TheBookEdition

TheBookEdition is a free self-publishing platform that prints every book on demand in its own workshop in Lille, in the north of France, and sells it through its online bookstore or ships it to the author. Authors publish a paperback or ebook at no cost, set their own price, and receive all of their author margin on each sale; the printing is done by the company's digital print shop, Reprocolor. It is aimed at independent authors who want a printed book without paying for a print run, and the whole site is in French.

What a seller actually gets

The model is spelled out on the print page: "votre ouvrage ne sera imprimé qu'à la commande" (your book will only be printed when ordered), which means great flexibility and low risk "puisque vous n'avez rien à avancer" (since you have nothing to pay up front). To print, an author first creates a free author account and publishes the book on the platform, in private or public mode. From there, the author can order copies one at a time or in larger quantities, and can choose whether or not to make the book available for sale in the online bookstore.

The homepage describes the offer as self-publishing "gratuite, simple et libre" (free, simple and open), and lists the sales routes: authors can self-publish a paper or digital book for free and sell it "directement sur notre catalogue en ligne, en librairie traditionnelle ou même sur Amazon" (directly on our online catalog, in traditional bookstores or even on Amazon). The menu backs this with pages on selling a book online and distributing it to bookstores, a booksellers' catalog, and a "Service de diffusion" (distribution service).

Money works like this. The author sets the selling price based on the book's production cost, and "pour chacune de vos ventes sur notre plateforme, nous vous reversons 100 % de votre marge d'auteur, sans aucun frais supplémentaire" (for each of your sales on our platform, we pay you 100% of your author margin, with no additional fees). The homepage repeats that TheBookEdition pays authors their full margin from the very first sales. Rights stay with the author: "Avec TheBookEdition, vous gardez le contrôle ! Auto-publier un livre papier ou numérique permet de rester libre dans ses choix éditoriaux et de conserver la totalité de ses droits d'auteurs, sans engagement, ni prise de risque." (With TheBookEdition you keep control: self-publishing a paper or digital book lets you stay free in your editorial choices and keep all your author rights, with no commitment and no risk.)

The help center explains print on demand in the same terms: each book is printed only when ordered, "Il n'y a donc pas de stock ni de tirage minimum" (so there is no stock and no minimum print run), and books can be produced one at a time. It lists the advantages as avoiding paper waste and unsold stock, publishing without upfront costs, and being able to update or change a book at any time. After printing, books are shipped directly to readers or authors "en quelques jours seulement" (in just a few days).

Formats, pricing and production times

The print page gives the range: "12 dimensions (allant du 11x17 cm au 21x29,7 cm), 5 types de reliures et 5 grammages de papiers différents en couleur ou en noir et blanc" (12 sizes from 11x17 cm to 21x29.7 cm, 5 binding types and 5 paper weights, in color or black and white). The menu adds a page on book types and finishes, plus downloadable interior and cover templates.

Pricing is published through an example and a calculator. The print page says books start "À partir de 1,87 € TTC" (from €1.87 including tax). The footnote explains the configuration: a 40-page book with a glued square spine, black and white interior, 11x17 cm, printed in 500 copies, which earns a 42% discount. The same book as a single copy would cost €3.23 including tax. Quantity discounts reach up to 42%, and a price simulator lets an author estimate the production cost of their own project by page count, format and finish.

Production timing is described precisely. Orders go into production in batches from Monday to Friday at 8:00; an order placed after 8:00 goes into production the next day at 8:00, so a Friday afternoon order starts on Monday. The page says to allow "un délai de plusieurs jours pour la fabrication" (several days for production) after the order is validated, a few more days for orders above 100 copies, and an extra 48 hours for a hard or laminated cover, for finishing and drying the cover ink before lamination. Delivery time is added on top and depends on the carrier chosen.

Shipping is worldwide. The service strip under every page reads "Livraison mondiale" (worldwide delivery) and "À domicile ou en point relais" (to your home or to a pickup point).

Key facts from the company

On production, the print page states: "nous imprimons et fabriquons les livres exclusivement depuis notre atelier situé à Lille, dans le Nord de la France" (we print and make books exclusively in our workshop in Lille, in the north of France), and that the print shop "est spécialisée depuis 40 ans dans l'impression petit ou grand format et la signalétique" (has specialized for 40 years in small and large format printing and signage). The homepage names that shop as Reprocolor, "spécialisée dans l'impression sur tous supports et la signalétique d'entreprise" (specialized in printing on all media and business signage).

On certification, the print page says "nous sommes certifiés PEFC et Imprim'Vert" (we are PEFC and Imprim'Vert certified) and calls the manufacturing "100 % française". The homepage headline claims the title "N°1 français de l'auto-édition gratuite" (France's number one in free self-publishing), and the site says it has been the first French self-publishing site for more than 15 years. The online bookstore holds more than 40,000 self-published books, organized in categories from comics and manga to essays, travel and youth titles.

Author services cover proofreading and correction, cover design, ebook conversion, distribution and promotional materials, and the homepage says its team of experts supports authors with proofreading, cover creation and communication advice. The offers menu lists a 30% advantage for booksellers, a 10% newsletter discount, a €5 referral credit, a loyalty program and gift cards.

Customer service is open Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00, through the contact page and the help center.

Who it suits and who it does not

TheBookEdition suits a French-speaking author who wants a printed book without any upfront cost: publish for free, order a single proof, sell through the online bookstore at a price you set and keep the full margin, and order larger quantities at up to 42% off when there is demand. The published example prices and the calculator make it easier than most to work out unit costs before publishing, and worldwide delivery means readers outside France can still order.

It suits less a seller who wants print on demand connected to their own online shop; the pages describe selling through TheBookEdition's own bookstore, bookstores and Amazon rather than a store integration. It is also a book printer, so sellers looking for merchandise need another supplier, and the site, help center and support work in French.