Helpful Organization for Authors Who Publish Their Own Books

By Elaine L. Orr

About 16 months ago, I joined the International Book Publisher Association (IBPA) and it's taught me a lot. I've also saved some money.

IBPA's stated mission is "to lead and serve the independent publishing community through advocacy, education, and tools for success." Except for a few books of others' poetry, I publish only my own work. I've done a few of IBPA's free webinars. They'll include some authors like me, but mostly members seem to publish more than their own work. Some are in the small press category.

Because I'm on my own and there were few author/writer conferences for a few years, I wanted something to keep learning about my industry. Joining was a great decision.

I've put books in the IBPA display at the American Library Association and added them to a catalog sent to independent bookstores. These cost money, but it's reasonable.

My favorite components are the discounts. I needed to buy another batch of 100 ISBNs, and my membership saved me 15% -- about $70 as I recall. 

I place my books with Ingram for distribution. While it's now free to do that, there is a charge if you make revisions after 60 days. That's not something I would usually do, but I did need to revise a book last winter. Ingram charges $25 to do this, but IBPA members can update one book per month at no charge.

Check out all the member benefits.

I don't usually promote organizations beyond a casual mention. But if you are a self-published author or small publisher, check out IBPA.

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