If you are new to self-publishing, here’s a collection of self-publishing companies in Victoria, BC and beyond.
before you self-publish
Questions to ask yourself before choosing a self-publishing path:
- How many self-publishing tasks are you willing to learn?
- Can you work with PDFs, digital images, and keywords?
- Do you have any support or help from family, friends, or contacts?
- How important is it for you to have quality control over all self-publishing steps? (E.g. control over book covers, editing, and book prices.)
- What’s your bigger barrier: lack of finances or lack of time?
Choosing a self-publishing path
Generally, if you want full quality control over your book, then independent publishing is the best route. This also means learning new skills, troubleshooting, and finding professional help when needed.
On the other hand, if you don’t have the time or inclination to build your self-publishing skills, then it might be best to find a (legit) self-publishing company or service. This will be more costly. Additionally, you must ensure you don’t get scammed.
Finally, if you’re still not sure which path is best, check the advice of experienced writers (e.g. Jane Friedman). They often address the question of whether to aim to be traditionally published or to self-publish.
Do-it-yourself (DIY) Indie publishing
If you feel you can manage tasks necessary to publish and sell your book, this path will be best. However, DIY doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. It means finding skilled help for proofreading, editing, and cover design. (Tip: don’t try do your own cover unless you are a skilled graphic designer; covers are a key book marketing tool.) The indie path takes more time initially, but can lead to long-term successful self-publishing. You can also view our author checklist here.
Note: before publishing, learn about libel laws and make sure you don’t violate them.
Self-publishing packages
If you are uncomfortable with fully managing your book project, you may decide to purchase all or most of your self-publishing services from one company. While saving you time and headaches, this does entail higher costs and less control.
NOTE: Research well before signing any contract. Check other writers’ experiences with the company. Assess their print quality. Make sure you don’t over-pay. Most of all, be sure to avoid scams targeting writers.
Read about one self-published author’s costly learning experience.
Another option is to hire a “book shepherd” ––someone who offers a personalized self-publishing service. Research book shepherds first. One way to check for a quality service is to find out if they are an Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) partner. (E.g. this company in Ontario offers services similar to a book shepherd and they are an ALLi partner.)
Self-Publishing Companies – Victoria & Vancouver BC
- Cascadia Author Services
- First Choice Books
- Digital Direct Print Books (no ebooks)
- Printorium Bookworks (no ebooks)
- Agio Publishing (boutique author services)
- Coast Dog Press (focus on aviation books)
- LifeWriters (memoirs, family, corporate histories)
- LeanPub (full and ‘in-progress’ publishing; ebooks and PDFs, but no print books)
- Page Two Books (boutique publishing services)
- Art Ink Print (fine art printing services)
Note: not a complete list.
Key Online Self-publishing companies
- Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon) for ebooks and paperbacks.
- IngramSpark – for hardcover, softcover and ebooks
- Smashwords – now with Direct2Digital ebooks & distribution
- Lulu.com – for hardcover, softcover, photo books, and ebooks
- Barnes & Noble – for print & ebooks
- Bookbaby – wide range of self-publishing services
Helpful resources:
- KDP vs IngramSpark (a review of both)
- Self-Publishing Companies Directory — published by Alli
- Reedsy – Top Self-Publishing Companies
Photo & Art Books:
- Picaboo.com – Photo books
- Peecho.com – Books, magazines, posters & more (reviews here)
- Blurb.com – High-quality art and photo book options
Canadian print book companies
- Friesens.com (MB)
- Houghton Boston Printers (SK)
- Hignell Book Printing (MB)
- Rapido Books (QC)
- International Web Express (BC) magazines, booklets & more.
Self-Publishing for Children & Youth
- StoryStudio.com (BC)
- Creative Writing for Children (BC)
- Writers’ Exchange (BC)
- StoryTreasures.com (for teachers and students)
- StoryJumper.com (for teachers and students)
What Is Print-On-Demand (POD) and hybrid publishing?
Print-On-Demand means printing just a few books at a time as needed, or “on demand”. POD became possible with the arrival of digital printing. Before that, books had to be printed in high quantities due to print set-up time. For self-published writers, this meant big costs and loads of boxes of books to be stored and, hopefully, sold. There was a lot of waste with this method. However, once digital printing was an affordable option, suddenly, small numbers of books could be printed at a very reasonable cost.
What is “hybrid publishing” ? You may come across this term when exploring self-publishing options. “In a hybrid publishing model, the author typically shares the costs of publication with the publisher. In return, the publisher provides services such as editing, cover design, marketing, and distribution. Hybrid publishers often aim to balance the author’s independence with a professional publishing process.” (Source: ChatGPT). As usual, be sure to check for any red flags scam warnings before signing anything. Check out this longer article about on the “4 things writers should know about hybrid publishing” at Writer’s Digest or this in-depth guide over at Trivium Writing.
Next: Learn about Ebook Resources here.
Updated November 2024 by 3PennyPublishing – Victoria, BC, Canada; researching and sharing self-publishing resources with writers since 2010.
Note: Links and information are for research purposes only. They do not replace professional advice. In addition, accuracy of third-party websites cannot be verified. They are not sponsored listings and do not indicate endorsements.