So you have written your book. Now you are thinking — should I do everything myself or should I work with a professional publishing service like Astitva Prakashan? This is where DIY publishing vs Astitva Prakashan becomes an important question to answer before you take the next step.
Both options let you self publish your book. But the experience, the quality of your final book, and the time and effort you put in are very different. In this blog, we will walk you through what DIY publishing really means, what Astitva Prakashan offers, and how to decide which path makes more sense for you.
Let us get into it.
What is DIY Publishing?
DIY stands for Do It Yourself. In DIY publishing, you handle every single step of the book publishing process on your own. You are the author, the editor, the designer, the formatter, the distributor, and the marketer — all at once.
It sounds exciting and empowering, and for some authors it is. But for most first-time writers, it quickly becomes overwhelming. Here is everything you have to manage when you choose the DIY route:
What DIY Publishing Actually Involves
- Writing and self-editing your manuscript
- Hiring a freelance editor (or doing it yourself)
- Designing your own book cover or hiring a freelance designer
- Formatting the interior pages for print and eBook
- Applying for your ISBN from the government agency
- Setting up your own KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) account or IngramSpark account
- Uploading files, fixing errors, and managing technical requirements
- Setting the price and royalty structure yourself
- Marketing and promoting your book independently
- Managing your own sales tracking and payment collection
Each of these steps requires time, skill, and often money. And if you make even one mistake — like an incorrect ISBN setup or a badly formatted file — your book can get rejected from platforms or look unprofessional to readers.
What Does Astitva Prakashan Do for You?
Astitva Prakashan is a professional book publishing service in India built specifically for Indian authors. Instead of doing everything yourself, you hand off the technical and production side of publishing to a dedicated team — while keeping full ownership of your book.
Here is what Astitva Prakashan handles for you:
Services Provided by Astitva Prakashan
- Professional manuscript review and guidance
- Book cover design by experienced designers
- Interior formatting for both print and digital formats
- ISBN registration for your book
- Printing with quality paper and binding
- Distribution on Amazon India, Flipkart, and other major platforms
- National and international availability
- Author copies at discounted rates
- Royalty tracking and earnings support
In short, Astitva Prakashan handles the entire production pipeline so you can focus on what matters most — your writing. You can explore all available packages at astitvaprakashan.com/packages.
DIY Publishing vs Astitva Prakashan — A Detailed Comparison
Let us now look at the key differences between going DIY and working with Astitva Prakashan across every major area that matters to an author.
1. Time and Effort
DIY Publishing: Expect to spend weeks or even months just figuring out the technical steps. You will be researching ISBN applications, learning formatting software, testing cover dimensions, and troubleshooting upload errors on Amazon KDP — all of this before your book is even live.
Astitva Prakashan: Once you submit your manuscript, the team takes over. Most books are ready for publishing within 30 to 60 days. You save weeks of effort and avoid a steep learning curve.
2. Book Quality
DIY Publishing: Quality depends entirely on your own skills and the freelancers you hire. A poorly designed cover, bad formatting, or amateur layout can seriously hurt your book’s credibility and sales. Readers do judge books by their covers.
Astitva Prakashan: Your book is produced to professional publishing standards. The cover design, typography, and print quality look exactly like books sold by major publishers. This matters a lot when your book is listed alongside thousands of other titles on Amazon India or Flipkart.
3. ISBN and Legal Setup
DIY Publishing: You need to apply for an ISBN yourself through the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency for ISBN, which is managed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Government of India. The process involves documentation and can take time if you are unfamiliar with it.
Astitva Prakashan: ISBN registration is handled as part of the publishing process. You do not have to deal with the paperwork. If you want to understand the ISBN process in detail, read our guide: How to get an ISBN number in India.
4. Distribution
DIY Publishing: You need to set up your own seller accounts on Amazon KDP, Flipkart, and other platforms separately. Each platform has its own setup requirements, file format specifications, and approval process. Managing multiple platforms on your own is time-consuming.
Astitva Prakashan: Distribution is handled centrally. Your book is made available across major Indian online platforms and can also be listed for international sale. This is one of the strongest reasons Indian authors choose a publishing partner over going fully DIY. Learn more about the full publishing process at astitvaprakashan.com/how-to-publish-a-book-in-india.
5. Cost
DIY Publishing: On the surface, DIY seems cheaper. But when you add up the cost of a freelance editor, a cover designer, formatting software, proof copies, and your own time — it often ends up costing more than a professional publishing package. And the results can still be inconsistent.
Astitva Prakashan: Publishing packages are bundled and transparent. You know exactly what you are paying for and what you will receive. View detailed pricing at astitvaprakashan.com/packages.
6. Royalties
DIY Publishing: If you publish directly on Amazon KDP, you can earn up to 70% royalty on eBooks and 60% minus printing costs on paperbacks. However, you need to manage your own tax documentation, payment setup, and currency conversion from USD if your KDP account is set up outside India.
Astitva Prakashan: You earn competitive royalties with a transparent payment structure. All royalty tracking is managed for you. For a full breakdown of how book royalties work in India, visit astitvaprakashan.com/royalty-earning-from-book-publishing-in-india.
7. Support and Guidance
DIY Publishing: You are on your own. If you run into a problem — whether it is a formatting error, a listing issue, or a question about pricing — you have to figure it out yourself through forums, YouTube videos, and trial and error.
Astitva Prakashan: You have a dedicated team to guide you at every step. From submission to launch, you are not alone. This is especially valuable for first-time authors who are navigating the publishing world for the first time. If you are ready to get started, visit astitvaprakashan.com.
When Does DIY Publishing Make Sense?
DIY publishing works well in specific situations. It makes sense if:
- You are very tech-savvy and comfortable with design and formatting tools
- You already have experience with Amazon KDP or similar platforms
- You are publishing a short eBook and do not need print distribution
- You have a very limited budget and are willing to put in significant time
- You want to experiment and learn the entire process from scratch
Even in these cases, the quality gap between a DIY book and a professionally published one is often visible to readers.
When Does Astitva Prakashan Make More Sense?
Astitva Prakashan is the better choice when:
- You want your book to look and feel professional
- You want to save time and focus only on writing and marketing
- You are publishing a print book that will be sold on Amazon or Flipkart
- You want your book to be available in bookstores or for bulk orders
- You are a first-time author and do not want to risk making costly mistakes
- You want a team to handle ISBN, design, printing, and distribution together
A Real Example: What Happens When Authors Go Fully DIY
Many authors who start the DIY route come back to a professional publisher after experiencing one or more of these problems:
- Book cover looks amateurish and gets ignored on Amazon search results
- Interior formatting has spacing errors, font inconsistencies, or page number problems
- ISBN application is delayed or filed incorrectly
- Amazon KDP rejects the uploaded file due to formatting issues
- Author copies have print quality problems
- Book is not visible on Flipkart because of incorrect category setup
These are not rare situations. They are very common for first-time authors who underestimate the complexity of the production process. Working with a professional publisher eliminates all of these risks from the start.
Does Working With Astitva Prakashan Mean Giving Up Control?
No. This is a common misconception. When you publish with Astitva Prakashan, you retain 100% ownership of your book and your copyright. You make the final decisions on your title, your content, and your pricing. The publishing team handles the technical production — not your creative choices.
This is the best of both worlds: professional quality with full author ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I switch from DIY publishing to Astitva Prakashan if I have already started?
Yes. If you have already written your manuscript and have started the DIY process but feel overwhelmed, you can bring your project to Astitva Prakashan at any stage. The team will assess where you are and take it forward professionally.
2. Do I need to have a perfectly edited manuscript before submitting to Astitva Prakashan?
Not necessarily. While it is always better to submit a well-reviewed manuscript, the publishing team can guide you on the level of editing your book may need. Editorial support is available as part of certain packages.
3. Is Amazon KDP the same as self publishing through Astitva Prakashan?
Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is a platform where you can publish and sell books. Astitva Prakashan is a full-service publishing partner. KDP is just one distribution channel — Astitva Prakashan helps you publish professionally and then distributes your book across multiple platforms including KDP, Flipkart, and more.
4. Will my book be available in physical bookstores if I publish with Astitva Prakashan?
Astitva Prakashan distributes books online across major Indian e-commerce platforms. For bookstore placement, this depends on your publishing package and the demand for your title. Online platforms like Amazon India reach far more readers in India today than physical bookstores in most cases.
5. How do I know which publishing package is right for me?
The right package depends on your book’s genre, length, your budget, and your publishing goals. You can compare all available options clearly at astitvaprakashan.com/packages. If you are unsure, you can reach out directly and the team will help you choose.
Ready to publish your book? Submit your manuscript today at astitvaprakashan.com
Also explore: Self Publishing in India | Book Publishers in India | Publishing Packages & Costs
