Self-Publishing School
Self-Publishing School is a U.S. online education company that sells coaching programs, digital courses, and done-for-you publishing services to aspiring and first-time authors across fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and children's book segments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersVenice, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Self-Publishing School does
Self-Publishing School (legal name: Self Publishing School) is a privately held U.S. online education company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Venice, California, with a corporate mailing address in Greenville, South Carolina. The company sells structured coaching and self-publishing services to aspiring and first-time authors, with stated outcomes of 8,000+ published authors, 1,000+ bestsellers, and 100 million books in print. Its core platform combines digital course content, 1-1 coaching with published-author coaches, professional book production (cover design, formatting, ISBN), and distribution enablement through Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and ACX. The product portfolio spans five core programs — Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir & Storytelling, Children's Book School, and Elite (a done-for-you VIP concierge service) — supplemented by a suite of free web tools (outline generator, word/page calculator, profit calculator, ROI calculator) and the lead-magnet book 'Published.'
The business model is primarily transactional (one-time program purchase with payment plans, anchored around a $5,997 Bestseller program reference price and higher Elite pricing), augmented by a recurring SPS+ Mastermind Community subscription and add-on coaching packages. Go-to-market is a consultative inside-sales motion: prospective authors complete a quiz, schedule a 1-hour strategy call with a publishing strategist, and are placed into a program tier. Marketing is multi-channel — content/SEO blog, email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, X), webinars, and a free physical book shipped for $8.99. The company is bootstrapped (no funding rounds or parent company disclosed), with a 11-50 employee headcount, and is led by founder and CEO Chandler Bolt. Customer base is a long tail of individual SMB authors across fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and children's book segments, with no enterprise accounts and 200+ five-star Google reviews as primary social proof.
Self-Publishing School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Self-Publishing School
- Legal name
- Self Publishing School
- Website
- https://self-publishingschool.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Self-Publishing School is a U.S. online education company that sells coaching programs, digital courses, and done-for-you publishing services to aspiring and first-time authors across fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and children's book segments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Self-Publishing School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Self-Publishing Education and Author Services
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Self-Publishing & Author Platforms (BPAMAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Self-Publishing Platforms (KDP-style Marketplaces & Portals) (MPAJAJAA), Author Marketing, PR & Launch Services (Ads, Book Tours, Influencers) (MPAJAJAL)
Keywords
Where Self-Publishing School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Venice
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Self-Publishing School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Educational Programs and Courses: One-time purchase or payment plan for structured programs including Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Children's Book, and Elite programs. Programs include digital course access, coaching calls, and professional publishing services.
- SPS+ Subscription (Mastermind Community): Authors receive 12-month free trial to SPS+ including Mastermind Community on Facebook and Group Coaching calls with each core offer purchase. After trial, authors can enroll in monthly or annual subscription. Subscriptions do not auto-renew; authors must opt in.
- Coaching Calls: Coaching calls expire after 12 months from date of purchase. Authors may purchase Continued Coaching, Quarterly Coaching, or Online Course Building for Authors add-on services.
- Published Book Sales: Free physical book 'Published.' offered with $8.99 shipping and handling charge. Revenue generated from shipping cost recovery on free book distribution as lead generation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Become a Bestseller Program with coaching |
| Subscription | Annual | Core Offer Products with 12-month coaching |
| Subscription | Monthly | SPS+ Mastermind Community Subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Published. Free Book Offer |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Self-Publishing School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Self-Publishing School is an online education company that sells structured self-publishing programs (Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Children's Book, and Elite VIP) combining 1-1 coaching, lifetime-access digital courses, professional book production, and a private author community. The company also offers a recurring SPS+ Mastermind subscription, free author productivity tools (calculators and outline generators), and a free lead-magnet book titled "Published." to drive enrollments.
Product overview
Self-Publishing School is an online education platform offering a suite of programs and tools for aspiring authors. The core offerings include five distinct writing programs: Fiction Program, Nonfiction Program, Memoir & Storytelling Program, Children's Book School, and Elite Program (full concierge service). Programs include 1-1 coaching, digital course access with lifetime access, author community, and professional publishing services. Additionally, the company provides free tools including Book Outline Template Generator, Word & Page Count Calculator, Book Profit Calculator, and ROI Business Calculator to support authors at various stages. The platform also offers the free book 'Published.' by Chandler Bolt as a lead magnet.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fiction Program Comprehensive self-publishing program that teaches aspiring and existing fiction authors how to write, publish, and market fiction novels across genres. Includes 1-1 coaching, digital course access, and community support, and targets individual authors writing in fantasy, romance, mystery, thriller, YA, and other fiction categories.
- Nonfiction Program Step-by-step coaching program for writing and publishing nonfiction books, including 1-1 coaching, digital course access, author community, virtual writing rooms, and professional book production. Designed for experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who want to establish authority and grow their business through a published nonfiction book.
- Memoir & Storytelling Program Program designed to help authors tell their personal stories through memoirs, featuring 11 modules with 101 lessons, 6 private coaching calls, unlimited group coaching calls, and lifetime digital course access. Targeted at individuals wanting to write and publish personal memoirs and life stories.
- Children's Book School Step-by-step coaching experience for creating, publishing, and launching children's books, with 12 modules and 81 lessons covering writing, illustration, age-appropriate content, and marketing. Targets authors writing picture books, early readers, and illustrated children's content.
- Elite Program Full concierge VIP book service providing comprehensive editing, publishing, and marketing support entirely handled for the author. Positioned as a premium add-on for time-constrained or high-net-worth authors who want a done-for-you publishing experience while retaining 100% of rights and royalties.
- SPS+ Mastermind Community Subscription Recurring subscription community offering author networking, group coaching calls, and ongoing support. Includes a 12-month free trial with any core offer purchase, after which authors can enroll in monthly or annual subscriptions (no auto-renewal; opt-in required).
- Add-On Coaching Services (Continued, Quarterly, Online Course Building) Optional add-on services available after the standard 12-month coaching period expires, including Continued Coaching, Quarterly Coaching, and Online Course Building for Authors. Sold as professional services extensions to core program graduates.
- Book Outline Template Generator Free interactive tool that generates fill-in-the-blank chapter-by-chapter book outline templates for fiction and nonfiction books based on user prompts including genre, subgenre, book premise, purpose, chapter count, and word count.
- Word & Page Count Calculator Free calculator tool that estimates word count and page numbers based on book type, genre, and target audience, along with average writing time estimates. Used by authors to plan manuscript length.
- Book Profit Calculator Free tool that calculates potential book sales and profit estimates based on user input, showing profit per book and earnings projections over 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year using Amazon royalty rates and projected sales volumes.
- ROI Business Calculator Free tool for authors to determine return on investment from publishing a book to grow their business, factoring in program costs and business revenue generation, calculating ROI percentages over 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years.
- Published. (Free Book by Chandler Bolt) Free 239-page physical book by Chandler Bolt containing a step-by-step roadmap to writing and publishing a bestselling book. Offered for $8.99 shipping and handling (US addresses only) with 600+ five-star reviews; used as a top-of-funnel lead magnet to drive program enrollments.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,000+ authors have successfully published books through the program
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Self-Publishing School
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Self-Publishing School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature4 records
Self-Publishing School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Self-Publishing School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Reedsy: Online marketplace and education hub connecting self-publishing authors with editors, designers, and marketers, plus free learning resources. Directly comparable to SPS as a one-stop platform serving aspiring indie authors with both tools and educational content.
- Self-Publishing Formula (Mark Dawson): Coaching-led education business teaching authors how to self-publish and market books, with signature courses and active community. Closest direct comp to SPS's high-ticket coaching model targeting the same indie author segment.
- Lulu Press: Self-publishing platform offering print-on-demand, ebook distribution, and publishing services for independent authors. Directly competes in the self-publishing enablement space, though more platform-led than education-led.
- BookBaby: Provides self-publishing services including editing, cover design, formatting, and distribution to authors. Overlaps with SPS's Elite concierge service offering done-for-you book production.
- Written Word Media: Book marketing services and education platform helping self-published authors amplify discoverability through promotions, ads, and courses. Comparable in targeting authors seeking post-publication marketing guidance.
- The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn): Creator-led education brand offering courses, podcasts, and books on self-publishing for fiction and nonfiction authors. Closely mirrors SPS's founder-led, education-first GTM in the same niche.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): The dominant self-publishing platform SPS authors publish through for ebooks and print-on-demand. Not a coach, but the underlying distribution channel whose policies and economics shape SPS's entire value proposition.
- IngramSpark: Print-on-demand and distribution service used by SPS authors for bookstores and library reach. Core platform dependency rather than direct competitor, but anchors the publishing outcomes SPS promises.
- MasterClass: Premium online education brand selling high-ticket video courses with celebrity instructors. Comparable business model—premium digital education with celebrity/expert-led content—but broader topic coverage and significantly larger scale.
Emerging players
- Authority Self-Publishing: Education-focused offering covering self-publishing, book marketing, and author platforms for nonfiction experts. Strong adjacency in the same nonfiction/authority-niche audience but lower brand awareness than SPS.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Self-Publishing School social profiles
Digital presenceSelf-Publishing School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Self-Publishing School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Self-Publishing School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Self-Publishing School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Self-Publishing School
What does Self-Publishing School do?
Self-Publishing School is an online education company that sells structured self-publishing programs (Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Children's Book, and Elite VIP) combining 1-1 coaching, lifetime-access digital courses, professional book production, and a private author community. The company also offers a recurring SPS+ Mastermind subscription, free author productivity tools (calculators and outline generators), and a free lead-magnet book titled "Published." to drive enrollments.
Is Self-Publishing School a public or private company?
Self-Publishing School is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Self-Publishing School founded?
Self-Publishing School was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Self-Publishing School based?
Self-Publishing School is headquartered in Venice, United States, in the North America region.
How does Self-Publishing School make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Educational Programs and Courses are the primary driver. The others are SPS+ Subscription (Mastermind Community), coaching Calls and published Book Sales.
Who are Self-Publishing School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Reedsy, Self-Publishing Formula (Mark Dawson), Lulu Press, BookBaby, Written Word Media and The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn). Broad incumbents are Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark and MasterClass. Authority Self-Publishing is listed as an emerging player.
Does Self-Publishing School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Self-Publishing School.
What industry is Self-Publishing School in?
Self-Publishing School's product category is Self-Publishing Education and Author Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAJAF, Self-Publishing & Author Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAJAJAA, Self-Publishing Platforms (KDP-style Marketplaces & Portals). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.