Vellum Wide Distribution Workflow

Vellum generates different files for different platforms. Amazon wants one format. Apple wants another. Kobo has its own requirements. IngramSpark and KDP Print both accept PDFs, but their setup processes differ. If you upload the wrong file or select the wrong settings at checkout, you'll get rejection emails, spend hours troubleshooting, and delay your launch.

This guide covers the entire workflow: which export settings to use in Vellum, which files go to which platform, how to set up KDP Print and IngramSpark to work together, and how to avoid the upload errors that waste authors' time.

Understanding the Wide Distribution Strategy

Going wide means selling your ebook outside Amazon's exclusive ecosystem. Instead of enrolling in KDP Select (which locks your ebook to Amazon for 90 days), you distribute to Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, Barnes and Noble, and library systems. For print, going wide means using IngramSpark alongside KDP Print to reach bookstores and libraries that won't order from Amazon.

Amazon controls roughly 60-70% of the ebook market. That leaves 30-40% of readers buying from other platforms. Apple Books readers tend to spend more per book. Kobo dominates in Canada and parts of Europe. Google Play reaches Android users worldwide. Libraries purchase through OverDrive and other distributors. If you're exclusive to Amazon, you're invisible to these readers.

For print books, the math is similar. KDP Print handles Amazon orders well, but independent bookstores and libraries rarely order from Amazon's expanded distribution. The trade discount is too low and the books aren't returnable. IngramSpark, by contrast, lists your book in the same catalog that bookstores and libraries already use to order inventory. If you want your paperback in a Barnes and Noble store or on a library shelf, you need IngramSpark.

Vellum's Export System

Vellum generates platform-specific files, not generic files you upload everywhere. When you click Generate, Vellum creates separate folders for Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and any other platforms you've selected. Each file is optimized for that specific retailer's requirements.

To configure your export, click the Generate button in Vellum's toolbar. A dialog appears listing platforms. By default, Vellum selects Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Google Play. You can add or remove platforms based on where you plan to distribute.

The platform-specific approach solves a common problem: store links. If your book's back matter includes links to your other titles, those links need to point to the right store. A Kindle file should link to Amazon. An Apple file should link to Apple Books. Vellum handles this automatically through its Store Link feature. You set up links for each retailer, and Vellum includes only the appropriate links in each exported file.

Ebook Platform Files

Kindle: Vellum exports a .mobi file optimized for Amazon. Upload this directly to KDP. The file includes any Amazon-specific store links you've configured.

Apple Books: Vellum exports an .epub file formatted for Apple's specifications. Upload this to Apple Books Connect (formerly iTunes Connect). Apple has stricter validation than other platforms, and Vellum's Apple-specific export passes their checks.

Kobo: Vellum exports a .kepub.epub file, Kobo's enhanced epub format. Upload this to Kobo Writing Life. The kepub format enables Kobo-specific features like reading statistics that standard epubs don't support.

Google Play: Vellum exports a standard .epub that meets Google's requirements. Upload through the Google Play Books Partner Center.

Generic EPUB: If you're using an aggregator like Draft2Digital or PublishDrive, select Generic EPUB in your generation settings. Aggregators don't want platform-specific files. They convert and distribute a single generic file to multiple retailers. This is also the format to use for Barnes and Noble if you're uploading directly to their press platform.

Print Files for KDP and IngramSpark

Vellum generates print-ready PDFs in PDF/X-1a format, an industry standard that both KDP Print and IngramSpark accept without warnings or manual waivers. One PDF works for both platforms, though you'll configure each platform's settings differently during upload.

To generate print files, switch to Print view in Vellum using the toggle at the top of the window. Configure your trim size, margins, and bleed settings under File > Print Settings. Then generate the PDF.

Vellum creates a PDF with your specified trim size. If you've included any full-bleed images (images that extend to the edge of the page), Vellum automatically adds the required 0.125-inch bleed region to all edges. This bleed is required by both KDP and IngramSpark so the printer can trim the pages without leaving white edges.

Setting Up KDP Print and IngramSpark Together

Using both platforms gives you the best of both worlds. KDP Print fulfills Amazon orders quickly (often same-day Prime shipping). IngramSpark fulfills orders from bookstores, libraries, and online retailers outside Amazon. This requires owning your ISBN rather than using a free one from either platform.

ISBN Strategy

To use both platforms for the same book, you need your own ISBN. In the US, purchase ISBNs from Bowker. In Canada, ISBNs are free through the government. In the UK, purchase through Nielsen.

Use a single ISBN for your paperback across both KDP Print and IngramSpark. The ISBN identifies the edition, not the printer. Your 6x9 paperback is the same product whether printed by Amazon or Ingram.

If you use KDP's free ISBN, you cannot list that same book on IngramSpark. If you use IngramSpark's free ISBN, you cannot use that same book on KDP. Owning your ISBN solves this.

KDP Print Setup

At KDP, upload your Vellum-generated PDF and cover file. Select your trim size to match what you configured in Vellum. If you included any full-bleed images, select "Bleed" in the Print Options section. If your interior is text-only with no images extending to the page edges, select "No Bleed."

Price your book and set the royalty. Turn off KDP's Expanded Distribution option. You're using IngramSpark for expanded distribution instead, which offers better terms for bookstores and libraries.

IngramSpark Setup

At IngramSpark, create a new title and upload the same PDF and cover. Select matching specifications: trim size, paper color (white or cream), binding type.

For distribution, configure these settings carefully:

Wholesale Discount: Set this to 55%. Bookstores need their standard trade margin when ordering from wholesalers. If you offer less than 55%, stores receive a "short discount" and likely won't order your book. Yes, 55% sounds painful. This is the cost of bookstore distribution.

Returns: Select "Yes, Deliver" to make your book returnable. Non-returnable books are nearly impossible to get into bookstores. Libraries typically require returnability as well. The risk of returns is lower than you'd expect, since print-on-demand means there's no warehouse full of unsold inventory.

Global Distribution: Enable distribution to all available regions unless you have specific reasons to limit territories.

After setup, IngramSpark lists your book in the Ingram catalog. Bookstores, libraries, and online retailers (including Amazon) can order from this catalog. However, set your IngramSpark price slightly higher than your KDP price, or disable Amazon as a distribution channel in IngramSpark. Otherwise, IngramSpark and KDP will compete for the same Amazon orders, creating listing conflicts.

The Upload Workflow

Here's the step-by-step process for publishing a book wide through Vellum:

Step 1: Finalize your manuscript in Vellum. Complete all edits. Set up store links for your back matter. Configure both ebook and print settings. Switch between Ebook and Print views to verify each version looks correct.

Step 2: Generate ebook files. Click Generate, select your platforms (Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Google Play, Generic EPUB), and generate. Vellum creates folders for each platform.

Step 3: Generate print files. Switch to Print view, verify your trim size and margins, then generate your PDF.

Step 4: Upload to KDP. Start with Amazon. Upload your Kindle file to the ebook section and your print PDF to the paperback section. Submit for review.

Step 5: Upload to other ebook retailers. While waiting for KDP approval, upload to Apple Books Connect, Kobo Writing Life, and Google Play Books Partner Center. Use the platform-specific files from each Vellum folder.

Step 6: Upload to IngramSpark. Create your title, upload your print PDF and cover, configure wholesale discount and returns, and submit.

Step 7 (optional): Upload to aggregators. If you're using Draft2Digital for smaller platforms or library distribution, upload your Generic EPUB. Aggregators typically take a percentage of royalties in exchange for managing multiple smaller platforms.

Troubleshooting Common Upload Errors

Vellum produces clean files, but upload errors still happen. Here's how to fix the most common problems:

KDP: "The trim size does not match the file"

This error means the trim size you selected during KDP setup doesn't match the PDF you uploaded. Go back to Vellum's Print Settings and verify your trim size. Then check that you selected the identical size in KDP's setup wizard. Common culprits: selecting 6x9 inches in Vellum but accidentally clicking 5.5x8.5 in KDP, or confusing metric and imperial measurements.

KDP: Bleed Mismatch

If your Vellum project includes any full-bleed images, you must select "Bleed" during KDP upload. If you select "No Bleed" while your PDF contains bleed, KDP flags an error. The reverse also triggers problems: selecting "Bleed" when your PDF has no bleed causes KDP to add unwanted margins.

Check your Vellum project for full-page images. If you have them, your PDF has bleed, and you need to select Bleed at KDP. If your book is all text with standard images that don't touch page edges, your PDF has no bleed.

IngramSpark: Font Embedding Errors

IngramSpark occasionally rejects files with "fonts not embedded" errors even when Vellum has embedded fonts correctly. This usually happens when unusual characters have been copied from Word or other sources. Open your Vellum file and search for unusual characters: smart quotes from Word, special dashes, or symbols. Replace them with standard characters typed directly in Vellum.

IngramSpark: Image Resolution Warnings

IngramSpark requires images at 300 DPI minimum for print. If you receive resolution warnings, check your source images before importing into Vellum. Vellum can't increase the resolution of a low-quality image. Replace any images below 300 DPI with higher-resolution versions.

Apple Books: Validation Failures

Apple's validation is stricter than other platforms. If your Apple upload fails but Kobo and Google accept the files, check for unusual formatting or unsupported characters. Vellum's Apple-specific export handles most issues, but copy-pasted content from web pages or PDFs sometimes includes hidden formatting that Apple rejects.

Direct vs. Aggregator Distribution

You have two approaches for ebook distribution: upload directly to each retailer, or use an aggregator that uploads to multiple retailers for you.

Direct distribution gives you higher royalties and faster updates. Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Google all accept direct uploads. You keep the full royalty each platform offers without an aggregator taking a cut. When you need to update your file or change your price, the change happens immediately rather than waiting for the aggregator to process it.

Aggregator distribution (through Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, or StreetLib) gives you access to smaller platforms without managing dozens of accounts. Aggregators also distribute to library systems like OverDrive and Bibliotheca. The trade-off is typically 10-15% of your royalties and slower update times.

Many authors use a hybrid approach: direct uploads to Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Google (the "big four" of ebook retail), and an aggregator for libraries and smaller retailers. This balances royalty optimization with reach.

Pricing Strategy Across Platforms

Each platform has different royalty structures. Amazon offers 70% royalty on ebooks priced $2.99-$9.99 and 35% outside that range. Apple and Google offer 70% at any price point. Kobo varies by territory.

For print, your profit depends on the printing cost and your list price. KDP Print shows you the printing cost during setup; your royalty is the list price minus print cost minus Amazon's cut. IngramSpark works similarly, but your effective royalty is lower after the 55% wholesale discount.

Price your KDP Print edition and IngramSpark edition at the same list price. If prices differ, retailers receiving books from both sources may show conflicting prices, confusing customers. Keep your Amazon ebook price consistent with other platforms as well. Apple has a most-favored-nation clause requiring that prices on their platform match or beat prices elsewhere.

After Upload: Managing Multiple Platforms

Once your book is live across platforms, you're managing multiple dashboards, multiple royalty payments, and multiple update processes. Build a system to track what's where.

Create a spreadsheet listing every platform, your login credentials (stored securely), the file version currently uploaded, and the last update date. When you make a change, you'll need to update every platform. Miss one, and you'll have inconsistent editions circulating.

Set up payment routing. Amazon pays monthly, Apple pays quarterly, Kobo pays monthly above a threshold, IngramSpark pays monthly. Each platform has different payment minimums and methods. Configure direct deposit where possible to avoid check delays.

Monitor sales across platforms. Amazon provides the most detailed reporting. Apple's reports are delayed several days. Kobo and Google have their own reporting cadences. Consider using a service like Book Report or similar tools that aggregate sales data from multiple platforms into a single dashboard.

Going wide requires more administrative work than Amazon exclusivity. The reward is a more resilient publishing business that doesn't depend on a single retailer's algorithm changes, policy shifts, or account suspensions. Your readers find you wherever they prefer to shop, and your books reach shelves that Amazon-exclusive titles never touch.