Since its inception a decade ago, IngramSpark has provided authors and indie publishers with a pathway to print and e-book publication and options for widespread book distribution. Amid the rapid changes to the self-publishing landscape, IngramSpark has remained flexible, innovative, and wholly committed to helping authors tell their stories. As IngramSpark’s director, Paige Allen, says, the company has “grown from a simple idea into a global solution for authors and publishers to be heard and seen around the world.” The numbers alone speak to IngramSpark’s reach. In 10 years, it has acquired titles in 1,000 languages, helped more than 200,000 authors publish their work, and distributed 174 million books to readers across seven continents.
Today, with so many publishing platforms vying for the attention of authors—and not always with their best interests in mind—the options can be overwhelming. But IngramSpark cuts through the noise with its proven track record of delivering quality printing and publishing services. And most critical to its business model is developing a trusting relationship with clients. “We work diligently to earn trust through a blend of reliability, transparency, and a genuine commitment to client success,” Allen says. “Transparent communication about the publishing process, costs, and royalties—compensations—is incredibly important.” Beyond quality printing, publishing services, and robust world distribution, IngramSpark offers abundant educational resources for authors and publishers. Clients can find valuable tools and tips via the IngramSpark blog, peruse downloadable guides, attend online courses through IngramSpark Academy, and tune in to their podcast. Through the “Experts” program, IngramSpark also provides writers with access to vetted editors, cover designers, translators, and much more. Strategic partnerships with various important industry networks—everything from Nielsen BookScan to the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi)—offer additional professional support.
Recent large-scale revisions to IngramSpark’s platform speak to the company’s author-centric approach. In 2020, IngramSpark launched a new title setup process that is more intuitive. “We found a way to make the process more user-friendly and a little less overwhelming, while retaining the deep metadata Ingram has long been known for,” Allen says.
Authors also now have access to IngramSpark’s “Book-Building Tool,” which allows users to create all or part of a book from scratch. In 2022, IngramSpark overhauled its reporting suite, creating a new interface with updated dashboards. The new presentation gives authors easy access to their book sales data and downloadable metadata reports. Additionally, this year, the company unveiled a new account setup process that is more secure and easier for authors to navigate. Other new benefits for authors include the elimination of book setup fees, free revisions on new books, an ultra-premium color option, an added choice of groundwood paper, and simplified shipping fees. These updates represent IngramSpark’s unwavering commitment to making the publishing process accessible and rewarding.
Whatever changes occur in the future, IngramSpark remains steadfast in its core mission, established a decade ago: to support and galvanize authors and small publishers, to help make their visions for their books a reality, and to connect their stories to readers worldwide. Looking ahead, there are new opportunities to seize, new partnerships to forge, and visionary new books to see into the world. “When we embarked on this adventure to build IngramSpark a decade ago, we did so with a vision,” Allen says. “IngramSpark has grown from a simple idea into a global solution for authors and publishers to be heard and seen around the world. Our success and achievements today are not just measured in numbers. They are etched in the success stories of countless authors whose voices we have amplified, the readers we have touched, and the communities we have enriched.”
