This guide, compiled by the Watchdog team at The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), tells you all you need to know in order to choose the self-publishing pathway that's right for you. Drawing on recommendations from ALLi members, warnings from our Watchdog Services, other community word-of-mouth and in-depth research, the book compares twenty of the most significant self-publishing (SP) services—from single service suppliers to package providers; from large big brand names to smaller sole traders; from off-the shelf providers to bespoke services. We evaluate these players, compare one to the other, tell you what they do and don’t do, what they charge and for what. Offerings are categorised, prices examined, royalty structures broken down, terms and conditions trawled, small print scrutinised, and claims checked against the experience of real-life authors who have actually used these services. Using these twenty examples, we show you how to do such a comparison yourself: the good and bad signs to look for, the questions to ask. The aim is to demonstrate all the options you are likely to encounter and show which services are doing a good job—and why you might avoid others. Most importantly, in a landscape where things change rapidly, the Guide provides the criteria by which you can evaluate any SP service. This book: ~ Defines the questions you, as an aspiring (or previously burnt) self-publisher need to ask, of any service you are considering and also of yourself. ~ Introduces the basics of self-publishing ebooks and pbooks ~ Tells you the good and bad signs to look for ~ Gives each provider a rating by two different independent assessors. ~ Offers a resource pack for the indie author, including a Directory of our Partner Members, all vetted by ALLi's Code of Standards. ~ Demonstrates eight very different pathways to self-publication, including author co-operatives, crowdsourcing and agent assisted self-publishing. This organic guide to a volatile industry is updated every twenty weeks or so, in both pbook and ebook formats, by ALLi's Watchdog team, so all the information is bang up-to-date. It provides everything you need to know to harness the creative power and potential of self-publishing.