Kobo Writing Life Publishing Services for Global Readers

Our Kobo Writing Life publishing services set up your eBook on Kobo so it reaches readers in many countries. We open your Kobo Writing Life account, prepare your file and details, set your prices and enter your book in Kobo Plus if it suits your plan.

Kobo is a major eBook retailer outside Amazon, and it does not require exclusivity. This service is part of our book distribution services.

Publish on Kobo: account and files

Kobo Writing Life is Kobo’s free publishing dashboard. We create your account, complete the tax and payment details, and upload an EPUB file that meets Kobo’s requirements. We enter your title, series, description, categories and keywords, and set prices for each territory. Kobo can assign its own identifier if your book has no ISBN, and we confirm the current rules.

Kobo pricing and royalties

Kobo pays a higher royalty within its standard price range and a lower one outside it, so price and royalty go together. We set a price that works for your genre and checks the current thresholds in your dashboard before the book goes live.

Kobo Plus enrolment

Kobo Plus is Kobo’s subscription service, and enrolment is optional. Unlike Kindle Unlimited, it does not require you to be exclusive to Kobo, so you can enrol a title and keep selling it elsewhere. Kobo Plus pays by reading rather than by sale, and we help you decide which of your titles suit it.

Kobo promotions setup

Publishing directly on Kobo Writing Life lets you apply for promotions and merchandising. We prepare your book page, cover and pricing so your applications are strong, and we time them with your wider launch.

Where Kobo is strong

Kobo is an eBook and audiobook retailer with a strong following in several countries, including Canada, and it works with partner retailers around the world. That makes it a useful second market for authors who already sell on Amazon. Readers there often browse by genre and series, so accurate categories and a clean series listing matter.

Pre-orders and series pages

Kobo supports pre-orders, which let you collect early sales before the release date and build early attention. A series page that lists the books in order helps readers who find your work through any title. We set up pre-orders and series information carefully, because dates and order errors can confuse readers and are tedious to correct.

Kobo Plus and your pricing

Kobo Plus is a subscription programme, and some titles can take part. Participation has its own terms and affects how the book is sold and paid, so it is worth understanding before you choose. We explain the current rules for your book and help you decide whether it fits with your pricing plan.

Promotions and campaigns

Kobo offers promotion tools and runs campaigns that need metadata and cover files that meet its standards, often well ahead of the date. We prepare your listing early, check the requirements and track the dates. A promotion works best when the book is easy to buy, the series is clear and the next title is ready.

Preparing your Kobo listing

A good Kobo listing starts with accurate metadata. Choose the categories that match your book, write a description that works in a store showing only a few lines, and make sure the series number is correct. Check the cover at small size, because Kobo lists show many covers at once. We enter the details carefully and review the live page on a phone, tablet and Kobo reader, so what readers see is correct.

Pricing and territories

Kobo lets you set prices in different currencies and choose the countries where the book is sold. Sensible local prices help readers in each country feel the book is fairly priced. You must have the rights for every territory you select. We review your price plan and territory choices so they match your rights and your strategy.

Related services

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