Getting Started with FastPencil

FastPencil helps you publish books and ebooks with just a few clicks.

Finally you can take advantage of the immediacy of the Web, and the permanence of print, at the same time. Here’s how to publish a book the FastPencil way.

Get an Account

First, sign up for a free FastPencil account. It only takes a moment.

Then start a new project. You can use our Free Book Writing Software to write and publish books and ebooks in FastPencil, including how-to, business, novel, poetry, memoir or anything in between.

Importing

Many authors have been working on manuscripts for years in Microsoft Word. FastPencil makes it easy to import your manuscript directly into our online editor where you can collaborate with an editor, work with a cover designer, put on the final touch and publish.

If you already have a PDF of your manuscript, you can simply upload and publish your PDF, select your cover and binding options, and print as many (or as few) copies as you need.

Perhaps you want to use your blog as the starting point for a book. You can import some or all of your blog posts into a FastPencil Book Publishing project.

Collaboration

There’s no one best way to publish a book with FastPencil, but the Collaborative Book Editor gives you plenty of options for getting help. Some FastPencilers use our Author Services Marketplace to find talented illustrators, editors, and marketing professionals. Others bring in work colleagues, friends, or family members to help them review and finalize their work before publishing. Many of our customers rely on FastPencil’s self-publishing services or self-publishing packages to help with cover layout, formatting, and other details.

Pricing & Publishing

When you are through writing and editing and are ready to publish a book, our publishing wizard takes you through a simple step-by-step process that includes a book preview, so you can see exactly what your book will look like before it is published. We’re also very open about our pricing with no hidden costs.

Just as there is no single best way to write and publish your book with FastPencil, we don’t assume that everyone has the same distribution goals in mind. You can order printed copies of your book and distribute them yourself, or you can choose Wide Distribution and see your book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and hundreds of other retailers worldwide. You can publish both Print and eBook with one click and see your eBook on Kindle, iBooks, Nook and more. The FastPencil Marketplace gives you an easy means of online distribution and a bigger revenue slice when you sell direct, but you can also publish to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and thousands of other online retailers at the same time. Please see our Selling Your Book page for more info.

Questions?

If you have questions about how FastPencil works, please choose from the links at the bottom of this page. If you still don’t find what you’re looking for, head over to our FastPencil Support Site for Frequently Asked Questions, Forums and more.