--- source_url: "https://bookauth.com/help/articles/uploading-your-first-book?utm_source=openai" title: "Uploading Your First Book - Help Center | BookAuth" mirrored_at: 2026-09-01T13:04:10.827Z host: bookauth.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/bookauth.com/help/articles/uploading-your-first-book__q__utm_source_openai" --- > **Original source:** https://bookauth.com/help/articles/uploading-your-first-book?utm_source=openai Getting your book onto BookAuth is straightforward and takes about 5 minutes. This guide walks you through every field, every option, and every best practice so your first book listing looks polished and professional from day one. ## What You'll Learn - How to navigate to the book creation page - What each field does and how to fill it optimally - Cover image requirements and best practices - How to upload your manuscript in ePub or PDF format - How pricing models work (Free, Paid, Subscriber-Only) - How to publish or save as draft ## Creating a New Book ### Step 1: Navigate to the Book Creation Page You can reach the "Add New Book" form in two ways: 1. **From your Dashboard** — click the **"Add New Book"** quick-action card 2. **From the sidebar** — navigate to **Content > My Books**, then click the **"+ New Book"** button in the top-right corner ![Book Creation Form](https://bookauth.com/images/help/book-creation-form.png) ### Step 2: Fill In Book Details #### Title - Enter your book's title exactly as you want it displayed - This appears on your book page, in search results, and on your author website - Maximum 200 characters #### Synopsis - Write a compelling book description using the rich text editor - You can use **bold**, _italic_, bullet lists, and links - This is the primary sales copy that convinces readers to purchase or add your book to their reading list - Aim for 150-300 words — long enough to hook readers, short enough to scan > **Pro Tip:** Structure your synopsis like a movie trailer: set the scene, introduce the protagonist, hint at the central conflict, and end with a question or cliffhanger that makes the reader want to know more. #### Cover Image Upload a high-resolution book cover: Specification Requirement **Minimum dimensions** 800×1200 pixels **Recommended dimensions** 1600×2560 pixels (standard 5:8 ratio) **Accepted formats** JPEG, PNG, WebP **Maximum file size** 10MB Your cover is automatically optimized for thumbnails across the platform (search results, reading lists, book clubs, etc.). #### Genres - Select up to **3 genres** from BookAuth's taxonomy - Genres determine where your book appears in the browse directory and recommendations - Be specific: "Paranormal Romance" is better than just "Romance" #### Tags - Add freeform keyword tags to improve discoverability - Tags are used in BookAuth's search and recommendation engine - Add 5-10 tags that describe themes, tropes, and settings - Examples: `enemies-to-lovers`, `space-opera`, `magic-system`, `found-family` ### Step 3: Upload Your Manuscript BookAuth accepts two manuscript formats: Format Best For Notes **ePub** Digital reading Preferred format — responsive text flow **PDF** Fixed-layout books Good for illustrated books, cookbooks, art books To upload: 1. Click the **"Upload Manuscript"** area (or drag and drop your file) 2. Wait for the upload to complete — a progress bar shows the status 3. The file is automatically validated for structural integrity > **Pro Tip:** Don't have your book in ePub format? Tools like Calibre (free) or Vellum (Mac) can convert your Word document to professional-quality ePub. ### Step 4: Set Pricing BookAuth offers three pricing models: #### Free - Available to all readers at no cost - Great for: first-in-series books, reader magnets, short stories, promotional giveaways - Readers can download immediately without checkout #### Paid (Direct Sales) - Set a fixed purchase price (e.g., $4.99, $9.99, $14.99) - Readers pay through Stripe's secure checkout - You receive: sale price minus platform fee minus Stripe processing fee Platform fees by plan: ``` Free plan: You receive 92.1% of list price (5% platform + 2.9% Stripe) Pro plan: You receive 94.1% of list price (3% platform + 2.9% Stripe) Business plan: You receive 95.1% of list price (2% platform + 2.9% Stripe) ``` #### Subscriber-Only - Exclusive to readers subscribed to your VIP tier - Great for bonus content, exclusive novellas, or premium editions - Subscribers get instant access; non-subscribers see an upgrade prompt ### Step 5: Set the Book Status Status Meaning Visible to Readers? **Draft** Work in progress, not publicly visible ❌ No **Published** Live and discoverable on the platform ✅ Yes - Save as **Draft** if you want to continue editing before going live - Set to **Published** when you're ready for readers to discover your book ### Step 6: Save or Publish - Click **"Save as Draft"** to save without publishing - Click **"Publish"** to make your book live immediately Published books are: - Instantly searchable in the BookAuth catalog - Displayed on your author website's book listing - Eligible for ARC campaigns - Available for purchase (if priced) ## After Publishing Once your book is live: 1. **Share the book URL** with your audience — each book gets a permanent link 2. **Launch an ARC campaign** to build pre-launch review momentum 3. **Send a newsletter** to your subscribers announcing the new release 4. **Create a discount code** for a launch promotion 5. **Check Analytics** to track views, purchases, and engagement ## AI-Powered Metadata If you're on a Pro or Business plan, the AI Assistant can help with book setup: - **"Analyze my book and suggest genres"** — AI reads your synopsis and recommends the best genre fit - **"Generate tags for my book"** — creates keyword tags based on your synopsis and genre - **"Write me a book synopsis"** — drafts compelling sales copy based on a brief description you provide - **"Suggest content warnings for my book"** — identifies potential content warnings based on your manuscript ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Can I edit my book after publishing?** A: Yes! You can update any field (title, synopsis, cover, pricing, manuscript) at any time. Changes take effect immediately. **Q: Is there a limit to how many books I can publish?** A: No. All plans, including Free, support unlimited book listings. **Q: Can I unpublish a book?** A: Yes. Change the status back to Draft to remove it from public visibility. Existing purchases and downloads remain valid. **Q: What happens if I upload a new manuscript version?** A: The new file replaces the old one. Readers who already purchased the book will have access to the updated version. **Q: Can I sell the same book on Amazon and BookAuth simultaneously?** A: Yes. BookAuth does not require exclusivity. You can sell on as many platforms as you like. ## Related Articles - Managing Book Metadata & Details - Book Cover Images — Requirements & Best Practices - Book Pricing — Free, Paid & Subscriber-Only - Book Status Lifecycle (Draft → Published → Archived) - Genres, Tags & Content Warnings ### Was this article helpful?