Blaze Publishers Blog
Guides on publishing, self-publishing & book marketing
Practical, honest articles to help authors write, publish, and sell their books — written by the team at Blaze Publishers.
Plain-English guides
Step-by-step publishing advice, without the jargon.
Honest comparisons
Clear breakdowns to help you decide with confidence.
Practical advice
Actionable tips for every stage of your book's journey.
Latest articles
20 articlesHow to Self-Publish a Book: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to self-publish a book step by step — editing, cover design, formatting, Amazon KDP, pricing, and marketing. An honest guide for first-time authors.
How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP: A Step-by-Step Guide
A step-by-step guide to publishing your book on Amazon KDP — account setup, formats, metadata, royalties, pricing, and going live. Written for first-time authors.
How to Format a Book for KDP and Print: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to format a book for Amazon KDP — trim size, margins, fonts, front matter, and clean EPUB and print-ready PDF files. Avoid the mistakes that get books rejected.
Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing: An Honest Comparison
An honest, hype-free comparison of self-publishing vs traditional publishing — royalties, control, timelines, and cost — to help you choose the right path for your book.
How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book?
An honest 2026 breakdown of what it costs to self-publish a book — editing, cover design, formatting, ISBN, and marketing — plus the overpriced traps to avoid.
How to Publish a Children's Book: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to publish a children's book — age groups and word count, illustration, fixed-layout formatting, print and color costs, and marketing to the real buyers.
How to Market a Self-Published Book: A Practical Guide
A practical, honest guide to marketing a self-published book — building an author platform, getting reviews, optimizing your Amazon listing, pricing, and ads.
KDP vs IngramSpark: Which Should You Use?
An honest comparison of Amazon KDP vs IngramSpark — distribution reach, print options, royalties, ISBNs, and why many authors use both together.
How to Publish an Ebook: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to publish an ebook — formatting, cover, choosing platforms beyond Amazon, going wide vs exclusive, pricing, and getting your book on sale worldwide.
How Much Does Ghostwriting Cost?
An honest look at ghostwriting costs in 2026 — how ghostwriters charge, realistic price ranges by book type, what drives the price, and the rights you should keep.
How to Get an ISBN for Your Book: A Complete Guide
Learn what an ISBN is, whether you need one, free vs paid options, and how to get an ISBN for your self-published book — plus when a free platform ISBN is fine.
How to Write a Memoir: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to write a memoir — finding your theme, choosing what to include, structure, writing honestly about real people, and turning your life into a book readers connect with.
How Much Does Book Cover Design Cost?
An honest 2026 breakdown of book cover design costs — premade vs custom, ebook vs print, what drives the price, and why the cover is worth investing in.
Self-Publishing vs Hybrid Publishing: What's the Difference?
An honest comparison of self-publishing vs hybrid publishing — how each works, costs, rights, control, and how to tell a legitimate hybrid publisher from a vanity press.
How to Choose a Book Publishing Company (and Avoid Scams)
How to choose a book publishing company you can trust — the red flags of publishing scams, the questions to ask, and how to vet a service before you pay.
How Long Does It Take to Publish a Book?
How long it takes to publish a book — a realistic stage-by-stage timeline for self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and what affects how fast you can go.
How to Get a Book Published: A Beginner's Guide
A clear beginner's guide to getting a book published — your two main paths, what each involves, how to choose, and the steps to take from finished manuscript to published book.
How to Publish Your First Book: A Step-by-Step Guide
A step-by-step guide to publishing your first book — from finishing your manuscript to editing, cover, formatting, publishing, and launch, with the mistakes first-timers make.
Ebook vs Paperback: Which Should You Publish?
Ebook vs paperback — the differences in cost, royalties, reach, and reader preference, and why publishing both is usually the smartest choice for authors.
How to Evaluate Self-Publishing Companies: A Practical Checklist
A practical checklist for evaluating self-publishing companies — what to compare, the questions that reveal quality, the terms that protect your rights, and the traps to avoid.