Self-publishing has become a popular way for authors to get their work out into the world, but going Indie presents its own set of challenges. Once the book is published, how do new readers find it? How can you deliver it to readers? In this article, we’ll examine why BookFunnel is popular among authors as a method of distributing and promoting their work. How does Laterpress compare? What are the advantages or disadvantages of each platform? (Neither platform has any exclusivity clauses, so it’s totally possible to use both!)

BookFunnel

The essential tool for your author business

Damon Courtney founded BookFunnel in 2015 as a way of distributing reader magnets, which authors use to build subscribers to their newsletters. The platform quickly expanded into distribution of all electronic versions of books, from free short stories, to Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs), to universal geographic links which redirect users to their country specific urls for sites like Amazon or Kobo. Aimed at assisting indie authors who do not have the backing of a large publishing house, BookFunnel soon incorporated other promotional opportunities like newsletter swaps and group promotions.  

At its heart, BookFunnel is a distribution network which connects readers to the locations of an author’s works. Authors create an account for each book, then add links to where their books can be found or upload digital versions of free content to generate a unique url that they can then add to their marketing efforts to point readers to access their stories. This automation saves time and effort compared to individually sending files via email, and offers a level of protection against piracy.

‍Why it might be right for you

Ease of Distribution

This is the power behind BookFunnel. Their goal was to make it fast, simple and secure for authors to get their books in the hands of readers. After creating an account, creating an entry for each book and then building the elements required by BookFunnel to complete a page, authors have a unique url to use in marketing and back matter.

Direct Sales

Authors can use ecommerce systems like Shopify or Payhip to handle ebook sales from their website, and use bookfunnel for sales delivery via a download link of the purchased ebooks. There is a BookFunnel app on iOS and Android, allowing people to use their phones or tablets as reading devices, no dedicated ebook reader required.

Promotions

A key element that drives authors to BookFunnel aside from the ease of distribution, are the promotional opportunities that the platform offers. These options include:

Newsletter swaps: Newsletter swaps involve authors promoting each other's books to their respective email subscribers. These swaps allow authors to tap into each other's established reader bases, resulting in a wider audience for book promotions. By selecting authors in the same genre or with similar readerships, authors can reach a more specific and engaged audience, increasing the likelihood of conversions. With target audiences identified, an author can partner with other authors that offer books their audience may be primed to read. 

Group Promotions: Group promos involve multiple authors coming together to promote their books collectively in one unique link where book covers are displayed alongside each other and clickable. By participating in group promotions, authors can leverage the combined reach of multiple readers, leading to higher visibility and potential book sales. Like Newsletter swaps, group promotions can be organized around specific genres or themes, allowing authors to connect with readers who are more likely to be interested in their books.

Limited-time giveaways: Limited-time giveaways involve authors offering their books for free or at a significantly reduced price for a specific period. Free or discounted books attract readers who might not have been willing to take a chance on a new author or series at full price, adding to newsletter subscribers or book sales. Limited-time giveaways generate buzz and create a sense of urgency, encouraging readers to share the promotion with others, leading to increased visibility and potential long-term readership. Offering the first book in a series as a limited-time giveaway can entice readers to explore subsequent books in the series, boosting sales in the long run.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) Distribution: BookFunnel is popular amongst beta and ARC readers, giving authors an established base of potential readers. Readers can choose their preferred format (e.g., ePub, PDF) and easily download the file to their preferred device. Only authorized recipients can access the ARC files. Authors can set up various security measures, such as limiting the number of downloads, adding watermarks, or requiring a password. This allows authors to maintain control over their copyrighted material and reduce the risk of unauthorized distributions.

Collaboration

Collaborating with fellow authors fosters a sense of community and mutual support, laying the foundation for future promotional opportunities. Once an author has discovered other authors within their genre or subgenre, they can work together to cross-promote books, using the “a rising tide floats all boats” method. Having a sense of community in an essentially solitary career or hobby can be meaningful and helpful. 

Reporting

BookFunnel’s extensive reporting allows authors insights into a variety of facets, including download rates, number of clicks on a promotion and conversion to newsletters. This data helps authors make informed decisions about their writing, marketing, and targeting strategies. By integrating with popular newsletter providers such as Mailchimp, Mailerlite etc., BookFunnel takes the work out of collecting, managing permissions and importing newsletter subscribers from the hands of authors without a background program. 

Discoverability:

BookFunnel provides a platform for authors to connect with readers who may not have encountered their work otherwise. The platform's integration with various promotional sites, newsletters, and author collaborations helps authors increase their visibility and reach wider audiences. Additionally, BookFunnel's search feature allows readers to discover new authors and genres based on their preferences, thus boosting exposure for authors.

‍Why it might not be right for you

Cost

If you are starting out or trying to keep your overall costs low, BookFunnel may propose an obstacle to you. BookFunnel offers different subscription plans to authors, each with its own features and pricing.

First-Time Author Plan: This plan costs $20 per year and includes basic features available for one pen name, like custom landing pages and access to group promotions. However, it has a download limit of 500 per month. It does not include important features, such as integration with mailing list services or the ability to collect reader email addresses.

Mid-List Author Plan: At $100 a year, this plan allows for two pen names, 5000 downloads, access to group promotions, watermarked files and custom landing pages. For an additional $50 more, a direct integration to newsletter providers is available.

Bestseller Plan: For those that can afford $250 a year to distribute books, the program offers all the options of the lower levels, plus a secure ARC delivery system, book gifting and printable download codes.

Promotion Fatigue

Frequent newsletter swaps or promotion collaboration can lead to reader fatigue if they receive an excessive number of book recommendations, potentially leading to unsubscribes or disengagement. If readers see the same books over and over, they can lose interest, both in you as the provider of these lists and in other author’s books.

Competition within a group

In a group promotion, authors are essentially competing for the attention of readers within the same promotional event, which may limit the exposure and effectiveness of individual book promotions. With larger group promotions, potential readers may become overwhelmed and not spend enough time on the page to scroll to your book’s cover.

Time and Effort

Promotions are author led, which puts you in the hands of other authors’ organizational skills. Promo organizers who do not monitor their applicants can end up with promotions with over 200 books in them. This makes it difficult for readers to find your stories. Group promotions can include books of varying quality, which may dilute the overall appeal and reputation of the promotion. On the opposite end, promotion organizers with strict restrictions may require a certain newsletter size, 5,000 for example, making it difficult for new authors to enter into the group promotions. 

Learning Curve

Using BookFunnel effectively requires some technical knowledge and familiarity with the platform's features. Authors who are less tech-savvy may need to invest time in understanding the platform's functionalities and navigating its interface to understand how and what options authors are taking advantage of on the platform. 

Lack of Monetization Options

While BookFunnel is an effective tool for book marketing and distribution, it has limitations when it comes to monetization. The platform does not provide a direct sales feature, meaning authors cannot sell their books directly to readers through BookFunnel. Instead, authors are often required to rely on external platforms, such as Amazon or other retailers, to generate income from their books. Authors have to set up an external store, such as with Shopify, to be able to use Bookfunnel for direct sales delivery, which adds another layer of complexity to the process. 

Laterpress

‍The new way to publish books.

Established in 2022, Laterpress gives authors the freedom to distribute ebooks and serialized fiction online, directly to their fans, for free. There’s no app to download, no invitation needed to publish, and no contracts to sign. This platform caters to every genre.

Laterpress offers a new and unique way to get your stories in front of readers with a string of advantages built with authors in mind. The process is streamlined to ensure you get to focus on what you do best - writing. 

‍Why it might be right for you

Unlimited Revenue

Every story distributed through Laterpress has the potential to earn revenue. You control the price of your book, and can decide if it’s sold as a one-time purchase, as part of a subscription, or in chapter bundles. Laterpress takes 0% on direct payments, and it’s free to set up an account. BookFunnel costs can add up as more stories or pen names are added to the platform or email integration is added, which eats away at potential profits. 

In addition, Laterpress helps you collect payment and deposits money into your account. This isn’t possible with BookFunnel, as they primarily serve to point readers to another money collection site like Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc for premium content.  

Unlimited Downloads

Unlike BookFunnel, Laterpress offers unlimited downloads at no cost. This gives authors the option to use their links in marketing without having to worry about any readers being denied access because a download cap was hit. 

Unlimited Books

For no cost, Laterpress allows you to write to your heart’s content and upload as many books as you want to the platform. With no limitations on the amount of books you can add to Laterpress, under as many pen names as you desire, the sky really is the limit. 

Newsletter Integration

Laterpress understands that newsletters are still the best way to create a loyal fanbase and as such makes it possible, at no charge, to collect the email addresses of your readers to add to your newsletter. (Readers receive a prompt asking if they consent to receive notifications from the author, if they check YES, their email will appear in your sales reports.)  Authors have the option to push readers to their newsletter after providing a sample of their work, unlike BookFunnel, which demands an email address before the reader has read a word. 

Ease of Use

With a focus on a clean and simple user interface, Laterpress helps authors quickly get their books and customized url’s in place with little to no effort. Plus, there's no need to worry about complicated formatting or coding. Write online or upload instantly. With an ePub conversion tool and upload options, your story can be up and earning on Laterpress in no time. 

The clear and clean interface makes reading easy with screen options built for binge readers, including dark mode.

Reader Engagement

Send emails directly to your email list when new chapters or stories are updated, and gather newsletter subscribers along the way. With story recommendations, reviews and ratings, your book can be front and center and not get lost in the crowd as it might on BookFunnel.

Publish where you want

Unlike BookFunnel, which requires a paid account to set up a custom domain,  Laterpress does not charge for the ability to publish your books and serials to your own branded sub-domain (like planargates.nategillick.com). With your branding front and center, you can build a direct relationship with readers and they don’t even have to know Laterpress exists.

Publish what you want

No approval process is required for your stories on Laterpress. Books of all genres, fiction and nonfiction alike, are welcome. Science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, romance, memoirs, erotica, paranormal thrillers, and any other genre or genre mash-up can be published through Laterpress.

One Spot

With Laterpress, readers always have access to your stories in one convenient place. They can visit the custom URL at any time. If an author allows downloads, readers can download an epub to send to their Kindle or other e-reader of choice.

International Audience

Laterpress has no limitations on location. With global access to stories for readers and authors, every story has the opportunity to be seen, read and enjoyed. Stripe, who handles payments, does have location limits to be aware of, however. Authors living in the 46 countries listed here would be able to monetize their fiction.

No Exclusivity Clauses 

Goodbye exclusivity restrictions. Hello to publishing your story on your terms. Laterpress offers another publishing option for new stories, old stories, even previously published stories. Your books always belong to you.

Reporting

Easy-to-read and up-to-the-minute reporting on both readers and payments keeps you informed. Tap into reporting, giving you insights into your stories and a community of fellow writers offering writing advice and challenges to inspire creativity. 

‍Why it might not be right for you

‍Direct Sales

Laterpress is built as a way to start directly selling to your audience. Because the proceeds of any sales go directly to the author, authors are responsible for handling any taxes that may be owed on such sales. Look here for more information on each state’s laws about when tax is owed. For most states, the bar is at least 200 sales in that state over a 12-month period. When in doubt, talk to an accountant for the best advice for your situation.

‍You are responsible for your traffic

As Laterpress is designed as a conduit for direct sales, you should expect anyone finding your story on Laterpress is a reader YOU brought there, either via a newsletter, social media, or other direct interaction. That’s a big part of why Laterpress takes 0% of direct sales revenue. You worked to make that sale, you should keep the money! While not currently an ideal location for growing an audience, Laterpress helps you earn more from the fans you have.

‍Community Features are currently limited

Author community features are how Laterpress intends to make the bulk of their revenue, and these only kick in when these features help readers find new authors. Thus, you can count on Laterpress adding to and improving upon these over time, as it’s in their financial best interest to do so.

Readers can find recommendations through their bookshelf, as shown in this reader experience overview. Readers and authors can also generate affiliate links. However, anyone looking for an experience where a reader visits a site and immediately sees a lot of stories is going to be disappointed.

‍Conclusion: So, which is it? Bookfunnel, or Laterpress?

Authors are free to use both, since neither places exclusivity restrictions on content. The difference comes down to what you’re using it for.

Looking for a direct sales delivery tool? Laterpress represents an all-in-one solution for this. There’s no need to set up a Shopify store and incur their fees, plus Bookfunnel’s own fees for file distribution. Simply link to the Laterpress-hosted books on your site or social media, and readers can start reading right away. Selling a downloadable book? You’ll never have to worry about hitting a download limit on Laterpress.

Looking to disturbed free ebooks to raise awareness of your brand? Laterpress allows authors to make their books available for free, so you can use the platform to distribute free books and reader magnets. A BookFunnel subscription is required to do the same thing.

If you want to participate in group promotions, deliver ARCs securely to specific individuals without making the book public, distribute MP3 audiobook files,  or offer discount codes for your work, you’re better served with BookFunnel, as those options do not currently exist with Laterpress.

One potential strategy utilizing both platforms would be to utilize BookFunnel for access to group promotions, linking directly to the Laterpress edition of the book so readers can buy directly from you (if a promo does not require links to a specific retailer).

Whether you decide to use one platform over the other, or utilize both in your book delivery strategy, we wish you success with your efforts!