How to Publish a Book on Barnes & Noble Press
The short answer
Barnes & Noble Press is the self-publishing service of the Barnes & Noble bookseller, aimed at authors who want their book on barnesandnoble.com. You create an account, upload your files, enter the book details and price, and publish. The formats on offer have changed over time, so confirm them on the site first.
Published October 2026 · By Harmony Publishing Editorial Team
What do you need before you start?
- A finished, edited manuscript, laid out for the format you will publish: an EPUB for an eBook, a print-ready PDF for a printed book.
- A cover to the platform's size and file requirements.
- Your book details: title, author name, description, categories and keywords.
- An account with your tax and payment details.
Confirm which formats Barnes & Noble Press currently supports (eBook, paperback, hardcover) and how its ISBN options work before you plan around it. Its offering has changed more than once.
How to publish on Barnes & Noble Press, step by step
- Create an account and complete the tax and payment details.
- Check the formats and the file rules on the current Barnes & Noble Press help pages, and prepare your files to match them.
- Create a new title and enter the book details: title, author, description, categories and keywords.
- Decide on an ISBN. If you want to be the publisher of record and keep control of the book across stores, use your own ISBN for each format.
- Upload the interior and the cover and review the preview the platform builds from them.
- Set the price and the sales territories, and read how earnings are calculated at that price.
- Order a proof if the platform offers one for your format, then publish.
Why list on more than one store?
Readers buy where they already shop. Barnes & Noble is a major US bookseller, so the listing can matter for American readers, and it is one of several routes. The same files, with the same ISBNs, can be used across stores.
If you would rather not manage separate accounts and file rules, Harmony can prepare the files and set up the book for you.
Want Harmony to do it for you?
Harmony Publishing is a full-service self-publishing and book printing company that has published 1,000+ books for 500+ authors in 20+ countries, and authors keep 100% of their royalties. We can edit, design and format your book, prepare the files to Barnes & Noble Press's specifications, and print it, or you can do any of those steps yourself and use us only for printing. Harmony is an independent company and is not part of Barnes & Noble Press.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Barnes & Noble Press free to use?
Listing has historically been free, with the store taking a share of each sale. Fees and terms change, so check the current terms on the site before you publish.
Do I need an ISBN for Barnes & Noble Press?
Check the current rule on the platform. If you want the same ISBN across stores and your own name as publisher, supply your own.
Will my book be in Barnes & Noble shops?
A listing on barnesandnoble.com does not put copies on shop shelves. Shelf placement is a separate decision made by the retailer, and wide distribution with returns terms improves the chance of an order.
Can Harmony set the book up for me?
Harmony can prepare the files to a platform's specification. Ask for a quote to see what is included.