How Foreign Rights Can Boost Your Self Published Book Sales?

According to statistics, the number of self published titles with ISBNs increased by 7.2% in 2024-25, surpassing 2.6 million—a substantial rise from previous years.

As a self published author, you’ve likely spent hours writing, editing, and marketing your book. While self publishing offers authors much control, its next steps in broadening its reach may not always be immediately obvious. Selling foreign rights may provide the answer: reach a wider audience while diversifying income streams and cementing yourself into the international literary scene – as we explore in this post, we will demonstrate why selling foreign rights can significantly boost self published book sales.

What Are Foreign Rights?

Foreign rights refer to legal permissions you can give international publishers, agents, or distributors to publish and distribute your book across a range of markets or regions – print editions, digital formats, audiobooks, or translated versions can all fall within this definition of “foreign rights.” When selling foreign rights, you allow another organization or person the ability to distribute it, whether that be localized distribution within their market (i.e. Japan, France, Brazil, etc.).

Securing foreign rights deals can open your book up to international readers who would otherwise remain out of reach. Self published authors who publish books themselves often turn to self publishing services for assistance with international distribution; their services help manage all aspects of foreign rights distribution and ensure you don’t miss any global opportunities with these rights.

Different Types of Foreign Rights

Understanding the different types of foreign rights can open new opportunities for self published authors to expand their global reach and increase their book’s visibility in international markets.

Print Rights

Print rights are one of the most frequently traded foreign rights that self published authors can sell, giving a foreign publisher permission to print and distribute your book within their territory (such as paperback or hardcover format), which opens doors for global sales across bookstores, libraries, and physical retail channels.

Digital Rights

With the rise of eBooks and online platforms, selling digital rights has become one of the easiest and simplest ways to reach global readers. Digital rights allow international publishers to distribute your book as an eBook through platforms such as Kindle, Kobo, or Apple Books without incurring shipping or inventory expenses, making eBooks especially appealing for self published authors looking to expand their readership without incurring additional logistical expenses. Self Publishing services often assist these authors by managing digital distribution across popular eBook platforms worldwide.

Audiobook Rights

Audiobooks have quickly become one of the most sought-after ways for readers to access books. If your book hasn’t yet been made into an audiobook version, selling its rights as one could be an excellent way to tap into this booming market and tap international listeners who prefer audio over print or digital formats. By selling foreign rights for sale through platforms such as Audible or Google Play, you could reach listeners all around the globe who prefer listening rather than reading.

Benefits of Selling Foreign Rights

Selling foreign rights offers self published authors a unique opportunity to grow their audience, increase revenue, and gain international recognition for their work.

Increased Revenue Streams

One of the primary motivations for selling foreign rights is increasing income streams. Publishing in new territories means receiving royalties from international sales of your book – providing another revenue source which supplements domestic sales without additional effort required from you. 

A book’s success could result in substantial additional earnings when published if readers gravitate toward it there or by taking advantage of the country with large reader bases where readers embrace your work more readily – helping increase overall earnings without much additional work on your part.

“Diversifying your income through foreign rights is one of the smartest ways to ensure a stable revenue stream,” says industry expert Sarah Brown. 

Expanding Your Readership

Reaching beyond domestic markets gives authors an incredible opportunity to expand their readership. Each sale in foreign markets introduces your book to readers who may otherwise never encounter it, thanks to global book markets being so expansive and varied. Expanding readership on an international scale increases author visibility as well.

Strengthening Your Author Brand

Selling foreign rights allows you to develop your author brand internationally, increasing recognition as an international author. When your book becomes available in multiple countries, its availability helps strengthen it even more. 

Doing business internationally means offering your book or other work in multiple languages and formats – signaling both readers and industry professionals that the book has international appeal. Self Publishing services can assist authors with expanding their global visibility by helping navigate foreign rights sales processes to ensure their work is strategically promoted across international markets.

Extending the Lifespan of Your Book

Books typically reach their sales peak within weeks after release before gradually losing momentum over time. By selling foreign rights for your book and publishing in multiple markets around the globe, selling foreign rights allows it to stay relevant longer while keeping it fresh in people’s minds longer – you will earn royalties longer and continue enjoying ongoing momentum long after its initial publication date.

How to Sell Foreign Rights for Your Self Published Book

Selling foreign rights for your self published book can be a strategic way to expand your global reach and boost sales, but knowing how to navigate the process is key to success.

Partnering with Literary Agents

While self published authors often prefer handling foreign rights sales alone, working with literary agents may prove advantageous. Literary agents usually possess extensive networks and relationships with international publishers, which allows them to negotiate favorable contracts more quickly for you while protecting your rights effectively.

Attending International Book Fairs

International book fairs such as the London or Frankfurt Book Fair can provide another effective means of selling foreign rights, with publishers, agents, and rights buyers from around the globe present to buy your book at these events. 

Attended by publishers, agents, and rights buyers from every continent, international book fairs such as these provide authors with a wonderful platform to present their books to potential international professionals who could become readers and buyers for foreign rights contracts. 

Often, there will be designated rights trading sections at fairs where authors can meet potential buyers directly and negotiate deals for foreign rights deals to secure sales contracts before purchasing rights deals are finalized.

Pitching to Foreign Publishers

Reaching out directly to foreign publishers is another viable approach to selling your foreign rights. Self published authors who wish to explore this avenue often find great success by researching target publishers in target markets, creating professional pitches tailored for them, and sending these directly out. This process may take more time, but it often results in high-quality partnerships that become great assets in selling titles internationally.

Using Rights Platforms

One strategy available to self published authors is using online rights platforms such as PubMatch, Book2Look, and RightsDirect to list their books for sale. Websites like PubMatch, Book2Look, and RightsDirect allow authors to upload their books directly onto these websites so that buyers from around the globe may easily find them and license the books for licensing rights worldwide.

Licensing vs. Self-Translation: Which Is Better?

Deciding between licensing your book’s foreign rights or opting for self-translation is a crucial choice that can impact your book’s international success and revenue potential.

Licensing Your Rights to a Foreign Publisher

Licensing is one way of expanding the reach of your book abroad, giving it greater international prominence and increasing royalties from foreign sales. By licensing, much of the work can be taken off your plate so you can concentrate on other aspects of your writing career.

Self-Translating and Publishing

Conversely, translating and publishing your book yourself may provide more control and potentially higher profits by taking charge of translating and publishing in foreign markets. This approach puts more responsibility onto yourself while keeping all royalties from sales in those markets. Many self published authors who speak multiple languages often take this route to manage their international presence directly.

Comparing Both Approaches

Licensing rights provide a professional translation service and give more control. Self-translating gives greater independence and potential earnings. Both options may have their distinct advantages depending on resources, language skills, and your desired level of involvement in the translation process.

Conclusion

Selling foreign rights can be an excellent way to expand the success of a self published book. From expanding readership, increasing revenue, and building your brand internationally – to tapping into global book fairs or using online platforms, selling foreign rights offers self published authors many avenues into international sales markets and watching their books flourish globally. 

Now is an opportune moment to take advantage of this global marketplace and expand readership worldwide with your book. Additionally, working with experienced ebook writing and publishing services can help streamline the process and ensure your book is properly positioned for international success.