You’ve poured your heart and soul into writing your book, and that’s a huge achievement. Now, you’re ready for the next exciting step: getting it into the hands of readers, perhaps even on the shelves of one of America’s most beloved bookstores! While Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a giant, Barnes & Noble Press offers a fantastic avenue for self-published authors, connecting your work to millions of readers who frequent Barnes & Noble stores and their NOOK ecosystem.
Think of Barnes & Noble Press as your direct gateway to that iconic brand. It’s a free-to-use platform that allows you to publish both eBooks and print books without upfront costs, utilizing print-on-demand technology. This means your book is printed only when a customer buys it, minimizing your risk and inventory headaches.
Let’s walk through the process, step by step, making sure you understand each part of this exciting journey. As the renowned author Stephen King once advised, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” So, take a deep breath, and let’s begin!
Step 1: Create Your Barnes & Noble Press Account
Your first stop is to set up your author account on their platform.
- Visit Barnes & Noble Press: Head over to press.barnesandnoble.com.
- Sign Up or Log In: If you have an existing Barnes & Noble customer account, you can often use those credentials. Otherwise, it’s quick and free to create a new author account.
- Complete Your Profile & Payment Info: Just like with any publishing platform, you’ll need to provide your personal details, tax information, and banking details. This is how Barnes & Noble Press knows who to pay your royalties to. Accuracy here is key to smooth payments.
Step 2: Prepare Your Manuscript – The Heart of Your Book
Before you upload anything, ensure your manuscript is polished and ready. This is about putting your best foot forward.
- Professional Editing is Essential: Seriously, don’t skip this. Even the best writers need a fresh pair of eyes. Invest in professional editing and proofreading. A clean, error-free manuscript shows respect for your readers and your craft.
- Choose Your Book Type:
- eBook (for NOOK): This digital version will be accessible on NOOK e-readers and the Barnes & Noble app. Common accepted file formats include DOC, DOCX, TXT, HTML, and EPUB. EPUB is generally the most reliable for digital distribution.
- Print Book (Paperback or Hardcover): This is where print-on-demand comes in. For print, you’ll typically need a PDF file for your book’s interior.
- Formatting Your Interior File:
- For eBooks: Simplicity is your friend. Use standard fonts (like Times New Roman or Garamond), clear paragraph breaks, and proper heading styles. Avoid fancy, complex layouts that might not render well on different devices. Barnes & Noble Press has formatting guides that can help.
- For Print Books: This requires more precision. You’ll need to define your trim size (the final dimensions of your book, e.g., 5.5″ x 8.5″ or 6″ x 9″). Pay close attention to margins (inner, outer, top, bottom) and bleed (if images or colors extend to the very edge of the page). Barnes & Noble Press provides templates for popular trim sizes in various word processors to help you set this up correctly. This ensures your text doesn’t get cut off and looks professional.
Step 3: Design a Compelling Book Cover – Your Book’s First Impression
Your book cover is a silent salesperson. It’s the first thing readers see and often determines if they even look at your title.
- Invest in Professional Design: This cannot be stressed enough. A poor cover screams “self-published” in a way that can deter sales. Hire a professional book cover designer if your budget allows. It’s an investment in your book’s success.
- Meet B&N Press Cover Specifications:
- eBook Cover: Typically a JPEG or TIFF file. Check their current recommendations for dimensions, but generally, a high-resolution image with a good aspect ratio (e.g., 1600×2560 pixels or similar) is ideal.
- Print Cover (Full Wrap): This is a single PDF file that includes the front cover, spine, and back cover. The dimensions will depend on your book’s trim size and page count (which determines the spine width). Barnes & Noble Press has a cover calculator and downloadable templates to ensure your designer creates a perfectly sized file. Ensure your text and important design elements are within the safe zones and that any background colors or images extend fully into the bleed area.
- Use B&N Press Cover Creator (Optional): If you’re on a very tight budget, their platform offers a free Cover Creator tool with basic templates and stock images. While it’s functional, a custom, professionally designed cover will almost always perform better in the competitive marketplace.
Step 4: Input Your Book’s Metadata & Details
This is where you give your book its identity in the digital world. Accurate and optimized metadata is key for discoverability.
- Book Title & Subtitle: Make it clear, engaging, and consider including relevant keywords in your subtitle if it makes sense for your book.
- Author Name: Your real name or pen name.
- Series Information: If your book is part of a series, correctly link it to previous or future volumes.
- Description (Blurb): This is your most important sales copy. Craft a compelling book description that hooks readers and makes them want to know more. Use strong, evocative language and naturally incorporate keywords that readers might search for. You can use simple HTML tags (like bold, italics) to make it more visually appealing on the Barnes & Noble product page.
- Keywords: You’ll have slots to enter keywords that describe your book. This is vital for search optimization. Research what readers type into search bars to find books like yours. Think specific, long-tail keywords (phrases like “gritty fantasy adventure” instead of just “fantasy”).
- Categories (BISAC Codes): Choose the most relevant BISAC categories for your book. These are like virtual shelves in a bookstore. Pick categories that accurately represent your genre and subject matter. Selecting niche, but still relevant, categories can sometimes help your book stand out more.
- ISBN (International Standard Book Number):
- eBooks: An ISBN is not required for eBooks published directly through Barnes & Noble Press. They will assign a unique BN ID.
- Print Books: An ISBN is required for print. Barnes & Noble Press offers a free ISBN that can only be used for distribution through their platform. If you want wider distribution (e.g., through IngramSpark to reach libraries and other retailers), it’s generally recommended to purchase your own ISBN from your country’s official ISBN agency (like Bowker in the U.S.). Using your own ISBN allows you to be listed as the “publisher of record,” which gives you more control.
Step 5: Upload Your Files and Preview
This is the moment of truth where your files come together.
- Upload Your Manuscript: Upload your formatted eBook file (e.g., EPUB) and your print-ready PDF for your print book.
- Upload Your Cover: Upload your correctly sized eBook cover image and your print book’s full wrap cover PDF.
- Use the Online Previewer: Barnes & Noble Press provides an excellent previewer tool. Use it! For eBooks, check how your book looks on different NOOK settings. For print books, this is critical for checking margins, bleed, and text placement before you order a physical proof or publish. Make sure no text is cut off and that your book looks exactly as intended. Address any warnings or errors the previewer flags.
Step 6: Set Your Pricing and Royalties
Strategically pricing your book is key to both sales and earnings.
- eBook Royalties: Barnes & Noble Press offers a very competitive 70% royalty rate for eBooks, regardless of price point. This is a significant advantage over some other platforms that have price tiers for higher royalties.
- Print Book Royalties: For print books, you’ll earn a 55% royalty rate of your list price, minus the printing costs. Printing costs depend on factors like page count, ink type (black & white or color), and trim size. The platform will clearly show you the printing cost for your specific book, allowing you to set a list price that gives you a healthy royalty.
- Set Your List Price: Research similar books in your genre on Barnes & Noble’s website. Price your book competitively to attract readers. You can adjust your price at any time after publishing.
Step 7: Submit for Publication!
Once you’ve reviewed everything and are satisfied, it’s time to hit that button.
- Review All Details: Do a final check of all your metadata, files, and pricing.
- Submit for Approval: Click the “Submit for Approval” or “Put On Sale” button.
- Processing Time: eBooks usually go live within 24-72 hours. Print books might take a bit longer for review and processing before they appear on the site (typically 3-5 business days, though it can vary).
- Order Author Copies: Once your print book is approved and live, you can order author copies directly from Barnes & Noble Press at the printing cost (plus shipping). This is great for events, giveaways, or just holding your published work!
Step 8: Promote Your Book & Maximize Visibility
Publishing is just the first victory; book marketing is the ongoing battle.
- Utilize Barnes & Noble’s Platform: Keep your book description updated. If you have multiple books, ensure they are linked as part of a series or by the same author.
- Leverage Keywords & Categories: Continuously monitor what’s working. Are your keywords bringing in the right traffic? Are you in the most effective book categories?
- Encourage Customer Reviews: Reviews are vital for discoverability and sales on any platform, including Barnes & Noble. Politely encourage readers to leave honest reviews.
- Social Media & Website: Announce your book’s availability on Barnes & Noble on your social media channels, author website, and in your email newsletter. Link directly to your Barnes & Noble product page.
- Local Store Connection (Rare): While Barnes & Noble Press is an online platform, some authors have success reaching out to their local Barnes & Noble store managers to see if they might be interested in stocking a few copies, especially if you’re a local author with strong community ties. This isn’t guaranteed, but it’s worth exploring.
- Consider Wider Distribution (IngramSpark): If you used your own ISBN for your print book, you might consider also distributing through IngramSpark. This allows your book to be available to other online retailers, independent bookstores, and libraries, further expanding your reach beyond Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Barnes & Noble sources many of its indie titles via Ingram.
Conclusion: Your Story, Now on Barnes & Noble
Publishing your book on Barnes & Noble through Barnes & Noble Press is a powerful step in your author journey. It signifies a wider reach, opening your work up to a passionate community of readers who love browsing physical bookstores and diving into digital NOOK reads.
It requires attention to detail, from meticulous manuscript formatting and captivating book cover design to strategic keyword optimization and active book promotion. But the reward – seeing your book proudly displayed on one of the most recognized book retail platforms – is incredibly satisfying. As the American author Nora Roberts aptly put it, “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.” You’ve gone after writing your book; now, go after getting it into the hands of more readers. Your story deserves this visibility. Happy publishing!