To the independent writer trying to get a foot in the door, yes it is.
You are able to quite inexpensively publish your book in any form, with minimal outlay, with the possibility of reaching a massive audience (see my proviso later, however).
What many people are not aware of is that there is the option of creating books not just for the Amazon Kindle (eBooks), which is the first impression that you get, but a hard copy print book on a ‘Print-on-Demand’ basis (i.e. you only pay for exactly the number of copies you want, and no more). Indeed, you can get a royalty return from selling your book without having to lay out anything first. (Any costs from LCCD are directly related to the work involved in preparing your manuscript for publication; the closer it is to publication-ready, the less you pay.)
Gone are the days of expensive self-publishing, sometimes known as ‘vanity publishing’, which meant you spend hundreds or even thousands of pounds on a stack of books that just ended up gathering dust.
To see a good example of a book I put through the KDP process for a client, click HERE to see the entry on Amazon for the book, available in both Kindle and Print form. (This book was based on the author’s rough notes and a transcript with screenshots from the documentary video that LCCD produced for him.)
LCCD takes your manuscript from Word/Notepad form (or plain paper, for an additional copy editing fee) and turns it into a KDP-ready form, including a basic cover design, and they upload everything to your Amazon Account for you (note that a regular Amazon account is not enough; you will need an Amazon KDP account to be able to publish books).
Prices vary depending on various factors, mainly on the readiness of the project for publication, as well as the number of pages. Being in Grayscale (Black and white) or colour is also a factor, as is the number of illustrations, if any. LCCD normally quote on a case-by-case basis.
The only point that I would make is this; if anyone GUARANTEES to get your book into all the bookshops and big chains (such as Waterstones) for a ‘minimal’ upfront fee, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Guaranteeing results like this is the same as guaranteeing Page 1 on Google and Amazon for your book; it doesn’t happen just like that…!
Use the Contact Form on the home page if you need further details, or if you want to organise an appointment to discuss your manuscript and its publication further.