Niche ebook publisher

Readers buying through online stores, and sometimes your own website. Some titles also sell to schools, clubs or libraries.

You earn royalties or direct sales on each ebook sold. Income builds slowly as your catalogue grows, and some titles can be bundled or sold in different formats.

• Writing, editing or commissioning good content
• Basic design and ebook formatting
• Online marketing to a niche audience

• Copyright: make sure you own or have written permission for all text, images and fonts
• Check how each platform's royalties, payment and tax forms work for Australian sellers
• Check GST rules for digital sales and when you need to register
• Apply for ISBNs if you want them, and check whether a legal deposit copy applies to your titles
• Cheap or untested titles may sell little, so test the market before spending much

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $200 to $3,000, depending on how much you spend on editing, cover design and formatting tools. Testing the market before spending much is a sensible approach.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $50 to $2,000, depending on how many titles you publish, the size of your niche audience and your marketing. Cheap or untested titles may sell little.

Check that you own or have written permission for all text, images and fonts. Also check platform royalties and tax forms for Australian sellers, GST rules for digital sales, and whether ISBNs or a legal deposit copy apply to your titles.