Should You Start a Publishing Company When You Self-Publish? – Taxes, ISBNs & more // You're self-publishing a book and you have big dreams and goals for this book. You've started looking into the technical side of self-publishing and you've come across the question, should I start my own publishing company? Should I go through all the paperwork and extra fees to start an LLC? Well, let's find out! Today, we'll be talking about the benefits and disadvantages of starting an LLC, taxes, and books ISBNs.
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In this video:
1:17 – Why create a publishing company?
2:02 – Taxes
3:03 – Liabilities
4:07 – ISBNs
5:15 – Credibility
6:45 – Do you plan on publishing other authors?
7:35 – Reasons you don't need to start a publishing company
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Mandi Lynn published her first novel when she was seventeen. The author of multiple books, Mandi spends her days continuing to write and creating YouTube videos to help other writers achieve their dreams of seeing their books published. Mandi is the owner of Stone Ridge Books, a company that works to help authors bring their books to life through cover design and digital book marketing. She is also the creator of The Book Launch Planner, a planner designed to help authors publish and market their books. When she’s not creating, you can find Mandi exploring her backyard or getting lost in the woods.
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Great information! Thank you!
I want to thank you because I am very close to self publishing and your videos have been a tremendous help.
This is great advice. I should be able to self publish a nonfiction book in late April or early May. I was thinking about starting a publishing company, because I have at least one other project that would include other authors. And, who knows what may happen… 🙃
You don’t have to have an llc to be a publisher of other authors . It’s recommended but not legally necessary.
Great info
You should have mentioned the new FINCEN Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirement for LLCs. While filing this report is simple, the fines for not doing it can get steep.
This video is just meant to be a broad overview and quick look into the topic of LLCs, not a comprehensive guide.
I just filed as an LLC on 3 January 2025. In my state LLCs have to be renewed annually, but you get until 31 December of your second year to file your first renewal, so I filed just after New Year’s to give myself the most time. I’ve done business as a sole proprietor since 2009, and decided to take the LLC plunge for several reasons: 1) Some of what I write is extremely controversial, 2) I want to be taken more seriously as a business person, 3) I am considering publishing for other people, and 4) I hope to expand to other, related streams of income.
This is inaccurate information about LLCs protecting you from liabilities. An LLC does NOT protect your personal assets if you’re sued for ANY intentional tort (such as defamation or invastion of privacy) that you’re alleged to have committed in your writing. Furthermore, if your LLC is inadequately capitalized (i.e., if it’s just an LLC on paper), or if you comingle your personal and LLC assets (such as paying for any perosnal items from your LLC account), the plaintiff can pierce the corporate veil and get your personal assets.
This video is meant to cover just surface level aspects of LLC. What you mention is more in-depth level of LLCs and very specific situations. Thank you for sharing, I hope it’s helpful to other authors reading this. At the end of the day, I’m just another author and not a legal expert.
An LLC offers a layer of legal abstraction. Even a C corp doesn’t over absolute protection. But it does offer some and sometimes substantial liability protection.
Mind you. This is not something an author need much worry about. And so, it’s kind of a moot point.
This was helpful! I’ve published 4 books, and I always felt some pressure to start an LLC, but this confirms that (for the time being) I don’t need one.
Thanks for the info!
I would never recommend folks ever move beyond a sole proprietorship unless the business is really hopping. Or if there is substantial liability associated to it. 99.999% of self published authors never sell to more than friends and family and there is next to zero associated liability. But even if they did sell well beyond that, a sole proprietorship is just fine.
I have two LLCs for businesses that carry pretty substantial potential legal liability exposure. My writing life though? I just use my SSN.
Hi,thanks alot for your video. For book publishing company we need a Business permit/ license (LLC in Colorado)
Can you create a publishing company for getting paid ISBNs and listing it as your publisher on KDP without creating an LLC?
If you pay for the ISBN, then you are the publisher. That is what I read just recently when researching ISBNs. You don’t need an LLC for that.
Amazon and Bowker ask for “imprint” name. Is that a LLC Emma they are asking for? It sounds like they are asking for a company name; can you please explain this part? Or is there a link to a video that you explain it!? Thank you so much! I love your videos!