Most self-published authors publish ebook and print together from the start, since both are low-cost through print-on-demand and reach meaningfully different readers, while audiobook is usually added later once a book has proven itself. There's no rule that says you must publish in every format, but each one you skip is a group of readers you're not reaching.
This is part of the Complete Guide to Self-Publishing.
Cost to produce: low. Formatting an ebook is generally less involved and less expensive than print layout, and there's no printing cost per copy.
Reader reach: very broad, and often the highest-volume format for genre fiction in particular. Many readers, especially heavy readers in genres like romance, fantasy, and thriller, read primarily or exclusively on e-readers or reading apps.
Effort required: formatting for reflowable text (see Ebook vs. Print Formatting), an ebook-specific cover file, and platform setup (KDP, and potentially others if going wide).
Who should skip it: almost no one. Ebook is close to a default for self-published fiction and nonfiction alike, given its low cost and broad reach.
Cost to produce: low upfront, thanks to print-on-demand (see Print-on-Demand Explained), though the per-copy printing cost is deducted from each sale's royalty.
Reader reach: still substantial. Many readers strongly prefer physical books, some genres and demographics skew heavily toward print, and print is essential for bookstore and library presence, signings, and any in-person selling.
Effort required: full interior layout to a fixed page design, a complete print cover including spine and back, and attention to print-ready technical specifications. See Interior Layout Basics and What "Print Ready" Actually Means.
Who should skip it: authors who are confident their audience is overwhelmingly digital-first and don't plan any in-person selling might reasonably deprioritize print, at least initially, but most authors find it worth including given how manageable print-on-demand makes it.
Cost to produce: the most expensive and involved of the three, typically requiring either hiring a professional narrator (which can run into thousands of dollars for a full-length book) or using text-to-speech or AI narration tools, which vary in quality and have their own disclosure and quality considerations.
Reader reach: a real and growing audience, especially among readers who listen while commuting, exercising, or doing other tasks. Certain genres, thrillers and memoirs among them, tend to perform particularly well in audio.
Effort required: significant if you're coordinating it yourself, sourcing a narrator, managing production and editing, navigating platform technical requirements. Entrada Publishing finds, vets, and auditions narrators on your behalf and coordinates the full production as work-for-hire, which removes most of that coordination burden. See the Complete Guide to Audiobook Production.
Who should skip it, at least initially: most first-time authors, given the cost and effort relative to an unproven book. Audiobook is commonly the format authors add after a book has demonstrated real sales in ebook and print, justifying the additional investment.
Deciding Which Formats to Publish In?
Entrada Publishing can help you prepare ebook and print files, and talk through whether audiobook makes sense for your book right now.
No. Most authors start with ebook and print together, since both are achievable at relatively low cost, and add audiobook later once the book has shown some traction.
Ebook and print together cover the large majority of readers for most genres. Neither is more universally important than the other; they reach different reader preferences.
It depends on your budget and confidence in the book's audience, but many authors wait until ebook and print sales validate the book before investing in audiobook production.
Yes. Adding print after an ebook-only launch, or audiobook after both are established, is common and doesn't require republishing the formats you already have live.