Kris Austin is the co-founder and CEO of Draft2Digital, one of the world’s largest digital publishing and distribution platforms for self-published authors and independent publishers. Since its founding in 2012, Draft2Digital has grown to support over 300,000 authors from around the globe who have collectively released over 1.1 million titles. More information on Draft2Digital can be found at https://draft2digital.com/.

Draft2Digital has long been focused on helping indie authors reach wider audiences—how does this partnership with Bookshop.org expand that mission?

Since day one, our mission has always been to help authors become more successful. Our partnership with Bookshop.org helps us achieve that mission by expanding our authors’ reach into more than 3,400 independent, brick-and-mortar bookstores across the U.S. and U.K.

What does this mean in practical terms for authors already using Draft2Digital? Will they need to do anything differently?

In practical terms, D2D authors simply need to opt-in to have their ebooks distributed to Bookshop.org. To make it easy, our mass opt-in tool allows authors to add all their eligible books to a new or existing retail destination with the click of a button. This is especially useful for authors with multiple series or deep backlists. If they prefer, authors also have the option to add their books one at a time to any of our retail, library, or subscription service partners.

How will Draft2Digital continue to support discoverability and accessibility for self-published authors as the catalog grows?

Discoverability is always a top concern for authors trying to stand out in a crowded market of both self-published and traditionally published books.

Our promotions team works directly with merchandising managers at retailers and library platforms to secure visibility for our authors, whether that’s homepage placement, curated lists, or seasonal campaigns.

We recently partnered with Bookshop.org on Independent Bookstore Day, where selected Draft2Digital titles were featured prominently across their platform. Draft2Digital and our authors promoted Indie Bookstore Day via social media, our podcast, and our newsletter. Campaigns like that are a strong example of what this partnership enables.

Every Draft2Digital author can have their books considered for future merchandising promotions from Bookshop.org and our other partners. All they need to do is log into their accounts and fill out the short Draft2Digital promotions form so that we know we can contact them when a future promotion might be suitable for their books. Oh, and we do this for free!

For authors deciding where to distribute their books, what makes this partnership particularly valuable?

Authors who decide to “distribute wide,” meaning they’re avoiding exclusivity with a single retailer, would be hard pressed to find a good reason not to distribute their books to Bookshop.org. What makes this partnership particularly valuable comes down to three things:

First, Bookshop.org is growing rapidly. In 2025, the company reached nearly $70 million in revenue, representing 55% year-over-year growth. Ebooks are still a relatively new part of their business, but they already account for a meaningful and expanding share of sales. Since Draft2Digital titles were only added in early 2026, we see significant upside for our authors as that segment continues to develop.

Second, Bookshop.org isn’t just one storefront—it’s a network of 3,400+ independent bookstores. That means discoverability through thousands of localized audiences, not a single centralized algorithm. It also gives authors a meaningful alternative to single-channel dependence, which is increasingly important in today’s retail landscape.

Third, there’s a values component. Readers can directly support local bookstores with every purchase, which creates a strong alignment between indie authors and indie bookstores. That connection is resonating more with readers and helping drive engagement beyond the transaction itself.

A bookstore ecosystem thrives when there’s a healthy balance of partners rather than a single dominant player. Authors and readers are recognizing their ability to influence that balance, and we’re seeing communities rally around indie bookstores as cultural hubs.

Are there specific types of authors or genres that you think will benefit most from being available on Bookshop.org?

The authors who will benefit most are the ones who actively guide their readers, through newsletters, social posts, and direct links, rather than relying on passive discovery. That approach works across every retailer, and Bookshop.org is no exception.

I don’t think any particular genre will benefit more than others by being on Bookshop.org. As with any bookseller, reading trends come and go. What’s hot today can be lukewarm next month and cold in a year. The opposite is true too.

What opportunities does this open up for authors who are building communities through newsletters, social media, or platforms like BookTok?

Authors who actively engage with their readers see the greatest impact from opportunities like this. That’s where newsletters, social media and platforms like BookTok can, and do, make a significant difference.

One thing that’s undeniable about indie authors is their knack for building, sustaining, and growing their reader communities. Indie authors know not to “talk at” their readers or to constantly sell to them. They develop genuine connections with their readers through sincere, personable interactions. Often, it’s the simple, unglamorous interactions, like replying to emails or responding to social posts, that make the biggest difference. These simple interactions pay dividends over time by changing a browser into a reader, a reader into a fan, and a fan into a superfan who helps spread the word about their favorite authors’ books.

How do you see this partnership influencing the broader perception of self-publishing within the publishing industry?

Without a doubt, the perception of self-publishing has changed. In less than 20 years, self-published books have gone from being stigmatized, to recognized as viable, to now being regarded as essential inventory for major retailers like Bookshop.org.

All the credit for this transformation of self-publishing’s perception among the industry belongs to the authors. They’re the heroes of this story. Their talent, determination, and business savvy have led us to this moment. Many imprints from major publishing houses are now actively and publicly seeking content from the indie author community.

What excites you most about this moment for authors?

What’s exciting right now is that indie authors aren’t just participating in the market, they’re helping reshape the market itself. Partnerships like this one expand where their books can live and how readers can discover them, and that momentum is still building.