How To Self Publish Your Compositions And Sell Them On Amazon
Introduction
Are you a composer wanting to get your music out in the world?
You could try traditional publishing, but that is difficult to break into
You could sell your music on your website, but do you don’t want to deal with orders and shipping
Amazon is a great place to sell because it is so convenient for your customers. First of all, so many people already shop on Amazon. Also, who doesn’t love 2-day shipping?!
Engrave the Score
You have composed your work of art. Now you need to turn those notes into a publishable score. I recommend notation software such as Sibelius, Dorico, or Finale. If you are unfamiliar with this software, you should start learning right away because this step is so important.
Also, study the craft of engraving. Behind Bars by Elaine Gould is a comprehensive resource and is the industry standard.
2. Have the Score Printed and Bound
Page/Booklet Planning
Now that you have your score engraved, you need to think about its final form. You need to prepare a PDF document to send to a company that can print and bind your document. You need to provide cover pages and inside cover pages in addition to the music. Booklets come in page denominations of 4 (4, 8,1 2, 16 etc.)
A typical 4-page booklet score would include:
Page 1: Cover
Page 2-3: Music
Page 4: Back Cover/Music/Composer Bio
An 8-page booklet might be formatted like this:
Page 1: Cover
Page 2: Inside Cover/Blank (Can be an explanation of the piece here)
Page 3: Title Page/Music
Page 4-7: Music
Page 8: Back Cover (Composer Bio)
Binding
Sheet music is most commonly bound by staples, specifically saddle stitch binding. Choral octavos can be folded and unstapled.
3. Get Ready to Sell on Amazon
Sign up for Amazon FBA Program
First, sign up to sell on Amazon. I recommend an individual seller account unless you sell more than 40 items per month. You can always upgrade later. You will have to verify your address and banking information.
Create Product Listing
List your score under books -> Sheet Music -> Classical
Take high-quality photographs of your score. Write a description that will your audience want to purchase your score.
4. Ship To Amazon
Once you have printed scores, you will need to set up a shipment with Amazon FBA to let them know your product is on the way. Be prepared to describe the weight and size of your product and packaging. Additionally, take note of the shipping number provided to you by your parcel service.
5. Advertise and Sell
Include links to your listings on your website
Post on social media
Include links on youtube recordings
Make a video announcing your self-publishing
Send copies to friends and have them record your music
