networks (Frankland, & Ray, 2017; Huang et al., 2024; Rane et al.,2024). Self-publishing offers more creative freedom and higher royalty rates, but you are responsible for everything from purchasing an ISBN to designing your cover to formatting and marketing your book. The hybrid publishing model is somewhere in between, giving authors some of the professional services of traditional publishing while allowing them to retain more control than traditional publishing would allow.

Platforms like Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital require polished manuscripts in formats like EPUB and PDF. Tools like Kindle Create, Vellum, and Scrivener assist with formatting, while Grammarly and ProWritingAid help with editing. A strong cover enhances visibility. Platforms provide templates, but custom designs using Canva, BookBrush, or Photoshop offer better results. KDP and IngramSpark have specific size requirements. Self-published authors must actively market their books. KDP Select offers free promotions and discounts, while Amazon Ads, BookBub, and social media help boost sales. Pre-orders on Apple Books and Draft2Digital create early interest. Authors can choose KDP Select (exclusive to Amazon) or wide distribution via IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and Smashwords. Print-on-demand services eliminate inventory costs, and owning an ISBN ensures broader reach.

Also read Top 10 Book Publishers in the world

See the Comparison of Top Open-Access Book Publishers for more resources

Also read Top 10 Low-Cost Open-Access Book Publishers

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is open-access book publishing?

It allows books to be freely accessible online, removing cost barriers for readers.

What are the main open-access models?

Gold Open Access makes books free upon publication, funded by Book Processing Charges (BPCs). Green Open Access lets authors archive a version in a repository, accessible after an embargo period.

How can I publish an open-access book for free or at low cost?

Authors can use platforms like DOAB, Pressbooks, and Project Gutenberg. Institutional or grant funding and publisher fee waivers can also help cover costs.

How do I choose a suitable open-access publisher?

A good publisher has a strong reputation, a quality peer review process, clear licensing policies, and transparent fees. Wide distribution and accessibility are also important factors.

How does open-access differ from traditional publishing?

An open-access book is free to read online, while a traditional book must be purchased. Open-access publishing often is supported by grants or BPCs; regular publishing is supported by sales. Open-access authors sometimes hold copyright; traditional publishers often hold rights. Open-access books may receive more citations, be published more quickly, and have a lower environmental impact.

What licensing options are available?

Creative Commons licenses provide options such as CC BY for free use with attribution, CC BY-SA for sharing adaptations under the same terms, and CC BY-NC-ND for restricting commercial use and modifications.

How do I ensure my book is widely discoverable?

Publishing with indexed platforms like DOAB, Google Books, and Scopus increases visibility. Using metadata, keywords, and promoting via social media and academic networks also helps.

How do I get a free ISBN?

Amazon KDP and Draft2Digital provide free ISBNs, but with distribution limits. Some nonprofits also offer free ISBNs with certain restrictions.

How can I maximize my book’s impact?

Publishing with a reputable publisher, promoting via academic networks and social media, and ensuring citations and repository deposits enhance visibility.

 

References

Frankland, J., & Ray, M. A. (2017). Traditional versus open access scholarly journal publishing: An economic perspective. Journal of Scholarly Publishing, 49(1), 5-25.

Huang, C. K., Neylon, C., Montgomery, L., Hosking, R., Diprose, J. P., Handcock, R. N., & Wilson, K. (2024). Open access research outputs receive more diverse citations. Scientometrics, 129(2), 825-845.

Pecoskie, J., & Hill, H. (2015). Beyond traditional publishing models: An examination of the relationships between authors, readers, and publishers. Journal of Documentation, 71(3), 609-626.

Pinter, F. (2012). Open access for scholarly books?. Publishing research quarterly, 28(3), 183-191.

Rane, N. L., Choudhary, S., & Rane, J. (2024). How to Publish Academic Books: A Guide to Publishing Monographs, Edited Volumes, Textbooks, and Theses. Deep Science Publishing.