IngramSpark Shares Update on Fee Changes in 2026
Self-Publishing News (Jan. 27, 2026)
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It’s only been a week since the last news update, but a lot moved fast. IngramSpark finally confirmed something authors have been unclear about, and that confirmation matters. Draft2Digital is dealing with yet another partnership collapse. And things are starting to take shape in the fallout from the loss of library distribution partner Baker & Taylor.
We’ll also touch on updates from StreetLib, news involving Spoken, and a big move from the Alliance of Independent Authors, plus a rapid-fire rundown of tools and updates worth your attention.
All that and more in the Self-Publishing News for January 27, 2026.
Learn from the Pros, Take Action Now
I attended Author Nation Live in November this past year and I was floored. I’ve been to conferences before but this one hit different. You know how it normally goes—scribble a few notes, feel inspired and motivated for a week or two, then life takes over and nothing changes.
One author drafted nine book outlines using a system she learned in a single session. Another one posted their first YouTube video that same week because a presenter made it feel completely doable. People were walking out saying “Mind blown!” and meaning it.
Here’s the thing—if you missed it, you’re not out of luck.
Author Nation is running a Digital After Party starting in January and going through March.
You get full access to all the session recordings, but here’s the real magic: live Zoom calls with the speakers where you can actually ask questions. Get clarity on how to apply what you’re learning to your books and your business.
This isn’t just about consuming more content, it’s about getting the right content and the people to help execute on what you learn.
Whether you’re still working toward your first book or you’re scaling a profitable catalog, this is how you make 2026 the year things actually change. Check it out at DaleLinks.com/AuthorNationReplay.
IngramSpark to Eliminate Update Fees Starting February 1
The aggregate publishing platform IngramSpark recently shared an update that confirms changes that I flagged back in December. With only a few days left in January, the promo code FIXIT is still good for waiving any update fees. This temporarily removes the $25 update fee that normally applies on any books past the sixty-day mark after publication.
Starting February 1, IngramSpark says free revisions with no limits are coming. Not long ago, IngramSpark eliminated the $49 upload fee but kept the $25 update fee in place, which made post-publication costs a bit high. This shift removes that friction entirely and makes it easier for authors to correct issues, refresh content, or make a few updates without paying out the nose for it.
There is a tradeoff though. While update fees are going away, IngramSpark now has a higher market access fee of 1.875%, up from the previous 1%. The upside is more flexibility and no penalties for improving your book. The downside is a slightly higher recurring cost for global distribution.
I, for one, am pretty happy to see the upload fee gone. The market access fee hike? Not so much, but this seems like an improvement. What are your thoughts?
Draft2Digital Loses Key Library Partners as Smashwords Surges
The aggregate publishing platform Draft2Digital (D2D) shared another round of library distribution changes in its January update. After the loss of Baker & Taylor last year and the earlier cutoff from the Digital Public Library of America and its Palace Marketplace, Draft2Digital confirmed that ebooks will no longer be delivered to Odilo. Odilo focuses heavily on academic and institutional content, and Draft2Digital said the volume and type of indie titles no longer aligned with that direction.
Draft2Digital was clear that while losing Baker & Taylor, DPLA, and Odilo is disappointing, those channels combined were not significant revenue drivers for most authors. The company emphasized that its library reach remains intact through established partners like OverDrive, Hoopla, cloudLibrary, and BorrowBox.
On the retail side of D2D, Smashwords posted its ninth consecutive year of sales growth in 2025, with all three sitewide super sales breaking previous records. More importantly, Smashwords reported double digit growth in first-time buyers across those sales, pointing to overall platform growth. The next Smashwords super sale runs March 1 through March 7, 2026, and I’m looking forward to hearing how it compares to previous years.
Post–Baker & Taylor: Vendors Scramble to Fill the Gap
Speaking of library distribution, this next piece comes from Publishers Weekly and looks at how the market is reshaping now that Baker & Taylor is officially gone. Libraries of all sizes are scrambling to replace a longtime supplier, and vendors are racing to absorb that demand by hiring more staff, upgrading systems, and increasing storage capacity. The article makes it clear this isn’t a quick switch and will take time to stabilize.
Several players are stepping in, including Ingram Library Services, which reports a sharp increase in account requests. Other vendors like Follett, Libraria, and Midwest Library Service are also expanding aggressively, often by hiring former Baker & Taylor employees. Amazon Business has entered the space as well, positioning itself as a flexible option for libraries of all sizes.
For authors, this is less about immediate opportunity and more about watching how access and discoverability evolve in the coming months and years. Libraries are learning a hard lesson about relying on a single vendor, and the supply chain is clearly fragmented. I covered the Baker & Taylor closure extensively late last year, and now that the dust is settling, I will keep tracking how these replacements perform and what it means for indie authors trying to reach libraries.
StreetLib Reintroduces Itself With Accessibility, Apps, and DRM Changes
The aggregate publishing platform StreetLib shared a wide ranging retrospective on 2025 recently that highlighted some recent features and rollouts that I was unaware of. Over the past year, StreetLib leaned hard into accessibility, expanding its tools for producing compliant EPUBs (due to new European regulations). It also gained new partners in BorrowBox, Libro.fm, and Bookshop.org, opening additional paths to libraries, audiobooks, and independent bookstores.
One of the more interesting developments is StreetLib’s deeper integration with BookRix. Through the BookRix subscription app, authors now have a more direct, reader facing option—particularly in Europe. This gives StreetLib account holders another revenue stream beyond traditional retail and library options.
The most important update, though, involves digital rights management and ties directly into recent changes announced by Kindle Direct Publishing.
StreetLib confirmed that starting January 20, 2026, Amazon will handle DRM choices differently for ebooks distributed to its store. If DRM is enabled, ebooks will be restricted to Kindle devices and apps. If DRM is not enabled, readers can download both the EPUB and PDF formats to read one other devices. StreetLib urged authors to review their DRM settings carefully since this choice now affects how and where readers can access their books.
My BIG News: Spoken Advisory Role
I’m pumped about officially announcing my role with Spoken, the digital narration platform, on their advisory board. I’m excited because Spoken is all about giving indie authors an affordable way to get their stories out into the world. Phil Marshall, their founder, is an indie author himself, so they get it. They’re using quality digital narration with AI voices, but in a way that still respects and compensates voiceover talent. You can even clone your voice, or create a voice from scratch.
Quick reminder: their Your Story contest is open until February 20. Narrate a short piece, add personal commentary about why it matters, and you could end up as a finalist streaming on their YouTube channel. It’s a chance to put a spotlight on your book in front of a new audience. And the best part? There’s no entry fee and there are quite a few nice prizes for the winners.
ALLi Launches Indie Author Bookstore for Direct Sales
I am genuinely excited about the news coming out of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), because this is one of the most incredible perks they have rolled out to date. ALLi has officially soft launched the Indie Author Bookstore, a curated discoverability platform for showcasing indie books and connecting readers directly with authors.
From now through early March, the bookstore is in a soft launch phase focused on uploading catalogs, refining listings, and working through any small issues before the official launch at the London Book Fair on March 10. ALLi curates the storefront, but authors control their own sales, pricing, fulfillment, and customer relationships. And there are no commissions, revenue shares, or affiliate fees, so every sale goes directly to you or your chosen fulfillment partner.
For indie authors serious about direct sales, visibility, and owning the reader relationship, this is a big deal. The store features daily book spotlights, themed shelves, and seasonal promotions, all without pay to play tactics. I have talked about ALLi for years, but this bookstore feels like a major development for indie authors.
This is a members only benefit, so to list books, authors must have an active membership with ALLi. For more details about how to become a member, visit my affiliate link at DaleLinks.com/ALLi. Be sure to look at all their perks to see the full value of an annual membership (there are LOTS of deals, discounts, and author resources).
Rapid Fire News Flash
It’s time for the Rapid Fire News Flash, a quick rundown of the other noteworthy updates and insights worth your attention
Dibbly Create is hosting a free live session on February 4 at 11:00am EDT (UTC-5), when they’ll explore their latest feature Design Studio. The session shows how Design Studio and KIP handle real publishing needs like title spacing, readable thumbnails, correct trim sizes, full wrap covers, A+ content, and keeping characters consistent across all assets. They are also giving away 100 million tokens to 20 attendees. Register right away!
Dibbly, the collaborative writing service platform, announced a significant pricing update. Starting April 1, 2026, plan prices will increase by up to 25%. Anyone who upgrades or adjusts their plan before then can lock in current pricing.
ProWritingAid is gauging interest in a new writing contest called Novel Beginnings. The proposed contest includes a $50,000 grand prize and $5,000 shortlist prizes for emerging and unpublished writers. Registering interest is a single click and doesn’t commit you to anything.
My friends at Booklinker are hosting a free webinar called The Book Launch Blueprint on February 12 at 2:00pm EDT, with guest expert Aryn Van Dyke. They’ll be focusing on building a clear, goal driven launch plan before spending time or money on promotion.
Book marketing expert David Gaughran released a nearly hour-long Facebook Ads tutorial for 2026. The video walks through targeting, images, and ad copy using Facebook’s current interface and focuses heavily on reaching the right readers. I highly recommend subscribing to David’s YouTube channel and email newsletter. He’s a no-nonsense type of guy who’ll always shoot straight with you.
Big shout out to Vervanté. They handled the bookmarks for my Kickstarter campaign, and the quality and customer service were outstanding. I got a full color, gold foil double-sided bookmark for my Kickstarter campaign backers and wow! Anyone looking for more options for selling direct or any specialty print items, Vervanté has you covered. They also released a free worksheet this week called Print With Intention, designed to help authors decide what print options make the most sense for their business.
Final Thoughts
Real quick reminder here: I mentioned earlier about how I was at Author Nation live in November where I interviewed many authors and they shared how community genuinely changed how they approached being an author.
If you couldn’t make it to Vegas, they’re doing something called the Digital After Party. January through March, you get all the session recordings plus live Zoom calls with the speakers to ask your specific questions.
This isn’t about more content, it’s about the right content and real people helping you execute. Learn more at DaleLinks.com/AuthorNationReplay.
That’s all I have for the news this week. Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments. And if you found something insightful or of any help, share it with someone who might enjoy it too. Till later, catch up on the previous few weeks of the Self-Publishing News 👇
Hi Dale. I'd love to bounce an idea off you.
Excellent. Thanks for the news and updates.