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Kobo Writing Life is where it all begins

Do you have a story to tell? Are you an author with a bestseller just waiting to be discovered? Want to reach out to millions of readers in over 190 countries? Do you own the digital rights to your work? Then have we got the tool for you! Kobo Writing Life is the one-stop, do-it-yourself publishing portal.

  • How does it work?

    Kobo Writing Life makes publishing easy. All it takes is five easy steps:

  • Describe your eBook

    Fill in your eBook's details, upload a cover, and create an enticing synopsis of your eBook.

  • Add eBook content

    Upload your manuscript. If you don't have an ePub file, we'll create one from your file.

  • Choose content rights

    Decide where you're going to sell your eBook and how you'll protect it.

  • Set the price

    Choose how much your eBook will cost. You can set a single list price or choose a unique price in a number of different currencies.

  • Publish!

    Send your eBook out into the world. Sit back and wait for the royalties and reviews to come rolling in.

The Kobo Ebookstore and you

Once you hit publish, your eBook will be available to Kobo customers around the globe (or in the regions you've selected). Feel free to set some categories to make your eBook easier to find. Reaching readers has never been easier!

Dashboard dynamics

Kobo Writing Life makes monitoring your sales quick and easy.

Track by region

Track by eBook

Beautiful visuals keep it all front and centre.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Does Kobo Writing Life cost anything to join?

    Nope! Plus, Kobo Writing Life will automatically reformat your Word, OpenOffice, or Mobi files into ePubs for free.

  2. What’s an ePub?

    ePubs are the industry standard for eBooks. ePubs are reflowable , so they can be distributed across a wide array of channels and devices without losing anything. That way, your eBook will work on a smartphone or tablet, or any other open eReader, making it simple to sell through your own website.

  3. How do I get paid?

    We pay you in your currency and by direct deposit monthly once you've earned more than $50. If this payment threshold isn't met we issue payments biannually.

  4. Who owns the rights to my books?

    You do! But if you’ve got a deal with a print publisher, you may want to check whether they own the rights to your eBook at home or abroad.

  5. What is metadata?

    Technically, Metadata is data about data. When it comes to eBooks, metadata refers to the collection of information about your eBook (such as its title, eISBN, author, publisher, BISAC codes, language, territorial rights, etc.). It might not sound all that interesting, but it’s essential for getting every eBook up for sale in the Kobo Ebookstore.

    We’ll guide you through the metadata process as you go through the publication steps. It’s a lot easier than it sounds, we promise!

  6. Can I protect my content?

    We make it simple for you to protect your books. Just select the Digital Rights Management (DRM) option when prompted and your content is protected.

  7. What is your content policy?

    You can find the Kobo Content Policy here.

  8. What is an eISBN and how do I get one?

    An ISBN is a number that identifies books within the sales process; eISBNs are particular to eBooks. You do not need to have an ISBN to publish your book into Kobo’s catalog – if you do not enter an eISBN, Kobo will assign a dummy number for you. However, if you wish to have an eISBN, you can visit the International ISBN Agency to find the agency responsible for issuing ISBNs in your region.

  9. Where else can Kobo distribute my eBooks?

    We’ve got partnerships around the globe with booksellers, big and small. Once you’ve set your publication regions, your eBooks will be available in all of our partner countries. Don’t forget to spread the word about your new eBook! There are new fans waiting to be found all around the world!

  10. I’m a publisher with a huge backlist of titles and I’d like to make them available on Kobo. How do I do it?

    We’d love to have you! Just fill out the Kobo Publisher Operations Form. We’ll review it and figure out the best way to make your eBooks available to Kobo readers everywhere.